A Life of Travel: Turkey, Sicily and Visa-Free Thailand!

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It's Tuesday and it's time for a travel newsletter...

update

Today’s newsletter is being sent from the picturesque city of Palermo on the Italian island of Sicily. I’m here for a 10 day trip around the island in order soak up the culture, spend time on the beaches and in nature and of course, enjoy the cuisine to the fullest!

I’ve been to Sicily a couple of times before but it was while I worked on board cruise ships. So it was not only a long time ago but it was also for very short one day bursts.

The current trip just began two days ago and I’m excited to dive deeper into this island!

Before making my way to Sicily, I spent the previous two weeks in Turkey. I was there to lead a photography tour into a range of atmospheric neighborhoods in Istanbul as well as through the mesmerizing wonder that is the Cappadocia region.

That trip was a big success, with a great group of people. Every day was quite packed with the activities and sights we had planned for them and it’s difficult not to love the travel experience in this country.

Cappadocia is especially gorgeous. With surreal natural formations EVERYWHERE and unique villages built among hills full of caves and underground cities that are believed to have been built in the 7th century BC, this area offers a non-stop barrage of awe-inspiring sights.

And even though the region is touristy, it’s not that difficult to get away from it all. We planned a visit to the village of Sahinefendi, located only 20 minutes away from the main center of activity in Cappadocia.

It was a small, quaint and quiet village set on the side of a hill and in a valley, with caves scattered around the edges and stunning nature in all directions. It’s home to a population of 500 people, most of whom are involved in farming. Nobody in the village worked in tourism, there were no hotels or restaurants and the only shop was a tiny mini-market.

We spent a couple of hours here roaming around, meeting such welcoming, smiling people, taking photos with each other, being invited into homes for coffee and tea and having the kind of cross-cultural interactions that the world needs more of in my opinion.

It was pure connection between human beings from very different parts of the world. And it should come as no surprise that despite the language barrier and despite the different lifestyles, it was an experience full of nothing but true warmth and kindness.

This is the point of travel, at least to me.

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After Sicily, I’m headed to…. well, the destination will be revealed in the next newsletter as I still have some things to figure out. 😄 

NEW Wandering Earl Tour: BALKANS!

Over the past year, we’ve been working very hard on creating a truly special and rewarding small group tour to the Balkans…

I am now proud to announce a WANDER ACROSS THE BALKANS trip for this fall! It’s full of the unique activities and memorable experiences that our trips are known for and it’s an awesome itinerary that has been carefully designed every step of the way!

Dates: September 14th - 24th, 2024
Countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia
Group size: Maximum 12

**Also, one spot opened up on my Wandering Earl Surprise Tour in September if you’re interested!

lisbon apartment for rent!

If you’re heading to LISBON, PORTUGAL this summer or autumn, let me know! One of my best friends has a beautiful 2 bedroom apartment for rent in the most ideal location of the city.

She’s going to be traveling so the apartment is available for short-term rent on these dates:

• July 3rd - 17th

• August 29th - September 9th

• October 24th - November 12th

Here’s a photo below. If you’re interested, let me know and I can send you more photos and details!

travel gear

AIRFLY - I recently purchased this neat device and I’m happy I did. This tiny thing plugs into the onboard entertainment screen on airplanes, allowing you to use your own wireless headphones or earbuds to listen to movies. It’s simple to set up, it works every time and the device costs about $35.

around the globe

Visa-Free Thailand
Thailand has made some big changes to its visa rules. 93 countries are now eligible for visa-free entry and citizens of many countries, including the US, are now able to stay for 60 days instead of 30 days. For remote workers, you can also extend your stay for up to 6 months.

City Walks
This cool website allows you to take a stroll at any time through one of many cities around the world.

Carless Destinations
Since 2002, the Brazilian city of Afua, located in the Amazon, has been car-free, offering a different perspective on the concept of progress. Here’s a list of ten more destinations around the world where cars are not allowed.

Food Cities
While it’s a random collection of cities, I never turn down an opportunity to discover which destinations are currently trending in terms of their cuisine! There were some surprises in there for sure.

Airbnb ICONS
Airbnb has introduced its ICONS program which, in their own words, offers “a new category of extraordinary experiences hosted by the greatest names in music, film, television, art, sports, and more.” Examples include spending a night in Paris’ Musee d’Orsay or in Prince’s Purple Rain house!

Turkey by Train
The Mesopotamia Express is a new train line running between Ankara and Diyarbakir in Turkey, one that takes travelers through some of the most impressive natural beauty and historical sites in the country.

Random Travel Ideas
In Kazakhstan you’ll find the magical, hike-worthy Charyn Canyon National Park. And despite not getting as much recognition as its SE Asian neighbors, the country of Laos has an absolute ton to offer travelers. Also, for those looking to hang out on tropical islands that many travelers instantly fall in love with, check out Great Corn Island and Little Corn Island in Nicaragua.

Dinner with Strangers
Timeleft invites you to have dinner with a small group of strangers every Wednesday in many cities around the world. I have friends that have signed up and I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback about the experiences.

where in the world?

A big congratulations to Steve for correctly guessing the location of the photo in my previous newsletter!

The photo is of Cala Vadella, a small community on a beautiful cove, located on the Spanish island of Ibiza. I remember visiting Ibiza and finding myself completely surprised by how stunning the entire island was, with the endless quaint towns, beautiful beach spots and excellent food. And yes, we even went out one night to party at one of the famous nightclubs, where Armin van Buuren was the DJ that night!

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.

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Thank you so much for reading!

Derek
(my middle name is Earl)

WanderingEarl.com

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.