A Life of Travel: How to Win a Messenger Bag and a Life-Changing Sunset

March 20, 2024

Current location: Lisbon, Portugal

A big welcome to the 114 new subscribers who recently signed up!

Hello

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

giveaway

I'm giving away my Timbuk2 Lightweight Flight Messenger Bag (nightfall/ marigold color)!

How to enter: Reply to this email and tell me the one thing I should know about you to really understand why you like/want to travel.

The winner: Each reply will be assigned a number and a winning number/person will be selected at random on October 18th. Once the winner is notified, I'll ship the bag to you.

Notes: I purchased this messenger bag one month ago. After a few uses, I realized it's not ideal for non-stop travel as I need more space. For shorter trips though, or as a day bag, it's perfect!

the importance of nature

When I was recently in the Sahara Desert in Morocco, I exited my tent one evening and walked a short distance to the top of a small, beautifully curved sand dune. It was around 7:00pm and the sun was beginning to set.

It was very quiet, there were only a few people scattered around and the view in front of me stretched out for many kilometers.

I stood at the top of that dune for the following 30 minutes. My bare feet were planted in the soft sand, my hands lightly clasped in front of me and my neck slowly turned from side to side in order to scan the vast, impressive landscape.

The sunset was one of the most memorable I've ever witnessed. It appeared more like a soft and sweet volcanic eruption with the sole purpose of creating art in the sky. My eyes focused on the colors around me, on the endless dunes, some nearby trees and on the sand being gently tossed around in the light, warm wind.

Something switched inside me that evening. While I know full well the importance of being in nature, I re-discovered exactly how important nature is to my well-being. And how much it is needed in my life right now.

I felt SO good at that moment. No stress, no worries, no scattered mind. It was just me, completely happy, calm, focused and free.

As I continue my search for a home base in 2023, I now know that nature - more than things such as community, activities, good food, comfortable cafes to work from and nightlife - is the top priority. With that I move forward with my search for a home.

Suggestions are always welcome!

The recent sunset I enjoyed in the Sahara Desert!

tour updates

My Wandering Earl Tours for 2023 are filling up! Two trips are already sold out, so if you're up for an unforgettable adventure to a fascinating destination, now's the time to get on board!

India (Feb 19th - Mar 5th, 2023) - SOLD OUT

Iraq [Federal and Kurdistan] (Mar 10th - 22nd, 2023)

Morocco (Apr 24th - May 7th, 2023) - SOLD OUT

Benin and Togo (May 11th - 25th, 2023)

Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (May 14th - 29th, 2023)

*These tours are excellent for travelers of all ages who are interested in genuinely getting to know the local culture and people.

If you have any questions, reply to this email and I'll be happy to answer!

japan

Japan is re-opening to tourists...TODAY! So, we're going to Japan. We're not going right now but the plan is to be there at the end of November. I absolutely can't wait as it's always been very high on my list. The plan will be to spend one month in the country, taking it very slow, enjoying the autumn colors and not having much of a plan. I can't wait!

go somewhere different

With my own travels, and the Wandering Earl Tours that I create, the idea is to do something different than what everyone else is doing. With so many rewarding destinations out there, why do we still follow the crowds and use Instagram photos as our guide? Reading this article - The Instagram Capital of the World is a Terrible Place to Be - reminds us why we should avoid this style of travel.

around the globe

Free airfare to Hong Kong - Once Covid restrictions are lifted, Hong Kong will give away 500,000 free airline tickets to foreigners, in order to boost tourism. If Hong Kong is on your list, stay tuned as details will be released soon.

Antarctica's postal workers - Four women from the UK will head to Goudier Island, Antarctica from November to March for a new job. They will be in charge of the post office and count penguins after being chosen from among 6000 applicants!

Destination Algeria - With a combination of rewarding destinations, rich culture and an improvement in the safety situation, is Algeria about to end up on the radar of more travelers?

where in the world?

This week I want to congratulate Morgan, Rich and Steve for correctly guessing the location of the photo above!

The image is from my recent excursion to Sintra, Portugal, where we visited the Park and Palace of Monserrate.

While not as popular as the Pena Palace, Quinta de Regaleira, Mouros Castle and the Sintra National Palace, the Palace of Monserrate should really be on more travelers' itineraries. I'm not sure what was the best part - the gorgeously designed circular palace itself or the massive gardens full of plants, flowers and trees from around the world that you can explore via several different paths. Either way, I highly recommend adding it to any Sintra visit!

And now...

This week's photo

Where in the world is it?

The Rules

1. Try to figure out where the above 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.

Good luck :)

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, shop for my favorite travel gear (I receive a small cut), make a donation or join one of my unique small group trips to some spectacular destinations.

Thank you so much for reading!

Derek

(my middle name is Earl)

WanderingEarl.com

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