What do you collect when you travel?

[cartisdm]

Now that I'm no longer a poor college student, I've been traveling a lot (vacations, road trips, etc.) I'm not a big collector, mostly because I don't like buying clutter, but I kind of wish I had something to show for all the places I've been going lately. What do you all collect?

I was thinking of trying to buy samplers/boxes of cigars whenever I go. Ideally, it'd be really cool if I could get locally grown or rolled cigars, but depending on where I go that could get pretty difficult. I'm still pretty new to the cigar world so it would maybe give me an excuse to learn about them at the local B&Ms and buy cigars that I wouldn't normally order online. I could buy double of whatever I intend to smoke. That way I can try them out, plus grow my collection over time.

What do we think? Worth it?

[smokinghole]

I collect booze and beer that I cannot buy. Collect being a loose term because I drink it when home or while I'm there. Local food is a must I hate visiting chains when I travel. I can visit the chain at home.

[flyboy]

When we used to go skiing a a lot all over the country, we would get a mug from the resort. We also used to collect matches from restaurants etc, even though we didn't smoke. They were small and easy to store. Also useful from time to time.

Now we usually just get a tshirt or something.

[keinreis]

Nothing as an adult. When I was young, my grandparents took me and my brother on road trips almost every summer. I collected those cool stickers from every state. I still have them all somewhere. Stickers were a cool collectable thing with kids back in those days.

[Fitze55]

I collect booze and beer that I cannot buy. Collect being a loose term because I drink it when home or while I'm there. Local food is a must I hate visiting chains when I travel. I can visit the chain at home.

Agreed. Whenever I go on vacation I'm always looking for booze/beer that I cannot buy in SC. SC has funny laws about the sale of beer/booze so whenever out of state I usually look for something that otherwise I would never be able to buy in SC.

[NCost]

Nothing. I live it up while I'm there so I have good memories. I don't like clutter either.

[cartisdm]

I went to Mexico In January and tried to bring back Cubans...that was before getting involved with this site though so my guess is they were fake (although I throughly enjoyed them which is all that matters). I'm taking a road trip to Chicago over Labor day weekend so I'll start there. After that the woman takes a trip to Spain so I'll have her grab me something from there then we're taking a cruise to the Bahamas in February. We'll see how this collecting goes. So far all my cigars have pretty much been ordered online since I haven't visited any B&Ms locally...

[Hot_Sauce]

I'll buy magnets and put them on my fridge

Their cheap, bring back memories and are good for converation when guests come over.

[TravelingJ]

That's a question we went over 5 years ago when Karen started traveling with me full time. Our answer, was Christmas Tree ornaments. We have them in various styles ans sizes from all over the world, and have even made a few of our own out of local items.

I pick up shot glasses for my dad, though I think he is starting to get tired of that. We also get the reusable bags that grocery stores sell, and use them as gift bags for holidays.

[stogies&hoagies]

When visiting tropical locations, I collect a bit of sand and store it in a small glass jar I label by beach and location. I have like 40 so far and sand ranging from black to white, brown, tan, even pink. Friends will sometimes get me some. Some of the European beaches are just tiny rocks.

[cartisdm]

Great ideas in this thread so far!

[CigarSaint]

I always look for matches every where I go. I travel a lot for my job so later on in life I can look back and say oh yea............ I had way toooo much to drink there.

[dpricenator]

Shot glasses

My favorite is from St Petersburg Russia, and has a russian coin as the bottom, and the whole thing is a very ornate casting of the city.

[CWS]

Hot sauce. I have over 500 lables.

[thebayratt]

I try and find the "Squished Pennies"

I have a book they made that holds them and its almost full, time to get another book and a few more new shiney pennies!

