ORIGINAL LINK: HERE
Looking back at old memories is the best feeling you have ever had! Imagined reading your old diaries or journal where all your secrets and thoughts are inside that one little book.
Plus, I'm pretty sure each of us has their own way of captured memories, either through pictures, writing or even drawing. Just like this mom who encourages her son to jot down all his wanderlust in the cutest way possible!
Picture Credit: Giphy
The awesome mom known as Fauziah A Halim started to teach her son to write a travel journal back in 2016. That's how 'The Adventures of Irfan Hakimi b. Ahmad Fadzly' was born!
The reason behind the travel journal:
Fauziah tells us that she wanted him to document all his travels either local or overseas trip and at the same time, help him to become a better writer. Another thing that this activity also helps him to write an essay for academic purposes as well.
Welcome to The Adventures of Irfan Hakimi b. Ahmad Fadzly!
Back in 2016, she created a template so it will be much easier for his 10-year-old son to write in phrases, circle things where necessary and even draw happy or sad faces. At that time, he started his first journal with Tokyo, Yuzawa, Kyoto and Osaka trip.
What kind of traveller am I?
I am an escapist/ pioneer / eater / adventurer.
Because I want to be the first to be there first amongst my friends, I want to relax, I want to try new food. I want to see new places.
One of her tips is to ask questions in a travel journal.
Early this year when he turned 11 years old, Fauziah stopped making a template and exchange them with prompt questions for him to answer, such as:
How does travelling make me feel?
Travelling makes me feel relaxed. It also let's me feel happy. Travelling makes me feel relaxed and happy because you get away from things you don't really like for sometimes. But it makes me unhappy that there's certain things I canot try. But we also walk a lot so it makes me exhausted. But we get to bathe in lot water after that lot of walking. We can walk up to 20 kilometers in a day. I also get to know more about the country and the culture.
After changing the format, she advised other people that ...
Don't expect them to write more than one page at their age. As long as they write something, it is enough.
Things to do for the trip is actually a practice of both writing and drawing!
I am excited aboutThings I plan on doing are having an all you can eat buffet or a sushi eating contest and making a snow man to buy a souvenir.
- Going to Japan
- Going to Disneyland
- Playing with snow
- Cat cafe
To complete Irfan travel journal, her mom provided him something special.
Irfan did a lot of writing and drawing earlier but to make it more memorable, her mom gave him a Polaroid camera. It makes things easier for him to document his day during the travelling period around Osaka and Kyoto.
Apart from the photo, he also added some wording and stickers according to his creativity which we found so kawaii! By the way, who can spot miso soup sticker on this photo?
Dear Travel Journal,
We arrived at Japan around 9:00 AM. We went to Honolu Halal Ramen. It was delicious. Then sent our luggage to a tourist center. We went to the Pokemon Center to play or buy what we wanted. I spent ¥1,800 on a set. Abang Zikri only played games. We went there at about 2.00 PM. After that we went to a cafe called Brooklyn Cafe. Mama and Abah had coffee while me and Zikri had hot chocolate. Then, we reached the apartment at 6:30. The end for today.
22-2-2017
Dear Travel Journal,
At 6:30 AM, I woke up. I was still stick but I kept going. We took four trains and a bus to get there. There is snow on Biwako Valley.
Some of his Polaroid collections on the journal.
Fauziah surprised by his actions
When Irfan started to write a journal, she actually surprised to read all of it because he remembers every single thing he did throughout the journeys. One of the example as quoted below:
Dear travel journal,
Today we went to the airport. It was a long journey to the airport but we made it. When we reached the airport, we put our luggage in the locker, then we checked in, we ate lunch in a halal restaurant. While we were finding sushi, we saw a Poke center. But, I didn't have any money. After abah found the sushi, abah brought it and I ate it while waiting for the flight. The flight was big and I didn't eat my food.
The end.
I'm pretty sure her mom is really proud of how he put so much effort to write diligently on every page because I know I will!
Take a note from Irfan for those who are planning to visit Disney Sea soon!
Tokyo Disneyland SURVIVAL GUIDE by Irfan Hakimi
1. Buy your tickets early
2. Bring snacks and drinks from home
3. In Feb, bring thick jackets and mittens and an umbrella.
4. Go early
5. Subways to Disneyland are very crowded
6. Halal food in Tokyo Disneyland are french fries, seafood calzone, churros, popcorn and seafood pizza.
***
Fauziah shared with us what she asked her kid to write upon starting this travel journal.
Nothing complicated. It was just simple questions....
Such as, what he plans to do for the day, what happened, how he feels and what he learned from the day trip.
"You will be amazed at how kids view the world, especially the world that is foreign to them and his take on these travels are totally different from ours. You will definitely learn something from them," - Fauziah
5 things that Irfan learned from Osaka trip.
5 Things I Learned from this Osaka Trip
1. If you don't want to walk up the escalator, stay on the right. Why? To let other people who are in a hurry pass.
2. Japanese use more public transport. Why: Their public transport are efficient and they don't want to pollute.
3. Japanese use IC cards to pay for everything. Why? So they do not need to carry cash.
4. Think of it as a good experience or keep an open mind. Why: So it will give you a good experience.
5. Japanese are very slim due to healthy lifestyle. Why: So they don't get sick very easy. They also walk or ride bicycle most of the time
—
I'm pretty sure you are smiling when you are reading this post because I was smiling ears to ears myself! If you read his travel journal on the picture you can actually feel the emotions that he tried to bring out in every single words or drawing. It is true what people said about there are times children can teach us things that adult aren't aware of and I think that is the beauty of it. If you have interesting stories to share about Japan do contact us and we will do our best to feature it!
And if you want to start to write again, you might want to download our apps Halal Navi and write a simple review of the Halal restaurant that you've visited! Who knows your honest review might help other Muslim for a Japan trip ;)
Eat • Pray • Connect
*This post was originally published at Road to Japan Facebook and was given permission to be translated and edited by Halal Navi. Republishing of article without permission are strictly prohibited.
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