The One Checked Bag Newsletter - Issue 3

Where I Unpack The Experience, Not Just the Itinerary

Issue 3 - June 1, 2026

Welcome to One Checked Bag.

The blog tells you where I went.

The newsletter tells you what I learned once I got there.

Sometimes that's about travel. Sometimes it's about life. Usually it's a little of both.

I’ll be here twice a month, sharing stories, reflections, lessons learned, and a few surprises along the way.

Thanks for joining me on the journey.

What Morocco Taught Me…

I am amazed by how complicated I make life. Can you relate to that statement?

Constantly addressing one crisis after another. It could be work, something at home, our finances, family demands, health, etc. There is always some issue.

And when there is no issue, I can somehow create one.

If my normal state is chaos, it feels odd when there is none. I don’t know what to do.

I think we live at a certain frequency that becomes our norm.

Marrakech vibrated at a totally different frequency and it took me to slow down to appreciate it.

Upon finding our riad the first day (an adventure that you can read about here), I was already stressed. The host on duty opened the door to allow us in and quickly brought us mint tea and some treats to snack on as he went through the check-in process.

Sitting on the velour-covered sofa, looking out at the tiled courtyard, the first sip of mint tea somehow seemed to release the tension that had built up in my shoulders and neck.

This became a common theme.

I sat in a cafe overlooking Jemaa el-Fnaa most days enjoying some mint tea. As electric as the square is with relentless energy, I was at peace.

Sitting outside at a small table, I would take notes in my journal, frequently pausing to people-watch or listen to the calls for prayer from the mosque.

From an outsider’s perspective, it seemed like a simple life on display.

There was no sign of people trying to keep up with the Joneses. They were, from appearances, humbly living life. I watched with a degree of envy.

As we traveled from Marrakech to Merzouga, our bus passed through several small villages. I observed mothers with their young children walking along the street or sitting on red dirt under the shade of an olive tree.

From outward appearances, they seemed to live with far fewer possessions than many of us in the United States. Yet, the smiles told a different story—one of contentment.

And I am sure they have struggles, too. They wouldn’t be human if they didn’t.

But I admired their spirit.

The lesson I learned from the people I saw and met in Morocco can simply be summed up—embrace life and all that it offers.

The Road Less Traveled

One of the best pieces of travel advice I ever heard was from Clark Howard.

I’m paraphrasing, but he recommends buying the air travel deal first and then later figuring out why you want to go there.

This advice has totally changed my strategy when looking for travel destinations.

With a limited budget for travel, I find myself frustrated not being able to afford certain destinations. I’m looking at you, Hawaii!

When I have stumbled upon a price that fits my budget, procrastination or a belief I can find a better deal often results in the deal expiring. This has happened more often than not.

But with the help of websites like Skyscanner or Google Flights, I can search air travel deals to find what may be in my budget. After finding the deal, I can figure out what there is to do or see.

And this works for traveling internationally as well as domestically.

Traveling to South America is on my short-list of desired destinations. I found a deal on airline tickets from Atlanta to Santa Marta, Colombia for $286 per person, round-trip. What’s in Santa Marta? No clue! But a quick Google search or ChatGPT inquiry gives me enough information to make the decision to buy the deal.

As long as you are flexible and have an open mind, the world can truly be your oyster…BUT ACT QUICKLY!

My comment about procrastination above played out yet again. I revisited the deal from Atlanta to Colombia before publishing the newsletter. The price has now doubled.

What’s in My Carry-On?

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, my trusty camera is always with me to capture what I see while traveling. It never fails me (ok, it has, but that was user error).

But what I see is only one piece of traveling.

Remembering what and how I felt can’t always be conveyed in a photograph.

For the last few years, I have traveled with a small Moleskin (or an Amazon knock-off) to jot down my thoughts and other notes deemed important at the time. Then later I need to figure out from my chicken-scratch handwriting what it is that I wrote.

There is something special about pen to paper, even when not every note makes sense.

But recently, I have actually found that the Notes App on my iPhone solves this problem. And as an added bonus, it makes organizing my agenda, memories, and reflective moments a breeze.

There are other apps, such as Polarsteps and Wanderlog, that allow you to capture your memories and organize other aspects about your trip, but I feel as though I am relearning the app with each trip.

I will continue to romanticize journaling about my travels with pen and paper, thus the Moleskin will continue to be with me.

But at the end of the day, the method and tool with the least amount of friction, for me, is my iPhone’s Notes App.

One Thing I’d Do Differently

On our way to the Sahara Desert, we spent a night in a riad where the hosts were a family ranging in age from 3 to (seemingly) 83.

After enjoying dinner, the hosts performed for us, with each member of the family banging away on their drums, creating a loud and random, yet rhythmic, beat.

Our group got up and danced to the music…while I stood and watched.

They danced and laughed, forming a circle, moving from right to left and then shifting direction.

It was fun to watch, but I missed out on the pure joy of the moment. That was a lost opportunity to truly live in the moment and create a lasting memory.