👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see.

Paris without a doubt has one of the most iconic café cultures in the world. Dating back to the 17th century, the Parisian café has been often considered the quintessential stomping ground for bohemians, artists and intellectuals to gather around discourse. For the rest of us they are part of the social fabric of everyday life. Venues of leisure, where slow service and lingering at a table are not a fault but a feature. It is an almost sacred domain where people watching or reading a book is expected, but pulling out your laptop or taking a phone call is discouraged. Another particular attribute of the roughly 1000 cafés you’ll find throughout the city is their consistency. Even the most historical establishments like Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots and Café Procope follow a very similar blueprint. Coffee and food are usually not the main course but more so a fine garnish to the social experience. So when Bacha Coffee appeared on my radar, I was very curious to see exactly what they would bring to the table. Spoiler alert: They bring more than just coffee and if you are the type that values unique crafted experiences, you will not be disappointed.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

☕️ The Location:

Situated on Champs-Élysées halfway between Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde, the location feels a bit removed from the busier shopping area the world’s most famous avenue is known for. Moreover, there are no tables, rattan bistro chairs or any of the other stereotypical visual queues outside to hint passerby’s to sitdown for a bit. Anyone unfamiliar with the Bacha brand would be forgiven for walking by the unassuming façade that almost blends in with the Regus co-working space next door. But do not let the minimalism deceive you. This seems to be by design. Where every café in the city centers around the experience of enjoying Paris, Bacha revolves around the experience of enjoying coffee.

I would recommend those with a limited time in the area plan their visit towards the beginning or the end of their tour around Champs-Élysées. For those aiming to walk the entire avenue, the cafe is a perfect spot to wind down after several hours of shopping. Franklin D. Roosevelt metro stop is across the street so it is also a very convenient trip if coming from Trocadero / Eiffel Tower via Line 9 or Louvre / Tuileries via Line 1.

☕️ The Ambiance:

To fully appreciate the experience it is important to have a bit of context about the world you will be transported to the second you walk through the glass doors. Bacha Coffee traces its roots to the Dar el Bacha palace in Marrakech in 1910 where it served as a diplomatic hub hosting the likes of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Josephine Bakes and Charlie Chaplin among others. Permanently closed down after WW2, the brand remained dormant until 2019 when it was revived by Franco-Moroccan businessman Taha Bouqdib. Tapped to bring the original coffee room at the palace back to life, the visionary saw an opportunity to export the essence of what made the salon the highest authority on coffee in Marrakech. Over the last few years the brand has expanded to 26 stores around the world with the one at Champs-Élysées opening up its doors to the public in 2025.

Once inside, this flagship store immerses you in 3 floors of rich Moroccan aesthetics that fuse the texture of the brand’s Arabic heritage with French haute cafe sensibilities. The retail boutique located on the street level, offers a selection of more than 200 different coffee beans from all over the world along with plenty of branded coffee paraphernalia. For those limited on time, there is also a take away coffee bar with a variety of drink choices and pastries.

Upstairs, the main dining area expands on the boutique’s opulence and divides into several rooms. Each with a unique theme. After glancing around it was clear there were no bad tables in the dining room. But knowing the visual mood I was after for this piece, I asked for a table by the stairs in an area that resembles a bit of a foyer. It was basking in direct sunlight which was perfect to get the dramatic shots I needed without intimidating the patrons and staff with my fancy photographic accessories. As a bonus, the wall next to the table served as a clean backdrop to highlight the food while showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail that is present throughout the entire space.

☕️ The Experience:

Once I sat down I was finally able to pause and peal back the layers that make such an interesting interior. Art Deco Elements of the original “House of Pasha”, checkered marble floors, intricate zellij mosaics and carved wood ornaments. They all complement the gold touches of the chandeliers, coffee pots and brightly colored coffee canisters. It is a feast for the eyes that creates an ambiance where an otherwise mundane drink like coffee becomes worthy of its own ritual.

Of the many things Paris (and France in general) are known for, world class service is not one of them. After many years of exploring the best the city has to offer, I have enough mileage to always walk in to a new establishment with my expectations grounded in reality. So needless to say I was very pleased with the warm welcome I felt from every single person I interacted with. From the second I entered and approached the hostess I was met at every turn with well mannered, knowledgeable staff that were proactive in ensuring I got taken care of throughout.

🍽️ The Menu & Final Thoughts:

The menu is divided into different components starting with a gorgeous hardcover book called “Marvelous Moroccan Moka”. The book covers the over 200 types of beans you can choose for your drink as well as a bit of history of their source of origin. Along with the book you get a smaller booklet with the different food and pastry options.

I included a .PDF of the shorter food menu below that you can download and dive in a little closer. Note the menu is only for the Paris store and the options will vary from what’s available in other countries.

I went for the “Bacha” set menu which is a multi course breakfast that includes:

x1 Carafe of coffee from the “Marvelous Moroccan Moka” menu, or organic herbal tea.

x1 Glass of fresh fruit juice.

x2 Sweet or savory gourmet croissants or pastries.

x1 Baguette of bread and butter.

x1 Dish of scrambled black truffle eggs.

x2 Sticks of pain perdu.

x1 Dish of fresh seasonal fruit.

x1 Fresh whipped cream.

x1 Syrup.

I am planning to do a more comprehensive write up dedicated to the coffee and food. So to not give out any spoilers and keep things moving I will give you the TL;DR:

Everything was great. I had a Bolivian bean for my main drink. It was properly brewed with good water and had no traces of bitterness or any of the unsavory qualities associated with improper pour-over techniques. Pastries and baguette were all fresh as were the juice and fruit plate. The stand out item though was the eggs. I’ve been having trouble recalling if I’ve ever had black truffles outside of pasta and in a million years would have never expected to ever be pairing them with eggs. But I am now convinced that’s exactly where they belong.

I’ve always been a huge fan of luxury brands with strong theatrical themes. When properly executed they can resemble a fine fragrance. If I had to summarize my first time visiting Bacha Coffee in Paris that is exactly how it felt. Like a fine fragrance it is a story told through a balanced potpourri of great ingredients that stimulates the senses, bottled in a beautifully sculptured package.

From someone who for years has been turning away from material objects in favor of bespoke intangible options, even the €48 breakfast feels less like a luxury culinary experience and a lot closer to an affordable afternoon expedition to Morocco. For those just in town on holiday, it is a great way to make a short stopover to a different time in a different country. For those like me who call Paris their home, it is the convenient way to escape the city for a while without packing our bags. In conclusion, Bacha surpassed all my expectations. No doubt I will be back to indulge on some of the other menu options.

