Hello Reader,

🧭 Where in the World?

It is cold and ICEy here in Minnesota. That’s all we’ll say about that, in this newsletter at least.

🧳 Our Latest Posts

• Tom took a quick trip to Las Vegas and ducked into the Consumer Electronics Show. CES is one of Vegas’ biggest conventions and, because it’s always in January, provides great fodder for predictions. ChatGPT, anyone? In 2026, you can look for new phones, cameras, laptops, microphones, drones, gimbals, and all the gadgets you might want to be a, er, ‘content creator.’ (Aren’t we all content creators, after all?) Tom focused on his power game, and shares his finds for chargers, cables, power banks, and other cool stuff that is useful at home and essential on the road. Read his latest, How to Charge Up Your Travels and Home.
• Kris stayed home and ate bon-bons and read magazines. It’s a good thing, because she had almost forgotten a birthday. Madrid’s Sobrino de Botín, the oldest restaurant in the world, just turned 300 years old, and was featured in Smithsonian Magazine. Perfect timing, because we had just dusted off one of our favorite posts about Madrid Food Tours. That post happens to link to one of our favorite podcast episodes, too, an interview with Margit Sperling of Walk and Eat Spain. The podcast discussion really gets at the heart of Spain’s food scene and culture.
• By the way, if you participated in the DIY Trip Summit last week, you likely heard from both Kris and other presenters that signing up for a food tour is one of travel experts’ favorite ways of getting to know a new city. Thanks to DIY Trip Summit Organizers Michelle and Jedd of Intentional Travelers. There was so much enthusiasm for helping others with their independent travel planning, it was contagious. Welcome to the hundreds of new email subscribers who’ve joined Travel Past 50 via DIY.

🗞️ Travel News From Around the Web

• From Reuters news agency, their picks for 2025 Photos of the year, chosen from more than 1.6 million photos from 150 countries. Lot of stunners here, starting with last January's fires in Los Angeles. A lot of "hard news" but also plenty of depictions of pure joy.
• And, for those who like their photo subjects smaller, here are Nikon's Top 20 Microphotography notable photos.

🛫 Get Going: Tours We Recommend For You

• Last call to tour South America! We’re packing our bags for a mid-February departure. If you want to escape to Santiago (Chile), Mendoza and Buenos Aires (Argentina), email us today (Kristin@TravelPast50.com) to get in on southern hemisphere summertime.
• We have our sights set on a return to Istanbul in November 2026, this time with Elective Study Abroad. Check out their catalog of courses held across Europe and reserve your places now. Travel Past 50 readers get $250 off per person for any Elective course enrollments. Just use the exclusive code, TP50.
• Our Ireland group is still buzzing about the extraordinary time we had in Sligo with Ireland in Focus. Dates are set for the 2026 version, so reserve your spot now, preferably with your buddies who also appreciate craftsmanship, storytelling, lush landscapes, and a seat by the fire in an historic manor home. Use the TP50 code at checkout for a $300 discount. Great for solo travelers.

📖 What We're Reading

Tom is intrigued by the inner monologue going on in Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood, a tale of leaving your old life behind for something more quiet and contemplative.

Kris’s head is still swimming with images from the book she just finished, The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff. She’s already engaged in the next: Tales from the Sharp End, A Portrait of Chile, by Natascha Scott-Stokes.

You can see most of the books we recommend in one place at our Amazon book shop. If you'd prefer an alternative to Amazon, there is Alibris.com, where we frequently buy used books, and Bookshop.org, which supports independent booksellers. And, if you're into art books, like we are, check out the catalog at Taschen, the world's foremost publisher of art books.

If you buy a book through our links, we make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

❝Travel Quote of the Week❞

One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time. – Andre Gide

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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 on Facebook and Instagram. Join our Facebook community.

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