I texted a colleague last night after finding out about their pregnancy. I smiled knowing what's coming, not the baby, but the advice. Sleep schedules, feeding routines, what worked in the car on long drives. All of it well-intentioned. Most of it worked for someone. Almost none of it will translate directly to them. They'll have to take it in, filter it, and figure out what actually fits their family. Travel advice works the same way. The first thing worth saying is that tra

Part one of this series was about the system. This is the system's inventory. Over thirteen years I have spent more than I should chasing the perfect travel kit. Influenced by influencers, drawn to bright shiny things, and occasionally convinced that the right gear would make travel feel like something other than work. Some of those purchases earned their place. Most didn't survive a month. What follows is what's left after that sorting process, offered with one condition: th