I used to have a pen pal when I was in the sixth grade (dating myself haha).  She lived in Ventura, California and her name was Gina.  What I asked her to send me frequently were postcards.  I had a fascination for them because the pictures of places she sent would inspire me to go there one day.  Little did I know that it would be an introduction to my passion for travel.  Nowadays, my favorite souvenir to get whenever I visit a new city is a magnet.  Not only is it practical, it’s the easiest thing to pack.

My most favorite souvenirs, from all my travels:

#5  Magnet- First of all I love magnets.  They are easy to pack and they come in so many different styles!  I’ve never been that mom to put a whole bunch of pictures on my fridge because I’m a neat freak like that, but now I have a handful of magnets on my fridge to remind me of my travels.

#4  Shirts- I always go to Aloha Stadium’s swap meet when I’m on O’ahu because I love the island souvenirs and great deals!  My ultimate favorite is the $20 shirts from polynesian vendors.  They are the most expensive in all of swap meet but the quality of the shirts are supreme!  The cotton is thick, they last years and they always come with a free CD.  So not only do I go home with an NFL type shirt with the tribal print on it, it’s unique, I get a lot of wear out of them and I get to enjoy island music while driving around town!  For Polynesian inspired leggings, skirts, tops and backpacks visit my instagram friend at her online store, Kiana Bella.  I just bought two leggings and I can’t wait to pair them with my collection of Kahuku Red Raider shirts!

#3  Ukulele (Hawaiian guitar)- I bought it for my son years ago but it’s a reminder of my love for music and the instrument almost every kid had growing up in Hawaii.  I recently bought one for my niece on my last trip home.  She loves to sing and dance!  See her in the picture above.

#2  This one’s edible but who say’s food can’t be a souvenir?  I’ve brought home rum and rum cake from the Caribbean so I have to add patties on this list.  When we come back from Jamaica, we always bring back beef patties.  The best ones are Tastees.  It’s equivalent to empanadas and meat pies, but the Jamaican version.  Whether you’re from the south of U.S. and miss the peach cobbler pie, or from Hawaii and crave the spam musubi from time to time, the same goes for any local from anywhere in the world!  Local food is always the one thing you wish you could bring back right?  When my dad picks me up from the airport, he always has an Aloha iced tea and spam musubi waiting for me in his truck.  Such a great dad! 😉

#1  I have a small bottle of sand from Deauville, France.  I’ve been to many beaches but this one is dear to me because my friend took me there.  She knew it was at the top of my list of things to do, aside from seeing the Eiffel Tower.  We took a train, a bus and walked a hundred yards to get to the beachfront.  Going to Paris is a dream for many people therefore I am grateful to have been able to visit the great city.  Thanks to Alice for being a great hostess (my friend from Dallas, who lived there over a year and whom I got to spend time with before she moved back).  Great memories and a bottle of sand to go with it!

Haze- Blue Crush Travel

Pic:  My niece Amy-Grace with her ukulele (Hawaiian guitar)