​​Just off Hwy 59 in East Texas, only 15 miles from Marshall and miles away from ordinary, lies the impressive little town of Jefferson, Texas.  If you’ve never been, you’re not alone.  I’ve lived in Texas for most of my life, and I’ve never even heard of Jefferson.  Thanks to the good folks there, I was recently invited to join them for a couple of days to explore all this tiny town has to offer.

​This morning I flew from Houston to Billings, Montana.  As I sat in my window seat and looked out over the incredible Wyoming terrain below, I reflected on how easy my trip had been so far.  Even though it had been an early morning (pre-5am alarm) and I was half asleep through it all, none of the morning had been memorable and, when dealing with airports and flights, that’s a great thing.

​Some of the questions and comments I hear most about the traveling process have to do with packing.  (These are second to the moans and groans about booking a flight which, in my mind, is the biggest mental challenge in the world of travel.  I’ll delve into that another day.)  Unless you’re a true nomad and live only out of a suitcase, ​there’s no way around it, you have to pack for your trips.  However, it’s doesn’t have to be grueling or stressful.  And, like booking a flight, once it’s done, you’re mentally free to focus on the other aspects of your journey.

​After a lifetime of traveling, both last-minute work trips and long-planned vacations, I’ve learned there’s a simple packing process that helps relieve pre-trip stress.