Start documenting your trip from the time you leave your home. Snap a few shots of the friends and family who see you off, and maybe even take a couple of the taxi that picks you up. Take more at the airport or train station, and continue shooting as you travel. You will find that the pictures make a useful narrative link in the story of your trip. When you arrive, snap pictures of the places you stay and the sights you see to help preserve your memories of the trip.
People add drama.
Personalize your pictures by including your companions and yourself in as many pictures as you can. In terms of livening up a situation and adding interest, there is no question that adding a human to your shot will create more drama. Any time you are taking pictures of people, it is better to have them to the right or left of the frame. This method follows the rule of thirds. A common photography mistake is focusing in too tightly on the people in a shot.