Bacha Coffee France Champs Élysées Menu 20250916

3.16MB ∙ PDF file

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Bacha Coffee: 26 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris

Phone: +33 (0)1 71 25 19 10

Website: bachacoffee.com

Instagram: @bachacoffee

*Please note reservations are only accepted on weekdays from 9:30am to 2:30pm and not available on weekends or public holidays.

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see.

Autumn is mostly a wet and cloudy affair in Paris. Dark moody skies consistently reign supreme for several months and whenever there’s a break in the clouds, I will not think twice to make the most out of it. Specially if said break happens to land on a Sunday. So it should be no surprise that when I saw the weather forecast calling for clear skies last weekend, I made a beeline to my never ending restaurant bucket list and after a little deliberation made a Sunday brunch reservation for 2 at Too Restaurant (get it now). Cheeky play of words aside, I’ve had this spot pegged for several years but never had the opportunity to visit as it’s located a bit out of the way from where I normally hangout while in the city. In hindsight this might also explain why so many people I’ve talked to have never even heard of it and why the place remains so underrated.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

☕️ The Location:

With its strict zoning and urban planning regulations, Paris has never really been known for having a bustling rooftop scene compared to what you find in other major cities. To make matters a little more complicated, of the limited rooftop options available, many are only cocktail bars with light fare menus. For many years, sitting on top of Montparnasse Tower at an altitude of 210m / 698ft, Le Ciel de Paris held the crown for the city’s highest full service dining room with a view. But after its permanent closure last summer, it left a pretty glaring vacancy in the already niche rooftop restaurant category.

Overlooking the Seine river and the historical parts of the city, on top of the striking DUO-2 tower of Jean Nouvel’s Tours Duo project, TOO Restaurant sits at an altitude of 120m / 394ft. Making it one of the highest full service dining rooms in Paris, second only to Windo Skybar at the Hyatt. The restaurant and upstairs bar called TacTac are part of the 139 room Too Hotel that occupies the lower levels of the DUO-2 tower. Aside from taxi or ride share, I find the easiest route to get here from the city center is to take Metro line 7 at Châtelet toward Mairie d’Ivry and changing at Porte d’Italie to the Tram T3a towards Porte de Vincennes. The tram’s Avenue de France stop is 50m across the street from the entrance.

Access to the restaurant is through the hotel’s main entrance located on Rue Brunessau. Just walk through the lobby and head straight to the elevators. The restaurant is clearly marked on the elevator selection display.

☕️ The Ambiance:

Once you arrive at the restaurant level you are greeted by a host who will verify your reservation and seat you. There is complimentary coat check available if you happen to visit during that time of the year. As you make your way to the table, you will pass by the bar on the right which on Sundays doubles as the brunch buffet. On the left you’ll see a row of double tables and large chairs facing south west. As you make your way to the main room it is hard to miss Philippe Starck’s fingerprints throughout the space. If you’ve been exposed to his work the look will be familiar. It is bold, in your face and a touch hallucinating. If Salvador Dali was still around, he would probably be a regular here.

There is an explicit “chic-elegant” dress code listed, which I was very happy to see everyone abide by. Combined with the ample window lighting, soft conversations throughout the room and attentive service that mostly stayed out of the way, the overall ambiance was very pleasant. When compared to its closest contender Windo, you would be forgiven to forget you were at a hotel here. At Windo, you would need to be seriously visually impaired to miss the fact you’re in a Hyatt.

☕️ The Experience:

As a fan of Starck, I could keep going on about how much I loved the room, but the main reason you go out of your way to visit a place like this is for the view. In that regard Too delivers and then some. The space is lined with mostly north west facing floor to ceiling glass, giving you a crisp view of Montparnasse, Eiffel Tour and Sacre Coeur. This is something that clearly distinguishes Too from the south eastern facing view at Windo. From there you are facing the sun and the entire city is backlit. This accentuates the haze and flattens the view. From Too the sun drapes light from the side in a way that sharply carves every detail of the city’s architecture.

We picked a corner window table that gave us a bit more of a panoramic view, but it is really hard to go wrong anywhere in the restaurant’s floor plan. The window tables are a bit on the smaller size, but this allows both chairs to face the window and get the same unobstructed view. I think it’s a good compromise if you don’t mind playing the inevitable tableware Tetris required for buffet.

🍽️ The Menu & Final Thoughts:

The buffet has a good range of the usual suspects with plenty of both sweet and savory options. In these situations I tend to lean heavily into the more stereotypical North American fare, as it has become a bit of a rare treat in my diet these days. But there is enough variety to satisfy most palettes regardless what side of the Atlantic you’re from. I included a .PDF transcript of the full brunch menu below that you can download and dive in a little closer.

One thing that stood out to me from the brunch menu at Too was the inclusion of 1 a la carte dish in addition to the buffet. You can choose between eggs Benedict, teriyaki salmon, Angus beef gyozas and chakchouka with eggs and feta. I went for the Benedict but unintentionally made a bit of a mess of it after it made it to the table, so I skipped the photo. Let’s just say it tasted a lot better than it looked.

One thing I would’ve loved to see more of is fresh fruit. Though there was a small fruit salad plate on display, I feel like fresh seasonal fruits would have made the buffet that much better not to mention a great complement to the cereal, pancakes and waffles. While in the subject of fresh fruits, I tried the grapefruit and orange juices included as part of the brunch menu. They were both fresh squeezed, both really good. That lemon tart on the last photograph was amazing. Definite must try.

Too Restaurant Sunday Brunch Menu

28.8KB ∙ PDF file

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Free download. Updated December 3rd 2025.

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Overall I was very happy with the entire experience. Online reservations open 3 weeks out and the process is very straight forward. No spam after signup just a reservation confirmation / reminder email a few days prior. The servers were attentive without being overbearing and the menu has a good amount of options for the price point. I think that is where Too hits its sweet spot. Given the limited rooftop options in the city, at 60€ per person for 1 a la carte dish, buffet and drinks you will not find a dining room that offers this much value. Specially with the stunning view at this altitude.

Too Restaurant: 65 Rue Bruneseau, 75013 Paris

Phone: +33 01 78 90 79 90

Reservations: toohotel.com

Instagram: @toohotelparis

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

In government we trust.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 5 years since the world went on lock down. This newsletter was started as a bit of an outlet to help others navigate the craziness that was going on at the time. But many never knew the tribulations of travel at the height of COVID. As someone who had to constantly commute internationally all throughout the pandemic, it was a painful experience that forced me to rethink the way I did business. Some of the lessons learned during that time, still guide the way I travel today.

