Hey,
Good morning from Mexico, where the words of TS Eliot are fresh in my mind:
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time. In my continued efforts towards self improvement, I made this realization the other day... A good percentage of the time I sit down at my laptop to 'work', I'm only pretending I'm doing something important, and really just futzing around online instead. But it's an easy way to avoid doing other things that take more effort or put me in uncomfortable situations, even if I actually want to be doing those other things. Let's say I want to take a dance class or Spanish language class or go sing karaoke. It's so much easier to say 'I need to work' and sit down at my laptop. This way, I avoid dancing awkwardly in front of others or realizing that my Spanish is not as good as I think or having people laugh when I sing a Guns N Roses song (definitely November Rain). I want to dance, practice Spanish and sing like a fool. But even after 20+ years of travel, I still really struggle to get out of my comfort zone at times. I want to change that. Realizing it is the first step I guess. --- I've always thought about starting a podcast. Whether or not it actually happens, I do want to give a huge shout out to Jason of the Zero to Travel podcast for our excellent conversation the other day. He gave me a ton of useful tips and recommendations based on his own experience of growing a popular podcast from the ground up. Definitely check out Zero to Travel when you have time. It's a great podcast for all kinds of travelers! --- I'm extremely thrilled to report that Matcha has finally had her stitches removed. Yes, the stitches from when she got spayed over 7 weeks ago. I found a new vet who somehow managed to calm Matcha down and just like that, the stitches were removed, the nails cut and Matcha didn't even seem traumatized at all. Oh what a glorious day that was! --- Cat lesson of the week: You shall weep with joy on the day you open the door and discover the perfect vet for your kitten. Your search might take weeks, or months, but when the magic happens, it's time to rejoice, knowing you'll lose a lot less blood after her nails are cut.
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Travel-related (usually) tidbits that appeared in my inboxes this past week. - YO-YO MA: A huge thanks to Kae Chee who told me about the documentary The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. It's a beautiful dive into music, culture and dealing with the tragedies of life.
- THE SAME TRAVEL PHOTOS: The same clothes, the same poses, the same locations, the same photos. The Insta_Repeat instagram account points out this travel reality by creating collages from the exact same photos that so many people take in the same place.
- JOURNALIST ASSASSINATION: Last month, Aliyas Dayee, a well-known and highly-respected Afghan journalist, was killed by a bomb placed under his car. His life story consists of an unbreakable dedication to his work, his family and his roots.
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Memories from the Galapagos - When the sign says "Stop", you stop.
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MOLDOVAN WINERIESLittle-visited Moldova has an impressive wine industry (including the largest wine cellar in the world, with 1.5 million bottles!). But unsurprisingly, it is struggling to survive the pandemic. Consider visiting this tiny Eastern European country once it's possible to travel again...I've been a few times and you won't be disappointed! FJORD VIEWI certainly wouldn't object to spending a few nights in this Norwegian treehouse with a more-than-perfect view of the stunning fjords below. And finally.... |
Ranjitsinh Disalett is the winner of the 2020 Global Teacher Award. Once you read about his extraordinary efforts to ensure that tribal girls in a remote region of India have access to a good education, you'll see why he won. He also decided to split a chunk of his prize money among the other 9 finalists. Impressive. |
Any comments or questions, just let me know! Regards,
Derek (my middle name is Earl) *If you received this email from someone else and want to sign up, just visit A Life of Travel. |
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. |
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