A Life of Travel: My 2021 Tours and a Jungle Lodge Run by Indigenous Women

March 19, 2024

A Life of Travel: My 2021 Tours and a Jungle Lodge Run by Indigenous Women
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Hey,
 
After a solid 81% quality sleep, according to the Sleep Cycle app I use, I've sat down at my dining room table and I'm ready to write...
 
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It seems like more and more people are showing up in Playa del Carmen every day. While it's still not crowded by any means, the increase in activity is noticeable. I'm sure it has to do with the local governor's recent lowering of the alert level to yellow and the US decision to lower the travel advisory for Mexico as well.

 

Hopefully the situation will remain under control as more people arrive. Fingers crossed for that.

 

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Last Thursday a carpenter came to my apartment because I may be having a custom cat tower built for Matcha :)

 

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And every other day here in Play I put on my headphones, turn on an audiobook (next up is When Breath Becomes Air) and walk to a cafe. Yesterday it was Ah Cacao, an old favorite of mine. I order an Americano, sit for an hour listening to the audiobook and then walk back to my apartment. It sounds extremely insignificant but this simple routine helps keep me balanced, like a stable pillar in the middle of each uncertain day.

 

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I have a new friend - resistance bands! I just started using them and I actually enjoy working out as a result. Being able to do it in my apartment is a bonus. Another bonus is that they are very travel friendly, making it easy to maintain a workout rhythm when I travel.

 

 

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Travel-related tidbits that appeared in my inbox this past week.
  • Best playlist of all time: It might be...at least for me! Georgiana sent me this excellent Spotify playlist and I've been fully addicted for the past 5 days. I'm listening to "Azawade" right now.
  • Transferwise: This week I had to send two payments overseas and as usual, I used my Transferwise account. It still amazes me that in most cases, within 30 minutes, I have a notification in my inbox that the money was successfully sent. Long gone are the days of expensive, delayed international transfers!
  • Figuring out your own path: The writer of the Fire and Wide blog, who is also a reader of this newsletter, sent over her honest and useful blog post about becoming a digital nomad. Her and her husband carefully thought about their situation and created an ideal travel setup that works best for them. This is how it should be done. 
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I know it's been an insane year. But perhaps it's time to start looking forward to some potential travel in 2021?
 
I'm going to put them out there. I'm announcing my best-ever lineup of Wandering Earl Tours, including trips to:
 
- Benin, Togo and Ghana
- Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
- Egypt and Jordan
 
and more!
 
*I've also reduced the deposit amount to reserve a spot and the booking policy is now very flexible due to the uncertainty with Covid-19.
 
Wandering Earl Tours 2021
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DIVERSE ECUADOR
It's a land where you can get hands on training at a fully sustainable farm, spend a night or two at a jungle lodge run by local Kichwa women, be adventurous by swinging over a steep slope 2600 meters above sea level, hike around a turquoise lake inside of a volcano crater and visit a mummified Spanish monk that was found in a jar. That's a full itinerary to me!
 
OVER THE TOP
For a mere $23,500 you can enjoy a 7 night luxury remote working package on a private island in the Maldives, complete with a private desk on a secluded sandbank.
 
STRANGE STONE DWELLINGS
Scattered around the landscapes of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are ancient and mysterious stone dwellings that continue to puzzle archaeologists.
 
GHOST TOWNS OF FUKUSHIMA
An eye-opening look into the ghost towns of Fukushima and what has transpired since the 2011 tsunami that barreled into the nuclear plant.
 
TRAVEL PHOTOS
The 20 finalists of the Agora travel photo contest are more than enough to keep us dreaming of more travel in the near future!
 
LAND OF KUSH
In the land of Kush, situated in modern-day Sudan, a mighty civilization once flourished 5000 years ago. Why have most of us never heard of it? With awe-inspiring pyramids, palaces and temples, it gets nowhere close to the recognition of neighboring Egypt.
 
EMPTY NATIONAL PARKS
Here is a list of the least-visited national parks in the USA that are more than perfect for social distancing.
 
And finally....
COLD WEATHER PARADISE
Sweden now has a floating hotel, located on a frigid river in the northern Lapland region. It looks quite remarkable, with beautiful cabins, saunas and of course, views of the northern lights!
Stay safe and send over any questions or comments!
 
Regards,
Derek
(my middle name is Earl)
 

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Wandering Earl Tours - Ready to join one of my small-group tours to some really cool destinations around the world once this current global situation has passed?
 
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Cruise ship jobs - While cruise lines are not hiring right now, they will be hiring thousands of new crew members once they start up again. My popular e-Guide How to Work on a Cruise Ship will help you get a rewarding job on board a cruise ship once the time is right.
 
Travel resources - My updated Travel Resources with the booking sites, gear, apps and more that I use on my own travels.