This little timelapse is of a particular moment early 2021 when the Dutch government suddenly required a negative COVID test no more than 4 hours before departure to The Netherlands. Since I had already booked my flight from Albania to the US before this rule came into effect, this meant I had to either rebook my entire itinerary last minute at a huge financial loss, or find a place to get a test during my layover that would get me the results no more than 4 hours before my departure to Amsterdam. I ended up going with the latter and the end result was:

1. Tirana - Frankfurt

2. Frankfurt - Barcelona

3. Barcelona - Amsterdam

4. Amsterdam - Atlanta

5. Atlanta - New York

I left my flat in Tirana on a Monday morning and between all the tests, flights and layovers, I finally arrived in New York on Wednesday afternoon. Looking back at my archives, there seems to be a ton of material from those days I never got around to sharing. So for the sake of going back down memory lane and a look at how far we’ve come, I will be publishing a few short articles during the coming weeks on the subject.

Alvin

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome to Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. Happy Friday everyone! Here’s another amazing last minute transatlantic deal from the great folks over at Norse. So far the most aggressive deals on transatlantic flights I’ve seen all year.

Alvin

💰 The Deal:

This special sale is for travel during the month of October. It is only available directly through the airline’s official website flynorse.com and available while supplies last. So you will definitely need to act fast. As of this morning as I am writing this there are still plenty of seats and dates available at the sale price. I’ve included screenshots of all the destinations and circled the best prices in red:

✈️ About Norse Air:

We’ve featured Norse in the past as it consistently ranks as one of our top value long haul carriers in the market. It operates similar routes to Play and French Bee. The biggest difference is that Norse offers a lot more non-stop point to point routes and connects via Oslo, Norway.

📸 About the Aircraft:

One of my favorite things about Norse is that it flies a fleet made entirely out of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. These are among the most comfortable cabins for long haul flights in the industry.

They offer a modern in flight entertainment system and have a good selection of choices on their menu.

The complete PDF menu is available for download on Calameo here:

Norse Inflight Menu

🧳 Baggage Allowance

As with all ultra low cost carriers (and most full service ones) the baggage allowance is limited. For the Economy Light fare product in this sale, Norse only includes 1 personal item. Here is a chart of charges for additional baggage and other services:

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. With the summer winding down and fall quickly approaching, the shoulder season that runs from September through November is one of the best times to travel. It is usually during this time that you will find some of the best deals on flights and accommodations. Over the last few weeks we’ve share some of these deals and will continue to expand on this them under our new Deal Alerts! section. But in the mean time I wanted to revisit some of my most used travel hacks. Regardless of your travel style, there is definitely something for everyone on this list.

So now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

#1 Fly with water.

So it turns out water bottles can fly. So long as they are frozen solid. Though already obvious to some, most people don’t know that liquids in frozen or solid form do not count against liquid carry-on limits and will pass most country’s security screening checkpoints. According to the United States TSA, one of the more strict enforcers of this policy:

“Frozen liquid items are allowed through the checkpoint as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening. If frozen liquid items are partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 liquids requirements.”

As with most security checkpoints, they clearly state that the final decision rests with the agent on whether an item is allowed or not. So always double check your departure country’s specific policies on liquids before flying. Also, don’t freeze your liquid in any non-disposable container just in case. But as someone who’s taken advantage of this little hack multiple times throughout the years, I can report I’ve never encountered any issues.

#2 One Stop Shop Toiletries

While in the topic of the TSA, ever wish you could simplify your Dopp kit’s item selection process? The folks over at Convenience Kit have you covered. They preassemble an assortment of TSA compliant kits of all your personal care essentials inside an attractive little pouch and ship them directly to you. Available in with both men and women’s products, they take all the guesswork out of packing your toiletries.

via Convenience Kits International

#3 Have the entire row for yourself.

Although this hack is more a toss of the dice or a gamble than an actual hack, it is still very worth the try if you are flying in pairs or with your significant other. Whenever you book your flights on a plane with 3 seat rows, select the seats on both ends of the row (isle & window) and leave the middle seat unselected. If the flight is not completely full, there is a very good chance no one will intentionally select that single middle seat so it is very likely you will get to enjoy the entire row for yourselves. If it turns out the flight is full, the middle seat is always a VERY easy trade with whoever gets it as it works out in everyone’s benefit, so the chances flying separate are extremely low.

#4 Avoid the middle seat.

Does the thought of getting stuck on a middle seat on your next flight make you throw up in your mouth a little? Well if you ever find yourself in such a predicament, dread not! Open a free account on ExpertFlyer and use their Seat Alert feature to get notified when a there is a cancellation on your flight. You can then switch your seat for theirs.

expertflyer.com

#5 Always have a place to Flush.

Ever find yourself having the urge and absolutely no idea where to go? In comes Flush the Toilet finder. Available for both iOS and Android devices, Flush is a simple to use map database with the location of over 200,000 toilets. So whether alone or with the family, on the other side of the world, or just on a side of town you’ve never been, this free app is a definite must have. Download it for you respective device here:

Flush - Toilet Finder for iOS

Flush - Toilet Finder for Android

#6 Embrace the Open Jaw Itinerary.

This is one travel hack that not a lot of people use or are even aware off but can be an extremely convenient way to visit multiple cities or countries. It is basically an itinerary where your destination and/or origin are not the same in both directions. I first came across this many years ago when cruising around the Asia, where I flew in to Shanghai to board my cruise and flew back home out of Singapore. Since then I’ve used the technique to book multi-city itineraries between countries while saving a lot of time and money in the process. It is very effective in Europe where there are so many transportation options between countries.

#7 Load up on your downloads.

Regardless how many amenities come with your first class suite or how comfortable you can make that empty 3 seat row in economy out to be, flying long haul is always a drag. There is only so much you can sleep and so many movies you can watch. Even though most modern carriers offer wifi onboard these days, signal can be quite inconsistent throughout the duration of the flight, not mention slow and quite expensive. One of the ways I keep my sanity on long flights while saving money on data is by using a very underutilized feature you might not even know your browser has called “off-line reading”. When enabled, like the name implies, it allows you to quickly download full webpages to your local hard rive or mobile device internal storage for consumption when you fall outside the coverage area. It not only works great when you are completely off-line, but it is also comes in extremely handy when you are on limited network speed or on a metered connection like the ones available at cruising altitude.

