Many travel writers find keeping a journal useful, though I've never done it. When I actually sit down to write, I flip briefly through the notes and sometimes type them up. But I don't usually refer back to them again except for quotes and spellings. The notes help put my head back into a place, but they can also, metaphorically speaking, make it hard to see the forest for the trees. As an editor, I'm always looking for fresh approaches, but most of what I see is just the same old repackaged destination story.
Innovation is as important as execution when it comes to selling a piece.
I as an ordinary traveler would not otherwise know about the place. I would advise beginners to stay away from first person. Using first person effectively, in a way that doesn't turn the story into just another boring travelog, is very tricky business. Getting to work all day with subject matter that interests me and expands my knowledge of the world and its cultures. Also, my job gives purpose to my travels, forces me to introduce myself and ask questions of people with whom I otherwise wouldn't have contact.