Current location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico |
Hello,
Tomorrow is my 44th birthday...wow. Last year, I was in Ubud, Bali for my birthday and this year I'm here in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. And naturally, such as the case for everyone, the past twelve months are a period of time I certainly won't forget!
Here's my Covid story:
Last March (2020) I was living in beautiful Valencia, Spain when a strict lockdown began. The famous Fallas Festival was cancelled and everyone had to stay inside. But 10 days later, I was at the airport, making the eerie journey from Spain to Bali to be with a friend who was sick and stuck on that island. Less than a week after I arrived in Bali, the island shut down, with no flights coming in or out. This situation remained that way for the next 5 months. It was a trippy experience as this very popular tourist destination was now very empty. Of course, as each week passed in Bali, and a semi-lockdown was put in place, more and more businesses shut down and more and more locals were out of work. It was difficult to watch but most of the remaining foreigners tried to spread their money as wide as possible on the island, as it was the only source of income for this tourism-dependent destination. It still wasn't nearly enough. In July, the Indonesian government suddenly, and inexplicably, informed foreigners who had arrived on a free tourist visa that they now had 1 month to leave Indonesia. So, I booked flights, including a crazy journey for Matcha to join me, and made plans to leave. Even though the government changed the rules three weeks later, and I could have stayed longer in the end, I already had my plans in place and I left Bali in late August. With kitten in tow, I flew to Florida to stay with family. But after seeing the situation in Florida, compared to what I had just left in Bali, I quickly went to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I felt more comfortable setting up a base here, in this laid-back, uncrowded town, until this pandemic runs its course. Life here in Playa del Carmen has been somewhat normal, or the new normal I guess.
Over the past several months, most businesses have been open but masks have been worn by most and rules are in place when you go inside shops. Life in Playa generally takes place outside. Almost every restaurant and cafe is open-air, people spend a lot of time at the beach or in open spaces and apart from one main pedestrian street, this town doesn't have any crowds at all.
Still, I did get Covid-19 back in October, but luckily with rather mild symptoms. Apart from that, life has steadily plodded along. This past year has been devastating from a business standpoint. I've earned less than 10% of my normal income since I haven't been able to run any of my Wandering Earl Tours. As a result, I'm really hoping travel returns as soon as possible. My time has mostly been spent trying to get tours ready for when travel is possible again. I've also been dedicated to improving and delivering this newsletter every week, something I thoroughly enjoy working on. Between that and the occasional beach outing, a dinner here and there with friends, getting into a solid workout routine and spending a lot of time with Matcha, the strange times continue for now... and another birthday shall pass! --- That's just my story. I know that many people have had all kinds of struggles and loss over the past year. It's been insane. I genuinely hope we can all pick up our lives again soon and look to the future with a more positive outlook. It's bound to happen for sure! It's time to use your travel knowledge and research skills! The Simple Rules
1. Try to figure out where this photo was taken. 2. Reply to this email with your guess and, if you want, how you reached your conclusion.
3. The more specific the guess, the better!
4. The location will be revealed in next week's newsletter (along with some advice/recommendations for that destination).
5. Anyone who guesses correctly, or comes close, will have the option to be mentioned in the newsletter as well.
So, let's begin :) Where in the world is this? Happy HoliAs it was Holi Festival yesterday, friends throughout India and Nepal have sent me messages celebrating this well-known festival of colors. It's also been great to reconnect with those I know in Bundi, Udaipur, Delhi, Mumbai, as well as with my friend and trusted tour driver Budhiman who lives in a remote part of southeastern Nepal. |
Portuguese Bangkok
Despite many trips to Thailand, I had no idea there was a Portuguese neighborhood in the middle of Bangkok, complete with Portuguese-influenced traditions and even food!
Louvre Online
The Louvre Museum in Paris has put its entire collection online, almost 500,000 works of art. And it's all free to view, any time. You can also take a virtual tour of the entire museum.
Patterns of Asia
One photographer traveled around Asia to capture magical patterns that are intertwined with every day life. He clearly succeeded.
Eruption in Iceland
A small volcano in Fagradalsfjall, Iceland has erupted and this dramatic drone footage over the volcano offers a amazing view of the situation.
The Story of Abkhazia
It's a once-peaceful corner of the world, considered beautiful like no other, but it's been cut off by conflict for 30 years.
Safety in Seychelles
This island nation in the Indian Ocean (which is my favorite tropical destination on the planet) is working hard to become the safest travel destination in terms of Covid-19. Plane loads of visitors are starting to return to the country as a result. Working Together for Peace
I recently came upon EcoPeace Middle East. It's a great organization that consists of Israelis, Palestinians and Jordanians working together to 'promote peace through environmental collaboration'. Their progressive initiatives aim to protect the bodies of water these neighbors share. Unsurprisingly, much of their time is spent talking to critics, trying to explain the value of such collaboration. But they're a dedicated team and making major progress. Thanks for reading!
Regards,
Derek (my middle name is Earl) *If you received this email from someone else and want to sign up to A Life of Travel, simply click the button below: |
Since 2013 I've been offering unique, small-group trips to my favorite destinations around the world. If you're looking for an incredible travel experience like no other, check out our 2022 trips, such as... |
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