If you are on the Apple ecosystem, the feature is baked into the Safari web browser and syncs your Mac to all your iOS devices via iCloud.

Click here for detailed instructions on how to set it up directly from the Apple website.

If you live in Android, Windows or Linux land, or just want to supercharge what Safari already offers, a freemium service called Pocket has you covered. It is plugin based, so it works across different browsers and operating systems and their mobile app syncs all your devices through the cloud.

You can find it at getpocket.com.

#8 Always make it fragile.

Here at Departures, we prefer to always go carry-on only. But there’s a little trick we like to save for those rare times where we need to check luggage. Before handing your suitcase at the counter, ask for a free “Fragile” tag or label. Most airlines baggage handlers will place these on top to the pile inside the baggage compartment and they are usually the first items to come off the aircraft and on to the conveyor belt at your destination.

#9 Stay Hydrated.

One of the biggest challenges of being constantly on road or in the air is staying properly hydrated. A company called Liquid I.V. has cleverly come up with a product to help with that. Their Hydration Multiplier consists of a small packet of Gatorade tasting powder that you pour into your water bottle, shake and drink. The benefit? It hydrates you 2-3 times when compared to drinking the same amount of water on its own. More, hydration with less visits to the lavatory is a huge win in my book.

via liquid-iv

#10 Keep your packing in check.

Ever find yourself overwhelmed trying to decide what to pack? There is an app just for that! Available for iOS and Android, PackPoint is a travel organizer that will advice you on the best options based on the weather at your destination, the length of your trip, and any activities you have planned. Take a peek at how it works below:

via: packpnt.com

Have a favorite hack you would like to share with the community? We would love to hear it! Leave in the comment section down below.

Leave a comment

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see.

I am a fool for a good roof top bar. After living in Bangkok for several years, I became quite spoiled at the vibe as the rooftop scene in the city is at another level. To this day rooftop bars remain by far my favorite type of space to explore night life in any city I visit. So when I heard that the highest rooftop bar in Bolivia was a short walk from my accommodation, I just had to check it out.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

☕️ The Location:

Perched on the 38th floor of Bolivia’s tallest building, Cielo Bar has quickly made a name for itself since it opened its doors in 2023. Fast forward a year later and this gem in the sky is in the spotlight for earning a spot as one of the Top Ten nominees for “Best New International Bar in Latin America and the Caribbean” by the highly regarded Tales of The Cocktail Foundation.

Very well deserved honor if I may say as it’s not just the breathtaking location, soaring 3,250 meters above sea level that sets Cielo apart. The bar’s true allure lies in its beautifully crafted cocktails, inspired no doubt by the stunning panoramic views that surround it. It should come as not surprise that the mastermind behind this innovative cocktail haven is none other than JP Caceres, a seasoned mixologist with over 22 years of experience in the business. I sat down to talk with JP during my visit and his resume is quite impressive. Having honed his craft in some of Washington D.C.’s top bars, including Jaleo and Oyamel under the legendary chef José Andrés, Caceres brought a unique mix (pardon my pun) of creativity and expertise to Cielo Bar.

Under his tutelage, Cielo Bar has emerged as a trailblazer in Bolivia’s cocktail scene. With its extensive menu of both classic drinks, innovative signature cocktails and commitment to excellence in service, it has already made several top national and international hospitality lists.

☕️ The Ambiance:

A visit to any roof top bar begins with a trip up an elevator and the one to get to Cielo is accessed from Avenida de la Fuerza Naval opposite to Avenida Ballivián, the area’s main traffic artery. From the moment you set foot on it you are invited into a world of luxury, style, and breathtaking views all the way up to the 38th floor. The room greets you with panoramic floor to ceiling windows that flood the room with natural light during the day and offer unobstructed vistas of La Paz’s mountains and cityscape below. Sleek marble floors and contemporary furnishings give an air of sophistication, while the vibrant, glass ceiling art adds a bold splash of color and personality.

The centerpiece of the bar is a chic marble counter, surrounded by comfortable leather stools, perfect for enjoying a cocktail while admiring in the dramatic surroundings. Warm, indirect lighting and elegant decor create an inviting ambiance, while cozy booths on the wall opposite to the entrance offer a more intimate setting for unwinding as the sun sets over the horizon. As the night falls and patrons start flowing in, it becomes clear that this is a place you come to be seen. Tables fills up and a smart-elegant dress code prevails throughout, perfectly complementing the room’s sophisticated aesthetic.

☕️ The Experience:

As amazed as I was with the ambiance at Cielo, it is the mixologists and the cocktails they craft the true stars of the show. Full stop. Caceres has assembled a dream team of world class talent behind the bar that makes sure every single drink is as impressive as view. Watching them at work is an artful spectacle of prowess where no detail is too small to be spared.

One of these signature cocktails is the aptly named “Beso en las nubes”. It consists of Swiss Cherry Kirsch, Bolivian Singani, orange juice, simple syrup and Absinthe. A spectacular combination of ingredients with a cupola of citrus smokey drama on top. An extravagant sensory voyage that tastes as great as it looks.

I had the opportunity to visit the bar twice during my stay. The first time as an unassuming patron and the second as professional camera wielding photojournalist. On both occasions I was able to bear witness to the attention to detail that went on to every single drink that was prepared in front of me. From the ingredients to the garnishes, I can’t speak highly enough to the amount of care that gets poured on to every single cocktail.

🍽️ The Menu & Final Thoughts:

Though mostly a cocktail menu, there is modest selection of tapas style plates to choose from. I had the opportunity to taste the “Spice Trucha Salmonada” and it was excellent. After trying several other Trucha based recipes with from other restaurants during my tour of the country, this rendition was one of the more interesting takes on the popular fish.

Another Cielo exclusive is the “Masala Art Tour” cocktail. Vodka, lime juice, masala chai syrup, egg white and matcha art. Well paired here with the “Spicy Trucha Salmonada”, from the Piqueos menu. A lush mix of salmon trout tartare, avocado, sesame oil, locoto carretillero sauce and fresh chives, served over corn discs.

Whether you’re looking to sip on something classic or try one of their signature concoctions, Cielo Bar promises an unforgettable experience that combines stunning design, world class mixology, and unparalleled views. This is a must visit for anyone in search of a unique and elevated bar experience while in the Bolivian capital city.

