Tokens of Travel

Having lived in and travelled to some of the most awe-inspiring places around the world, the Jacada team has a keepsake or two with a story to tell.

Souvenirs have the wonderful ability to rekindle travel nostalgia – they are memory devices and capture moments otherwise lost to time. Whether sentimental, funny or just downright bizarre, they have the wonderful ability to commemorate destinations we want to remember forever and are often the start of a brilliant anecdote when we return. Just how a seashell held to your ear might transport you back to a joyful day by the ocean, travel memorabilia can also be enough to recall cherished memories of the places and people that helped make a trip unforgettable.

With some epic adventures under their belts, we’ve asked some of our team members at Jacada to share their favourite travel mementos as well as the meaningful stories behind them.

Heather Evans

Head of Client Experience

What is your memento? My most treasured travel souvenir is a traditional Berber jacket that was gifted to me in Morocco.

Tell us the story behind it: I visited the beautifully blue village of Essaouira during my first solo trip. As the weather is cooler in February, I was wrapped up in a sweatshirt that had my surname written on it. Whilst wandering, I started chatting to an old Moroccan man, and somehow spent the next few hours discussing the world and drinking extremely sugary tea from the back of his shop. At the end of our conversation, we swapped jackets as a token of our new friendship - his was a thick Berber jacket made of camel hair, with a very distinct smell. Later that evening whilst out for dinner, we spotted each other again - he was in my hoodie, and I in his jacket! It’s such a funny memory to look back on, and I can confirm that the jacket still stinks of camels to this day.

What impact has this had on you? It was the perfect bit of Morocco to take home with me. Travel is all about the connections you make with people, and this moment was the first insight I had into how welcoming people can be. Although we came from different backgrounds, we had so much in common. It was such an authentic, random and special moment that I’ll carry with me forever.

Terri Dunbar-Curran

Content Executive

What is your memento? A beaded sea turtle and a wooden dugong from my first Jacada trip to Mozambique.

Tell us the story behind it: During a boat trip to explore the beautiful islands around Bazaruto, I was utterly terrified to snorkel in the open water, truly scared. After strongly considering the option to stay on the boat with a glass of bubbles, I faced my fear head on and jumped in. The whole experience beyond this was breathtaking - least of all because breathing through a snorkel can be so challenging and I was so proud of myself for seizing the opportunity. Later that day, I was able to see dugong swimming off the side of our catamaran.

What impact has this had on you? I sit the turtle and dugong on my desk so that I can remind myself of the incredible experiences that Jacada are able to give people. Experiences like mine are what travel is all about – they stay with you long after you return home.

They’re reminders to do things that challenge you, and to step out of your comfort zone whenever possible. The whole experience of facing my fears had such a profound impact on me. It also reminds me to be comfortable enough to admit that you’re afraid, rather than keeping the feelings bottled up. I felt encouraged and supported to literally take the plunge.

Pierre Fauquemberg

Travel Designer for Europe

What is your memento? A mask from the Sant’Antonio Festival in Sardinia.

Tell us the story behind it: I was visiting a friend in the small Sardinian town of Mamoiada to take part in the Sant’Antonio celebrations. During the ceremony a parade hypnotically dances through the town, depicting one group, the Mamuthones, being chased by another, the Issohadores.

The Mamuthones are draped in thick, fur outfits and carry heavy cow bells, their faces covered by grotesque masks carved from heavy materials and painted black. The opposing Issohadores wear white masks and bright red jackets. What I love most about the parade is the mystery surrounding its origins - some say that the Mamuthones represent past invaders and the Issohadores are celebrating their victory; others say that it is a tradition marking the beginning of spring.

What impact has this had on you?

I feel really lucky to have taken part in the celebration because only few visitors have the chance to witness this special event. I value authentic cultural traditions that have stood the test of time, and think it’s a beautiful thing to be a part of. It is very easy for travellers to stay in comfortable, sanitised bubbles when they travel but this experience introduced me to an unexpected narrative which turned out to be surprising and refreshing.

David Corvacho Puente

Senior Travel Designer for Latin America

What is your memento? Two photographs of some life-affirming moments.

Tell us the story behind it: The first photograph is from 2007, on a trip that took the tour group I was leading from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to La Paz, Bolivia. Little did I know that in this tour group I would meet my now wife, Elaine. This is the first picture we have together, and is from a day spent cruising the Uyuni Salt Flats.

The second is a photograph from 2017, and is of the two of us walking along a road by Tokavaig Beach, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, just moments after we eloped. The ceremony itself was extremely private and intimate, witnessed only by a herd of sheep and a bus full of tourists. It’s a funny memory, and captures such an important moment in my life.

What impact has this had on you?

I’ve lived such a nomadic life, and I think these photographs are proof that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the adventures I’ve had. I want my daughter to share my curiosity for travel, and to understand that there are a lot of places where you can fit in.

These are moments that shaped me into the person I am today. When I look at these photos, I feel happiness. When we met in 2007, I didn’t know what would happen next, so they remind me that life is always bringing good things my way.