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Hello
It's Tuesday and it's time for a travel newsletter! update It's been a good two weeks. I finally managed to buy a bathroom mat, and my apartment is now about 53% furnished. It's a start, and I'm happy with it. During this recent period, I've spent some time in nature, met some really cool people, managed to get into a daily exercise routine and I've been working quite efficiently. I'm back to meditating every morning and reading every night as well. Right now I'm reading Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys historical fiction! Of course, as a lifelong traveler, foreign lands are still always on my mind. I woke up the other day and before I even got out of bed, I wanted nothing more than to book another trip to Japan, immediately. The urge was real, and strong. For lunch that day, I ate sushi in the hope that it would suppress the travel urge. It was not good sushi. And I ended up missing the excellent sushi from Japanese supermarkets. Sigh. Anyway, all is well! I'll get to Japan again at some point. In the meantime, I'll continue enjoying my solid routine, the mental clarity that such a routine comes with and the opportunity to improve my physical well-being too. I actually haven't felt this good physically in a long time and I love it. Each morning, I also have this exciting energy that I use to sit down and brainstorm new ideas and activities to include in our 2023 and 2024 Wandering Earl Tours. This has been super fun as I go over every single detail on every single tour, again and again until it seems perfect. I can't wait for these trips to run! wandering earl tours
If you have any questions about our trips, just reply to this email and I'll be happy to assist!
A wonderfully kind yurt-making family that our group visits in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan!
🧑🍳 Bourdain's Words - To mark 5 years since the passing of Anthony Bourdain, here's some of his words of wisdom:
"If I'm an advocate for anything, it's to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else's shoes, or at least eat their food, it's a plus for everybody. Open your mind, get off the couch, move." 🎉 Festival of La Virgen de la Candelaria - Taking place every February in Puno, Peru, this 2-week festival celebrates the diverse traditions in the country through remarkable music, dance, costumes, processions and much more. It's the largest festival in Peru and given its location along the shores of beautiful Lake Titicaca, it's worth timing a visit to this country so that you get to witness the magic! 🚅 Train Ticket Trick - When you finish a ride on a train, or perhaps even a tram, keep your ticket in order to take advantage of this happy trick! around the globe
Drone AwardsPrepare for the rabbit hole you're about to enter! While not pure travel-related, the winning images of the 2023 Drone Awards are impressive and from all over the world. Categories include people, nature, wildlife, urban and more! 19-Hour FlightQantas Airlines has released their plan for a 19-hour flight between Sydney and New York City. The Airbus A350 planes will have specially designed seats and an interior that aims to provide as much comfort as possible for this super-haul journey. (I'm not sure any setup would be too comfortable for 19 hours!) Phone-Free IslandThe Finnish island of Ulko-Tammio, which is a National Park, has declared itself a phone-free zone this summer. The idea is for visitors to focus on the beautiful nature around them and forget about their phones for awhile. It is voluntary though so time will tell if it works! Albania RivieraIf you're ever headed to Albania (a favorite country of mine), here are a few places to check out along the Albanian Riviera! Camping InventionsIf you enjoy camping, this video talks about some of the more " "interesting" camping inventions that exist to theoretically help make your outdoors experience more enjoyable and/or easier. Shower toga, anyone? Sustainable and FloatingWelcome to Schoonschip! It's a floating, ecologically and socially sustainable neighborhood in Amsterdam that was designed by its 144 residents. Tobacco Mosque of DresdenIn Dresden, Germany sits a unique building called The Yenidze. It was built by a Jewish entrepreneur as a tobacco and cigarette factory, using traditional Islamic architecture in order to get around local building laws. The building was abandoned in 1953, then renovated and reopened in the 1990s. It now acts as an office building and restaurant and maintains its original and unexpected look. Neighborhoods of TokyoThis very straightforward city guide to Tokyo focuses on 12 excellent neighborhoods travelers should visit, complete with a map and activity recommendations. On a visit to Japan last year, I think we managed to explore 11 of these neighborhoods! where in the world?
A big congratulations to Janet, Kayla, Jen, Lauren, Corina, David, Leah, Michael, Steve, Dana, Kara, Eldon, Talek and Deanne for correctly guessing the photo location in the last newsletter. This photo is from the lookout point under the Basilica of Sacre Couer in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris!
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! |
Thank you so much for reading!
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: |
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