Highlights of Year 13 as Digital Nomads

This month was our thirteenth yr of full-time journey and a yr of reunions!

After greater than two years away from our households and buddies the world over, we made a degree of going to see all of them. Of course, we did handle to slide in some aspect journeys to some new places too…

Las Vegas!

We started our thirteenth yr as Digital Nomads in Vegas! We splurged on an evening on the Bellagio, spent the afternoon ingesting ridiculously big cocktails within the pool, and loved their awe-inspiring fountain reveals from our room.

I have to additionally confess to indulging in a little bit of playing. I went into the poker site with $200 and got here out with $280. Not unhealthy for my first go in a stay poker site, particularly after I managed to lose $100 on my first hand (the much less mentioned about that foolishness, the higher).

Back to the UK

Our reunion tour started with a quick cease in Milton Keynes to see Erin’s dad and mom, a aspect journey to London to see our buddies and meet their children (we met so many new kids this yr), and Burnley to see my mum and stepdad.

The Scottish Borders

My dad moved simply earlier than the pandemic and now lives up in Scotland, in a beautiful small village within the borders, and it was our first time visiting him there.

Scotland is an exquisite nation, and we found extra of it on numerous walks and hikes with them.

My dad and stepmum have additionally gotten into taking part in curling, they usually took us alongside to attempt it out.

The Peak District

We rented a spot within the Peak District for a month in March. We spent a lot time on this little stone cottage, ingesting tea and doing puzzles by the roaring fireplace, dwelling our greatest Cosycore lives.

Our family and friends from the Manchester space would go to us, and we’d go on beautiful hikes with them throughout the encompassing countryside.

Our favorite hikes within the space have been Lantern Pike, which started exterior our door, the Snake Path Circular, and the Kinder Reservoir Circular.

I found that I needed to learn to play golf to qualify for my Middle Aged Man membership card. So I received myself some golf classes, and it was tremendous enjoyable.

That is till I pulled a muscle in my again (though, tbh, I believe this impressed the Committee—nothing like pulling a muscle you didn’t know you had whereas doing a brand new sport to really feel the many years).

Highclere Castle and a Wedding

We headed again down South and took Erin’s Nan and Aunt to Highclere Castle, or Downton Abbey, as most individuals understand it. We received to see rooms from the present and, randomly, some Egyptian artefacts within the basement.

Some individuals dressed as characters from the present like absolute legends. Having seen how nicely they slot in with the environment, dressing like a Twenties flapper must be a situation of entry.

From there, we went to Stevenage to see my stepsister get married. I received to meet up with household I hadn’t seen in over a decade. We ended up sitting with a bunch of non-drinkers, but someway all the wine on the desk received consumed.

Weirdly, I had a light headache the subsequent day. I believe it was from all of the speaking.

Worthing

Worthing is a pleasant seaside city that’s the smaller, quieter sibling of close by Brighton.

We spent our days hanging out with buddies, happening bike rides up and down the promenade, sitting on the pebbly seaside, visiting the pier, consuming on the nice meals vehicles, and having saunas on the seaside.

This final one concerned an incredible little transformed horse trailer proper on the seaside with views out to the ocean. When it will get too sizzling inside, you run into the completely bloody freezing sea to chill again down once more.

Read extra about all of the enjoyable issues to do in Worthing and the greatest Worthing eating places.

Erin’s dad celebrated his seventieth birthday whereas we have been there, and we handled him and some of his buddies to a weekend away at Foxhills, a flowery golf membership and lodge.

I might put all of my golf expertise to the check and everybody I used to be with wished I hadn’t.

I visited London to play music with an outdated pal and in addition to fulfill up with a fellow app developer, Taiwo. He has an app on the iOS App Store known as Taiword, which I nonetheless play day by day—when you’re a fan of five-letter phrase video games, test it out!

Corfu

Having been away from Europe for therefore lengthy, we couldn’t wait to get again there! We wished to be settled for a bit (and Erin wished a correct summer time), so we settled for six weeks on Corfu in a splendid, somewhat grand home up within the hills.

There is an area customized on the island that you simply feed the stray cats which can be round if and if you really feel prefer it. Three strays would recurrently present up on the home, and we began leaving bowls of meals out for them.

Eventually, we gained sufficient belief for one among them to steer her new kittens to us, they usually adopted our entrance porch as their new residence. It was the cutest factor on the planet! For six weeks, we received to play with these lovely little fluffballs.

Playing with kittens wasn’t the one factor we did there (though it actually was crucial)—we additionally hiked to Porto Timoni seaside, which is that this pleasant cove with two seashores again to again, spent our afternoons on the solar loungers on the San George bar; and ate on the many little tavernas within the space.

We additionally rented a ship a number of instances to get to the quieter coves and the bluest waters. The sea was heat and alluring, and the color of the water was unreal.

