It’s no secret, I love tattoos.
I love looking at them, and I love getting them. What do I love even more? Travel tattoos.
I started getting them occasionally when I was abroad, and it eventually turned into a regular necessary souvenir. Not only do I get tattooed while travelling, I also have many travel related designs.
Whenever you embark on a new journey, in addition to getting a small and meaningful tattoo as a souvenir, you can also choose to customize Luggage Tags.
You can incorporate the characteristics of the travel destination or your personal travel story into the design. Such luggage tags are like miniature display boards of your travel stories. They are not only beautiful and unique, but also add a sense of exclusive ritual to you during the journey.
Whether hanging on a suitcase or as a keychain, they can always remind you of those wonderful travel moments, and also become a small window to show others your unique travel experience.
This is a list of my travel tattoos:
World Map
Where:
Sacred Heart Tattoo, Vancouver.
Story:
I had just travelled across Canada by train and arrived in Vancouver just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics. My friend Kat and I decided it was the perfect occasion to get tattoos. I was in the process of completing my University degree in geography/geology, and have always had an extraordinary obsession with maps. It might have also worked as a permanent cheat sheet during exams.
Nicaraguan Flag
Where:
Ink FX Tattoo, San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua.
Story:
I worked out an adapted design from the symbol on the Nicaraguan flag, and included pointillism details and added a moon in the top (because I love moons, and even named my dog after a moon). The seven mountains represent the country’s 7 volcanoes, and the water at the bottom represents the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans on both sides.
Tahitian Hook
Where:
Pirato Tattoo Studio, Papeete, Tahiti.
Story:
Historically, this style of tattoo, behind the ear, was reserved only for a Queen, typically from the Island of Marquesas. At the top, is the symbol of a lizard: Lizards play an important role in Polynesian myth, as Gods often appeared to men in the form of a lizard. They are considered very powerful animals that bring good luck. In the middle is the symbol of Tiki eyes: Tiki figures can be portrayed as a symbol of defiance to enemies. At the bottom is a symbol of waves: The Ocean is the second home and source of food to Polynesian people and represents ideas of life and continuity through change. Waves can also be used to represent the world beyond, as Polynesian people regard the ocean as their final destination where they go when they pass away. Full blog post.
Philippines Map
Where:
P&P Tattoo, Boracay, Philippines.
Story:
I wanted more than anything to meet Whang Od and get tattooed by her, but we just didn’t have enough time to journey out to her village during our trip. I settled by getting a map of the Philippines, since it became my new favourite country, and hopefully I can meet her on our next trip.
Sak Yant Bamboo Tattoo
Where:
Wat Bang Phra, Thailand.
Story:
After a comically arduous journey from Bangkok involving a taxi, van, bus and a motorbike for three, I arrived at Wat Bang Phra to receive a bamboo tattoo from a Monk. The monk that tattoos you decides what design to give you and where it will be placed on your body, without any consultation or warning. I ended up with a Hah Taew design on my left shoulder blade, which displays five rows of magical spells for protection, good luck, love, fortune and success. Full blog post.
Chief Seattle
Where:
MTL Tattoo, Montreal.
Story:
My name is Seattle and I was named after Chief Seattle (the same man that the city was named after). I was given this name because my Grandmother was Native Canadian, so I have always had a connection with the Native culture. My family would be considered part of the Cree tribes (from Alberta), but Chief Seattle (Sealth) was Chief of the Duwamish in Washington.
My favourite quote from Chief Seattle:
“Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.”
Passport Stamps
Where:
Seven Crowns Tattoo, Toronto, Ontario. & Sugar Shack in Kincardine, Ontario.
Story:
I wanted something to represent each of my family members. The elephant is for my mother, the fish is for my father and the owl is for my sister. These are all animals that I associate with them and it made sense for me. The animals are all emerging from roses which are surrounded by passport stamps. I’m not a big fan of flowers, but this helped me choose roses. The passport stamps are scanned directly from my passport and are from my previous travels. I personally love the reaction I get from fellow travellers no matter where I am. I’ve spent hours talking with perfect strangers after they spotted the Turkish passport stamp poking out on my shoulder.
GPS Coordinates
Where:
Dawg Pound Tattoo, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Story:
The coordinates specify two locations:
42°56’35″N 80°17’31″W — The place that I grew up. 40°41’29″N 16°42’57″E — The first place that I ever travelled; Italy.
I specialized in GIS (Geographic information systems) in University and chose two places that mean something to me.
Feather
Where:
Inner Vision Tattoo, Sydney, Australia.
