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- The Travel Wire: best travel reads #20
The Travel Wire: best travel reads #20
Cycling the Namib desert, Yogyakarta, cargo ship cruise through the Marquesas Islands, the Maha Kumbh Mela, and more travel reads
Welcome to The Travel Wire, where I curate the best travel reads of the week.
Travel reads
“Having fallen in love with cycling as a teenager while living in Namibia for a stint in the 90s, Capetonian Stan Engelbrecht has been dreaming about spending more and more time riding through the desolate desert terrain and finding creative ways to make it happen. Join Engelbrecht and a cast of characters for a bike overlanding trip through the austere Namibian landscape…”
“The Indonesian city is home to some of the greatest Hindu and Buddhist temples, a thriving food scene and an area known as the Cosmological Axis, a cradle of Javanese culture.”

“To mark the end of 2024 I did something unexpected, and possibly foolhardy. Inspired by a (fitter) friend, I climbed to the top of China's famed Yellow Mountain, Huangshan.”
“Experience the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 through the eyes of a pilgrim and know everything about attending this once-in-a-lifetime event.”
“This tranquil walking route that takes in waterfalls, temples and hot springs is the perfect antidote to Japan’s overtourism, as John Kampfner discovers.”
“Cuban culture, cigars, dancing and chickens.”
“Cheonggyecheon stream in the South Korean capital has become an attraction – and helps with flood management, fighting air pollution and cooling the city.”
The 29th of January is the Lunar New Year (Tết in Vietnam). This year is the Year of the Snake, and many cities in Vietnam have elaborate decorations featuring the lunar animals. January is a great time to be in Vietnam and experience the spirit leading up to the new year.

On that note, happy Year of the Snake!
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James Clark (Nomadic Notes)