A big welcome to the 31 new subscribers who signed up this past week! |
Hello,
As I always find it difficult to stay in one place for too long, it should come as no surprise that I traveled to the Caribbean island of Aruba this week. But traveling these days is somewhat complex and anxiety-inducing. So here's a glimpse of what international travel can involve right now... We had our flights booked. We booked our hotel, too. As far as reservations were concerned, we were all set for Aruba. The next piece of the puzzle was to take a Covid-19 PCR test that is required for entry into Aruba. Then, we needed to fill out the online Embarkation/Debarkation Card (ED Card) application that needs to be approved by the Aruba government before you arrive. Here's the tricky part... The Covid-19 PCR test, which we got done for free at a local CVS pharmacy testing center in Florida, stated that the test results would be available approximately 1-2 days after the test. On another page of their website, it stated that the results could take up to 5 days. But in order to enter Aruba, you need to have a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival. Also, you need to complete the ED Card application, and get approval (which could take up to 12 hours), in order to check-in for your flight. So, we got the Covid-19 test done on Friday. Then we filled out the ED Card application later on Friday and were soon approved. The last step was to show our negative Covid test results at the airport. On Sunday, we went to the Fort Lauderdale airport. I checked in online and since we didn't have any checked luggage we went straight through security and to the gate. However, we still had not received our Covid-19 test results. We just stood there as time passed, sipping absurdly hot coffee, eating a bagel and checking my phone every 4 seconds. Without the results, we couldn't get onto the flight. Then, miraculously, only 45 minutes before it was time to board the flight to Aruba, I received a text message from CVS that our test results were now available. Talk about a close call. And just like that, after taking a few deep breaths, wiping the sweat from my forehead and celebrating our good fortune, we boarded the flight and off to Aruba we went! It's certainly not how travel used to be :) Aruba is magical by the way. But more about that next week! It's time to use your travel knowledge and research skills! Last week's photo
As many guessed, the photo from last week was most definitely taken in Africa. However, despite Tanzania, South Africa and Botswana being mentioned the most, the photo was taken somewhere else.
Congratulations to Katie and Steve who guessed Kenya, but a major congratulations to Neama who correctly guessed the HELL'S GATE NATIONAL PARK IN KENYA! Hell's Gate National Park is located a few hours away from Nairobi, near Lake Naivasha, and it is actually the park that inspired the setting for the Lion King. And it's one of the few national parks in Africa that allows you to rent bicycles and simply ride around on your own. When we were there, we saw giraffes, warthogs, zebras, buffalo, baboons and more, all while surrounded by impressive cliffs, gorges and volcanic landscapes! This week's photo The Rules
1. Try to figure out where the below photo was taken. 2. Reply to this email with your guess.
3. The more specific the guess, the better!
4. The location will be revealed in next week's newsletter.
So, here we go :) Where in the world is this?
Travel-related (usually) tidbits that appeared in my inboxesSupersonic FlightsThe company Boom Supersonic wants to improve flight travel so that anyone can get anywhere in the world in less than 4 hours and for only $100 USD. That would be nice. The Complexity of Travel
As I continue to book some short trips, it's incredible how quickly my inbox fills up. There seem to be endless flight confirmations, Covid testing appointment reminders, Covid test results, emails from airlines reminding me of the health and safety rules, emails reminding me to fill out health questionnaires for the destinations I'm visiting and so on. It's all manageable but it definitely takes some extra concentration these days to keep it all organized. |
The Last Village in Singapore
Despite Singapore's modern urbanization, endless high-rise apartment buildings and skyscrapers, one last traditional village remains, nestled among all of the flashiness.
Portuguese Street Art
One artist is using Portugal's traditional tiles to transform the outside of buildings into creative, catchy pieces of beautiful art.
Oldest Cities in the World
I became fascinated with visiting the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world when I traveled to Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Finding this list of the 30 most ancient cities sparked my interest in adding a few more to my future travels.
Festival of Monsters
Each year in Bulgaria, people put on spectacularly elaborate costumes as they dance and roam the forests and villages in order to rid their communities of evil spirits. It's the Kukeri festival and it's been practiced since the 5th century.
Beyond Beautiful Netherlands
A collection of photos that certainly turns the Netherlands into a must-visit destination.
Epic Water
Take a soothing look at some of the world's most impressive bodies of water - springs, seas, lakes, waterfalls, fjords and more!
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: |
|
|