Cielo Bar: Av. de la Fuerza Naval 1063, La Paz, Bolivia

Phone: +591 78004020

Reservations: barcielo.meitre.com

Instagram: @cielo.lapaz

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome to Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see! This week TAP Portugal has some hot sales departing out of Chicago Let’s check them out!

Alvin

💰 The Deal:

Chicago to Barcelona Round Trip for €360. This special sale is for travel between October 2024 and November 2024. What really made this deal stand out for me was that it includes x1 personal item, x1 carry-on and the meal. This deal is only available directly through the airline’s official website flytap.com. Like most of these deals, it is limited to availability and at this price, it won’t be long before seats sell out. So you will definitely need to act fast. For easy reference, bellow is the chart with the lowest prices for each month with the best travel days highlighted in red:

Chicago to Paris Round Trip for €400. This special sale is for travel between October 2024 and November 2024. As with the Barcelona deal above, it includes x1 personal item, x1 carry-on and the meal. This deal is only available directly through the airline’s official website flytap.com. Like most of these deals, it is limited to availability and at this price, it won’t be long before seats sell out. This is the chart for the Chicago - Paris route with the lowest prices for each month with the best travel days highlighted in red:

✈️ About Tap Portugal:

TAP Portugal is a full service carrier that operates flights to close to 100 destinations in more than 30 countries around the world. The airline is the flag carrier of Portugal and their main hub is located in Lisbon with a secondary hub in Porto.

📸 About the Aircraft:

One of the things I like the most about Tap is their fleet of brand new Airbus A330neo aircraft which I highly prefer over the smaller A320/321neo’s from Play Air. In my opinion, these aircraft are quieter and roomier.

Each seat is equipped with an infotainment system, headphone jack and USB charging port. Overall they offer a better inflight experience than their more compact counterparts. Limited paid WiFi service is also available onboard.

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures! “The place to be for where to go and what to see.”

Some of the most important aspects of the human experience are built on top of the connections we establish with others. I’ve been extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to travel full-time for all these years while growing and maintaining a truly diverse social circle that spans 24 timezones. Yet I meet so many people online and in real life that constantly struggle finding meaningful connections. Not just while traveling, but also while living traditional, nonmigratory lifestyles. After filtering through a lot of the correspondence I get, these are some of the most frequently asked questions:

1. How do you deal with loneliness?

2. How do you make friends?

3. How do you find partners?

My journey to nomadic social enlightenment has not been without its pitfalls. Much so in the beginning, as I struggled to figure it all out. Even though I still can’t pretend to have a one size fits all formula, today I’m going to break down the best workflow I’ve found to deal with these 3 challenges and share the strategies I use to stay socially active regardless the country I’m in. I hope that whether you are struggling with loneliness or just want to mix things up a little bit, you can take some of what I’ve learned over the years and apply it to improve daily life in your neck of the woods.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

📍My starting point.

Each of our individual social experiences will vary drastically depending on our personalities, priorities, expectations and circumstances. So I want to begin by laying down a bit of context about me:

• I am socially extroverted. Being in large crowds, walking up to a group of strangers and introducing myself, speaking in front of people etc, are all activities that give me energy and fill me with joy. Though this gives me a slight advantage in certain situations, it is by no means a panacea.

• I am professionally introverted. I enjoy extended periods of deep thought and creativity. I also spend a lot of time walking, making photographs, composing music and writing my mental ramblings on my own.

• I value my space. I do my best work in solitude. I have tried multiple communal live-work cohorts and even with private accommodations, I find the environment too invasive as a viable longterm living solution.

• I value my time. In order to make the best use of my most limited resource, I prefer to plan things out. I plan what I will do, when, for how long and with who. This allows the best version of me to show up for myself and for others.

• I prioritize depth over breadth. Given I only have so much time and energy to spend on myself and on others, I choose to put emphasis on the few individuals I can build deeper relationships with, then put in the work it takes to maintain those relationships over time and distance.

💻 My algorithm.

In my journey to achieve social harmony, I’ve made a point of ensuring my circles all revolve around some combination of common career, pursuits and values. I always gravitate towards people who I share at least 2 out of the 3 categories. The overlap within each category will vary from person to person. For example, someone who is in my social circle as a friend or acquaintance might lean heavy towards pursuit and/or career. While someone entering my social circle as a partner or potential partner might over index on values.

Filtering people through these three “lenses” allows me to kick off interactions from a baseline of compatibility. Although this alone will not guarantee who ends up in my circle, by using this “vetting” process, I am surrounding myself by default with like minded individuals and setting myself and those around me up for a better experience. Think of it as the analog algorithm of a real life “For You Page”.

Connecting with others around emotional or intellectual interests ensures I start off in a community that shares common motivations and personal goals. Having that immediate bond, makes it easy to strike conversations and build rapport. It is through these shared experiences among strangers, that I am able to begin building long lasting relationships with others and constantly attract a social circle where ever I happen to be. Now that we’ve established the selection process, let’s look at how and where I go find all these like minded individuals.

🧰 My workflow.

As a full-time traveler, I realized early on that one of the biggest obstacles that hindered my ability to grow socially was time (or lack there of). This might not apply to those with permanent dwellings in their country of origin, but I think most nomads can relate. Our abundance of flexibility tends to make us fickle. We become addicted to the dopamine and overstimulation that comes from discovering a new destination. Moving from place to place, spending as little time as necessary to check the box off our proverbial bucket list. In order to give myself the best opportunity to find and cultivate deep, meaningful connections, I have adopted a few high level guidelines to help me make the most out of the time I spend at each destination:

• I travel slow. A minimum of 30-90 days in one main hub. Usually a major city where I can easily access the amenities and services I need. I will get a flat for the duration of my stay and will do short weekend travels around the region from there. Spending quality time in the same place is one of the most important elements needed for everything else to work.

• I do my research. While planning, I will do my best to find accommodation within close proximity of a laptop friendly coffee shop and / or restaurant I can frequent. If there’s a co-working space in the vicinity even better. I will then start looking for interest based events in the area via the apps listed below. When possible, I will also try to engage virtually with these online communities before I arrive.

• I adopt a routine. In health, in business and with others, strong habits come from consistent repetition. Once I land, I make it a point to peg 2-3 places I visit frequently. These will usually be the coffee shop, the restaurant and the co-working space. Having places where people know you by name or remember your drink is a great way to bring some permanence into my day to day.

