From handcrafted mementos to unexpected treasures, souvenirs can be vivid reminders of trips. But it’s the personal experiences, thoughtful gifts and even travel mishaps that best remind Imogen of the places she’s been and the stories she’s lived.
Even under the speckled shade of the tree-lined boulevard, the air hung heavy with humidity. It also hummed and hooted with the chaotic Delhi traffic. Around me, the constant pattering of footsteps and the rhythm of different languages melted into one beautiful tumultuous thrum. But I only had eyes and ears for the trinket seller. Mesmerised, I watched as he bent wire with such ease and precision, conjuring a bike from the metal.
It’s been years since I bought that souvenir. Whenever I pick it up now from the shelf in our living room and run my fingers over the yellow tyres and dainty blue handlebars, I smile. It takes me back to that moment in Delhi as a ten-year-old girl who stepped outside her comfort zone to cycling through the 6 am traffic.
It’s a little surprising how powerful a souvenir can be. But only a little. After all, the noun has roots in a French word that means ‘to remember.’
Sure, there’s the odd snow globe or last-minute gift that never reached it’s intended recipient gathering dust in the back of the cupboard, but for the most part, I always try to bring home more meaningful souvenirs. A collection of worldly paraphernalia that locks a memory, a story, a piece of me inside them.
Here are five ways I remember my travels.
Intrepid’s gifts
I’ve been travelling on Intrepid family trips with my parents since I was eight, and even as a child, I was struck by the kindness of local leaders. Over the years they’ve given me priceless gifts, from the Vietnamese nón lá conical hat given to the kids in our group by our leader Tu Vu, to the evil eye necklace our Jordanian guide Musa gifted to me as a birthday present from his daughter’s shop.
Don’t worry, being a child or having a birthday aren’t the only categories for receiving a gift from Intrepid. On many trips, travellers get to take home reusable tote bags. A travel necessity for stashing your essentials, the bags are also a sustainable option that curbs the use of plastic bags.
The bags are created in partnership with local producers wherever possible to support social enterprises. The bag I got on my trip to South Africa last year was made by women living in townships around Cape Town, giving them economic opportunities. You’ll find me using mine out and about at home too, proud to be an Intrepid traveller.
That special something
I can easily walk past stalls of souvenir baseball caps and magnets, coasters and keyrings. Sometimes near the end of a trip it seems I’m going to leave with only my Intrepid tote. But then I stumble upon that special something. I now have a small global collection of my own special somethings. For me, it’s always artwork, now hanging together on the same wall, encapsulating all the different experiences I’ve had. Cuba, Borneo, Jordan, South Africa and Morocco all have a place there, telling their own tales of hardship and beauty and hope.
Special somethings can often be difficult to find. Try going off the beaten path. While exploring a market hidden in a warehouse in Havana, we found some steps leading up to the second floor. Away from the crowds, an artist was blending pop culture, politics and Cuban culture onto vibrant canvases.
Intrepid’s social impact partners
I always look forward to the visits with crafters and creators on my Intrepid trips. From handwoven carpets in India to traditional mosaics in Morocco it’s always fascinating to see first-hand the craftmanship that goes into the pieces.
But what I value the most is understanding the positive impact Intrepid’s support and investment in the businesses is having on the local community. These local products aren’t just preserving culture, they’re providing employment and environmental education as well as empowering members of the community.
Travelling on a budget or with limited luggage limits, it may not always be feasible to buy products from the source, but the rich cultural experience is gift enough.
Traveller traditions
I bought one of my favourite postcards from the Saigon Central Post Office. I can still remember standing inside looking at the dappled light dancing on the building’s ornate mouldings while I stole a few more moments and the minibus waited in the shady street.
During the pandemic, I often found myself staring at it, lost in the humid heat of Vietnam from the year before. But it was the people I missed most: the hectic games of Uno and the long chats on the bus, the inside jokes that only we will ever understand.
Looking at the postcard made me reflect on all the people I had connected with while travelling. Even though I was only 13 years old it was already a long list. In those lockdown days I vowed to find a way to remember my future travelling friends.
That’s how I created my own tradition. It’s now become a little ritual of mine to pass a postcard around the table at the group’s last dinner, inviting my Intrepid family to sign and write messages and memories. They hang on my wall, reminding me of the moments not caught on camera: the smiles, laughter and the mini misadventures.
The unintended souvenirs
Often, it’s the unintended souvenirs that catch me off guard and make me smile the most. Like the burn mark on my right shoe from when I dried it with a hairdryer after a deluge in Morocco, or the room number scrawled in permanent marker on our new suitcases thanks to a bell boy in India. These tell stories of life and adventure.
While some of these unintended souvenirs materialise in theatricals (my dad still shakes his head at the faint sharpie still present eight years later) others you have to search for. For example, after a sunrise walking safari in Swaziland where we encountered rhino, I inspected myself for mementos. And there it was, a streak of rhino poo on my cargo trousers.
Some people may scoff at my fondness for the scorches, scribbles and splatters, but to me, they’re a reminder that when travel mishaps occur, sometimes laughter really is the best medicine.
Find an adventure tailor-made for souvenirs.
