📖 What I learned reading my 10-year-old travel journal
Plus: Gold volcanos, the history of Banh Mi, & weird things in Croatia
Hi friend,
Welcome back to Itchy Feet, A Travel-Inspired Newsletter. I’m excited you’re here!
Another 5ish minute vacation is about to start. 😊
In case you missed it, my last Itchy Feet post explained the benefits of wellness travel.
You can check it out here:
This week, let’s talk about something just as important: Journaling during a trip.
Let’s get to it:
I couldn’t believe it…
One night before bedtime I wanted something to read.
None of my usual books seemed interesting, so I opted for some non-fiction…written by me 10 years ago.
I started journaling in 2009 on a trip to Europe. In 2012, I began journaling all the time, not just while traveling.
So there I was, sitting in my bedroom, and I started to scroll through some pages of a journal written in 2015.
A wave of emotions struck me like an ice bath:
My Spanish was way worse back then!
I started writing my journals in Spanish to practice the new language.
As I write this post, I often feel like my Spanish está muy malo. But after reading my even worse 10-year-old Spanish, I realized I’d improved.
This reminded me: When you’re feeling down, just remember where you started. More often than not, you've grown without realizing it.
Whenever I worry about whether I’m good enough, I try to remind myself that in 6 months these things will seem very easy by then.
Flipping a few more pages, another aha moment hit:
After all these years, I still have similar goals, but many are still incomplete.
Wow.
It reminded me to not forget about them before it’s too late.
As I closed my journal, a third realization hit me: I’m so deeply thankful for this journal from 10 years ago.
I can’t stress enough how happy you’ll be in the future if you get into the habit of journaling.
It can be a pain to pause, jot down some notes, and capture your day on paper, but you’ll be grateful you did.
This post was inspired by fellow travel Substacker,
.He mentioned the importance of travel journals. Although he talked about digital journals (also useful), I have always been a fan of paper ones.
You’re damn right, Chris.
🚀 Travel Quote of the Week
“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.”
-Mary Anne Radmacher
🤲 Did You Know?
There’s a volcano that emits $6,000-worth of crystallized gold each day. Before you grab a pan and pick, there’s a catch: It’s in Antarctica.
Mount Erebus is one of Antarctica’s 138 active volcanos. It’s 12,448 feet fall and the particles of gold dust has a 600-mile reach.
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🎏 Culture Corner
Banh mi is one of my all-time favorite sandwiches.
Created in Vietnam, it consists of a baguette, meat, mayo, liver pate, pickled veggies, crunchy cucumbers, cilantro, and chilies. Everything listed makes sense, except the baguette.
In Vietnamese, banh means “baked food or bread”, while mi means “wheat.” This sandwich represents French colonialism plus the Vietnamese’ resilience and adaptation.
Despite being the quintessential Vietnamese street food, the banquette was introduced by the French in the 1860s.
At this time, the French forcefully colonized Vietnam. Staple French dishes like the baguette were introduced to the country.
However, only the French settlers could afford them. By World War I, when much of the French population left to fight in Europe, prices for all goods plummeted. Locals could finally buy baguettes.
After declaring independence from the French in 1946, the Vietnamese regained control of the region in 1954.
Strict French cooking norms were lifted. People began experimenting with the baguette, which was already universally popular.
In Saigon, Mr. and Mrs. Le struck gold: a classic baguette with a Vietnamese twist. They invented a sandwich packed with meat, veggies, and local flavors. The banh mi was born.
It was takeaway food for a bustling city population. Rather than a box to grab and go, the bread held everything together.
Their banh mi joint still exists today: Bánh Mì Hòa Mã (map)
🌆 Random things to do in Zagreb, Croatia
You can check Instagram or Pinterest to get the top experiences for Croatia’s capital. The Cathedral, Zagreb Zoo, and Ban Josip Jelačić Square are some ideas.
But what about the peculiar and random?
Here are five alternative fun things to do in Zagreb.
The Art Park: Located in the historic city center, between Zagreb Strossmayer Promenade and Tomićeva Street, it’s one of the best places to have a picnic in the city. Once abandoned and dreary, the Art Park was rejuvenated in 2016 with gorgeous murals, painted staircases, abstract sculptures, and even a few bars. (Source: Visit Zagrab)
Hop on a funicular: This small cable railway is one of the oldest and fastest ways to navigate Zagreb’s Upper Town. The funicular has helped locals and visitors climb one of the cities’ steep but short streets since 1890. Now considered a moving museum, Zagreb’s funicular is the world’s fastest – a trip only takes 64 seconds. (Source: Tour Scanner)
The Museum of Broken Relationships: This was originally a touring exhibit by two broken-up artists. It was a collection of their mementos and relationship keepsakes they couldn’t throw away. The concept took off any countless heartbroken fans donated their relics of past loves. It’s now a museum in Zagreb. (Source: Atlas Obscura)
The Red Umbrella market: Fans of farmer’s markets will regale in the Dolac market. Although it’s not a hidden gem, it’s got something for everyone. You can find fresh produce and also fun antiques. All the stands have an iconic red umbrella. (Source: Tour Scanner)
The “Zagreb, I Love You” footprints: In 1981, a famous Croatian director/actor Tomislav Gotovac ran naked through the streets of Zagreb. He kissed streets and buildings in what eventually became his love letter to the city. On Ilica Street you can find an imprint of his footsteps. (Source: Travelling Buzz)
Croatian greetings: Hello - “Bok” (pronounced bohk), Goodbye - “Do viđenja” (pronounced doh-vee-d’gehn-nyah)
For more trip ideas, trip coaching, and fun travel chats, get in touch here. 🤝
Ok everyone, thanks for reading. Let’s set up base camp for a week!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s post. As always, it’s wonderful to have you here.
Another brand-spankin’ new Itchy Feet is coming next week. Until then, have a great one and chat again soon.
Much love,
-Daniel
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P.S. Want some extra travel inspiration? Here’s a related post:
The best thing I ever did was to keep a journal during my travels, although I cringe at reading some of my entries, lol.
Aside from being able to write a book based on them (Daniel, it's for sale now!), my entries really took me back to the moments I experienced.
I didn't know that Mt Erebus emits crystallized gold, wow! "Bok!" from Croatia! :)