Comments on: Travel collections: what objects do you bring back from your trips?

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:36:16 +0000

Hi Chris
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You’re one of the lucky ones to have a bit of the Wall. I visited Berlin in 1992 and the only bits of wall for sale then were more than likely from someone’s garden.
The Ganesh statues must make a great collection. What’s the largest one you’ve managed to bring home?

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:32:36 +0000

Hi Andy

It’s Chris from Green Abode here..I’ve worked out how to set up a Gravatar now! BTW – was good to meet you at the event a few weeks back now.

Here’s 3 things that spring to mind that I have brought back (but I have an endless list!).

1. Notes/Coins – I have a large collection of notes/cones from everywhere I’ve been. I’ve got a good pre-Euro collection (remember those 100,000 Italian Lire notes!) and from the other many countries I’ve been lucky to visit. I’ve got a comprehensive collection from India as I’ve been there many times including my last trip of 6.5 months.

2. Berlin Wall – on my first Interrail trip back in ’91 very much of the Berlin Wall was still intact. So much so that it was easy to just chip off a chunk with no worries about the authorities..it was just the done thing to do. I took off a piece about the size of a golf ball. As they’ve taken practically all of it down yet I can rest knowing that I didn’t take a piece of their national heritage..as it was all coming down.
- As a side note I revisited Berlin at the beginning of 2011..what a fantastic place..and I have no doubt I will back again within a few years.

3. Ganesh statue – Ganesh is my favourite Hindu gods from the many temples that you see in India. I’m a big fan of elephants and also Ganesh is the god of many things including wisdom, wealth and knowledge. I’ve also read that Ganesh is the god of travel. Anyhow I’ve got a beautifully crafted brass Ganesh which I bought from Fort Kochi in Kerala.

That’s the first three things to come to mind.

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:20:47 +0000

Thank you to everyone for sharing your collection confessions. Quite a few here that I never considered: snow globes, tiles, maps, football shirts, even hot sauce bottles (very good call Gwen).
And it’s great to know so many buy those fridge magnets – I’ve always wondered where the demand was to match all that supply…

By: Gwen McCauley

Gwen McCauley — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:23:57 +0000

Hi Andy – I tend to haul back bottles of hot sauce. I’ve got quite the collection from various places and hold on to them even after I’ve used up the contents. Some are kind of ratty looking, but each has a story to tell.

I’m also a bit of a mapaholic so do tend to hold onto maps that I collect en route. Again, even if they are mucked up with bits of food, are rumpled and even torn, they are colourful reminders of where I’ve been.

My other category is art & jewellery. I bought a fabulous huge acrylic on canvas nude at a flea market in Sydney, Australia, took it off its frame and rolled it up in dry cleaning bags to get it home safely. The story of getting it home was as good as the actual painting! And jewellery. I’ve got quite a collection of funky, frequently inexpensive rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets from all over the place.

By: A Taste for Travel

A Taste for Travel — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:31:15 +0000

I began with a birdcage from Hong Kong but soon switched to items that fit into overhead bins and finally settled on local tea towels. They’re light, last forever and remind me of the colourful postage stamps of my childhood with maps of the country, birds or wildlife. One from Jamaica even has a recipe and I esp love my vintage tea towels from various Paris flea markets.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 04:06:42 +0000

Nice post. I collect postcards and coasters.

By: Stuart

Stuart — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:21:56 +0000

We did have a work thing about collecting snow globes from every country you had been too. My favourite was the one from Luxor with the pyramid inside. We had to stop it after it just got too silly and was taking up too much room.

Personally I like to collect local maps. It gives such an insight into a country’s insecurities. Spain is about the size of Europe on most of their maps. And have a cracking upside down Australia map (again big)…

By: Eurotrip Tips

Eurotrip Tips — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:49:27 +0000

I used to bring all sorts of crap back home, including shot glasses and ashtrays. But one day I decided it was enough and threw everything away! Now, I just stick to postcards and currencies.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:09:06 +0000

Instruments? Haven’t got many myself – madal from Nepal, bunch of tourist tat cowbells from the Tyrol, some castanets… and I’m in the market for a thumb piano while I’m in Africa. Good fun, easy to transport, good talking points. If I started now I’d do that.

In reality, the only thing I do consistently is photos – don’t think it’s a cop-out if you take them seriously, cherry-pick the best and get good prints framed up for display. For my better half it’s fridge magnets all the way.

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:54:18 +0000

If money no object, then original artworks without a doubt are superb purchases.

My favorite purchase is an evil face-mask from Sri Lanka to ward off evil spirits and freak out small children.

Otherwise a drop of the local liqueur never goes amiss.