One of my favorite things to do while traveling is SHOP. Shop owners seduce us with the 5 for $10 promotions and before we know it, we're back home with a bunch of odds and ends to never be seen again. T-shirts, mugs, ashtrays, magnets, snow globes, shot glasses, key chains, pens, hats, bags, water bottles and so on. However, it only took me ONE time to come home with a suitcase full of junk to re-think my entire shopping strategy.

Since I scrapbook, I try not to purchase too much and I use free items as souvenirs. Menus, maps, publications and receipts make for a great scrapbook page. Other things I look for are art-work, unique statues/sculptures or one-of-a-kind housewares. Staple souvenirs I collect from each destination are patches. I sew the patch onto a backpack I've had since high school. I took this bag on my first trip abroad and the idea stuck. It has proven to be a great conversation starter when I am sitting alone in an airport.

Another neat idea I picked up a few years ago is to find things to frame. Currency looks beautiful matted and framed. I met a lady who collected menus on her trip to France. She had them matted and framed, then displayed throughout her kitchen. On my cousin's last trip to Africa, I was gifted a drum. I loved it. On top I placed a wooden Geisha doll I got in Japan. The decor at my place is very United Nations with trinkets that have no apparent connection or theme - but that is the point. I take what I collect on my travels and a create an environment (both abstract and concrete) that is inspiring and reflective of my lifestyle. I do collect the cute I ♥____ T-shirts and key chains - those come in handy.

Sometimes people forget about using their camera to collect souvenirs. Don't want to buy it, snap a picture of it. Want to remember a beautiful desert or delicious meal? Snap! Flirted with a cute waiter? Snap! Snap! Picture can be the best souvenirs.

Usually when I am researching a destination ( domestic and international), I look for things unique to that area. This summer, I am in a few Latin countries and I've read faceless dolls and clay artwork are a must. Amber is mined in DR, so I'll be on the look for jewels as well. Stay tuned to see what I bring back.

Today is not a happy day. I have not completed a thing on my 2010 to do list and the first quarter of the year is over. Work is at a stand still. Friends are disappearing and I'm just in a crappy mood. What would really make me feel better. Is to leave work, drive to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, board a plane to Iceland with my bestie and lounge in the Blue Lagoon for the rest of the week.

I read this in Budget Travel a while back and thought, " Duh, why didn't I think of this sooner ?" Being a fan of the lost art of letter writing, I'll still add a personal message by hand, but this has proven to be a true time saver and foolproof way to make sure everyone back home gets a post card.

I have bitter sweet memories of my time in Kingston. In those 4 days, I got a crash course in Male Ego 101 ***side eye***, gained a new respect for Bob Marley, realized that as random as I can be, I am not a haphazard traveler; I like to have some type of plan, and that everyone has a story worth listening to.

If you are looking for smiling faces and coconut shells, Kingston AIN'T it! It's grimy, it's loud, it's aggressive and it's unapologetic, but that's what makes it worthwhile. David and Vicky were a couple we met in our hotel lobby. They were visiting from the US as well. Press Play!