update
First up, Morocco.
Upon hearing the news of last Friday's earthquake, I immediately started contacting my friends and the people we work with in Morocco on the tours we run there. Luckily, luckily, luckily, everyone I know is safe, including their own families and friends.
But the region that was most affected has a long road ahead. As a country that I have a deep connection with, it was extremely difficult to hear about the damage and significant loss of life. It's impossible to fathom what those affected have been through and what they face in the future.
I'm continuing to communicate with my friends in Morocco in order to learn the best ways to provide direct assistance. As I find reliable options, I will list them here and on social media.
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Since setting up a home base here in the US a few months ago, I have not left the country. Part of the reason was because my passport was full, but now I have a new passport. Another reason was because I wanted to give this 'home base in my home country' experiment a fair try.
With that said, I'm remarkably excited about heading overseas again next week.
I'll be away for 3 weeks and I'm looking forward to these travels for two distinct reasons:
- I miss traveling overseas. Seriously, when I'm not traveling, it feels as if a major part of who I am is in hibernation and I feel a bit empty as a result.
- This trip, and then returning to my home base in the US afterwards, will help me see what it's like to come back to a familiar home base each time I go away. For most of my life, I've always been on the go, nonstop. This home base thing is new to me, so I'll see how it feels when I get back.
Where am I traveling?
First, I'll head to Lisbon, Portugal for five days. I love the vibe of Lisbon, it's a city where I know more people than any other place and it's a city I would also consider for a home base perhaps.
Second, from Lisbon I'll fly to
Baghdad, Iraq. It's time for my next Wandering Earl Tour to Iraq! This excites me beyond imagination and I cannot wait for our wonderful group of 12 travelers to join me and our local team as we show them this incredible country. The history, the people, the food, culture...add it all up and it's a remarkably magical trip!
(If you're interested - I'm offering two tours to Iraq in 2024:
Iraq (February) /
Iraq (April)!)
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Over on my Facebook page a couple of days ago, I asked for
travel shoe recommendations. I'm a HUGE fan of
Olukai shoes and have used them for years. However, I'm now looking for shoes with a little more support and sturdiness.
There were some great recommendations on that post. But if you have any other suggestions, please hit reply and let me know. I'm looking for shoes that are comfortable and sturdy enough to walk 20,000 steps per day while traveling. It would be ideal if they also look somewhat decent so that I don't need to bring several pairs of shoes with me on trips.
Thank you in advance!
