Some people see a map of the U.S. or even of the globe and see it as a list of places they’ve been and places they’ve yet to visit. If traveling is your passion, especially if it’s often by car so you can take those unexpected stops to surprising places, show off your traveling experience to friends, family and strangers. Everyone can share pictures online, but you can take it a step further and let your friends and family experience a little bit of where you’ve been or bring your experience with you wherever you go.
Make a Quilt
If you’re crafty, channel your talents into a quilt that no one else in the world has: a quilt made up of your unique travel memories. Print photos from your various travels or flags from states and countries onto fabric and sew the pieces together into a patchwork snapshot of your travels. The more you travel, the bigger it’ll grow — or you can start a second quilt for your significant other or best friend to use. You can also hang them from the walls for beautiful, home-style art. Bring it out when you have people over; it’s a more compelling way to share your memories than simply uploading the photos to social media.
Affix Flag Decals
In addition to or in lieu of your quilt, put a flag decal
of each state or country you’ve been to on your car, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle, boat or other vehicle. This is especially fun when you often drive to your destinations. Make a ritual out of affixing the new sticker during your first rest stop in a new state. When you’re back home driving around town, you’ll still be thinking of those fun days you vacationed, and your stickers will prove a mood-booster even on a hectic day. You can also have some of your favorite photos taken at locations around the country and the world turned into custom car stickers, so you’ll never have a hard time finding your car in a crowded parking lot again.
Hold a Dinner Party
A few weeks after your latest vacation, or whenever you’ve had the chance to unwind, hold a dinner party for friends and family where you serve dishes famous to a region you’ve recently been to. Use ingredients you bought from those locations whenever possible, and print out recipes to give to anyone who’s interested. You might not make it as good as the locals — although it’ll help if you practice before the night of the party — but even an imitation can be delicious. And it makes for a more interesting conversation starter than photos alone.
