It is the first day of the month of love. Travel has a way of reminding me how much of life is about connection, and what we come to appreciate: who we meet, what we notice, and the moments that stay with us long after we move on.
On my first trip to Africa, a safari guide in Botswana was so excited when he spotted a pangolin in the bush, just off the side of the road. He stopped the vehicle and jumped out. His excitement was so genuine that our group—who knew nothing about such rare creatures—started “oohing” and “ahhing” right along with him.
On the Camino de Santiago, I was deeply moved by the people living in small villages who left tables of cheese, bread, and fruit outside their homes for passing pilgrims.
Moments like these are easy to miss, and they are easy to remember once you begin noticing them. Travel has taught me that gratitude often arrives through generosity, interest, and simple human connection.
I often think about how much meaning can be found in moments that ask for nothing in return.
That way of noticing guides how I design journeys—and why the experiences below differ from one another. If one of these speaks to you, reply and tell me what you are drawn to.
Photo Op + Action Opportunity: A Moment That Gives You Pause
Photo Credit: Maria Orlova
At some point this week, notice a moment that gives you pause—a brief exchange, a small kindness, or something unexpectedly offered.
Take a photograph connected to that moment.
Then, write a few lines:
What happened?
Who was involved?
What did the moment make you feel grateful for?
Where Curiosity and Gratitude Travel Together For ocean explorers → PONANT
Photo Credit: PONANT EXPLORATIONS
Looking ahead this year, PONANT EXPLORATIONS is offering a $1,000 Shipboard Credit per stateroom or suite on all PONANT EXPLORATIONS & Smithsonian Journeys voyages.
A good fit if you love expert-led context and unhurried days.
These voyages move slowly enough to take things in. Time at sea is spent listening to historians, anthropologists, ecologists, and other experts who bring context to the places you visit. Days ashore offer guided exploration in each port, with time to observe how history, culture, and daily life intersect across the regions visited—the Mediterranean, Africa, the Seychelles, and Asia.
The Shipboard Credit can be used while on board—an afternoon at the spa, a bottle of wine shared over dinner, or something that simply makes the time at sea feel more your own.
Take a Shot at Happiness Retreat For those craving a reset on land → New Mexico
April 8–12, 2026 | 5 Days | All-Inclusive | Limited to 10 Guests
Photo Credit: Ted Turner’s Vermejo
Vermejo meets you with a sense of openness. The land stretches wide. The air feels clear. You settle into the historic Bartlett Cottage and begin to notice how little you need to do in order to feel present. Here is what awaits you:
Guided photography prompts (no experience needed)
Short writing sessions to capture what you notice
Walks + wildlife viewing across Vermejo
Days are spent walking the land, watching elk cross open fields, noticing light move across forest and meadow. Photography becomes a way of looking more carefully. Writing makes room for thoughts that rarely surface at home. Evenings by the fire allow conversation to unfold, and silence to sit alongside it, without pressure.
Set on Ted Turner’s 550,000-acre reserve, this time away offers a chance to see what supports you when life is uncomplicated—what helps you feel well, focused, and at ease. You return with a clearer understanding of what matters to you and what you want to make space for once you are back in your daily life.
I pay attention to how people arrive in a place, and how they leave it. What they notice. What they stop doing. What feels easier once the noise falls away.
When I design journeys, I think about where there is room to notice daily life as it is being lived. Places where conversation happens naturally, where time is not overfilled, and where being present does not require effort.
This is travel for people who care about how their time is spent and which moments stay with them.
Photo Credit: Dr. Bozanic
Last thing I want to share: a 22-day expedition to Antarctica in February 2026 led by fellow Explorers Club member, Dr. Jeffrey Bozanic.
The route runs through the Falkland Islands, South Georgia’s penguin colonies, and Antarctica—one of the most remote landscapes on Earth, with icebergs and wildlife in every direction. Participants support real scientific research while on board. Limited berths are currently available at approximately 65% off standard pricing.
I write this newsletter for people who love travel and who care about how it changes them. Each issue includes a simple practice inspired by my book Take a Shot at Happiness—photography and a few lines of writing—to help you notice what is worth keeping.
Know someone who would enjoy these journeys? Please feel free to forward this along.
If you are reading this because a friend shared it—welcome. I send this newsletter twice a month.
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Sojourn to Happiness
Sign up for Maria Baltazzi’s Take a Shot at Happiness newsletter for practical ways to bring more happiness and meaning into your life. An award-winning author and happiness explorer, Maria shares science-backed tools to shift unproductive thoughts, stay inspired, and grow in fulfilling ways. Her book, Take a Shot at Happiness, has won multiple awards, including the Independent Press, NYC Big Book, and Nautilus Book Awards. She uniquely integrates camera phone photography and journaling as tools for self-reflection and personal growth. Each issue offers insightful advice, uplifting quotes, and simple ways to enhance your wellbeing. Join a community that values purpose, creativity, and happiness.