• I put in the work. It doesn’t matter where you are. Growing and maintaining relationships is hard work. When you are constantly moving, even more so. In order to maintain the bonds I build, I keep a list of people I want to keep in touch with. I follow up with them while I’m there and continue to do so after I’m gone.

Regardless of your personality type and lifestyle, these are all things most people can adopt to different degrees in order to improve their social odds. Specifically for long term travelers and nomads, when applied properly I find that they make a significant positive impact in the quality of life.

🧰 My Toolkit

There are a plenty of apps and websites out there dedicated to help humans connect with each other. Over the years I have tried many. Based on the things I value, I have settled on a handful of them that consistently yield the best results wherever I go. Even though the audience on each platform can vary, the one thing they all have in common is that they organize community around interests.

Meetup

In a nutshell, Meetup is all about connecting people in real life or online to do fun things together. When you visit the platform, it feels like a market place of activities. The platform is very easy to navigate and filter to get the type of activities you are interested in. You can join groups, go to events, and meet new people in your area or online as there are also many virtual events. The range of these is quite vast and will vary by location. If you don’t have a hobby or want to explore a new one, there are a lot of beginner friendly activities like cooking classes and language exchanges. The more popular weekend events usually revolve around coffee, happy hour or dancing. There is also plenty of zero or low cost activities like hiking, running, reading, writing and photography. Using the platform is free though some events charge a fee to participate. If you have never ventured into interest based activities, Meetup is the place I would recommend you start.

Website: meetup.com

iOS: Meetup App

Android: Meetup App

InterNations

InterNations is a global community that connects expats and international travelers, making it easy to meet people, get advice, and find things to do in a new country. Since it started in 2007, it's become one of the biggest networks for people living abroad, with members in over 420 cities around the world. On the platform, you can join forums, attend local events, and get tips on everything from finding a place to live to understanding the local healthcare system. Like with Meetup, you can also join groups based on your hobbies or interests and get together with others in your area.

One thing to note though, is the crowd at InterNations events can be at times a bit of an acquired taste depending on the city you’re in and the event you go to. The larger weekend events feel like what would happen if LinkedIn hosted happy hours. A lot of mid 20s to mid 40s professionals, dressed to impress and looking to mingle. The smaller events you find on the platform are more informal. Overall I find it is very expat leaning and a great place to get insight of the city from people who’ve been around a little longer. Though the platform is mostly free to use, it does offer a paid “Albatross” tier that gives you access to certain “Albatross” only events, member search, advanced messaging and discounts. As an “Albatross” member you can also apply to become a host.

Website: internations.org

iOS: InterNations App

Android: InterNations App

Facebook Groups

Thanks in part to its parent app’s infamy for being one of the worst places to use up your screen time, Facebook Groups are a bit of the bastard child of online spaces. But make no mistake, Groups are one of the best places where people with similar interests or hobbies can connect and chat. Because of Facebook’s vast worldwide reach, there are plenty of groups around niche communities in pretty much every country as well as many common hobby and activity specific groups like running, hiking and dancing. Even if you don’t have a Facebook account, I would recommend anyone looking to expand their social circle while traveling to use a burner email and open one up for the sole purpose of having access to this feature. It is that good. For the privacy minded, you can use the website in your favorite browser’s incognito window and get almost the same functionality as the app.

Website: facebook.com

Workaway

If you are someone who’s a bit more introverted, does not have any hobbies or are looking for a higher sense of purpose, volunteering is one of the best way to expand your social circle while making a difference in the community you are in. Workaway is a global platform that connects travelers with hosts around the world, facilitating a unique exchange where "Workawayers" trade their skills and enthusiasm for accommodation and authentic cultural experiences. Offering a wide range of opportunities from farming and teaching to assisting in hostels or contributing to artistic projects. Workaway operates in over 170 countries, covering locations from bustling cities to remote villages. To become a volunteer, you'll need to sign up (the fee is about $20 per year), create a profile, find a suitable project, and get accepted by a host. Your Workaway profile is a mix between a social media page and a resume.

Website: workaway.info

Tinder

If you’ve followed along this far, you will probably have noticed one pretty glaring omission from this entire workflow has been the use of dating apps. Though these may work for casual encounters or other unique circumstances, the general consensus is that for most, the juice is not worth the squeeze. Countless studies have been published now about all the mental health issues linked to swipe culture. Everything from stress, anxiety and insecurity, to low sense of self worth and depression can be triggered by the toxic nature of these applications.

Diving into the dating app rabbit hole is a tangent outside the scope of this post but one of these studies conducted by Pew Research concluded what’s been obvious to so many of us for so long. The dating scene as it currently stands is broken and apps have played a pivotal role in its downfall. By reducing the selection process to a binary thumb gesture on a screen, based on a photo and a few lines of text, dating apps commodify romance while profiting from our failure to find it.

[UPDATE September 8th, 2024] If you are interested in learning more about the science and economics behind dating apps, I highly recommend you checkout this excellent article by :

Kyla’s Newsletter

How Dating Apps Contribute to the Demographic Crisis

The dating apps are under a lot of pressure. Falling revenues, people not wanting to pay, and Gen Z seemingly uninterested have led to collapsing stocks and circling activist investors. Their only path forward is monetization - but what does that mean for the demographic crisis…

Read more

2 years ago · 193 likes · 47 comments · kyla scanlon

As someone who prioritizes growing and maintaining deeper connections over time and distance, the superficial nature of the dating app ecosystem is completely incompatible with my goals and values. For those who’ve found success dating online, more power to you. Nothing wrong with that. But if you have struggled with dating online or feel that the dynamics are not a good fit for you, know that it is completely possible to carry a healthy social life without ever meddling with online dating. Every single one of my dates and partners, including my current partner of 5 years has come from meeting and bonding in real life around shared interests.

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome to Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see! This week French Bee dropped some hot sales for those post summer travel blues. Let’s check them out!

Alvin

💰 The Deal:

New York to Paris Non-Stop for $110. This special sale is for travel between September 2024 and November 2024 (Similar dates are available from Los Angeles from $235). This deal is only available directly through the airline’s official website frenchbee.com. Like most of these deals, it is limited to availability and at this price, it won’t be long before seats sell out. So you will definitely need to act fast. For easy reference, bellow is the chart with the lowest prices for each month in red:

✈️ About French Bee:

French Bee (and it’s sister airline Air Caraibes) is another one of our top picks for value long haul carriers right now. It operates similar it competes in the transatlantic routes with Norse and Play Air. The biggest difference is that French Bee / Air Caraibes connect all its destinations via Paris Orly. Another thing to note is they operate in New York out of Newark International Airport, so they offer a bit more convenience over Play Air which serves New York out of Stewart Airport.

