My Plans, Updated Travel Restrictions, Paddle Boarding in a Glacier, Small European Towns and More!
March 19, 2024
My Plans, Updated Travel Restrictions, Paddle Boarding in a Glacier, Small European Towns and More!
Hi,
Over the past week...
We changed houses, Matcha was in the hospital (more about this soon), I cancelled all remaining Wandering Earl Tours for this year due to Covid-19 and I added "When Breath Becomes Air" and "The Courage to Be Disliked" to my book list.
It was all over the place.
BACK TO CIVILIZATION
We left the small beach town of Amed behind and returned to Bali's more popular and busier Seminyak area. It's just easier to get things done here.
We have Covid tests to get soon (required to fly domestically) and travel supplies to buy for Matcha. The airport is now nearby too.
Before we know it, we'll be packing up and leaving paradise, feeling very fortunate that this is where we were able to spend the last 5 months. Bali had to be one of the better spots to end up during these trying times.
BALI TO JAKARTA TO MIAMI
On August 7th I'll fly from Bali to Jakarta with Citilink Airlines. It's actually the same airline we took two years ago from Bali to East Timor. Once in Jakarta, I'll need to spend 4 nights at a hotel before Matcha and I can fly to the US on August 11th.
The trip from Jakarta to Miami is then going to take approximately 44 hours door-to-door. 44 hours!
I'm not looking forward to it, especially during this time of Covid and traveling with a pet for the first time too.
We have two 12 hour flights, a 9 hour layover in Istanbul and a 2.5 hour car ride once we arrive in Florida.
I can't wait until the journey's over.
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
While I certainly don't recommend personal travel right now, I do keep track of which countries are open to tourists at the moment. It keeps me sane by getting lost in daydreams of potential adventures in the future. Belarus and Barbados, I'm looking at you.
Evening walks are in order now that the beaches are open. All I need is one minute without the mask to enjoy that beach air.
A HEAVENLY ACTIVITY FOR EVERYONE'S BUCKET LIST! I love standup paddle boarding. We did it here in Bali and it was great. But...this eye-popping paddle board experience in the middle of an Alaskan glacier beats everything.
Theresa Kachindamoto, a tribal chief in Malawi, has dedicated her life to ending the practice of child marriage. She has broken up almost 1000 child marriages so far, ensuring that the girls she saves continue with their education.
TALL BUILDINGS This nifty visualization shows the tallest buildings in the world from 1901 to 2022. I had no idea the tallest building today is over 1000 meters (3000 feet) tall!
Wandering Earl Tours - Ready to join one of my small-group tours to some really cool destinations around the world once this current global situation has passed?
Travel Insurance - Be sure to check out Safety Wing, my personal favorite for incredibly affordable travel insurance.
Cruise ship jobs - While cruise lines are not hiring right now, they will be hiring thousands of new crew members once they start up again. My popular e-Guide How to Work on a Cruise Ship will help you get a rewarding job on board a cruise ship once the time is right.
Travel resources - My updated Travel Resources with the booking sites, gear, apps and more that I use on my own travels.
