Current location: Playa del Carmen, Mexico |
Hello,
I finally felt a little normal this weekend... On Sunday, I found myself doing something that has been understandably non-existent as of late. I went to a pool gathering hosted by one of my friends.
There were around 12 or 13 people, and with Playa del Carmen being the diverse town that it is, the nations of Iran, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, USA, Scotland, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Japan and England were all represented.
We all chatted about topics ranging from cruise ships to vegan food to Mexico's water to pets to basketball to working online to Yemen to punctuality to hurricanes and a lot more. The sun was out, the pool warm, the food excellent and the company interesting.
While travel isn't possible, it was wonderful to have such a global collection of people all in one place, doing something that felt more normal than most aspects of life have felt for a long time now.
Hopefully, we'll all start to enjoy some glimpses of normalcy which will eventually turn int!
---
Apart from some light socializing, my week consisted of the usual work, my daily exercise routine (which I'm fully locked into these days) and watching the series The Terror, inspired by Captain Sir John Franklin's expedition to the Arctic in 1845.
I also spent time learning random things such as the only two countries with the color purple on their flags (Dominica and Nicaragua) and the fact that Libya is 99% desert. Pretty useful stuff :) My Favorite Cities to Explore by Foot I personally love destinations where I don't need to do anything but start walking. What better way to 'feel' a place than to have your feet on the ground, your eyes observing every building, street, person and aspect of life around you at all times? During my 21 years of travel, there are 5 cities that stand out as my favorite places to explore by foot: Istanbul (Turkey) - Sure, there's a lot of hills, but that leads to spectacular views no matter which Istanbul walking route you take. Add in endless historical sites, impressive architecture, paths along the Bosphorus, beautiful walks across bridges, around ancient markets and through endless lanes on both the European and Asian sides, and there's no reason to use much other transportation. Marrakesh (Morocco) - It's colorful and exotic, especially when you enter the lesser touristed lanes of the old walled city. You could walk for days, meeting new people, visiting local shops and workshops, finding hidden museums and incredible places to eat. Outside the medina, you can easily walk to the modern Gueliz area and then to the beautiful Jardin Marjorelle. It's all accessible by foot! Buenos Aires (Argentina) - It's as if every neighborhood is its own small atmospheric city, which is why I have no problem walking for hours here. From San Telmo to Palermo, around La Boca and over to Barrio Norte, there is so much to soak up. And when you need a break, grab a seat at a sidewalk cafe, sip a glass of inexpensive local wine and re-energize before you continue walking. Singapore (Singapore) - Modern and peaceful, if you don't mind the heat, this city offers many different walking opportunities. Perfectly-manicured parks, crazy shopping malls that are all connected, wide avenues with sidewalks full of activity, a walking path along the river, the bustling Little India neighborhood, day and night markets and no shortage of local open-air food centers to enjoy all day long. Valencia (Spain) - Appearing on every list of the best cities to live in, its walkability is a main attraction. It's not a tiny place but with its huge green Turia Park spanning across the entire city, as well as a lack of major traffic, an infinite amount of overly pleasant streets and neighborhoods and such a positive vibe, I found myself walking everywhere while I was living here. The Worst Sailor in the World
My friend Barret sent me this documentary about Alex Rust who left home at age 25 to sail around the world. The problem is that he had no previous sailing experience. That didn't stop him though and him and his friends ended up circumnavigating the globe on a wild adventure in their sailboat named Bubbles.
Hotel Bathtubs
After all of this Covid-19 stuff, I certainly wouldn't mind ending up in one of these truly amazing hotel bathtubs located around the world to relax and refocus.
City Walks
Thanks to Niall, I discovered City Walks. Open the website, choose one of the destinations listed and enjoy a high-quality video walk through town. I just walked through Chefchaouen, Morocco. You can even join a group walk at certain set times and it's all free (with donations appreciated). |
It's hard to beat the old city in Marrakech in terms of
rewarding places to wander around on foot!
How to Avoid Getting Ripped Off by Taxi Drivers
The topic of getting ripped off by taxi drivers while traveling comes up often as there's still plenty of places where Uber or similar services don't exist. Playa del Carmen is one of those places. However, I can honestly say that I rarely, if ever, get ripped off myself. And I think it comes down to three simple rules I follow: - Never hail a taxi anywhere close to a crowded tourist area.
- Always look for an older taxi driver (they tend to be less savvy when it comes to ripping people off).
- Know the price in advance or how the fare system works. Unless absolutely necessary, I never ask a driver how much it will cost before I get in. I just get in with confidence and pay the meter fare or what I know it should cost.
Wishing you a great Tuesday and if you have any questions, please send them my way! 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: |
|
|
