Boo! Reader,

As we approach Halloween, I notice how much more festive the occasion has become in the United States.

Whether you celebrate or not, it certainly is a showcase for creativity.

I'm finally back home after about a week in Ohio for the 63rd Annual Postmark Collectors Club Convention. You may recall that I hosted last year's convention in York, Pennsylvania.

This is quite the niche hobby, but the event drew around 40 people to north-central Ohio's Historic Lyme Village, where the Postmark Collectors Club Museum is also located.

Postmarks and postal history are fascinating to me. While it's an obscure interest, I'm far from alone. I find that to be true about most rare hobbies.

We even hosted a Postcrossing meet-up at the convention, which is a growing movement of people sending postcards to others around the world.

If all of this is unfamiliar to you, check out my Instagram posts from earlier this month and check out the PMCC website.

This month marks a special anniversary for me: 25 years in the Washington, DC area!

I can hardly fathom how this much time has passed, which is about as long as I lived in my home state of Kansas.

Now that I'm back home, I plan to stay for more than a month. There are no more international trips planned for 2025. Shocking, I know!

It has been such a great travel year, yet it has left me with a backlog of tasks, fatigue, and an unsurprisingly low bank balance.

I prioritized travel over anything else this year, but now it's time to strategize for sustainability and reflect on benchmarks of growth.

As I transition from fast-paced travel to full-on work mode, the undercurrent remains the same: determination.

Let's dig into it with our monthly dose of curiosity and inspiration!

To Be Determined

Confession time: I frequently struggle with positivity regarding my own endeavors.

I tend to pursue things I really want but before I proceed, I assess all the ways they won't work. I call it "pessimistic optimism."

My neural pathways are skewed toward the negative. Before I can push out the boundaries, I run kicking and screaming through the possible outcomes.

Just like automobile tires, we need realigning once in a while.

This year in particular, I've been training myself to recalibrate my mindset toward abundance.

I still experience resistance, but it does not define me. I'm making active progress with mindfulness and intentionality.

Behind all the exotic travels is a bigger purpose fueled by curiosity and determination.

I fully acknowledge the privileges that allow me to be here, but the road has not always been smooth.

It's the persistence to keep on going that makes it work.

We also have to make choices and that means saying yes to some things (which means saying no to others).

I'll share an example. Last year I responded to an opportunity to contribute some writing to a travel publication.

I didn't think I had much of a chance given my lack of social media presence. With nothing to lose, I took a chance and submitted a pitch.

That turned into a paid writing assignment for National Geographic. I am now a contributing author!

This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been curious about going to Eritrea after visiting the embassy Around the World Embassy Tour in DC the prior year. (There's a lot more to this story.)

The book, The Traveler's Atlas of the World, will be published on November 4th and can be pre-ordered online at most major booksellers, or you can pick it up at your favorite bookstore.

See the Tools 4 Travel section below for specific ordering links.

Out of Curiosity...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time that reminds me of my mom's remarkable journey. During the pandemic, she became a survivor of multiple types of cancer and a severe case of COVID.

I'd like to think her faith, spirit, and determination, as well as a strong support network, carried her through. Of course, sheer willpower can't cure illness, but not giving up certainly plays an important part.

The same holds true for our goals and dreams. We can take every step forward, but the timing of the outcome is often beyond our control.

I've had many false starts and setbacks, yet each detour opened unexpected portals of opportunity that might never have appeared otherwise.

Perhaps curiosity is what keeps us open to the lessons hidden in those detours. Determination—and a growth mindset—make all the difference in keeping us moving forward.

As someone wisely said, it’s not up to us to know the how; our job is to focus on the why and the what. The how reveals itself in its own sweet time.

I sure hope that's true, anyway! Let's manifest it together.

So, out of curiosity...

What is something that you are bound and determined to do in your life? What steps can you take today to make that closer to a reality?

The Teal Spotlight

My friend Maribel "Mari" Monsalve is a cancer survivor, storyteller, and founder of The Queen of Trips, a bilingual travel and lifestyle platform that encourages women, especially Latinas, to travel solo with confidence.

Surviving cancer forced her to look at life differently. It changed how she values her time and the choices she makes. It taught her that waiting for the "right moment" can cost you the life you're meant to live.

We met at Camp Indie a few years ago and attended a breathwork retreat in Mexico earlier this year. I was also fortunate to run into her in Ireland last month when we attended TBEX Donegal.

Through her work, she helps women move past fear, cultural expectations, and self-doubt to see travel as a path toward independence and healing. Her goal is to show what's possible when you stop postponing your own joy.

Her writing blends personal experience with grounded travel advice. Every story she shares carries pieces of strength, humor, and honesty drawn from her journey. She writes about places that shaped her, lessons learned on the road, and the quiet victories that come with starting over.

Through The Queen of Trips, Mari has built a space where women can see themselves represented in travel and understand that courage doesn't come from having all the answers, it comes from deciding to go anyway.

Her work is a testament to pure determination. Sign up for her newsletter and see for yourself. She also offers tons of travel deals and chances to enter to win trips.

Tools 4 Travel

Looking for a holiday gift full of travel inspiration that will satisfy anyone's curiosity? Please consider purchasing National Geographic's The Traveler's Atlas of the World, in which I contributed three chapters. The book is on pre-order sale at Target and Amazon and will be released November 4th at many independent booksellers. You can find it at Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, Penguin-Random House, and many other locations. Thanks!

We ALL need to get away! With prices climbing for everything, thankfully we have Going to lighten our pocketbooks. The premium subscription is the best value and you receive several flight deals daily. Let your curiosity take over and just go wherever the cheapest deals are. You will NOT be disappointed!

If you are looking for a destination that has a lot to offer, come to Mexico City for our CuriosiTrip! Join us January 15-20, 2026 for an adventure in cuisine, culture, and curiosity. Early bird rates will go up November 1st, so act now and secure your spot. Any questions? Simply reply to this email for more info or we can schedule a call.

Disclaimer: This section contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!

Thank you so much for reading. Happy Halloween!

Be curious!
John

JohnTheTraveler.com

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