Travel As Research and Other Thoughts

Today is my last night in Germany. So I thought I'd log on for some thoughts on traveling and researching for writing. It would be hard to fit over two weeks of travel into a blog, but then that is what a journal is for. I love blogging, but my journal is my best friend when I travel. Good thing, since I've been to many country towns and visited 14 castles. My journal will help me remember where I've been later when I try to write some stories from my adventures.

Journals help capture the experience of what you learn from your travels. I really enjoy the end of the day when I can jot my thoughts down. I try to recount all that happened. From visits to medieval fortresses, to bratwurst and dumplings; it's all written down for later use.

Then, there is the invention of digital cameras. I used to try to write down all the info in museums. But Germans are quite a kind folk, and allow non-flash photography in castles or museums. Sometimes it is posted not to take pictures, but I found there were lots of times I could snap a pic for research. The Untersberg placard took 3 photos to get all the legends photographed. Since I keep my journal in my hotel for a rundown of the day, my digital camera helps me record a lot of the research that would take hours to write down.

So, before I head out of Deutchland, I come home with a journal full of ideas, a stomach sedated with bratwurst and sauerkraut, and two 8 meg cards of digital pictures. Can't beat that for research.

*Tiffany Turner has been in Germany for over 2 weeks researching folktales of the Fey for her Crystal Keeper Chronicles series. The first book, "The Lost Secret of Fairies" is available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle Editions. Her second book in the series, "The Lost Secret of the Green Man" will be out this Fall.