A Life of Travel: Two Weeks in Bangkok and Now I'm in Ethiopia
Derek Baron
January 20, 2026
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It's Tuesday and it's time for a travel newsletter…
📆 update
I’m in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
But first, before traveling here, I spent two weeks in Bangkok. While the trip was mostly work-related, it was also a test. The idea was to see if Bangkok is a city where I could spend more time now that I’m looking to spend longer periods of time in one place.
Bangkok has a lot to offer. There’s great cafes to work from, excellent food, a vibrant community of people from all over the world, lots of meetups and activities to participate in, a cost of living that offers a decent overall value and the city is within a short distance from many places that make for a good weekend escape.
To me, the downsides of life in Bangkok are the noise, traffic and air pollution.
It’s hard to go for a peaceful stroll if you’re not near “The Green Mile”, a wonderful mile long elevated walkway that connects Lumpini Park and Benjakitti Park. Apart from that, and going for a walk within one of these parks, it’s hard to walk around for the most part due to crowded sidewalks, sometimes no sidewalks, busy intersections, holes in the sidewalks, motorbikes and other potential hazards that you constantly need to be aware of.
There’s also not a ton of green spaces in general and I did miss seeing more nature during my stay.
I stayed in the Thonglor area. It’s convenient to everything I needed, located right near the BTS (above ground metro) and it’s not as full of tourists as other areas. It was ideal for this two week stay but if I were to return, I’d probably go even farther from the center where it is even quieter.
My overall verdict on Bangkok? I give it a 7 out of 10 on my suitability scale as a place for me to spend longer periods of time.
But for now, moving on… a couple of days ago, after my two week stay ended, I took the direct Ethiopian Airlines flight from Bangkok to Addis Ababa, and 8 hours later I landed. The plan is to spend 10 days here before flying to Saudi Arabia. So, lots of interesting travels ahead and as this trip unfolds, I’ll be sure to include detailed updates in the next newsletter.
This is actually my 5th trip to Africa in the past 14 months. In the next section, I explain why…
⍰ questions
Two questions I recently received from readers of the newsletter…
Do I plan to visit every country in the world?
Well, that was never my goal. For years, had I wanted to visit every country, I would not have returned so many times to countries that I love - India, Romania, Mexico and on and on. However, after traveling for well over two decades, the list of countries I’ve visited has naturally grown by default. So now, visiting all of the countries in the world seems both reasonable and quite exciting. I still have about 50 to go (most of which are in Africa) so we’ll see, but the thought is in my head more than ever before.
Why are you still traveling?
Excellent question. It’s part comfort zone, part work and part addiction. I’ve been doing this for so long that I’ve spent more of my life traveling than not traveling, so it’s what I feel most comfortable doing. Obviously, with the tour business, my work involves travel so that keeps me going too. Finally, I’m hooked on the constant flow of new experiences and new people that offer a thrill and an education that’s hard to beat. It’s honestly exhilarating, eye-opening and simply a ton of fun to be out here traveling the world and as a result, the addiction is real.
💭 did you know?
🏞️ The Largest Cave Fits a Skyscraper
Son Doong Cave in Vietnam is so massive, its largest chamber could comfortably fit a 40‑story building.
🥁 Drums Before Writing
The oldest known drums come from Neolithic China and date back over 6,000 years - meaning people were making music long before written language existed.
🌍 Where 3 Oceans Meet
At Cape Agulhas, South Africa, the Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans converge, not just a symbolic line, but an official geographical meeting point.
The other evening at a meetup in Bangkok, someone asked what keeps me going with these tours. It made me pause for a second.
The short answer? I still believe the world is an incredible place and that nothing compares to the connection that happens through first-hand, local experiences. A shared meal, an unexpected moment that leaves you in complete awe, a conversation that shifts your perspective… those are the powerful memories that stay with us long after we return home.
That’s why I’m fully in this, to help foster the kind of travel that I’ve shaped my life around!
🌐 around the globe
🇦🇫 Notes from Afghanistan
A thoughtful travelogue from someone who spent weeks exploring Afghanistan’s cities and history. This isn’t a lightweight guide. It’s full of real insight into a place few visitors experience.
Read the notes
🦧 Second Chance for Orangutans in Borneo
Deep in the rainforest of Borneo, a groundbreaking sanctuary is helping rescued orangutans return to the wild. This story offers a moving look at how conservation efforts are giving these endangered primates a future.
Read the story
🗺️ Places to Visit in 2026
The New York Times pulled together a curated list of top destinations for the year ahead. It’s perfect for sparking travel inspiration and big-picture planning.
Explore the list
📈 Travel Trends for 2026
How might travel change this year? From quieter, more intentional experiences to personalized journeys and off-the-beaten-path escapes, the trends shaping travel in 2026 are all about depth, meaning, and rhythm.
Learn more
🏘️ The Stilt Village
The village of Aguégués in Benin is a living, breathing pieces of cultural history, blending human ingenuity with unique environments.
Read the story
🇸🇻 El Salvador’s Tourism Renaissance
El Salvador is shaking off old perceptions and welcoming travelers with volcano hikes, colonial towns, vibrant surf culture and a renewed sense of safety that’s helping its tourism boom.
Get inspired
🗣️ Explore the World’s Languages
Google’s new Language Explorer is a great tool that maps out data on over 7,000 languages spoken across the globe. Dive in to see where languages are spoken, how many people speak them, and whether they’re endangered.
Try it here →
🚶🏻 The Man Who Walked Around the World
After a pub bet, Karl Bushby began walking around the world - from Chile to his home in the UK - without using motorized transport. Twenty-seven years later, he’s now on the final leg of this epic journey.
Discover his journey
🗺️ where in the world?
A big congratulations to those readers who guessed the location of the photo in the previous newsletter! Here’s who guessed correctly:
Mark F, Rhona and Andrew
The location is the Port Vila Market located in Port Vila, Vanuatu, an island nation in the South Pacific. This is one of the most colorful markets I’ve ever been to. I was also on this island when a major earthquake took place and the entire town had to shut down due to damage. Hopefully this market is back up and running with all of its delicious produce on display.
This week’s image:
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)
Affiliate links: Some links above may be affiliate links in which I earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. I only promote products/services that I genuinely use and love myself.