A Life of Travel: An Unexpected Trip to Iraq and Soon Off to New Destinations!

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It's Tuesday and it's time for a travel newsletter...

update

It’s 4:30am and I’m writing from the Istanbul airport en route from Erbil to Lisbon…

For the past two weeks, I’ve been in Iraq. It was not originally my plan but due to some unexpected circumstances, I flew to Baghdad to help lead our latest Wander Across Iraq tour. And, unsurprisingly, it was spectacular in every way.

I’m telling you… between the heart-warming hospitality, mind-blowing historical sites, amazing food and long list of life-changing experiences, this trip is something special. It was my 7th time in Iraq over the past couple of years and each time, this country leaves me in awe.

Our extremely well-connected team of Iraqis that help with these trips is able to unlock so many doors to experiences that no other travelers are able to have. I’m not lying here. We seriously get permission to go into places that you could never get into otherwise. It’s wild. And it results in a deep and truly unforgettable trip every time.

If you want to see what a typical day on our Iraq tour looks like, check out this short video from our visit with local friends in a village outside of Mosul!

(If Iraq is on your radar, we have another trip coming up in November: Iraq 2025!)

From Istanbul, I’m traveling on to Lisbon. However, I’ll only be there for a couple of days before moving on to the next destinations. I’ll reveal those destinations soon, but I can say that they are both countries that I’ve never been to before and they are in Africa. I’m excited and curious to see what adventures await!

The reason I’m able to start traveling again is that the doctor in the US gave me the green light only 2 weeks ago, as long as I maintain my strict routine of stretching and strengthening my hip every day. And I’ve certainly maintained it. For now, my hip feels quite good but I need to give it another month before the final decision is made about whether or not I need surgery.

Well, as I sit here at the eerily quiet Istanbul airport, I’m overstuffed from all the great food, overwhelmed by the endless genuine interactions with friends and strangers, overjoyed at hearing the unbelievably positive feedback from our group of 8 travelers and as always, in disbelief at how different Iraq is to what we think.

This is why the world really needs to be experienced first hand if possible.

Wishing you a most wonderful day and if you’re taking a trip soon, rewarding travels ahead!

Wandering Earl Tours

Quick notes:

• A few spots have opened up on our spectacular Bhutan tour for later this year

• We just added a very cool accommodation and a visit to a remote oasis on our Wander Across Mauritania trips in December and January!

• We will soon begin promoting our 2026 trips on social media, so if you’re interested in joining one of the tours, it’s best to reserve your spot ahead of time :)

nature of reality

Here’s a short quiz that helps us clearly identify our beliefs about the nature of reality. I took the quiz and found it quite useful and educational as you can also read about all of the other many belief systems that exist. For now, I lean towards a version of the simulation theory.

around the globe

🇮🇹 A Forest Under Venice
The Italian city of Venice sits on top of trees. This masterpiece of engineering has kept this city afloat for over 1500 years!

☀️ In Search of Freedom
Warning: This is an intense and disturbing story but it’s an incredible read. It’s about one Iranian woman’s 7 year search for freedom that involved some horrific situations before eventually achieving her goal.

📸 2025 World Press Photos
The World Press Photo Awards offers a look at some of the absolute most powerful images captured by the press around the world this year.

🇬🇷 Most Beautiful Balkan Village?
Is Papingo, Greece the most beautiful village in the Balkans? Either way, this picturesque mountain village certainly does not lack charm!

🌃 Astrophotography Traveler
Bulgarian photographer Mihail Minkov shares images from his 20 day journey to South American destinations with the darkest skies.

📺️ TV Garden
Very cool - The TV Garden website allows you to instantly watch any TV station in any country.

🇬🇧 Walk Down Victoria Street
This piece makes a valid argument for taking a walk along London’s Victoria Street, a street typically skipped over by tourists, but a street whose mere existence is worthy of exploration.

🗾 Aogashima
The stunning and remote volcanic island of Aogashima is part of Japan and is home to about 160 people. The village is the smallest in the country and everyone naturally lives a very quiet and peaceful life. The volcano last erupted in 1785.

🦒 Nature Cams
This vast collection of nature cams all over the globe offers a most excellent way to relax. There’s also this cam I found of a waterhole in Namibia’s Namib Desert. I just keep it running in the background and check it out every 30 minutes when I’m working.

where in the world?

A big congratulations to those who guessed the location of the photo in the previous newsletter! Here’s who guessed correctly:

Alan, Kacie, Steve, Bob and Miss V

The specific location is the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site in New Mexico, USA!

This week’s photo:

It’s time to guess…where was the below photo taken?

If you have a guess (the more specific the better), click reply and let me know. Anyone who guesses correctly will be mentioned in next week's newsletter 😄 

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Thank you so much for reading!

Derek
(my middle name is Earl)

WanderingEarl.com

Travel Insurance: My personal recommendation for affordable and reliable travel insurance is Safety Wing. It was created by travelers, for travelers, and it's rapid growth in popularity is well-deserved.

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