SOUVENIRS
Many people buy souvenirs when they travel. Sometimes they buy a souvenir for a friend back home or sometimes they buy one for themselves as a way to remember the fun times they had on vacation.

I’ve collected quite a few souvenirs over the years. I used to collect theme park souvenir cups. These were great souvenirs as they usually allowed free refills of soda while I was at the theme park.

Then I started to collect magnets from the various places I had visited. Sometimes I put them on my refrigerator and sometimes I displayed them at my work desk. They were functional as they would display important papers on my desk or at home, and they were also a quick reminder of the places I had visited.

Then I started to collect jewelry from my travels. This was a fantastic idea because I could wear the jewelry any day while I was back home and when people would comment on my necklace, or earring, or bracelet and asked where I got it, I could respond with: “Oh, I got it in New Zealand!” or “I found this when exploring London.”

One of the very best souvenirs I bought was a photo package from Kyoto. I went to the Gion District of Kyoto which is famous for its historic Geisha neighborhood. First, I got to dress up like a geisha with the makeup, hair, and kimono. Then a photographer and I went out into the streets of Kyoto and she took a series of pictures of me. It is such a fantastic memory of my transformation from average tourist to geisha tourist.

What souvenirs do you collect when you travel? Please tell me your answers in the comments section below.