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- The Travel Wire: best travel reads #23
The Travel Wire: best travel reads #23
Discover Shimokitazawa (Tokyo), the weird psychology of airports, the hidden side of Ho Chi Minh City, Uzbekistan's tourism boom, and more travel reads
Welcome to The Travel Wire, where I curate the best travel reads of the week.
Travel reads
"Affectionately known as Shimokita, this grungy counterculture neighbourhood has a long history as an indie music incubator. Discover the restaurants, cafes and shops in Shimokitazawa."
• The weird psychology of airports [The Conversation]
"National borders, time and place all dissolve at airports, making some people very anxious while others feel liberated."
• The hidden side of Ho Chi Minh City (free login might be required) [Escape Artist]
“Exploring the backstreets and alleyways of old Saigon.”
• Is there such a thing as ‘responsible trespassing’? This man walked 500 miles—and says yes [Adventure.com]
"In August 2024, Damien Gabet walked 500 miles from Hastings in southeast England to Gretna Green on the England-Scotland border. But it was no ordinary hike. This one included a series of trespasses."
• Coast to coast on two wheels [Outside]
“One adventurer’s solo journey across the U.S. on an Aventon Level 2 e-bike embraces the art of slow travel.”
• 'It risks becoming a Venice in the desert': The dark side of Uzbekistan's tourism boom (archive) [BBC]
• Take a ski safari across the Dolomites—home of the 2026 Winter Olympics [National Geographic]
• How Alaska’s historic roadhouses are standing the test of time [Smithsonian Magazine]
“The multipurpose lodgings along trails and rivers capture the state’s pioneering culture and spirit.”
• This island in Nova Scotia seems more like Scotland than Canada [Atlas Obscura]
"Cape Breton’s cliffside scenery and old-world Celtic traditions rival those of Scotland."
• ‘It’s not a theme park’: As tourism surges, Canary Islanders call on visitors to show more respect [euronews]
• Backpacker in Thailand taken on 1,200km detour [Bangkok Post]
"Man driven to Chiang Mai instead of Surat Thani also loses wallet, but tale ends happily."
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James Clark (Nomadic Notes)