I was wondering how everyone keeps track of their trips
ie:- Photos, places visited, camps, good petrol prices, expenses, ect
Do you used online resources, exercise books, PC's or apps
We are about to head off in a few weeks for our first trip. We starting to get a tad excited Jen
Dunmowin said
09:28 PM Feb 14, 2014
For us, photos are the biggest way to store your diary. We download each night, cull/delete the no good ones. They are stored in folders i.e. 2014-02-14 Perth JPs, 2014-02-15 Swan River walk etc. then when I write up my blog/diary at the end of each month, I can just look back at the photos, location and date to write up from.
I use an excel spreadsheet to store all our expenses, dating back to day one, when we set off back in 2011. This way, at a glance, I can get full cost of fuel, camping, or what ever we what to know.
For camp sites visited, I note the good ones in our Camps book, (I also note the bad ones with appropriate notes)
I use Microsoft One Note to store information that I get off the net, this forum, and other travellers, stored state by state, then drill down to areas.
As for good petrol prices, as they vary so much, it is not worth keeping track. When we pull into a town, we keep note of the cheaper prices, but other than that, we don't stress too much.
Mostly my PC is my biggest asset when it comes to storage of data.
Stay excited, very excited.
NeilandRaine said
09:44 PM Feb 14, 2014
I had a web page last time out. Mainly pics, where we have been and a bit of a report on caravan parks and free camps.
We hit the road again next month so will do the same. Plus we usually post a few pics on Facebook
RosieW said
05:01 PM Feb 15, 2014
Pictures are my favourite. Plus I have a blog, we will have a jount 'travelling' one once we hit the road, and I write down a lot, in a special notebook. We keep family and friends updated via FaceBook at present.
Jedo_03 said
05:21 PM Feb 15, 2014
I'm wary of using "Facebook" or any of the so-called Social Media sites as a "Travel Blog"...
Plenty "unsociable" types get on those places...
Too easy for "them" to figure-out who you are, that you're out travelling and your house is empty...
I use a Blog-site - and a "nom-de-plume" title, and a password entry...
Gerty Dancer said
05:46 PM Feb 15, 2014
For our own reference, I use and old-fashioned written diary. This at least tells us where we took all those photos! Instead of blogs for family and friends, I send e-mails with lotsa pics as attachments. Have a face-book page, but only to keep in touch with family, don't really like face-book!
Dougwe said
06:15 PM Feb 15, 2014
I keep a daily log in a word document on my laptop with any info I think relevant for the day. I don't keep a record of expenses cos I reckon I would get that shock horror feeling and not play in the playground.
I prefer to do sightseeing things and don't do a lot of expensive tourist attractions. I love photography and take heaps of pics of everything, some I call happy snaps but then I love to get serious as well.
I download each night most of the time from my camera and store on my laptop in a named folder then separate folders within that main folder for each location I visit. Because I don't travel full time I call each trip something, including start and finish dates and If I want to email or post on the forum I copy the pic, resize, add text if I want and store in a separate folder called copies. By resizing I can send or post with ease and doesn't cause problems either end. I do not manipulate any pics in any way, what I take is what I get. All part of the experience In my opinion.
I can only take heaps of photo's thanks to digital cameras. The only cost is the initial outlay for the camera so get a good one first up and you will get years of use from it.
Jenzarl said
11:20 PM Feb 15, 2014
Thanks everyone for your thoughts, I finally found the app/program that I had read about months ago.
