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Hello Reader,

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🧭 Where in the World?

Greetings from Valencia, Spain. We’re in the midst of Valencia’s annual Fallas festival. The five-day celebration is centered around 800 fantastic Fallas structures built by some 400 local clubs. In preparation for the final night’s burning of all these artistic sculptures, the days prior are filled with firecrackers, food, and parties. We’re gathering our photos and stories to share with you. In the meantime, see our video of the daily Mascletà fireworks extravaganza. Volume up! It’s loud!

Get our Spain Mini Guides for your next visit

Every time we visit Spain, we update our Spain city mini-guides, perfect for your self-guided visits to any of our featured cities: Madrid, Seville, and Málaga.

As a subscriber, the bundle of three guides – in downloadable PDF format – are yours. Do you have a friend you might want to subscribe? They can sign up here (or just forward this email to them.)

You'll get handy suggestions for museums and monuments; walks and notable neighborhoods; shopping; bars, restaurants, and food markets; festivals; and hotels.

🛫 Get Going: Tours We Recommend For You

We still have nine spots left on our Scandinavia: Cities, Culture, and Adventure with Kris and Tom, September 18-29. Book by March 31 and save $125. We’re happy to consult with you if you want to extend your travels.

We love all the tours organized by our fellow nomad, Sherry Ott. She’s having some fun with her next tour to Japan: The Ultimate Cat Lover’s Tour of Japan, November 3-10, 2025. See what we mean about affinity group travel? “This tour isn’t just about cats," says Sherry, "but it covers another part of my life I love.” We’d go strictly for the culture and adventure and enjoy the bonus cat photo ops!

See all Sherry’s tour offerings here, including a more adventurous Japan itinerary just before the cat tour, as well as tours to Nepal, Patagonia, and Panama. Tell her Kris and Tom say ‘hi’.

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🧳 Our Latest Posts

As part of our time in Valencia this time, we revisited the astounding City of Arts and Sciences designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. Here's our post about that from a few years back. We've also admired Calatrava's work in Toronto and Milwaukee.

Packing light – our YouTube post

Also new on our YouTube channel is our video about packing light. After requests from friends to observe our packing process, we created this step by step guide to packing, including tips for your minimalist wardrobe and, step-by-step, how to pack your bag.

🗞️ Travel News From Around the Web

• ​Budget cuts could affect your hiking trip this year, according the the NY Times. It's not just the Park Service that's been cut. Also the Bureau of Land Managment, the Forest Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service actually manage more public lands than the Park Service. Be sure to check the status at your destination before you go.
• It's becoming increasingly apparent that Canadians are changing their travel plans as more and more announce they won't be visiting the US this year. The impact on US tourism is going to be in the billions.

💸 This Week's Best Deals in Travel

• It doesn't get better than free, and that's what the Daily Drop travel newsletter costs. It's among the best at identifying flight deals that you can use. Sign up today. Why not?
• Amazingly, Apple AirTags are still on sale. If you check bags and you're not using these, you're taking a big chance.

✈️ Points and Miles News

• Dreaming of a travel deal… like saving $1,000 on your next trip? Start here with the Capital One Venture Card. Their great intro deal of 75,000 miles plus a $250 travel credit is still on. We don't know how long this deal will last, so don't miss it.

📖 What We're Reading

Kris is reading Poverty, by America, by Matthew Desmond.

Tom is taking the opportunity while in Spain to read El Árbol de la Ciencia, by Pio Baroja, in Spanish, which he bought at the great Espasa Calpe bookstore on Madrid's Gran Via. Baroja was one of Hemingway's favorite authors, which is where Tom got the recommendation. He's read a couple of his books in translation.

For our previous book recommendations, check out this list.

❝Travel Quote of the Week❞

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. – Mark Twain

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Happy travels,

Kris and Tom

P.S. What more can we do for you? Reply to this newsletter and ask us anything.

​ Tom Bartel and Kristin Henning ​Travel Past 50​ ​ Connect with us: Facebook, Threads, Instagram, ​ Join our Facebook community.

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