1
GARDEN-ISTA
I never thought I’d write a snippet on glorious gardens as part of this blog. But I will admit, when my wife and I were in Ireland, we had an opportunity to visit a beautiful private garden near the city of Gorey: Knockanree Gardens. It was the highlight of our trip. Probably has something to do with the connection to nature, and if you’re like me, appreciating it like a thoughtful work of art. Well, anyhow, here is a list of 100 gardens to visit before you die: “Some of the world’s most beautiful gardens we stumbled across in our travels and others are known to everyone who loves landscapes.”
2
BIKE-PACKING (LITERALLY)
Literally bikepacking is a term. I had no clue. I would just say bring your stuff on a long bike ride through some pretty amazing country. Whether you’re into bikepacking or what I just said, TripSavvy put together a list of some of the best classic routes to follow around the world: “One of the fastest growing outdoor sports and methods of adventure travel is bikepacking. As with backpacking, this activity involves carrying all of your equipment and supplies with you as you travel, remaining completely self-sufficient throughout your journey. The main difference of course is that instead of hauling all of your gear in a backpack and traveling on foot, bikepackers carry their equipment on their bikes instead. This gives them the ability to continue to travel independently while potentially covering longer distances in a single day.”
3
COME DANCING WITH ME
If you guessed that Japan had the most punctual airports, you’d be right. If you guessed that Latin America would have the most on time airline, I would say I’m signing you up for Jeopardy. What else did this CNN report on the world’s most punctual airports and airlines for 2019 reveal? “For the fourth year in a row, the most punctual mega airport (30 million+ seats) is Japan’s Tokyo Haneda (85.62%).” Of course!
Don’t worry if you ended up picking a flight that’s delayed or cancelled though. There are a ton of creative ways you can spend time at an airport. Just ask Katie Gould, a student who decided to take her four hour delay and turn it into a music video which subsequently went viral.
4
DRESS TO IMPRESS
I can’t lie. One of the biggest things that gets me when flying is how some people dress for a flight. I totally get being comfortable, but I also believe in being a little graceful too. Plus a huge upside? You never know what may happen when you’re traveling…I met my wife on a layover at the Bangkok airport! The Points Guy also thinks you may be able to score an upgrade if you dress to impress: “No, you should not expect a suit jacket to get you a lie-flat seat. But one flight attendant says it’s not all mythology, either. ‘Dressing up could get you an upgrade,’ former flight attendant and travel host, Bobby Lauries, told TPG. ‘But, only if you’re nice to the flight crew and maybe [also] bring them a few treats like chocolates or Starbucks gift cards’.”
5
VICTORI-A COMES TO THOSE WHO PERSIST
Every once in a while, I like to profile a couple of people that I’ve read about over the last week that inspire me. Their stories remain in my mind and inspire me to become a better person, and to have optimism and faith. Helen Keller put it best: “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” If you don’t know about Helen Keller, you should read up on her. But definitely read up on Victoria Arlen: “The vibrant 23-year-old is one of the youngest TV hosts at ESPN. She’s a gold-medal swimmer. And she reached her dream of competing on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ this past fall. But behind her bright smile is a tragic journey: At 11 years old, Arlen was in a vegetative state, fighting for her life.”
This fella is also inspiring if trekking Antarctica alone is more your speed: “Colin O’Brady finishes solo, unaided journey across frozen continent.”
Thanks,
Joe Naaman
Managing Editor, Waywinds
Keep Exploring!