[05roadking]

I collect a cigar and business card from shop it came from and I put on back what cigar I bought there then I go to the Local harley dealer and get a dealer pin then after im home I will take card and dealer pin and pin it in a display case , Then the folowing years vacation I take the cigar I bought on vacation and smoke it and start all over again , I know it sounds real stupid but thats what I do , kinda fun and this past trip I bought 2 opus x , 2 liga 9 , and 2 padron fam reserve ........ Im so looking forward to next years smokes and bike trip

[TreeFrog Frank]

When I was little, it was those stupid little spoons... LOL

Nowadays, for us, and our 4 year old... we collect the smashed pennies, too. And some places do quarters. I guess my wife even got them as a kid, and still has some.

[TreeFrog Frank]

I collect a cigar and business card from shop it came from and I put on back what cigar I bought there then I go to the Local harley dealer and get a dealer pin then after im home I will take card and dealer pin and pin it in a display case , Then the folowing years vacation I take the cigar I bought on vacation and smoke it and start all over again , I know it sounds real stupid but thats what I do , kinda fun and this past trip I bought 2 opus x , 2 liga 9 , and 2 padron fam reserve ........ Im so looking forward to next years smokes and bike trip

That's not stupid... I think it sounds really cool.

[TreeFrog Frank]

That's a question we went over 5 years ago when Karen started traveling with me full time. Our answer, was Christmas Tree ornaments. We have them in various styles ans sizes from all over the world, and have even made a few of our own out of local items.

I like that idea!! That's really cool.

[Cigar Cowboy]

Wine and Golf Shirts from the courses I liked alot.

[D Quintero]

for beachside getaways, I'll getta bottle full of the sand ...fridge magnets are also a fav, but most of all, with relatives la/san diego, chicago and grand rapids? its all about the beers & breweries.

[itallushrt]

Trophy animals. Most of my vacations center around hunting or fishing and almost all have a very specific species as the goal.

[SurpriseMVP]

When I was younger and single I was just happy to make it home alive from a vacation. Now add 15 years, a wife, and 2 kids: We always pick up a Christmas ornament. It eliminates the clutter since it's packed 10 months of the year and it's actually really cool when we decorate the tree and start pulling them out. Brings back a lot of great memories.

[Monsterdg]

My daughter and I collect the squished pennys as well. I like the Christmas ornament idea, but I wonder if it's difficult to find off season? We're usually heading to the coast for vac and I don't recall seeing many ornaments.

I tried to get local cigars, but found that most don't have a band, which I would like to put in my collection.

[ciggy]

I collected those cool stickers from every state. I still have them all somewhere. Stickers were a cool collectable thing with kids back in those days.


I'll buy magnets and put them on my fridge



Christmas Tree ornaments. We have them in various styles ans sizes from all over the world, and have even made a few of our own out of local items.

I pick up shot glasses


Shot glasses

My favorite is from St Petersburg Russia, and has a russian coin as the bottom, and the whole thing is a very ornate casting of the city.


I try and find the "Squished Pennies"

I have a book they made that holds them and its almost full, time to get another book and a few more new shiney pennies!

All of these are on our list of memoralbillia.

[SurpriseMVP]

My daughter and I collect the squished pennys as well. I like the Christmas ornament idea, but I wonder if it's difficult to find off season? We're usually heading to the coast for vac and I don't recall seeing many ornaments.

I tried to get local cigars, but found that most don't have a band, which I would like to put in my collection.

Crazy as it may seem you can find ornaments in the middle of July even next to a beach. Just got back from Hawaii and got a cool one from a local art event right on the beach.

[aea6574]

Tend to eat local foods as others have mentioned.

Also like to figure out local things and maybe get a small something like a glass object from Malta or Spain, a crazy painted rooster from Portugal.

I am not a big clutter person so I don't always get something but if it is small and would look cool in my house I do.

tony

[orangedog]

Local food, coffee mugs, and golf shirts

[maverickdrinker]

I used to collect notches on my belt but I am married now...:starrylov

[yellen]

Béer is a nice option. You can find some gems like this. Only problem being the weight.