Seeing as there is a cost attached to this program I am thinking I will just use the lappy to record everything. Jen
We actually purchased that program, loaded it, and found it just didn't suit us, have never used it. Wish we hadn't wasted our $50 but others may find it useful.
chaslib said
03:54 PM Feb 16, 2014
I am one of the satisfied users of Nomad Notes - I had problems initially, but sorted them out and figured out what I was doing wrong and the "how to's". It stores absolutely everything that you do, want, pay, need, see and stay. Expenses are all user defined and you can printout costs by topic, ie. accommodation, fuel consumption, mileage, food, entertainment, car costs and maintenance etc. etc. I know many have thought about it, bought it and trashed it soon after. I believe it is great but you have to commit to persevering. It does also have a blog add-on which is not free, but I don't use that. Can't recall costs - I believe about $50 or thereabouts. It is a windows only program. If you want a copy of the manual, PM me with email address and I will send through a copy for you. Like any new program you have to "learn" how to use it. Many prefer to use a simple spreadsheet system and that is fine if that's what you want. We have it on our laptop when we travel. The good thing is it auto backs-up to your computer after each use, so if you stuff something up you can re-imput from last backup or from wherever you want to start again from.
I was wondering how everyone keeps track of their trips
ie:- Photos, places visited, camps, good petrol prices, expenses, ect
Do you used online resources, exercise books, PC's or apps
We are about to head off in a few weeks for our first trip. We starting to get a tad excited Jen
For us, photos are the biggest way to store your diary. We download each night, cull/delete the no good ones. They are stored in folders i.e. 2014-02-14 Perth JPs, 2014-02-15 Swan River walk etc. then when I write up my blog/diary at the end of each month, I can just look back at the photos, location and date to write up from.
I use an excel spreadsheet to store all our expenses, dating back to day one, when we set off back in 2011. This way, at a glance, I can get full cost of fuel, camping, or what ever we what to know.
For camp sites visited, I note the good ones in our Camps book, (I also note the bad ones with appropriate notes)
I use Microsoft One Note to store information that I get off the net, this forum, and other travellers, stored state by state, then drill down to areas.
As for good petrol prices, as they vary so much, it is not worth keeping track. When we pull into a town, we keep note of the cheaper prices, but other than that, we don't stress too much.
Mostly my PC is my biggest asset when it comes to storage of data.
Stay excited, very excited.
We hit the road again next month so will do the same. Plus we usually post a few pics on Facebook
I'm wary of using "Facebook" or any of the so-called Social Media sites as a "Travel Blog"...
Plenty "unsociable" types get on those places...
Too easy for "them" to figure-out who you are, that you're out travelling and your house is empty...
I use a Blog-site - and a "nom-de-plume" title, and a password entry...
I prefer to do sightseeing things and don't do a lot of expensive tourist attractions. I love photography and take heaps of pics of everything, some I call happy snaps but then I love to get serious as well.
I download each night most of the time from my camera and store on my laptop in a named folder then separate folders within that main folder for each location I visit. Because I don't travel full time I call each trip something, including start and finish dates and If I want to email or post on the forum I copy the pic, resize, add text if I want and store in a separate folder called copies. By resizing I can send or post with ease and doesn't cause problems either end. I do not manipulate any pics in any way, what I take is what I get. All part of the experience In my opinion.
I can only take heaps of photo's thanks to digital cameras. The only cost is the initial outlay for the camera so get a good one first up and you will get years of use from it.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts, I finally found the app/program that I had read about months ago.
Seeing as there is a cost attached to this program I am thinking I will just use the lappy to record everything. Jen
I am one of the satisfied users of Nomad Notes - I had problems initially, but sorted them out and figured out what I was doing wrong and the "how to's". It stores absolutely everything that you do, want, pay, need, see and stay. Expenses are all user defined and you can printout costs by topic, ie. accommodation, fuel consumption, mileage, food, entertainment, car costs and maintenance etc. etc. I know many have thought about it, bought it and trashed it soon after. I believe it is great but you have to commit to persevering. It does also have a blog add-on which is not free, but I don't use that. Can't recall costs - I believe about $50 or thereabouts. It is a windows only program. If you want a copy of the manual, PM me with email address and I will send through a copy for you. Like any new program you have to "learn" how to use it. Many prefer to use a simple spreadsheet system and that is fine if that's what you want. We have it on our laptop when we travel. The good thing is it auto backs-up to your computer after each use, so if you stuff something up you can re-imput from last backup or from wherever you want to start again from.
Whatever you decide, best of luck