📸 About the Aircraft:

One of the things I like the most about French Bee is their fleet of brand new Airbus A350 aircraft which I highly prefer over the smaller A320/321neo’s from Play Air. In my opinion, these aircraft are quieter and roomier.

Each seat is equipped with an infotainment system, headphone jack and USB charging port. Overall they offer a better inflight experience than their more compact counterparts. Limited paid WiFi service is also available onboard.

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures! “The place to be for where to go and what to see.”

I don’t buy souvenirs. Wherever I go, I collect nothing but good memories and photographs. As a professional photographer and full time traveler, I always have a proper camera on me for both work and pleasure. So today I thought I would share some of the thought process behind my street captures while I am out and about.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

🗺️ Planning & Preparation.

As much as I’d like to just grab the camera on my way out the door and start making photographs, there’s a bit more that goes into my process. When I’m visiting a city I like to have a broad plan of possible daily activities. These may be sights to see or errands to run. So I normally begin by looking at the weather forecast for the day and things I can accommodate during the time I’m planning on being out. With a defined set of activities penciled in, I pull up the map and identify the best route to get from point A to point B. For the route, I try to strike a balance between efficiency and opportunity. For example, instead of talking public transit from my accommodation directly to the first point of interest, I might get off a couple of stops before my final destination and walk the rest of the way there with my camera. A variation of this would have me go half way to my destination, make a stopover along the way, shoot for a few hours and then continue to my final destination. For planning I depend mostly on 3 apps:

Google Maps:

Google Maps - Most people will be familiar with this app as it’s built in to Android and one of the first apps iOS user download onto their devices. I rely on this app for all my route planning and have very organized lists of pinned places in every city / country I’ve ever been in.

My Radar:

My Radar - Available for Android and iOS, this is the most comprehensive weather app I’ve found that is consistently accurate everywhere I go. The iPad version is beautiful to look at and offers a great user experience. It works just as great on a phone. The fully functional app is free with a few optional one time purchases that unlock advance features and an optional subscription that unlocks the app’s SAAS features.

The Photographer’s Ephemeris:

The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) - Available for iOS and web, this app is one of the most important tools in a photographer’s digital arsenal. It is a map app for the sun, the moon and the stars. Among its many features, it allow you to visualize what the sun is doing and how the light falls in any part of the world where you have GPS signal. It is invaluable for those days where I am specifically chasing the light. More on that below.

🚶‍♂️‍➡️Hitting the Streets.

With my plan laid out, I grab my camera and head out the door. My main goal when shooting street photography is to be able to get up close to my subjects while being as least intrusive as possible. These days I mostly shuffle between a Nikon EM 35mm film kit and a Lumix GM-1 digital kit. Both of these are very small, long discontinued cameras that do not call too much attention to themselves.

Although I have a full range of lenses for both camera systems, I will typically choose one camera body and one lens before going out the door. Limiting my options gets all decisions about gear out of the way and allows me to focus on the photographs I want to make. It prevents distractions and helps me stay in the moment.

☀️ Following the Light & Gestures.

When deciding what I want as my subject, I usually ask myself these questions:

1. How is the mood? Light hits different subjects differently. Light also plays a crucial role in establishing the photograph’s mood. Just like I define before leaving my accommodation the camera and lens I am going to take, I also try to define the mood of the photographs I want to make. This is where The Photographer’s Ephemiris app comes into play. Where Google Maps will give me the general direction where I need to go, TPE will show me the route to take to get the best light.

2. What is the moment? One of the most interesting things about street photography is all the possibilities that open up when you let go and embrace the moment. Some moments are best captured from the hip as they happen while other moments are made from the interactions with the environment. Both situations require a certain awareness do be able to identify what we want to capture and a certain fortitude to press the button without fear of judgement.

3. Where is the gesture? Gesture is not just the expression in someone’s face. Gesture is the characteristic essence that’s present in everything we see. It is the unwritten message between the lines. It is also extremely elusive to capture, but you know you got it when you see it. All my favorite photographs have gesture.

📸 Ask for permission or beg for forgiveness.

This seems to be a pretty big debate among street photographers. Do you shoot from a distance and stay unnoticed? Or do you just go up to someone’s face and shoot away? In my view there is no right or wrong. Just right or wrong for your particular situation. Take this scenario here with the blacksmiths. From the second I walked by I knew I wanted to shoot them. I could’ve lurked across the street with a long telephoto lens and shot them from my comfort zone. But I knew that interesting guys like these surely had an interesting story to tell. So instead, I walked up to them, introduced myself and asked them how long they had been doing this. After a few minutes exchanging stories about each other, they went back to work and invited me to take a step inside the shop to shoot them in action.

For contrast, in the image below, the moment would’ve have been completely lost if I had approached the subjects and interacted with them in any way. These kind of moments are better captured spontaneously.

I’ve always found street photography to be a very rewarding genre. It requires a good balance between the creative and the unpredictable. It offers photographers a unique way to get out of their comfort zone and interact with their environment. Even when just practiced casually, it is a great opportunity to grow technically and artistically while also creating impactful images. In my view, the best way to do it is by starting with a loose plan, giving yourself some creative limitations and just going out and enjoying the moment.

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures! The place to be for where to go and what to see. As much as I was ready to continue publishing about my wonderful adventures of the last few months, this week has turned out to be quite an unexpected emotional adventure on its own. In spite of having been in proximity to several Olympic Games over the years, I had never gotten the opportunity to attend them. This time around, living within walking distance of the game’s epicenter, made it almost impossible to not go. But little did I know that what I initially thought as some extracurricular activities to fit around my daily Parisian routine, would end up shining a light into a dark corner of my brain I had not even realized was there. So my apologies in advance for not bringing the usual tactical travel advice you are used to. But I am having a bit of a moment and I’m hoping someone else out there might be able to relate.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

Once upon a nomad.

First, let me take a moment to put some context to where I’m coming from. I’ve been away from the US at this point way longer than I ever lived in it. Ever since leaving, I’ve never felt homesick or held any feeling of longing. Like many nomadic expats, I grew disenchanted with the environment of the time and in no uncertain terms jumped ship to never look back. From there on, my journey as a full time traveller and location independent citizen has always been forward looking. I have made a habit of prioritizing my next destination above and beyond whatever came before it.

