With the help of agentic AI, I've been surfacing old notes. Back in 2019, I wrote down some lessons I learned while traveling…
⚽️ A hacky sack in your backpack is a fun way to get the blood flowing, make new friends, and, in a pinch, can be used like a tripod for a camera or cell phone.
🎧 I like to download Spotify's weekly playlist and listen on airplanes and when visiting new places. This creates a connection between the song and the place or the experience. Later on I'd hear a song and think, “Oh, I remember hearing that song for the first time when I was visiting X.”
🛫 Given the option between a 6-hour layover and a 20+-hour layover, sometimes it's fun to choose the 20+, and try to spend that time doing a mad dash through the city. The sweet spot is having enough time to comfortably get from the airport to a city center, do something like a meal, attraction, or walkabout, then get back in time to catch your flight.
👝 I always kept a small coin pouch as a secondary or burner wallet. I would move a single credit card, cash for the day, and a laminated “official looking” photocopy of my passport, then keep my full wallet locked up…
🔐I am forgetful, so I never use hotel safes. I am sure I would leave my important items behind. Instead, I added stainless-steel cable to the zipper of my bags and locked it with a luggage lock.