---
- Regards,
YelleN

[RustySmoke]

I travel by motorcycle a lot. I have a vest that I put patches and pins on from a lot of the good places I have been.

[ftnig]

cigar bands from locally rolled cigars.

[cartisdm]

cigar bands from locally rolled cigars.

There's what I'm looking for. Do you have a hard time finding local cigars when you travel places?

[ftnig]

some times if you check the web it can be helpful.

[Paneotto]

Fridge magnets.

[orangedog]

I used to collect notches on my belt but I am married now...:starrylov

Classic.

[veeref]

Starbucks mugs. Kind of limits it to big cities though.

[Mmalone999]

Golf balls. Might start the locally rolled cigars idea...

[danthebugman]

Back in the day it was insects. Yeah, you expected something different with a guy who's screen name is danthebugman :dunno:. Carried collecting equipment in my truck and any time I made a pit stop I would scout around. Gave away my collection to the high school a few year ago when we moved...suppose it's probably under a pile of debris now...this means they probably could use a new one :thinkidea :grin:.

Dan

[cartisdm]

Golf balls. Might start the locally rolled cigars idea...

A friend of mine does this. He loves it and has some pretty cool ones from some great courses too.

I'm headed to Chicago with some friends on Thursday and staying though Sunday. Any recommendations on a B&M to buy from? We're staying at the La Quinta Inn on One South Franklin street (here (http://maps.google.com/maps?client=browser-rockmelt&channel=omnibox&q=one+south+franklin+chicago+il+60606&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x880e2cb922d4ab9d:0xa1ffd6d459d7af2d,1+S+Fr anklin+St,+Chicago,+IL+60606&gl=us&ei=LnFbTqvsB8bGgAfJgJGcDA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=2&ved=0CCAQ8gEwAQ)) The other guys I'm going with aren't big cigar guys so I'll probably break off by myself for a while and find somewhere close by to check out

[L8A]

Some good ones in here for sure but the only thing I collect anymore is hotel points:)

[Mmalone999]

Some good ones in here for sure but the only thing I collect anymore is hotel points:)

Hah, those are only fun when you spend them though!

[cartisdm]

Well brothers, it looks like Chicago was a success! Apparently Rocky Patel has a line specifically for Hubbard State B&M labeled "Chicago." That made it pretty easy for me to get the first sticks for my collection :) They aren't locally rolled or anything and I honestly don't even know if they're any good, but they will look great in my humidor! I also picked up a Cohiba torch lighter, few additional smokes, some much needed whiskey, and a bottle of merlot that was sold next to the Marilyn Monroe statue

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-wnH0fYHty3o/TmVqgskapiI/AAAAAAAAAoU/dfAf30tltNA/s512/IMAG0115.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-r5FQ4Bx6tHs/TmVqm27MDEI/AAAAAAAAAoc/3iGGYfeUoSY/s800/IMAG0116.jpg

[Crypto Sailor]

Hah, those are only fun when you spend them though!

The way Marty's travels I'm sure cigars last longer!

[theribdoctor]

typically I collect fat, I mean I eat a friggin ton when I go on a trip.

[vivalanation734]

I always drink new beers I can't get back home.

[cartisdm]

I always drink new beers I can't get back home.

I got to try quite a few craft beers, including a few Goose Island brews. None of them made it home though... :bottle:

[Treinenwj]

I used to collect roadmaps and lotto tickets from the places I went. Now, it's whatever the wife and kids want. Occasionally I'll get myself a shot glass or tshirt. Also, interesting looking rocks I find along the way.

[TravelingJ]

Some good ones in here for sure but the only thing I collect anymore is hotel points:)

My Thrifty Blue Chip account has been growing rapidly, hah.

I collect cigars on the road as well, but only in the sense that I like visiting all the different B&M's, and buy to support them. I don't try to pick up special house blends or anything like that.

[whodeeni]

I used to collect Clothes, but with all the money i spent I wish it had been on premium cigars!