Dear Diary...

How good are you at keeping your journal? Most nomads set off on the 'Big One' with every intention of keeping a blow-by-blow account of one of the biggest adventures of their lives. Unfortunately, by the second or third month, the novelty has often worn off and those detailed entries have trailed off into hurried notes written weeks later.

Those that do manage to keep up the daily routine, however, find it well worth the effort. Jane Simmons from Adelaide has just completed her second trip around Australia.

"We were away for six months and I kept a daily record," she says, proudly. "I have already started looking back over my journal and it brings back so many vivid memories. I know there are things in there that we would have forgotten by now and they would have just been lost forever. Small meetings that we had, or jokes that we shared. My husband Jim and I will now be able to relive the trip for years to come."

Jane's determination to keep up with her diary sprang, in part, from her failure to do so the first time she took a big trip.

"I only kept it up for six weeks back then," Jane says. "I have regretted it ever since."

Apart from the personal memories and recollections of special moments shared with new friends on the road, many nomads choose also to record some more dry information in their journals. Kilometres travelled, fuel prices paid, campsite costs, grocery expenses - they are all popular headings for diary entries.

"I keep a record of all that sort of stuff," says Territorian Alan Thomas, who has been travelling for four months. "Every time we sit down for a beer with someone on the road, I'll pass on a few tips. If I can help someone save a few dollars or avoid the mistakes I've made, I'll do it. And it's all there in black and white, so people will know what they're in for. Plus, I might be back the same way again myself some day."

A diary probably takes little more than 10 minutes a day to keep up to date but can be worth its weight in gold. A lot of people make the mistake of refusing to believe that they will ever forget any aspect of their trip.

"It all seems so wonderful and unforgettable at the time," says Jane Simmons, "but the memory does fail over time and it's a shame if you don't have any record. Even if you do remember what you did, you're bound to forget what you were thinking and how you were feeling at the time."

• Trevor and Frances write an account of each day they spend on the road. Click here to read a few entries of their journal. Do you keep a diary? Has it helped to keep memories of your trip alive? Email us if you would like to share some of your experiences with other readers.

•  Your thoughts on this story? Email us

Have you read?
::  Take it easy

Put relaxation on your itinerary   
 
::  On Your bike