After much searching pre-trip, I bought this journal for my study abroad trip. It was absolutely wonderful. The hard cover protected it throughout the trip so that it still looks practically new from the outside. The study wire binding allowed for easy writing without the troubles of a hard spine. the top-open photo pages in the were perfect for photos of loved ones as reminders throughout the trip as well as perfect for holding postcards and business cards and receipts and ticket stubs. The lightly dotted lines allowed for free writing or neat lines. The quotes are quite fun and from a huge variety of people: Mark Twain to Ben Franklin. 8"x5" was a great size for carrying in the travel bag. Writing daily detailed accounts of travels, it held almost 3 months worth.