Travel Doodle

Awake on the plane and doodling in 2007.

Strawberries are in season and Wimbledon is probably not that far off. Our strawberries started to bloom in late April. I was out in the gardening yesterday checking them carefully but no luck yet. So it looks as if it will be another summer without indulging in some home grown strawberry goodness. All the more for my hubby Mark.

I will start my travels across the pond on Monday. I have been packing and starting to think about the necessities that are to go with me like a bathing suit, tooth brush and a sketchbook.

The sketchbook has become one of my favourite companions to take on holiday. It has a multipurpose use and comes in handy for this reason. On my journey, it becomes my travel log of keeping track of events. It records sketches of memories or those passing moments and it is my outlet to just doodle.

I have never been a serious sketcher. I am actually more of a doodler. I find it relaxing making swirls and shapes in my sketchbook or travel book. And because doodling doesn’t involve too much thinking it is particularly useful for me to get through that flight and the jet lag. It also passes the time, and has at times helps me to stay awake

Over the weekend I had purchased a new travelbook for my journey. This was just a practical and inexpensive travel book about 9 x 14 cm size with a unfinished soft cover. This is ideal to fit in my back pocket.

Now, I had made my own travel books in the past but thought, why not, would it really hurt to treat myself to one?

Then, I discovered that the company that made the sketchbook have been papermakers since 1584. Now, some may not bat an eye lid to this but, I felt blown away with this extraordinary bit of history. For a brief moment, I was taken away with the thought of people dressed in 16th century attire making paper. I’m glad that I treated myself.

My pen is poised and ready.
Happy travelling.

-Kim Bennett