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Something I’ve learned about any type of getaway or travel experience is that there is also the pre-experience fun and there is the post experience fun. The pre-experience fun is the inherent anticipation and excitement in the planning. The post experience fun are the memories and related conversations enjoyed for many years. Obviously, there are many types of souvenirs to help facilitate with the post experience fun, but I’m convinced one of the “best bang for the buck” souvenirs is a    t-shirt.

For starters, a souvenir t-shirt is an amazingly effective conversation piece. More than just a quick compliment and a quick “thank you” because someone likes the look of your t-shirt, there is an experience behind the souvenir you’re wearing. You and the listener can unfold and discuss the adventures of that experience to whatever extent seems appropriate.

Other reasons I like souvenir t-shirts is because they are relatively inexpensive and super easy to pack. It seems they usually range from about $10 to $25 each and depending where you are, the purchase might even be tax free. If you’re super pumped about the t-shirt and if it’s not too wrinkled, you can even start wearing it right away. Or if necessary, it can be rolled up very tight and compact for a pretty much guaranteed fit in your suitcase.

You might be saying to yourself, “yeah, but I’m really picky about what I wear”.  I’m pretty picky myself, yet I’m often amazed at the variety that’s often available. The designers are savvy enough to usually offer choices in color, material, and design. And you don’t have to stick with just t-shirts as other options include sweatshirts and formal dress shirts. Many times, my ears were kept warm when wearing a black hoodie with a classy Lithuanian national emblem. And one of my favorite souvenir dress shirts is in striking blue from Positano with one of the buttons painted as the Italian Flag.

Another perk is meeting new people. Many times, I’ve been greeted in public with a smiling face from a stranger who’s intrigued by my shirt. Those unexpected conversations are always a lot of fun and can last anywhere from a quick minute to even much longer. One of those conversations happened when I went to a pizza joint at an odd time in the afternoon and business was slow. The owner and his wife actually sat down at my table with me to share travel stories and travel photos on their phones.  I had never met them before, but it was a pleasant way to enjoy my pizza!

And here’s a funny story: Last year when we arrived in Rome, it was revealed at the airport that our luggage was lost and would be delivered in the next day or two. By the time we checked into our hotel, it was late afternoon and we quickly headed towards the Colosseum area looking for shops where we could find some clothes. Unfortunately, we weren’t having much luck finding any English speakers to help guide us and it was starting to get dark as many businesses were starting to close. But we were relieved when we finally found a shop where could get something to wear the next day. It was a souvenir shop and we had to buy souvenir t-shirts, souvenir shorts, and swim trunks for underwear! But hey, it held us over until late the next night when our luggage was finally delivered to our hotel.