A Life of Travel: My Perfect Travel Shoes and an ATM You Should Never Use!
Derek Baron
May 14, 2024
A big welcome to the 28 new subscribers who recently signed up!
It's Tuesday and it's time for a travel newsletter...
update
Here I am back in Lisbon, Portugal. It’s been a few weeks of intense travel - even more than usual - as I went from Iraq to London to the US to Lisbon. And now I’m only here until Saturday when I fly to Istanbul to lead one of my tours in Turkey.
My visit to London was excellent. I hadn’t been back in a few years and in four somewhat rainy days, I still managed to wander around quite a bit, take in a comedy show and also go to the theater to see The Picture of Dorian Gray (which was quite a magnificent one woman performance!). Fish and chips, check. A couple of beers at the atmospheric Waxy O’Connors pub, check. Dinner with friends in Clapham, check. An afternoon roaming around Hyde Park, check. And a long, long walk from Camden Market to Waterloo, criss crossing through all kinds of neighborhoods en route.
Large cities are not generally my thing, but 4-5 day visits work well. I make sure that each day is loaded with all of the activities I want to do, with little down time. Each day becomes so fulfilling that the crowds, noise and general intensity isn’t as noticeable. Then, by day 4 or 5 I’m tired from running around nonstop and it’s a good time to move on.
What is always my thing is any destination with a beach! And in the course of my conversations with friends over the past few weeks, two great beach destinations have come up repeatedly.
Several people I know are either in or soon going to Valencia, Spain, a beautiful city where I used to live about 5 years ago and which I also love. Everything from the history to the architecture to the parks, nightlife, food, cafes, museums, markets, beaches and overall positive vibe makes this one of the most livable cities in Europe by far!
Da Nang, Vietnam has also popped up in conversations. This laid-back city is gaining momentum as one of the best value beach destinations in SE Asia, with 4* hotels right by the beach for as low as $20 USD per night. It’s also becoming known for its great food and it’s ideal location for side excursions to all kinds of nearby destinations, including the undeniably charming town of Hoi An, Marble Mountains and even the historic city of Hue.
travel gear
SHOES FOR TRAVEL - Recently, I received many great recommendations in my search for the perfect travel shoes. I ended up buying a pair of Kiziks. They’ve been PERFECT - very comfortable, lightweight, sturdy and they look good. I just bought a second pair of Kiziks as well. Their Lima and Milan styles are now my go-to travel shoes. I highly recommend them, for men and women!
GLUTEN-FREE CARDS - If you or anyone you know is a celiac, check out these gluten-free cards created by my friend Jodi. Ideal for travelers, each card is in a different language and gives a detailed explanation about your condition and dietary requirements. There are cards for 20 languages, making sure that a restaurant takes your situation seriously and that you only receive food that is suitable for you. [Gluten-Free Cards by Jodi Ettenberg]
AIRALO eSIM FOR DATA CONNECTION - I use Airalo eSIMs almost everywhere I go in the world. It allows me to have a cheap, reliable data connection on my phone. It’s so easy to set up as there are no physical SIM cards. You simply download it to your phone, activate it when you arrive in your destination and you’re connected, just like that.
As I was adding credit to my Airalo Europe eSIM the other day, I saw they have two promotions until the end of the month:
Airalo New Customers Promotion
Use the code NEWMAY15 for 15% off Airalo eSIM purchases of US$10+.
Airalo Existing Customers Promotion
Use the code AIRALOMAY10 for a 10% discount on all Airalo eSIMs.
travel tip: say no to EURONET
This one is simple. DO NOT use EURONET ATMs. These yellow and blue ATMS (which are owned by a US-based company) can be found all over Europe and increasingly, in the US and other regions of the world.
They are usually found in places populated by tourists. They charge extremely high fees, even in countries where regular banks don’t charge any fees to use the ATM. And they offer really bad exchange rates as well.
As an example, here in Portugal, if I take out 100 Euros at a regular bank ATM, there is no fee at all. If I use a EURONET ATM they charge a 12 Euro fee. If I take out 200 Euros, the fee goes up to 15 Euros and so on.
I often see these ATMs at airports, in the area where you claim your luggage. They attract many travelers as a result. However, if you simply get your luggage and walk into the Arrivals Hall, in most airports in the world, you’ll find regular bank ATMs to use. It’s always better to use proper bank ATMs when traveling. This saves a lot of money.
around the globe
Where to Go
This week’s travel inspiration involves AFAR’s collection of 25 exciting destinations to consider for your next trip!
Lanzarote Wine
On this Spanish island, you can visit wineries that creatively grow grapes on vast stretches of barren, volcanic ash.
Brutalist Churches
Photographer Jamie Smith shares 12 of the most impressive brutalist churches he discovered in Europe during his travels for the creation of his book, Sacred Modernity.
Smart Tourism Capital
Out of 30 cities, Dublin, Ireland has been named the Smart Tourism Capital of Europe. The project aims to award destinations that are highly focused on sustainability, accessibility, digitalization, cultural heritage and creativity.
Philippines
If heading to the Philippines is on your list, here’s a handful of under the radar locations to mix in with some of those white sand beaches on the most famous gorgeous islands!
Common Scams
Here’s a comprehensive list of the most common tourist scams you might encounter when you visit Europe.
The Straightest Road
Saudi Arabia is home to a very long road that stretches for over 1400 kms (900 miles). Highway 10 also has the longest stretch of straight road in the world. It’s a section that goes across the Rub-al-Khalid desert for 240 kms (149 miles) without a single bend or curve.
Switzerland
Can Trevor Noah and Roger Federer convince you to travel around breathtaking Switzerland, perhaps by train?
where in the world?
A big congratulations to Suzanne and Amanda as they both correctly guessed the location of the photo in my previous newsletter!
The photo is of the old Ninewah Oberoi Hotel in Mosul, Iraq. A popular 5* hotel that was taken over by ISIS when they controlled the city, it now sits empty, but with possible plans to restore it in the future. As a sign of the changing times, the street in front of the hotel is now a popular place for locals to take an evening sunset stroll, with tea, coffee and snack vendors popping up as well. Yes, that’s a coffee pot shaped car at the bottom that sells delicious coffee with chocolate!
This week’s photo:
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!
This newsletter is always free but it does take time and money to put together. If you wish to help support it, kindly forward it to people you know, make a donation or join one of my unique small group trips to some spectacular destinations.
*If you received this email from someone else and want to sign up to A Life of Travel, simply click the button below:
Thank you so much for reading!
Derek
(my middle name is Earl)
Travel Insurance: My personal recommendation for affordable and reliable travel insurance is Safety Wing. It was created by travelers, for travelers, and it's rapid growth in popularity is well-deserved.
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.