My family friends from Chiba, Japan, had just finished taking me on a trip to Hakone, a mountainous area with views of Mount Fuji. We were back in Tokyo and parting ways at the train station. The father of the family told me to turn around and smile for the camera.

He had already taken dozens of pictures of me, with backgrounds that included mountains, lakes, restaurants, and hotels. There was nothing of importance behind me in the train station, and I was the only one in the picture. I could have shaken my head and tried to avoid the picture, but instead smiled and threw up the peace sign for one final time.

Pictures have evolved over the years. From the classic Polaroid that printed out pictures immediately, to the film cameras that kept owners waiting in suspense, cameras have changed the way people look at life. Cameras have such a profound influence on daily life because their main purpose is to capture memories.

I traveled to Taiwan last summer. I came home with a suitcase full of new clothes and gadgets, and a camera loaded with pictures. One year later, I cannot remember what souvenirs I bought for myself. But looking back at my pictures and reminiscing gives me a jubilant feeling that nothing else can.

When people die, the paper bills in their wallets, their four-story houses, and clothes on their back will all amount to nothing. What matters is living life to its fullest – whether that means traveling the world, falling in love, or doing whatever makes you happy. It is vitally important to remember these times, and even though you think you will never forget, the details will begin to fade.

Pictures are one way to capture your memories. The emergence of digital cameras made it simple for anyone to take hundreds of pictures at one time, effectively preserving the moment.

Choose carefully and wisely when purchasing your own digital camera. There are three main types of digital cameras, ranging from the low quality cell phone camera, to the high resolution professional cameras. The most important thing to consider when choosing a camera, however, is not mega pixels or effects. It is how much use you put the camera through.

If you can afford a professional camera, a high quality, large digital camera weighing in at around five pounds with the lens, then by all means, buy it. Your pictures will be impossibly clear and beautiful. However, if you are going to buy such a camera and end up not bringing it anywhere because it is too expensive, inconvenient, or heavy to carry, then you are losing valuable pictures and wasting the camera’s potential.

If you really don’t have any money to spend on an expensive camera, then simply use the camera built into your cell phone. If your cell phone is not equipped with a camera, you may want to look into buying one. The cell phone cameras do not take high-quality pictures. In fact, you may only be able to capture a tiny essence of what you wanted. However, if you bring your phone everywhere and will always take pictures with it, this may not be a bad choice. Better to have many low quality pictures than a few high resolution pictures chronicling your trip.

Buying a pocket-sized digital camera is usually a smart choice. The camera is small enough to bring everywhere, and also takes perfectly adequate photos. In fact, most pocket-sized digital cameras produce amazing pictures.

I recommend buying a pocket-sized digital camera that you will bring everywhere and use to take hundreds of pictures. If you have the extra money, buy a big, expensive camera, but if it’s too inconvenient to carry around, you always have your cell phone.

Whatever camera you do end up bringing on your trip, make sure to keep it safe at all times. Treat it like a cell phone or a wallet. Keep it in your pockets or strapped around you, no matter where you are going. Losing a camera would not only be disastrous financially, but all the pictures on your memory card would disappear.

Pictures often require posing. Many people do not feel comfortable mimicking a nearby statue, making a funny face, or even smiling at the camera. These fears should be overcome when traveling in a foreign country.

If traveling alone, you may find it difficult to take pictures. After all, scenery pictures are nice, but the best pictures have smiling faces. Don’t let your inhibitions stop you from taking a picture with a kimono-clad woman or a raging waterfall. Ask someone nearby to take the picture for you. It isn’t that much of a hassle, and you can always offer to take a picture of them.

Pictures speak a thousand words, but may also make the wrong point. Words are direct, and their meanings are often easy to understand. Most of the American population probably does not write in a journal on a daily basis, myself included. However, I highly recommend bringing a journal, in addition to a camera, on any travel trip.

I bought a leather-bound journal at the Barnes and Noble on the way to the airport to Taiwan. Every night, I recorded daily activities. Now, in Japan, I continue to describe outings so that I will be able to reminisce in the future.

Buy a notebook that is small enough to carry around conveniently, but also one that is sturdy enough to survive a trip. Losing pages of your memories would be a disaster. A notebook the size of a paperback novel with a strong cover would serve foreign travelers quite well throughout their trip.

Many people cannot keep up a journal while living at home. It takes too much energy to write about daily life on a day-to-day basis. However, I find the task much easier in a foreign country. It is much more entertaining to write about foreign mishaps than news about the neighbors. Besides, the memories brought back to you through the journal will forever be priceless and worth whatever inconveniences writing may have cost you.

Take advantage of the little slips of paper you collect throughout your days in a foreign country. Instead of throwing away receipts, tuck them into your journal. Finding the receipt from your first time at a Japanese McDonald’s will not only bring back the memories, but also a smile.

If you have the patience and skill, I recommend scrap-booking. Anyone who has seen a good scrap-book knows how beautiful they can turn out. However, they require a lot of effort. I know that I do not have the time to create such a work of art, so I settle with placing my daily souvenirs in my journal. Choose what works for you, but whatever you choose, make sure you follow through with it.

The pictures on digital cameras and stories in diaries are the most expensive, and cherished, souvenirs. The cluttered bag of key chains and magnets are nice for neighbors, but the pictures you took and the stories you wrote will remind you of one of your greatest adventures.