Story:
I had been going back and forth between the idea of an airplane or a feather, for the same underlying theme; travel. It represents my favourite quote;
I always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth, then I ask myself the same question.
It does have one last personal meaning to me. Ooh, mysterious :p
Wanderlust
Where:
Paradise Tattoo + Piercing, Helsinki, Finland.
Story:
Obviously, I’ve got a big case of wanderlust and when I’m not already travelling, I spend my days dreaming of exploring the world. My mother encouraged me to get a tattoo while I was in Finland, and so I did.
Notice the blue “t” on the end of the word. It mimics the blue cross of the Finnish flag. It is one of only two coloured tattoos that I have.
Hawaiian Islands
Where:
Island Ink, Paia, Maui.
Story:
During my first trip to Maui I fell in love with the Island. I was always quick to answer “Iceland” as the response to “What’s your favourite destination?”, but then it was tied with Maui. As someone who wants to explore every region of the world, it’s not often that one particular place is able to keep my attention. But, I know that Maui is one destination that I will frequently return to for the rest of my life. Going along with my map-obsessed theme, I decided to get the Hawaiian Islands outlined on the top of my foot before I left. I know that I will be headed back soon, and I already have a few ideas up my sleeve for some more Maui ink. Funnily enough, before I left I asked if they would give me a tiny black dot to represent Hawaii on my world map tattoo. They did.
Jim Morrison
Where:
Tribo Tattoo, Prague, Czech Republic.
Story:
I could probably go on for hours about how much Jim Morrison means to me and why I love him, but I’ll keep it simple. Thanks to my father, I got my first Doors album at the age of 11. I grew up listing to his music, but more than anything I adore his poetry and writing.
Above Jim is an edition to “The Soft Parade“;
There’s only four ways to get unraveled, one is to sleep and the other is travel. One is a bandit up in the hills and one is to love your neighbour until his wife gets home.
Mine says;
There’s only two ways to get unraveled, one is to fly and other is travel.
Airplane
Where:
New Tribe Tattoo, Toronto.
Story:
For the same reason behind all of my other travel ink, I’ve always wanted an airplane tattoo and have been planning to get one since around the same time that I got the map tattoo.
Eventually, I decided I would get it on my finger, but I spent nearly a year searching for a studio that would actually tattoo hands. I never pushed the issue–I know that artists do not like to do it, especially for people that are not already heavily tattooed.
Finally I found a studio in Toronto, and couldn’t be happier.
Pura Vida
Where:
Anchor’s End, Jaco, Costa Rica.
Story:
I had heard the saying “Pura Vida” before arriving in Costa Rica and thought it was a bit cheesy at first. In my mind, it was something that North Americans would adapt and try to sound cultured after a Costa Rican surf holiday. Within the first couple of days in the country I started to realize that it was used in regular conversation among the locals in replacement of hello, goodbye, no worries, a general acknowledgement and a response to how are you? After a month in the country, I even caught myself saying it a few times. It’s literal translation mean “Pure Life”, and in a country where nature, environment and a laid-back culture are more important than anything, it simply makes sense as the unofficial slogan of Costa Rica. So, when I decided to get a tattoo in Jaco, the idea didn’t take much thought.
Additionally, I got the tattoo on Earth Day, after a Sea Turtle rescuing trip with Contiki. It all felt like the perfect way to sum up my time in Costa Rica.
Compass Rose
Where:
Immortal Impressions, Keswick, Ontario.
Story:
It’s the only tattoo I have that I’m not particularly pleased with, as the artist made it much darker than I had asked for, but I still like it. It went as a set with the world map that is on the other wrist, until I started a full sleeve with other designs around it.
Kanji Caligraphy
Story:
I was given a hand painted Kanji calligraphy piece as a farewell gift when leaving Okinawa, Japan. The black script translates to “fly to Asia and remember Okinawa” and the red circles are the symbol of Okinawa (and is my second colour tattoo). I most certainly will remember this incredible little island, and this beautiful ink now lives permanently on my right rib cage.
I have other non-travel related tattoos, but we’ll just end the list here.
My Tattoo Map
Blue = Where I’ve been tattooed
Green = Where I’d like to get tattooed
More posts on travel tattoos on my blog:
Getting Tattooed While Travelling
Travelling With Tattoos
Travel Tattoos
Getting Tattooed by a Buddhist Monk
My articles about travel tattoos on other websites:
12 Of My Travel Tattoos & the Stories Behind Them
Getting Tattooed by a Buddhist Monk
Getting Tattooed Around the World
Mistakes Travellers Make Getting a Tattoo
