Show & Tell CONTEST: My Best Travel Souvenir & The Story Behind It 🗺️

Hello everyone! :waving_hand::world_map:

While the Niyo Global Card helps us save money :money_bag: and travel smart :brain:, the true value of any trip lies in the memories we keep. The essence of the trip is preserved in a souvenir! :wrapped_gift: This contest is a chance to put faces (and stories! :open_book:) behind the usernames and celebrate those unforgettable moments abroad.

We want to see the items you cherish most! :sparkles:


The Challenge: Share Your Story Keeper :camera_with_flash:

To participate and earn a reward, please share your entry in the comments below:

  • The Photo: Share a clear picture of your favourite travel souvenir. :framed_picture:

  • The Story: Tell us about the item! Where did you find it, and what is the single most memorable story behind how you got it? :speaking_head:


Rewards :trophy:

We are rewarding the stories that resonate most with the spirit of global adventure!

  • Top Storyteller: The best entry (based on originality and storytelling) will win a reward of 5,000 Niyo Coins :coin: and be featured across our channels.

  • Top 3 Picks: Top 3 picks with a great photo and a story will receive 1,000 Niyo Coins :money_bag: for their contribution.


Contest open till: Next Friday, October 17th :spiral_calendar:

Winners wil be announced here in the Community. :tada:

3 Likes

A magnet & its story: Having started reading novels very early on in life, I always wanted to visit the UK and its castles as they fascinated me. Got a chance to travel there many moons ago and with great excitement walked along the Royal Mile towards Edinburgh Castle. At the entrance bought the castle ticket and was told I was the 100th visitor of the day and have won a free scotch whisky tasting experience with it. Yay me thinks, though am not a whisky drinker. Anyways, Edinburgh Castle visit done, I walk enthusiastically down for my Scotch Whisky tasting experience– anything that comes with the tag “free” deserved that much enthusiasm :smiley: I enter the place and I could smell whisky all around. I barely took a couple of steps into the cavernous passage and had to turn back as couldn’t handle the strong smell of whisky. I walk out, swivel my head around and spotted a solo tourist walking by – I stop him & ask if he liked whisky? He gave me a curious look and said yes, and I handed him the voucher for the free scotch whisky tasting experience which he obviously was thrilled about. Having made his day, I see a souvenir shop across the street and found this fridge magnet, complete with the barrel of Scotch Whisky, impish smile and jingles and it seemed like the PERFECT souvenir for my “whisky tasting experience” in Edinburgh :smiley: :smiley:

4 Likes

My favourite souvenir — not bought, but earned :japan:

Instead of magnets or T-shirts, I collected eki stamps — the unique ink stamps you find across Japan at train stations, landmarks, and attractions. Each one marks a moment, a stop, a story — from kind train attendants helping me stamp my book, to completing little quests inside parks and museums.

It took a few extra minutes at every stop (and some waterproofing during the rains :sweat_smile:), but now it’s a journal of all the places I’ve been and people I met along the way. A souvenir full of effort, memories, and a little ink.

4 Likes

:tada: Winner Announcement: Share Your Story Keeper!

Hello everyone!

A huge thank you to the two incredible participants who shared their Story Keepers with our community! The stories were so personal, creative, and perfectly captured the essence of global adventure.

Since both entries were truly exceptional, we are delighted to award both of them our top prizes!

:trophy: Top Storyteller (5,000 Niyo Coins)

The ultimate prize for the most original and compelling storytelling goes to:

@Vandy for the Scotch Whisky Magnet from Edinburgh!

The Winning Tale: This story was a clear winner on the originality front! We loved the hilarious turn of events—winning a free whisky tasting, realizing you couldn’t handle the smell, and then passing the voucher to a delighted stranger! The magnet, which perfectly captures the mood of the non experience, is a fantastic souvenir. You turned a small mishap into a memorable and funny story!

:glowing_star: Top Pick (2,000 Niyo Coins)

The prize for a great photo and a wonderful story goes to:

@Nishit_Kagalwala for the collection of Japanese Eki Stamps!

The Story Keeper: This entry stood out as a beautiful example of a souvenir earned, not bought. The dedication and effort required to collect those unique stamps—creating a vibrant, personal journal of every single stop and memory in Japan—is an amazing way to preserve the spirit of a trip. Well done!


Congratulations!

A massive congratulations to both of our winners! Your Niyo Coin rewards will be credited to your accounts shortly.

Thank you again for sharing your cherished memories and reminding us that the best value of any trip is the stories we bring home.

Stay tuned for more fun community challenges!

2 Likes

Hey winners,

Your Niyo Coin rewards have been successfully credited to your account.

:globe_showing_asia_australia::sparkles: A Little Adventure in Bangkok

Our 8-day trip was split into 5 days in Bali & 3 days in Bangkok.

We landed in Bangkok around noon after a short layover in Singapore.

After immigration, I planned to buy a SIM at the airport — but the same company’s SIM was sold at different prices in every shop :sweat_smile: So I thought, okay, I’ll buy it outside.

Searched online — compared Bolt and Grab — Bolt was cheaper. Locals said traffic was low, so take a metered taxi.

Reached the hotel, checked in, and after an hour… shock! :anxious_face_with_sweat:

My passport sling bag was missing!

Rushed to reception, checked CCTV — I had stepped out of the taxi without the bag! Car number not clear. Went back to the airport, checked Lost & Found, filed a police complaint.

That night, no sleep. Around 12:30 AM, hotel reception called —

“Sir, the driver is here!” :sob:

Ran downstairs — and yes, he had my bag! Everything safe inside — Alhamdulillah! :green_heart:

He asked for 150 Baht, I gave 300 Baht with a big smile :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Next morning went to the police station to inform them. They laughed and said, “Yesterday was your lucky day!” :four_leaf_clover:

Showed my International Driving Permit — they saw both booklet & printed sheet and said,

“Keep both, valid here! If you drive, just learn Thailand’s traffic rules — you’ll be fine.”

That day taught me one thing — Good people are everywhere, and God always makes a way. This is my best souvenir in my travel experience.:white_heart:

2 Likes

This police complaint letter in thailand