Latest news with #souvenirs
Forbes
25-06-2025
- Forbes
How To Create A Junk Journal While Traveling
Table with elements for scrapbooking handcraft. Tools for decoration, handmade album, scissors, paint, glue, colored pencils, scotch, thread. getty The concept of 'junk journaling' has taken over social media; the humble hobby doesn't necessarily require artistic skill to get right but rather relies on the colors and patterns found in 'junk,' items like unused napkins or concert tickets. 'I travel alone most of the time, so small souvenirs feel like travel friends,' explained Fiona Spinks, travel expert, solo adventurer, and founder of Following Fiona. 'A torn ticket or a café napkin brings a rush of memories the moment I touch it. That is why I keep a junk journal on every trip.' If you've been considering making a junk journal while traveling — or are looking for unique souvenirs that you can DIY — here's how Sprinks suggested those new to journaling should start working on their own junk journal: Sprinks suggested beginning with a notebook that does not scare you over investing in something pricey. 'A cheap spiral book works because it opens flat, but any notebook you like is fine,' she said. 'When the book feels casual, you will not worry about making it neat, and you will keep adding to it.' 'Carry a tiny pencil case. I use a glue stick, little scissors, one roll of tape, two pens and sometimes a pocket-sized watercolor set,' explained Sprinks. 'Fewer tools mean less weight and no excuse to leave them behind. If the kit is always with you, you will use it there and then instead of waiting until later.' Sprinks suggested getting into the habit of picking up free scraps all day. 'Receipts, bus tickets, sugar packets and small maps cost nothing and lie flat,' she said. 'These bits show the real life of a place better than a shop postcard and slip straight into your book.' Dedicate a few minutes each night to journaling 'Each night, give yourself five quiet minutes. Sit on the bed, stick in the day's scraps and write one quick note beside each piece,' said Sprinks. 'The short note locks the feeling in place while it is still fresh and never feels like homework, so you will keep the habit.' Add local color in simple ways 'Press a small flower between tissues, rub a pencil over a street name to make a print or dab a tiny spot of local spice on the page and cover it with tape,' Sprinks suggested. 'These touches wake up smell and sound when you open the book later.' Leave intentional gaps Sprinks also suggested leaving a few intentional gaps. 'When you get home you can print a photo and slide it beside the coffee receipt from that same morning,' she said. 'The mix of words, scraps and pictures builds a full story without extra work.' Create pockets for additional souvenirs 'Make pockets for odd shapes,' suggested Sprink. 'Cut an envelope from a magazine page, tape it inside and drop in sand, confetti or a hotel key card. A pocket keeps thick items safe and lets the spine of the book stay in one piece.' Mistakes only add to it Sprinks also urged travelers not to worry about mistakes. 'A glue smear or a coffee ring just shows that the book has been on the road with you,' she explained. 'Those marks add life and invite the next layer of memory, so keep going.' Don't forget to look back When the trip ends, Sprinks suggested always reading the journal out loud. 'The words you wrote on noisy buses and in quiet hostels pull the journey back in full color,' she explained. 'Years later these pages still surprise me with little details I had forgotten, and I am always glad I took those five minutes each night.'
