This issue of our newsletter brought to you by the DIY Trip Summit Hello Reader, First, a friendly reminder: The free DIY Trip online conference – all about trip planning for Europe – starts tomorrow, January 7. Make sure you're on the email list to receive the links you'll need to claim your virtual gifts and watch the expert-led sessions. Tickets are FREE and you can watch online for 48 hours after each session goes live. Tom and I are offering tried and true tips for packing light with a presentation on January 9 and sending DIY registrants our Minimalist Packing Checklists for men and women. Plus, Kris will be part of the live travel tips Zoom session on Thursday and chatting with attendees throughout the week. We’d love to see you there! Register for free at DIYTripSummit. P.S. Want to rewatch the sessions or get bonus resources? You can upgrade to the First Class Pass and unlock extended access to the sessions, plus premium travel resources and discounts! 🧭 Where in the World?Ireland in Focus. There's only ONE spot left on our tour to Sligo, Ireland, with Ireland In Focus, October 17-24, 2025. We are still offering a discount of $300 if you use the code "TP50" at checkout. Don't miss this distinctive deep dive into a small corner of Ireland. As a bonus, you'll get expert photo instruction from our host Ciaran McHugh and Tom. All the details and sign-up here: irelandinfocus.ie. Highlights of Sweden & Norway with Travel Past 50. Stay tuned! We will be announcing details of our TP50 Tour to Sweden and Norway within the next week or so. This will be our second time leading a small group through outstanding areas of Scandinavia, visiting cities, small towns, countryside and historic spots. Want a preview? Read one or two of our related posts: Åre, Sweden: Adventures in Jamtland, 5 Top Day Hikes in Sweden, or St. Olav's Way, Hiking in Sweden and Norway. 🧳 Our Latest PostsWe know our 2025 travels will take us back to Spain, so we thought we’d share our new survey of Spain’s most fascinating fiestas. Read 12 Great Traditional Cultural Festivals of Spain to learn about events all across the country and throughout the year. What were Travel Past 50's most read posts in 2024? Here are five of our most popular stories: Visiting the Auschwitz and Birkenau Nazi Death Camps A Winter Visit to Death Valley National Park 16 Great Cathedrals of Spain The Camino de Santiago Backpack The Ultralight Packing List for Women Has any particular post of ours helped you plan your travels this past year? 🗞️ Travel News From Around the Web
💸 This Week's Best Deals in Travel
📖 What We're ReadingTom is finishing up The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz for his book club, and is anxiously anticipating the next book on the pile: The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook, by Hampton Sides. Kris is on the last pages of The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. For a lighter – and much shorter – read, check out this essay by famed travel writer and novelist Paul Theroux from the NY Times, "The Hard Reality American Expats Quickly Learn". For our previous book recommendations, check out this list. ❝Travel Quote of the Week❞Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again. – Joseph Campbell Happy travels, Kris and Tom
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Hello Reader, 🧭 Where in the World? However you plan to spend the 4th of July weekend, let’s hope you have safe travels, relaxing afternoons with friends or family, and plenty of grilling and potluck dishes to share. The holiday starts now for us. Kris is planning a day trip to her friend’s lake place, a golf game, and a session at the kiddy pool this week. We prefer to stay close to home on the 4th. If you're thinking of setting off explosives, please think twice. Consider the noise impact...
Hello Reader, 🧭 Where in the World? We are busy back at home after a couple quick jaunts, including Kris's 50th college reunion. Though we didn’t have far to travel, the reunion brought the world closer to home. It was record-breaking attendance for a Carleton College reunion, and even our class (consider the disaffected era) exceeded expectations. Remarkably, the gathering wasn’t a trip down memory lane. The tone reflected the group’s engagement in the present and concern for the future....
Hello Reader, 🧭 Where in the World? We’re off to Vail, Colorado, and looking forward to some biking and hiking, eating, and wandering around gardens and art galleries. Elevation: 8,000 feet. Wish us well, and if you have experience in Vail, send us a note on what we should not miss! 🛫 Get Going: Tours We Recommend For You The last spots on our Ireland tour in October were snatched up quickly. If you missed that chance, you can join the waitlist for this year, or reserve your spot for 2026. 🧳...