Update July 7, 2022: I’ve since changed the name of this category to “Thoughts.” The premise is the same.

When I first started this blog in 2019, I wrote about more than travel. It was a time of so much creativity and exploration. The more I learned about monetization, though, the more I tried to silo my work here into travel guides.

Then 2020 happened. And no one read about traveling. Who can blame them?

As I pen this intro to you, it is the middle of 2022. The past two years have changed me deeply as a person, as well as a writer. I’m freelancing again, but not for the pennies of my first attempt into client work. I’m expanding my repertoire to carry human interest stories, and this blog is going to reflect that.

Speaking of this blog, its purpose is finally clear: to share the Journey to 197. I will touch on this another day, but figuring out my “why” for Sarah L. Travels took years. It is okay if yours takes the same or longer.

Check-Ins (note the frequent flyer lingo!) are posts that capture the story of this journey. They have no set schedule, but I aim to write one weekly or biweekly.

Like my Summer Lists, I can’t wait to see how these posts change over the years as I do, and as I approach the end of the Journey to 197.

The goal is to reflect on the distinctly human aspects of this journey, the life of the writer behind your screen. Sometimes, I will talk about difficult topics. I think about difficult topics often, and I know many of you do, too.

Here are a few things you can expect from these posts:

• Life updates from me and what’s been on my mind
• What I read/watched/listened to that really made me think (I read more than I share in From the Aisle Seat and Instagram! Especially if I count long form journalism, insightful Instagram posts, and other online things.)
• What I cooked/am cooking/will cook
• Personal thoughts and reflections from the Journey to 197

I can assure you that I will not think about Google or algorithms for one second while I write each one. These are for us. Reader and writer. You and me.

The first installment is live! You can start with it, and others will be saved under the Thoughts category here on the blog.

P.s. On being a vegan in Bangkok and a Lowcountry road trip.