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
I Decluttered These 10 Things After 45 — And Don't Regret a Single One
A lot of things have become harder since I hit the 45th birthday milestone. I may have celebrated this occasion with a martini-fueled evening involving dozens of people I know and love, but the reality of it all is that I've started to feel a lot older, more tired, and less tolerant of all the stressful things in life that keep coming up. And, to be honest, the walls in my tiny studio apartment have started to feel as if they are closing in on me. I tell my friends often that the key to feeling like you have a handle on things when life gets more complicated is something I like to call 'life administration.' This is multi-faceted, and it involves taking care of any paperwork, finances, and other personal affairs, as well as dealing with physical items that have accumulated throughout the years. I've discovered that the more of these things I remove from my life and my space, the more in control I feel about every aspect of that post-45 life. Here's everything I decluttered after turning 45. I've accrued an impressive (read: unnecessary, frustrating, and mildly ridiculous) amount of novelty shot glasses, mugs, and other glassware and cups. What may have felt, at the time, like a cute nostalgic souvenir from that tequila trip to Mexico has ended up never being used and taking up too much space. Since decluttering, I've downsized to a single set of wine glasses, martini glasses, and coffee mugs that I either use regularly for myself or for entertaining friends. I've gone to so many concerts and festivals over the years, from my favorite musicians to food festivals and fairs. Everything has resulted in tickets, wristbands, and lanyards that then litter tables and drawers — at one point I had a whole collection of backstage or media passes lining the coat hooks on my walls. But what purpose do they really serve in the long run other than taking up a ton of space? If anything is super important to you — maybe the concert ticket from your first date with someone you love — then you could put it in a photo album or memento box. But most of this stuff you can toss and not miss (and you can always just take a photo of it to maintain the memory!). All of my mementos, with a tiny sentimental fraction exception, are now out of my home. It's funny how I bemoan how little space and storage I have, and then waste that exact same space and storage keeping items that are long past their expiration dates. Vitamins, medicine, beauty and skin products, and, of course, pantry items such as spices and canned goods were all given the heave-ho after I turned 45 if they weren't still usable or effective. Why give anything space that is not serving you? That's a larger life message of adulthood if I've ever heard it. Every time I go through my drawers and piles that live on my desk, I'm shocked to find old mail and papers that simply don't serve my current life needs. Itineraries from trips that have long passed, takeout menus from restaurants that I no longer go to (or maybe don't even exist anymore!), random brochures and sales catalogs, and billing statements from items long ago paid (when all that info exists online anyway!). If it has any personal data, shred it — and toss the rest. Unexpected job hazard of being a food writer: You end up with a lot of pretty random kitchen tools. Some are super useful, while others … not so much. Many get used once, thrown in a junk drawer, and then forgotten about for years — until one day you open the drawer to clean it out and find a bunch of stuff you can't identify. Treat it as you treat your closet (more on that in a minute): If you aren't currently using it and can't identify it, then toss it or give it away. While I fully believe someone's trash is someone else's treasure, it's no use to you if you have no idea what it's even used for or why you have it in the first place. Once upon a time, I was a 25-year-old moving into her first apartment, and I thought that meant decor like pink leopard print pillows and shower curtains and polka-dotted towels and throw pillows. Super cute when you were a teenager five minutes ago, but not as cute when you are officially (gulp) AARP-eligible. I got rid of all that household decor that no longer serves who I am today, and now I have a bathroom and bedroom that has a whole lot more black in it (with a splash of pink, where it makes sense, for good, but tasteful, measure). There's nothing wrong with cheetah print or dots if that is what reflects your current style, but if you have the decor from three-versions-of-you-ago, it doesn't belong in modern-you's home. Over nearly two decades in my current apartment, I've amassed a whole lot of cords, cables, and chargers. Some of them are for phones and other tech I've long since sunsetted. So, if these cords and cables and adaptors don't actually work with or fit anything I'm currently using or own, why do I still have a giant tangled bag of them? No idea. But adult me decided it was time to get rid of everything that doesn't currently have a purpose. Much like obsolete cords and cables have no place in my home at this stage of my life, the same is true for instruction manuals and receipts from items I no longer have. I'll