I’m a big fan of collecting experiences and memories over splurging on lots and lots of material items.

I like to take lots of pictures when I travel, marking special places and memories. However, I also spend a lot of time simply exploring and talking with my travel mates and people we meet along the way. It helps me immerse myself in the real-time moments and experiences of my trip.

Another way to savor travel memories is to buy or find a memento that reminds you of the experience. Many people look for special souvenirs or items to collect from trips or special moments. Some people simply collect items as a hobby. My niece often buys a shirt while on vacation and one of my girlfriends shops for Christmas ornaments to remind her of travels.

A few years ago I decided to start marking my special trips with a postcard from each location. I try to find a postcard that highlights an area or landmark I visited while on the trip. Then, on the back, I write the dates of the trip, who I was with and any special notes.

For instance, when I visited Lexington, Kentucky a few years ago, we toured Kentucky Horse Park and several horse farms. I saw TizNow, Go For Gin and others, all famous racehorses (as a big horse lover, these were exciting animals to meet!). I noted all of these on my postcard. When I go to Washington, DC to advocate, I list the cancer fighting priorities we discussed with our representatives. It’s fun to add little notes that might slip my mind as time goes by.

I find postcards fun to collect, and easy to store. I smile when I flip through the postcards, reading my notes and recalling memories.

Do you collect items from travels? If so, share below in the comments what you collect!