A Reasonable Man Would’ve Stayed Home
On going anyway —and what happens when you do.
I’ve gone straight from customs to an emergency room and lost an organ. I’ve biked 20 miles in the driving rain to make the last boat back to the mainland. I was once introduced —wrongly, but with great enthusiasm— as the lead designer of Beijing’s Olympic Park.
None of that was the plan. But eventually, I stopped chasing the plan.
Somewhere between those bigger moments, maybe on a rainy morning on my porch in Rwanda, or during a quiet descent of Huangshan, I started reflecting on something else: the quiet rhythm of a place, the unspoken rules everyone else seems to know, the moments that linger long after you’ve left.
This newsletter is about both. It’s where I collect the full spectrum of what travel gives you: the missteps, the unexpected connections, the ridiculous, and the profound. Some posts will be story-driven essays. Others will be photographic walks through cities and villages. And some will simply be reflections on what places reveal about culture, history, or the way we move through the world.
I’m Scott Monaco. I’ve lived on four continents, and each one taught me something I didn’t expect. I’m a writer and photographer, and I’ve just finished my first memoir about my time living in China. But this isn’t just a side project. It’s the continuation of the same curiosity: the impulse to see clearly and tell it honestly with humor when possible, with humility always.
Whether you’re here for inspiration, insight, or just a good story, I aim to offer something deeper than the typical highlight reel. My work blends narrative and image to uncover what makes a place memorable long after the trip is over.
What You’ll Find Here
This newsletter is part travel journal, part essay collection, part photo archive. Here’s the general shape of things:
Personal Essays: Stories from the road that aim to be funny, reflective, and grounded in the strange beauty of real experience. Sometimes things fall apart. Sometimes they come together in unexpected ways.
Photo Essays: Visual narratives that bring a place to life. They’re small windows into places I’ve explored, shaped by what I saw, felt, and noticed along the way.
Reading Lists: Curated book recommendations for the countries I’ve visited. Every title is one I’ve personally read and each list is built to deepen your understanding—whether you’re planning a trip or traveling from your armchair.
You’ll get at least one thoughtful dispatch a week —just enough to travel without packing a bag.
I’m doing this because the world is full of tiny, strange, wonderful details and because I think storytelling and photography are still the best ways to make sense of it all. If that sounds like your kind of thing, I’d love to have you join me.
— Scott
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📬 Or just lurk quietly. That’s cool too.