Early tomorrow morning, I will leave on my sixth trip to the ninth city I've been to so far this year, and my 11th trip since this madcap schedule began last fall.

I've learned a lot in my travels—much of it about myself, which is one of the chief benefits of removing yourself from your regular-usual surroundings, but also, quite a bit about traveling in the early part of the 21st century.

One of the chief discoveries is that on the road, small things can have an outsized impact: a pair of slippers for the hotel room; a pair of waterproof shoes for everywhere else. A beanie, to ward off chills. A pound or two in laptop weight—or any weight.

It took me 31 nights in strange rooms to figure out that almost anything is endurable when you have a warm cup of tea first thing in the morning, and another right before bed. My last morning on the road, after I'd trudged out into some very cold weather to grab my cuppa, it occurred to me that I was probably not the only person in the world whom this had occurred to.

A few quick searches later, I was the proud owner of a brand new Electric Pleasure Device. Kidding. It's an immersion heater: stick it in a cup of water, plug it in, and presto! Instant-ish hot water.

Although really, from my perspective? They could just as truthfully called it "Electric Pleasure Device."

xxx c

This is Day 8 of a 21-day series. For more scoop on the who/what/why, go here.