Before leaving the island, we spent an evening in Corfu Town, an exquisite historic centre that’s a pleasure to stroll round.

Return to Puglia

Puglia is one among our favorite areas in Italy, and a spot we now have written about extensively and returning there didn’t disappoint.

Matera

We went straight to Matera (truly in neighbouring Basilicata), a novel place with a storied and considerably troubling previous that has been reborn into a surprising metropolis that we love.

We spent our 4 days there looking down one of the best locations to take pleasure in an aperitivo, and we discovered a winner: Terrazza Cavaliere. It’s an unassuming place with fairly priced drinks and respectable snacks (learn extra about our greatest locations to eat in Matera).

Bari

Bari is extra chaotic than Matera however has numerous allure hidden in its slender, winding streets stuffed with women making recent orecchiette pasta.

We spent our time in Bari like we spend our time in any city or metropolis in Italy, consuming! There is a few unbelievable focaccia, decadent panzerotti (fried dough full of numerous fillings akin to mozzarella and tomato), and unbelievable pizza available.

Seriously, the pizza at Pizzeria di Cosimo is among the greatest (and least expensive) we’ve ever had.

Read extra concerning the greatest issues to do in Bari.

A Month in Salento

For August, we rented an AirBnB close to the charming little village of Felline. This unassuming village had a beautiful piazza with a number of good eating places, and so, after all, we ate at as many as we might.

We spent our time in Salento trying out one of the best seashores in Puglia, together with one indulgent day on the seaside at Porto Cesareo.

To hire the sunbeds price €200, however that price will get added as credit score to your account, and you might use that to order food and drinks all through the day. A candy reward for all our work hanging out on all these seashores with out champagne bars.

We additionally took a aspect journey and spent an evening at a seaside lodge in Castro, one other fantastic little Italian city with an exquisite city sq. set excessive on the hill that overlooks the marina.

Sweden

My brother moved to Stockholm simply after my niece was born final yr. I nonetheless hadn’t met her or my two-year-old nephew, due to the pandemic.

We discovered a pleasant AirBnB overlooking the water, a two-minute stroll from my brother’s, which was an ideal little base for per week of kiddy time and a few exploration of Stockholm.

We took the commuter boat into the centre and wandered the outdated city, the place we stumbled upon the king and queen of Sweden arriving residence in a horse-drawn carriage.

Stockholm was an sudden gem for us that we completely loved.

It’s so beautiful being surrounded by all that water. Everyone takes benefit of it in the summertime months, swimming and kayaking (Erin joined them a couple of instances—I didn’t as a result of I can’t deal with something colder than the Mediterranean).

Despite being a large metropolis, it has a laid-back really feel, and it’s simple to get away from the crowds and site visitors and stroll alongside the water.

Back to the USA

We spent a couple of days in Bristol, catching up with Victoria and Steve from Bridges and Balloons. We met the most recent addition to their household, and Victoria confirmed us a few of her favorite meals spots.

Bristol is a good metropolis. It’s sufficiently small to be manageable however has loads to supply, and we plan to spend so much extra time there in future.

Then it was off one among my favorite locations…

Disney World Orlando

As this was my postponed fortieth birthday journey, we went all out.

We stayed on the Yacht Club reverse the Boardwalk and inside strolling distance of Epcot and Hollywood Studios. An ideal location which I took full benefit of—I cherished popping into the parks on a whim.

I used to be excited to see the brand new Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge space at Hollywood Studios, and it didn’t disappoint. Rise of the Resistance is likely one of the most breathtaking experiences that Disney has produced.

The new Guardians of the Galaxy journey at Epcot can also be numerous enjoyable, if considerably difficult to get on to.

Read our information to the greatest issues to do at Disney World.

We had per week at Disney after which three nights at Universal, the place we stayed on the Portofino lodge, which was additionally inside strolling distance of the parks.

Highlights there included Harry Potter World, together with the brand new Hagrid journey, which does issues that I’ve by no means skilled a curler coaster do earlier than, and the Jurassic Park Velocicoaster.

Austin

We spent three weeks in Austin, Texas visiting buddies. Austin is a beautiful metropolis, and the world we stayed in was filled with tree-lined streets that have been a pleasure to stroll round. Also, town has unbelievable tacos and margaritas.

We loved a raclette evening at Antonelli’s Cheese House and an evening out at Tiki Tatsu-Ya, this distinctive Tiki bar the place ordering sure cocktails would trigger dramatic issues to occur within the bar. Of course, we made certain we ordered these cocktails.

Hawaii

We love Hawaii, and getting again there may be all the time a pleasure. We spent a week on Oahu, mountaineering by the tropical forests, snorkelling, and flying across the island on a doors-off helicopter journey.

