Travel Newsletter: 14 July 2023
Sending postcards to yourself, reclaiming the African road trip, great biking cities, and the best travel song ever written
Hello from Ho Chi Minh City! This week I have been kicking the tyres of new social media sites. There is Threads (which you need an Instagram account to use), and there is Bluesky (which requires an invite to join). I am still on Mastodon, which after 9 months of using I still feel like I am Tooting into the void.
I go to Malaysia next week, where I will start a month of looking at new metro and regional railways for Nomadic Notes, and exploration of urban planning abominations for Future Southeast Asia.
We are still waiting for the metro to open here (maybe early next year), but maybe it will go for a full test run when I get back. At least some of the stations are offering a glimpse of what to expect.
Travel reads
• ‘No Ugandan has ever crossed here’: reclaiming the African road trip
• She’s sent postcards to herself for over 40 years. Here’s what she’s learned
• Was buying a house in Syria the brightest decision I ever made
• The Viking spirit of a remote Scottish archipelago
• 7 great biking cities (and which trails to ride)
• How narcissism killed the tourist
“Your Instagram feed is sullying the art of travel.”
• Vienna Is the most livable city in the world
• Tips for being a responsible, respectful traveler
• Move over Dubai. This tiny emirate wants to be the next haven for billionaires
• Behind the well-traveled Led Zeppelin song, “Ramble On”
Still the best travel song of all time. Go on, give it another listen.
Several really interesting items here. Ugandan couple traveling in Africa and their experiences. Buying and maintaining a house in Syria before and during a war. Lighter weight travel, though I could question some of the suggestions.