What makes trips memorable?

Is there a trip you'll never forget? Is there a memory that changed you and became a beautiful recollection that will stay with you for a lifetime? The journey of exploring the world is truly magical because what it brings is not just immediate joy, but more importantly, priceless spiritual values ​​that time can hardly erase.

Memories and journeys

When asked about her most memorable trip, Phuong Anh, who currently works in real estate in Hanoi, shared: "I've had many memorable trips, one of which was the cloud-hunting trip to Y Ty, Sapa 11 years ago. Although I didn't manage to see the clouds, I gained many precious memories. I went with a friend, bought train tickets, rented a bus, and then rented a motorbike in Sapa to get to Y Ty. The road to Y Ty was still unpaved and muddy back then, and when it rained, the water flooded up to half the wheels. The motorbike also broke down in the middle of the road due to a flat tire. It was only a few dozen kilometers, but it took us the whole afternoon to get there, and we were all sore. At that time, Y Ty only had one guesthouse at the beginning of the village. I got a bath with Red Dao herbal leaves and ate food prepared by the villagers. On the way back, I couldn't buy a sleeper train ticket, so I had to ask to sleep at someone else's. All of this made for an unforgettable trip."

Besides her carefree youthful energy, that trip left a lasting impression on Phuong Anh because of her willingness to pack her bags and hit the road whenever she had the chance. Even now, despite having traveled to many places, Phuong Anh still considers that cloud-hunting trip the most memorable.

The human brain has always had a special fondness for travel. This is because it takes people away from the familiar, repetitive rhythm of everyday life to experience something completely new: a new land, new flavors and sounds, exciting emotions, and the creation of new memories.

Travel also brings invaluable life experiences that make you realize the world is not confined within the bright walls of an office or the familiar streets you walk every day. Each place, each new flavor, each person you meet... is a lesson about diversity and multifacetedness, teaching us to be open to the differences that always exist in this world.

For Thu Ha, currently a content creator in Hanoi, travel is a great opportunity to enjoy delicious and unique dishes from each region: “I vividly remember a small local eatery in Venice, Italy, that I stumbled upon in 2018. It wasn't well-known to tourists but was very popular with locals, mainly selling small portions of bread with a variety of cheeses, salami, tomatoes, olives, etc.”

When asked about her most memorable experience, Thu Ha shared: "It's simple, but everything tastes incredibly good, and the prices are extremely reasonable. Locals flock there, enjoying their pastries with a glass of beer while watching football or chatting lively. Even the vendors are incredibly friendly and enthusiastic, recommending dishes to try. Lunch there not only allowed me to taste delicious flavors but also experience a part of Italian culture that can't be found in books."

These journeys of discovery can be lively and filled with infectious laughter; but deep within, there's always a sense of "tranquility" that allows each person to better understand the world, reflect on themselves, seek inspiration, soothe their souls, or heal wounds. That's what makes people remember it forever, rather than just considering it a typical entertainment experience.

Relive journeys from the past.

Memories of trips are precious assets, which is why people constantly seek ways to preserve them as completely as possible. Using cameras or video recorders is a familiar and popular method because it captures moments accurately and easily. Besides that, many people enjoy bringing back souvenirs that are characteristic of each place they visit. These could be small decorative items, postcards, or simply tickets to places they visited such as museums, palaces, historical sites, or even airline tickets.

"I have a habit of collecting magnets I've bought in the countries I've visited: in France, the Eiffel Tower; in Italy, the Roman ruins; and in Spain, the Sagrada Familia cathedral… Now, they've become a precious collection that I always carefully preserve. Every time I see them, memories come flooding back," - Huong, a student studying in Germany, shows off her collection.

There are also those who prefer to recount their travels in a travel journal. While not capturing images perfectly like photographs, the words written in each distant land preserve the pure emotions, so that each time they reread them, those moments return intact.

Khanh, currently living in Hanoi, shared: "Standing before such magnificent scenery, I think no photograph can fully capture what is towering before my eyes. Therefore, unlike most people, I choose to write to preserve them in words, so that later, even if I no longer remember exactly how tall the mountain was or what color it was, I can still live in the emotion and overwhelming happiness that I once captured."

One can also preserve memories of a trip in its distinctive flavors. Most regions have their own delicious dishes that embody the pride of the local community. So, if you're a food lover, you can learn to cook these dishes, then bring back some special local spices so you can prepare and enjoy them whenever you want.

Finally, scent is known to have a powerful impact on evoking memories. Therefore, associate each place you visit with a unique fragrance. A tip suggested by travel bloggers is to use different perfumes on each trip. This way, each time you encounter that scent, memories of your journeys will naturally and gently return with the fragrance notes.

Ha Thu