Travel Newsletter: House sitting with a cat

Lampang, in Northern Thailand, the smallest international bridge, the safest year for flying, All the Lines Thailand Challenge, and more travel reads.

Welcome to the Nomadic Notes Travel Newsletter, where I curate the best travel reads of the week.

I’m in my second week back in Australia, where I am house sitting for my sister. The housesit also includes cat sitting, so that has been good to have a cat around. The good news is that he only goes to the toilet outside, so there is no cleaning of kitty litter involved. The bad news is that he likes to take a poo at 4am, so he usually sits on my head until he has my attention to be let outside. Sometimes I fall back to sleep, while today I was one of those early morning people who started work before sunrise.

March is the best time of year to be in Melbourne, so I will be making the most of my time while I am here.

Here is the pick of travel reads and news over the last week.

Travel reads

• Charmed by a city off Thailand’s beaten path

“Centuries-old wooden temples, a graceful river and an unexpected chicken fixation make Lampang, in Northern Thailand, a delightful destination away from the crowds.”

• Where can you find the smallest international bridge?

• 30 Years in Bangkok: How the city has changed

• Why slow travel makes sense in a fast-paced modern world

• Entrance fees, visitor zones and taxes: how Europe’s biggest cities are tackling overtourism

• How to find the best cities to watch the solar eclipse

“On April 8, a total solar eclipse will occur across North America, the first to be visible on the continent since the frenzy of the Great American Eclipse of 2017.”

• Tourists banned from private alleys in Kyoto's geisha district

• A tale of two cities (Panama City)

• The art of ‘getting lost’: how re-discovering your city can be an antidote to capitalism

🛏️ Accommodation

• Eight secrets of fancy hotels I learned after becoming a butler (Read via Pocket)

💻 Nomad news

• This Sardinian town lets digital nomads rent a house for 1 euro

“In exchange, remote workers are expected to share some of their knowledge and skills with the local community.”

🚆Train travel

• If you’ve ever looked for information about train travel in Thailand (or any travel in Thailand), you probably found the work of Richard Barrow. He is currently embarking on the All the Lines Thailand Challenge.

✈️ Air travel

• 2023 safest year for flying by several parameters

• You don’t need to use airplane mode on airplanes

• Malaysian upcycles discarded plane parts and turns them into art pieces

…

[Marvelous Melbourne, @nomadicnotes.]

James Clark.