keep the receipts with my tax files if they were work-related and something I deducted and need to hold onto. But if it's the owner's manual for an air fryer that went to kitchen appliance heaven last year? Why am I holding onto that? Same thing for old fans, chargers, and everything else I don't currently need to flip through. (And, note, most of these manuals have digital versions anyway — even if they do happen to be for current products in your home!) I have one closet in this apartment, and that has to store everything. My clothes, coats, shoes — everything. I clearly don't have room for a whole lot of excess, and yet I discovered clothes in there that I stopped wearing years ago. Whether they're ripped, stained, damaged, or faded, or I simply outgrew them and they don't match my current style — if I'm not wearing them, why am I keeping them? Everything I haven't worn in the last year, I gave away. I like holding onto books, cookbooks, and albums that I still love and enjoy decades later. But there are also those I haven't listened to or read in forever that aren't where I am at this point in my life. And that's fine — make room for the things that are, for the current era of you. I gave all this stuff away, and I don't miss it. We Tested (and Rated!) All the Living Room Seating at Burrow to Determine the Best for Every Space and Need I Tried the 90/90 Rule and My Closet Is Now Fully Decluttered We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
South China Morning Post
10-06-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
National Games ticketing to start in August for Hong Kong, 3 months before event
Tickets for the National Games will be available in Hong Kong from August, three months ahead of the event, to synchronise with sales in Macau and on mainland China, the head of the local coordination office has said. Yeung Tak-keung, head of the National Games Coordination Office, said on Tuesday that the tickets would be sold on a unified platform to ensure easier management. 'We are preparing to sell souvenirs from July, and in August, tickets will go on sale in the three places at the same time,' Yeung told a radio programme. Further details would be announced in due course, he said. Ticket sales will open about three months before the 13-day top national sports event starts on November 9. It will be held in Hong Kong, Macau and parts of Guangdong province. This year's Games mark the first time Hong Kong has co-hosted the event. The city will hold eight of the 34 sporting contests, including the men's under-22 basketball, track cycling, fencing, golf, men's handball, rugby sevens, the triathlon and beach volleyball. Asked whether the launch of ticket sales was too close to the start of the Games, Yeung said a similar arrangement was done in the past.
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Travel + Leisure
10-06-2025
- Travel + Leisure
I'm a Travel Writer, and This Packing Hack Lets Me Shop My Way Through Europe Without Paying for Extra Bags
I think I've nailed traveling light to a T. I only bring the bare essentials and try to find items that are multifunctional or can be used for more than one activity (such as versatile sandals that look good while sightseeing but can also conquer hiking trails). However, I must confess: I really only pack lightly on my way into a city and not when I return home, because hand to heart: I love to shop. No matter how many times I visit a city overseas, whether it's Madrid, Rome, or Zurich, which I have popped into more than a dozen times each, I always return home with far too many souvenirs and gifts. While you may scoff at the thought of yet another tourist who buys snow globes and porcelain mugs, I tend to gravitate towards food gifts—artisan sardines from Spain, chocolate from Geneva, and even mustard from Berlin. As you can imagine, packing my suitcase when returning home after a trip abroad can be an issue, but I have a nifty trick: I always bring an extra bag with me, and my go-to is the Cotopaxi Allpa Getaway Duffel Bag. $200 at Amazon $200 at REI $200 at The Allpa Getaway Duffel Bag is my must-bring item whenever I travel. It's not only lightweight but can also be squished and folded into barely nothing when packed. When you need it (like filling it up with Haribo candy from Germany), you can whip it out, and voila—you have another bag that can act as your carry-on or second checked bag. I've tried many different styles and designs when testing out my 'duffel bag' theory, but nothing beats the Allpa Getaway Duffel Bag. It isn't your average duffel bag that you bring to the gym. In its own right, you can use it as your primary luggage, too. The recycled nylon material is incredibly durable and can withstand all the bumps, scratches, and tosses of being transported by airport staff. It's super easy to clean as well—simply wipe the exterior with a wet cloth to keep it looking brand new. On my last trip to Crans-Montana, Switzerland, having a bag that could be easily cleaned was crucial after hiking, running, and cycling in the muddy woods. $200 at Amazon $200 at REI $200 at For travellers who like to move around easily and hands-free, the Allpa Getaway Duffel Bag can also convert into a backpack. Equipped with secure and stable straps on one side, you can hoist the