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Title: Abroad: A Travel Organizer and Journal by Julianne Balmain, Bas De Graf ISBN: 0-8118-2886-7 Publisher: Chronicle Books Pub. Date: May, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $17.95

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Average Customer Rating: 4.75 (4 reviews)

Rating: 4
Summary: The best currently available, but still needs a few touches.
Comment: In terms of content, practicality and function, I can't add anything to what other reviewers have written. Actually, I have nothing that I would label as a "complaint" about this journal - I'm a repeat buyer of it so it must be worthwhile!

Bit nothing is perfect, right? At least not forever. Here's my wish-list for improvement:

1. The dimensions are perfect. However, once you start adding memorabilia (such as theatre or train tickets, etc.) one thing becomes obvious; there's no room for growth in thickness of this journal. I suggest taking everything through page 29 (except perhaps page 5 and the obligatory publication info), as well as pages 96 through 111 out of the journal and putting them into an "insert booklet" that can be tucked into the front cover for sales purposes. There's no need to pack those pages on your trip - they deal with things that go on before and after the trip, while you're at home. They should be removable, and in doing so, more space is available to insert goodies you collect while traveling.

2. The elastic band, fastened to the back cover, is quaint and cute. Almost nostalgic. But not really functional and certainly gets in your way sometimes, especially snagging on things and popping off. Lose the elastic band, please. Instead, extend the edge of the front cover to make a flap that will fold over to the rear cover. Put a few small, thin loop sections of V*lcr* along the edge of the back cover, and put the hook sections on the underside of the flap. This will allow the journal to fully close and lock. It won't pop off and it offers a basis for the following 2 improvements.

3. Place a loop for a pen on the flap! If there's anything that drives me crazy about all the travel journals I've ever used, it's that none of them come with a loop to hold a pen! It's a JOURNAL. It's USELESS without a pen or pencil. Since it's used during travel, not at home or the office, pens aren't always readily found. Let's have a dedicated spot to attach a pen to the journal so one is always at hand.

4. Change the sleeves inside the covers. Things tend to slide out the top of the journal, especially those souvenir tickets and the like that you haven't had a change to tape to a page yet. The flap would let these sleeves be full length (top-to-bottom) of the covers and open to the outside edge (instead of to the top where things fall out). The flap would keep them in place.

5. I mentioned the dimensions are perfect for travel. They are. However, this does tend to make the journal pages a bit narrow. Toss in the obligatory margins on each page, and you have about 3.25" of writing space on a line. Not good for those of us who write with medium point pens and haven't refined the technique of writing in micro-squint. The short lines cause too many "stop then skip to the next line" interruptions. It leaves unused a lot of an already-short line. I estimate that about 1/3 of the writing space in my previous copies of this journal is wasted. The solution is simple enough; extend the lines on each page all the way to the center binding edge (i.e., no inside margin at all). The lines on the left page should align with those on the right page. Since this journal ultimately lies flat, this would give a "double" sized page for writing, and offer a "page" size of just less than 8" wide.

Now, THAT'S the PERFECT travel journal! Alas, readers, I know of none that are truly functional in all respects, but this one is darned close. If I had to write a wish-list on other journals I've purchased, there would be a lot more than a mere 5 suggestions! This is the one I am a repeat buyer on. I try other new ones, but always come back to this one. So, looking for a travel journal? This is it!

Rating: 5
Summary: Best travel journal out there
Comment: I am a study abroad advisor & travel addict. I recommend this journal to all of my students, as it contains much of the information we cover in our pre-departure orientation. I love the stylish way in which it sparks your creative side. The rubber cover makes it practically indestructible. (Obviously designed by a real vagabond.)

Rating: 5
Summary: Gotta travel!
Comment: I flip through this handbook to get inspired to travel. Makes me wonder why I'm not traveling right now. Lots of smart planning tips. The quotes and tidbits sprinkled among the pages are really fun to read. The design is super-cool too. A stylin' travel accessory.

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