skyring

I've mentioned this before, but I've been considering a more robust sort of bookcrossing journal. I've had several and taken them for trips of varying magnitude. I have found that a few rules of thumb need to be observed.

1. It should be robust. Rubyjules Bookcrossing Journal was a delicate hand-made affair, beautifully made, but liable to get wet or dirty if exposed to the elements. I also found that if I was trying to stand it up for a photograph, it was likely to fall down in the slightest puff of wind.

2. It should be loose-leaved. My first journal, the Downunder Bookcrossers' Journal #2, wasn't, so if you make a mistake it's there forever, and everybody coming after gets to snicker at you. Of course, you can pull out the offending page, but if it's got an entry on the other side, you are stuck.

3. It shouldn't be too small. People like a decent size to write in, maybe do a drawing, maybe stick something in.

4. It shouldn't be too big. I've got to lug it around the world, you know, and if it is too heavy or takes up too big a chunk of my carry-on bag stored under the seat, then it's going to be a pain.

5. It should be bright and visible so it stands out in photographs. My Washington Journal was about right. I picked the plastic cover because it looked fairly sturdy and was a bright Bookcrossing yellow.

I've been a big Day-Timer user for a long while, and if I spot a binder at a second-hand shop, I'm always inclined to examine it fairly closely. For one thing my current binder is wearing out and I'll be in the market for a replacement soon. As well as that, I'm a nerd, and these things interest me. So when I saw a bright yellow zippered binder at a thrift shop for a dollar, i snapped it up. It had the Khatmandu brand on it, and was obviously intended for travellers.

I set it aside - it's a bit too bright and bulky for my pocket - but I've now dragged it out and had another look at it with a view towards making it into my permanent travel journal. It's about as big as my Washington Journal but more weatherproof. It takes pages from my Day-Timer and has a few pockets inside and outside.

I hunted around yesterday for something similar, maybe a smidgeon bigger. Khatmandu have stopped making these and everything else is either too big and bulky, or too expensive. Filofax makes one about the right size, but it's black and doesn't have a zip and uses a different hole arrangement. I looked around the net and Ultraglyph make something pretty much about the right type, but in green and their website doesn't seem to work proper. I also browsed through a big camping/travel warehouse yesterday. Lots of fascinating stuff, but nothing quite right. I was tempted to buy an exit bag for carrying on a plane to take my e-tickets, passport, and all the other junk you need, but at $45 it was a bit much for what you got.

So I'm looking at my little yellow binder again and I figure it will do me fine for travel. There's a slot on the back for boarding passes, a mesh pocket inside for my passport, I only need a few cards while travelling, I can put a month (or whatever) of Day-Timer pages in the rings and there's room for a lot of blank pages for writing on.

And when I get home I can pull them out and stick them in a more permanent book, along with souvenirs such as ticket stubs, photographs, maps etc.

The photographs show the more or less raw item. I'll put "Skyring" on the front and my version of the running book logo.