Allpa onto your back and move freely. On my last trip to Indonesia, this feature was handy during a volcanic eruption evacuation. Rather than dragging my luggage with wheels and fighting through crowds, I simply placed the duffel on my back and ran to the taxi rank to jump on a boat. I appreciated the straps, but if you don't want the extra weight, you can remove the backpack harness altogether. Like most Cotopaxi bags, the Allpa Getaway comes with added security, including multiple zippers and handy zippered pockets to keep your documents and other important items safe. There are also additional exterior compartments, which I appreciated on my last trip to Berlin. Making my way from the airport via the train station and walking to the Adlon Kempinski, I liked having the additional exterior pockets, so I could easily reach into the bag while it was still on my back and grab anything I needed. $200 at Amazon $200 at REI $200 at As a second piece of luggage to hold all my souvenirs, the duffel bag continues to shine and impress me each time I travel with it. One of the greatest benefits is the ability to pack it up when not in use. The Allpa Getaway Duffel is a hefty 70-liter bag, but it can be rolled up like a puffer jacket into a simple, little packing cube. Other perks include the key clip, which I dangle my wallet with extra cash for emergencies, but there are also multiple grab handles. If you've ever overloaded your duffel bag with too much, you may probably agree with me that handles beyond just the two straps in the middle are important when cradling a duffel bag efficiently. While I love the 70-liter bag, there are different sizes to suit everyone's needs—the 55-liter and even 100-liter bags come in a lot of cool colors, but I've limited myself to the medium-sized bag to tame my shopping habits. Reviewers, however, have shared their love for all three sizes. One Cotopaxi reviewer called it a 'very cool bag' because it could hold so much, adding, 'I really love this bag and plan on also getting my husband one. It's great for a few days of quick, little trips or camping.' Another reviewer said the bag was perfect for their trip to Tanzania. Meanwhile, an additional shopper praised the 55-liter version as the 'best bag ever,' saying it 'fit the perfect amount of stuff for a two-week trip to Morocco.' It makes me wonder: Should I get the 55-liter bag as well? Someone, please stop me. Keep scrolling for even more tough, travel-ready duffel bags from Osprey, The North Face, Yeti, and more—all available at Amazon. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
Asharq Al-Awsat
08-06-2025
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Makkah Markets Open their Doors as Pilgrims Prepare to Depart
As pilgrims near the completion of their Hajj rituals, many have begun spending their remaining time visiting Makkah's renowned markets. Major shopping centers and popular marketplaces are preparing to receive large crowds of pilgrims from around the world. With their departure approaching, many are eager to buy gifts and keepsakes for their families and friends, items that serve as tangible memories of their time in the holy city. Asharq Al-Awsat took a tour through the markets of the Al-Aziziyah neighborhood, a central area situated between the holy sites and the Grand Mosque. Its prime location makes it a preferred hub for Hajj groups and delegations, which has resulted in crowded markets and bustling currency exchange offices. Ahmed Al-Jaafari, a shopkeeper in one of Al-Aziziyah's stores, welcomed his customers with warmth and hospitality. He shared that the most sought-after souvenirs include prayer beads (subha), prayer rugs, miniature models of holy landmarks, decorative engravings, gold jewelry, rings, dates, Qurans with translations, and locally made perfumes. Hajj Muwafaq Mohammed, dressed in traditional attire from southern Baghdad, told Asharq Al-Awsat that he made a point of visiting the markets early to buy useful items and meaningful keepsakes. 'I've traveled to many countries and always explore local markets,' he said, 'but in Makkah, I'm especially captivated by each item and souvenir, as they carry the scent and soul of this sacred place.' At a currency exchange center on Al-Aziziyah Street, lined with hotels accommodating pilgrims from across the globe, long queues formed as visitors in colorful traditional clothing exchanged their foreign currencies for Saudi riyals. The scene reflected the cultural diversity of the global Muslim community and the excitement of those preparing for a final shopping experience before departing. Currency exchange offices throughout Makkah are seeing a steady stream of visitors, many coming from nearby hotels and accommodations. Ayman Al-Mohammedi, an employee at one of the Al-Aziziyah exchange centers, explained that they are equipped to handle over 60 foreign currencies. 'Pilgrims arrive with money from their home countries and look to exchange it for Saudi riyals,' he said. 'The Hajj season significantly boosts activity in the currency exchange sector.' He added that Makkah's currency exchange centers increased their preparedness well in advance of the Hajj season, enhancing their capacity to provide efficient services for buying, selling, and trading foreign currencies across the city.
