The One Checked Bag Newsletter – Issue 11

Where I Unpack the Experience, Not Just the Itinerary

Issue 11 — October 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.

Revisiting My Past Travels

I am in the process of creating some YouTube videos on the countries I’ve recently visited. The memories this has evoked are remarkable.

Rarely do I go back and watch videos of our travels. I’m not sure why. I look at the pictures I have taken, but the videos have gone largely ignored.

But as I watch these videos, most for the first time, the visceral emotions I experienced in the moment quickly return.

Often, I hear the commentary of what we were experiencing. The vague memories become real again.

And though I usually take notes each night on my phone or in my Moleskine journal, it doesn’t always carry the same emotional weight as I felt earlier in the day.

Comical moments, usually unplanned and unexpected, are relived and still make me laugh hard.

The videos I took of my wife riding a camel to our campsite in the Sahara Desert had me in tears, partly because of her expletive-laced comments and partly because I was so proud of her for getting atop this massive creature.

It wasn’t long ago I had to carry her out of the ocean because she saw…wait for it…a fish!

There are some true gems I’ve recorded, and other videos I could just delete and never miss.

But this exercise has helped me bring some of my most cherished and special memories back to life. It’s almost like I’ve gone into the attic of my childhood home and discovered a box of 8 millimeter home movies on film.

And please don’t ask me to explain that reference—I can’t be that old!

What I’ve learned during this process is rather than chasing that next picture or video, I can sit back and enjoy the moments already lived and captured. This gives our past journeys a new life while providing inspiration for the next adventure.

The Road Less Traveled

If you’ve read my newsletter and blog, you may have noticed something different from most other travel bloggers.

I refrain from the common “go here”, “see this”, and “must try” type of posts. These are often accompanied by lists of top restaurants or attractions, like “Top Ten Restaurants in London.”

Why do I stay away from those kinds of posts?

Let me start by saying that I find them to be of great value when I am planning my trips. So it is not because I think they are meaningless. Quite the contrary. I appreciate the content and information they provide.

But there are so many bloggers and YouTube channels covering these topics in great detail. It’s a crowded space. What could I offer that would be meaningfully different from them?

Not much.

Honestly, I couldn’t put together a “Top Ten Restaurant” post when I likely only went to a handful of restaurants.

I will let the other travel content creators dominate that space.

What I try to convey is something beyond the “checklist travel” advice.

My place in the travel space is built around observations made while traveling. Was there a scene unfolding in front of me that changes how I interpret the world around me? What is it about the destination that fulfills me, intellectually and/or emotionally? And how did I grow and evolve from these experiences?

This is what I want One Checked Bag to be. Something maybe a little deeper. Truly a road less traveled, but one that allows me to be a little vulnerable while sharing what I’ve learned.

What’s in My Carry-On?

As I prepare for my 19-hour flight to Taipei, I am starting to stress over the small details that I don’t worry about on a shorter flight.

Thoughts of how much I hate using the bathroom on an airplane have popped into my head numerous times. There’s really not a good solution to that problem—and Depends undergarments are not an option.

Obviously, things like back-up chargers and noise-canceling headphones will be in my bag. Audiobooks and podcasts will be downloaded to my phone. I may even bring an actual book to read!

But none of these things will help me with my biggest concern. Arriving in Taipei well rested. Or as rested as I could possibly be.

Sleeping pills are not my thing (though the Modern Family episode when Cameron and Mitchell navigated the airport while on sleeping pills is still one of my favorites).

What can I do instead?

After researching recommendations, aka a Google search, I found some common pieces of advice.

Compression socks? Do they really help with sleep?

A sleep mask? Maybe worth a try, but I know I’ll look ridiculous.

Should I listen to white noise or use an app like Calm to relax my mind?

Or will adjusting my sleep schedule in the days leading up to the trip help?

What I do know is that a few beers on the flight can’t be the solution. That will just necessitate a visit to the bathroom that I am trying to avoid.

So I think my plan is similar to what I do at home; a low dose of melatonin and some magnesium glycinate. I’ve never tried it while flying, but it helps when I’ve had problems sleeping at home. Fingers crossed.

And just in case, some combination of the other suggestions may be my Plan B.

Now let’s just hope I don’t have a crying child in the seat behind me.

One Thing I’d Do Differently

Sometimes you need to make a quick decision. Other times, you aren’t penalized by waiting.

This time, waiting appears to have cost me the opportunity to experience one of the main attractions in Busan, South Korea—the Sky Capsule.

The Sky Capsule is a small tram (four-person capsule) that travels on an aerial rail along the Haeundae Beach coastline. These colorful cars seem to offer a unique view of Busan’s coastal setting. Given how small the capsule is, the experience could make for a truly romantic ride—something I would like to share with my wife.

Little did I know that the Sky Capsule sells out quickly once the four-week advance purchase window opens.

Each day I visit the reservation website hoping someone has canceled their reservation. Thus far, no luck.

And I recently had to go through a similar process when booking the train from Seoul to Busan.

I needed to act quickly when booking the high-speed rail. Tickets for the train sell out quickly. There I was, online the minute the tickets became available for sale, reserving our seats.

I should have done the same with the Sky Capsule. But I didn’t.

So instead, I will be at the ticket office at 7:30 AM hoping to secure two of the limited tickets they offer for purchase for that day.

And as much as I hate waiting in line while on vacation, this will need to be one of those times I just need to grin and bear it. Let’s pray I get there early enough.

Adding salt to the wound—coffee shops in Busan don’t open until later in the morning!

Zipping It Up…

My blog can be found at www.onecheckedbag.com.

I continue to add to my Paris-focused content while I build my multi-generational vacation travel guide and budgeting tools.

Taiwan and South Korea are coming up faster than I expected. So much to do with so little time!

There is a 12-hour time difference in Taipei and 13 hours in Seoul from home. I plan to FaceTime my granddaughters as they prepare for school while I venture into the night markets for some unique foods and experiences. And I’m sure they will ask a hundred questions along the way.

You can also find me on Instagram and Pinterest.

I’ll see you back here on October 15.

If you enjoyed this issue, forward it to someone you’d travel with.

—Stephen