Some of this time was spent on the wonderful Turtle Bay Resort, which lived as much as its title when Erin noticed (after which swam with) turtles whereas on an early morning run. Then later that day, I surfed with them throughout a lesson.

Then we went to the Big Island, which is so totally different to the opposite islands. Landing on the airport and seeing miles and miles of volcanic rock in every single place with little or no vegetation is extremely dramatic and otherworldly.

We had the most effective experiences we’ve ever had—swimming with manta rays. These huge however mild creatures are drawn to the plankton that themselves are drawn to lights within the water.

The manta rays will swim so near you whereas they feed (generally solely an inch away)! Just so beautiful to get to see these stunning animals so shut.

We went paddleboarding at sundown on these customized paddleboards that function clear noses with lights to see what’s occurring beneath you.

We had a cheeky evening at one of many resorts close by, the Westin Hapuna, after which headed over to the opposite aspect of the island.

This aspect is loads greener, and we stayed at a beautiful little cottage within the rainforest the place Erin loved her hammock outing within the backyard.

Visiting close by Volcano National Park was a deal with. Hiking by the caldera with energetic smoke vents and returning within the night to see the eruptions at midnight was a particular spotlight.

We additionally, considerably randomly, had among the greatest Thai curries on the Tuktuk Thai meals truck. I extremely advocate the Masaman curry, the most effective I’ve had exterior Thailand.

Read extra about our unmissable issues to do on the Big Island.

Return to New Zealand

We fell in love with New Zealand in the course of the pandemic and couldn’t wait to return.

Finally, after a yr of continuous journey, we have been able to cool down for a couple of months and located a home in Titahi Bay, simply exterior Porirua, close to Wellington.

It’s a beautiful little spot, two minutes from an extended seaside in a picturesque bay.

For my birthday, we returned to Martinborough, a splendid wine area with sensible wineries. I handled myself to a field of classic Pinot Noirs relationship again to 2009.

We had a correct Christmassy Christmas for the primary time in a couple of years, with an actual Christmas tree. We purchased presents to place below it, made some do-it-yourself mince pies, and loved a correct roast dinner with our buddies.

Since mountaineering the Narrows in Zion final yr, we now have found that we love strolling by chilly rivers, so between Christmas and New Year, we hiked by Patuna Chasm.

Afterwards, we retreated to a glamping spot close by. No telephones, no web, only a babbling river exterior our tent. A wonderful option to recharge.

It’s been nice for us to have a house base for the final 5 months. I purchased a drum package to go along with the bass I left right here final time, and Erin purchased a stand-up paddleboard to take out on the bay—the place she was fortunate sufficient to see dolphins who, interested in her paddling, came visiting to see her and swim below the board.

Being settled someplace longer has allowed us to do issues we don’t often do.

Erin took swimming classes to study a correct entrance crawl, and I did a stand-up comedy class the place I realized methods to write and carry out my first 5 minutes.

We’ve taken a couple of aspect journeys whereas we’ve been right here, most notably to Cape Palliser, the place we stayed in one other glamping spot, this time product of two transformed transport containers with beautiful views out into the Cook Strait throughout to the South Island.

New Challenges

I’ve began visiting a life coach to cope with some relationship points (not with Erin, it must be mentioned—we’re as stable as ever!). It’s the most effective issues I’ve finished and has opened my eyes to the alternative ways through which we’re conditioned to behave which can be typically detrimental to our well-being.

Men particularly usually are not taught methods to cope with their feelings correctly whereas additionally being taught that studying methods to (by, for instance, going to remedy) is a few sort of failure.

I now firmly consider it’s the alternative. If you could have the assets, attempt it out. I’ve already made important modifications which have improved my high quality of life.

Our enterprise (now centered on this journey weblog after Trail Wallet’s retirement this yr) continues to thrive, and this has been our greatest yr but, so thanks in your continued help.

It’s good to really feel like we’re on stable floor once more after the terrifying uncertainty of the pandemic.

I’m excited to tackle some new challenges this yr, one among which is to reboot our publication!

I will probably be taking on the drafting duties, and when you’d prefer to obtain my missives in your mailbox, enroll under:

In response to what’s occurring with the Big Name social networks, (a phenomenon Cory Doctorow has known as “enshittification“), I’ve been exploring options and created an account on Mastodon for Never Ending Voyage.

I’ll publish there solely sooner or later, so come be part of us! You can discover us at @[email protected] (the Washington Post has a information that can assist you get began)!

Our visa right here in New Zealand expires in April and we plan to go to Queensland in Australia after which Japan later within the yr. We’re particularly enthusiastic about Japan because it’s one among our favorite locations and it was closed for therefore lengthy.

It feels nice to have the ability to totally journey once more, and we’re excited for the yr forward!

Happy travels!
Simon (and Erin)