Product: STA Travel, do you trust?

In the last year STA’s reputation has taken a variety of turns and not many of them good. For my first big travelling venture I booked my trip through them and on the most part they were helpful, until they messed up.

They have a huge inability to pick up where they’ve gone wrong and their small print gives you no compensation or reprimand to their mistakes, just persevere and they will eventually give you the compensation you deserve, even if small print says no.

For a first time traveller having some guidance booking accommodation and flights is a peace of mind thing, but a second and third time? No way.

To start with you learn that like your insurance you can book these things on your own, but initially it is a big deal and a bit scary, if only we had the confidence at the start.

Now I’ve got more confidence in how to organise everything and what to look for, I would still go into STA Travel for the brochures to get inspiration, there itineraries can be pretty good to get you thinking, but that’s all you really need from them: advice. You don’t need them to book the trip and you probably don’t want them to either, on the chance that they might totally cock-up, which is getting more and more likely these days.

 What’s your opinion?

Related articles

• Read the small print (bluedeckshoe.com)
• Why you should start traveling alone (matadornetwork.com)

The #Travel #Journal – What’s Your Favourite #Style?

Globetrotting with Elegance

 Paperchase, from £8 :“A5 Flexible Journal/Notebook”

OUTLOOK

My first and still one of my favourites –  this slim, smooth leather book offers an elegant body. Understated with a simple ‘journal’ tagline, this travel notebook details A5 lined paper and a light weight feel. A perfectly, compact size to fit into your case but still have a decent pad of paper to jot down your memories.

Small in Length but Plenty of Girth?

Paperchase, from £5: “Postage Stamps”

OUTLOOK

Lots of colour and much more playful, this travel journal has a few added extra’s with pockets to keep those little pieces of memorabilia safe (and hotel cards if one forgets to hand it back…). There’s also a clear, zipped bag attached to the back which is very useful for storage. The biggest set back here is the thickness of the journal, it’s not quiet as thin as the others and the pad of paper is much smaller with an A6 format. I prefer to have lots of space when I write as my handwriting is pretty fat. It has a lot more going on in terms of storage and the casing is sure to make you smile.

A Tough Beauty

Wild & Wolf, from £9: “Keepsake Journal”

* Please note I have fallen in love with this site.

OUTLOOK

A beautiful, girly design, yet the casing has a much harder back than the others. This 96 page travel journal is slightly different with two shades of paper: cream and brown (or Kraft) with details of a crown head to outline the top of the page, symbolising the importance of your note taking (ha!).

A creative travel journal that I shall be using on my next trip, although the pad of paper measures: length 18.5cm x width 12.5cm, so I may have to reduce my handwriting size.

Lots to Talk About?

WHSMITH, from £5: "Notebook"

OUTLOOK

A leather-bound cover designed with a deep floral pattern. This notebook is slightly larger than an A5 pad and proves very useful if you have lots to write about. It’s  much heavier than others and because of this isn’t the most ideal journal to pack in your case for that light and compact need. A smart design for day-to-day note taking.

Also Consider

Cathy Kidstone’s, from £10: “3 Mini-Journals” 

So…who are you?

I’ve been through my journal recently and there are several people on my travels that remain anonymous.

They are the people I shared some unforgettable experiences with and some that merely joined me for a few pisco sours – remaining nameless and ever more poignant.

One of the most bizarre concepts of travelling is that you meet such an array of people for different periods of time: a day trip out or a few months touring. What remains is a few words in a journal to recollect that time, but maybe that’s what makes them so brilliant - a bit of the unknown makes them that bit more memorable.