Over the years, as I became a bit more self aware about the negative contributions my excessive travels were having on myself and those around me, I began to slow down my pace. Traveling to one destination for months instead of weeks or days. I began to look for more depth in every destination. Placing myself in local communities off the beaten tourist path. I started making new friends and fostering long term relationships with locals. Going as far in certain countries to begin learning the language and take part in volunteering efforts in the communities I would surround myself with.

At this point, I’ve already been in France at least part time for several years. I use Paris as a base to springboard on to other destinations and only returning to the US for very short visits. Throughout this entire time, I have always felt very welcomed as a guest regardless of the country I decided to stay. All this to say in so many words, that at an emotional and physical level, I have been 100% detached from my country of origin for years. As such, I don’t hold a lot of the biases common to those who live a little closer to their homestead.

Fast forward to 2024 and as some of you might’ve seen on my other socials, early this year, I embarked on another longterm adventure. This time to South America. I planned this trip in a way that would allow me to unplug from the digital world as much as possible. With one of my main goals being to break some of the problematic device habits I have developed over the past 15 years of being glued to my phone. In that spirit, I put myself on a very strict media diet. Seldom posting any updates or consuming much of anything but the moment I was living.

After returning to Paris, the truth is I've not had much chance to get up to speed with everything that has changed in the world over the last few months. Even less, look at the current rankings for the games I would be attending. Yet as the saying goes, time doesn’t hear if we ask it to wait and next thing I know, the alarm is ringing to tell me the Women’s Rugby Sevens game is in a few hours. So off I go.

Game Day.

There is no shortage of sports to follow this side of the Atlantic. Since moving to Europe though, I have been drawn to Rugby. It is after all American Football’s long distance cousin. So when the option to buy tickets for the Olympics became available, it was the first sport that made the short list. This day was already going to be special in more ways than one. Not only would this be my first Olympics, but it would also be the first rugby game I attended and my first time in Stade de France. I arrived early to give myself a chance to walk around a bit and find my loge without having to rush too much. After touring around the area for a bit, I made my way to the main gate and up to my assigned entry door. As I found my loge and walked to the window facing the field I saw the day’s line up. To my surprise, the US team had made it to the semifinals. Before long, the stadium, was filled to its capacity. It had been years since I last set foot inside a venue of this magnitude and the excitement of just being there was impossible to hold back. Drinks, snacks and cameras in hand, I sat down on my seat to watch the game, with not a single clue of the emotional rollercoaster I was about to go on.

Separating the art from the artist.

Or in this case, separate the athletes from their countries. Being a fan of a certain team or athlete has everything to do with athletic achievement. It is the individual’s effort or their effort within the team that informs my thought process on who to admire and root for. Yes, it’s very easy to get distracted and go down tangents on how unsustainable the Olympic games themselves are and how problematic the institution behind them can be. In a similar way it is very tempting to focus on how a particular country’s antics outside the sport can play a role in current world affairs. All important topics to discuss without a doubt. But the devil here really lies in the details. Nuance matters. Athletes are a product of their hard work and dedication to the sport and not the Olympic Committee or the whims of whatever political party happens do be in power in their country of origin.

I just can’t stress enough how much I appreciate everyone that has put in the effort to make it this far. These are all people who in many cases worked their ass off their entire childhoods to be able to achieve world class status in their respective disciplines. It is through this lens that I can go to any sports event and bask in joy watching others push the boundaries of what humans are capable. Regardless of the flag they carry. But I digress.

The matches started on time and ran like clockwork all afternoon with short breaks at halftime and in between matches. With so many teams from different countries competing one after the other, it can be kind of hard to grasp at first glance the audience’s demographics. Once the teams are introduce and make their way to the field, the cheering makes it obvious there’s a fairly even spread of fans distributed across the stadium. That was until the US team made its way on to the green.

Enter the USA.

I hope I’m not butchering the facts here when I say the United States is not known for its world class Rugby league. It is a very niche sport that has been historically underrepresented since its rules were codified in back in the 1800’s. Men or women, the US has to my knowledge never brought home a medal in Rugby. Having a team in the Olympics is already a pretty big deal. Having that team within grasp of the podium in a sport that the country has never won? That is what Hollywood sports blockbusters are made off. A true underdog story in every sense of the word. So it was to my great surprise that as the US team was announced and the girls ran out into the field, there was a very poignant silence relative to the reception given to the rest of the teams before them.

Throughout all these years of travel I have experienced plenty of the low key contempt that comes from having our passport. Everything from light hearted jokes all the way to public gang-mockery. Broad stroking of what is without a doubt well earned stereotypes based on the way we are, the things we like and the shit we do. As an individual, I have no shame and zero fucks to give. I have heard every single trope more than once and I am well equipped to brush it off and move on. For some reason though this felt different. I was saddened, borderline tearful for every single one of these girls as I looked around and realized the only people cheering for them were the group in the loge right next to mine.

Laugh about my naïveté all you want, but I never thought it’d be possible to feel so isolated amongst so many people. I could’ve jumped the rail to their side and asked for a hug, but who’s got time for that kind of pity party? So I shoved the camera back in my face and shot through the rest of the match.

Looking back, I’m really glad I did. It was a nail biter from start to finish. In the end, the girls delivered the goods. In a last minute play they defeated Australia and brought home the Bronze.

Be good to yourself.

I have no clue who these people were but their vibe pulled me out of my cynicism. I did not care if they were Ford or Chevy, iOS or Android, or if they vote red or blue. They were a masterclass of pride and country. In a stadium with 80,000 people, they were for a moment, the only people I could relate to and the only indication I was not alone. I am very fortunate to have seated next to them and the girls are very lucky to have them as their biggest fans.

On my way home I could not help but ponder on the more existential side of this whole experience. It’s not easy facing without warning the reality of how out of touch you’ve been. The truth is no one owes us anything and sadly we are laying on the bed we made. Respect is earned not asked for and if we are ever interested in having the US regain its place in the World, we are going to have to work harder with each another and with everybody else.

Who knows. Maybe if we build a good team, invest the time and put in the effort, we can pull a last minute move that brings us back to the top. In the mean time let’s keep on cheering for each other. In the words of Journey:

-Be good to yourself, when nobody else will.

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. Mobile apps have evolved drastically over the years giving us ever more powerful tools to better plan, manage and organize our trips. As such, the apps I have on my phone for any given trip have also changed over time. After the special Top 10 Travel Hacks edition a couple of weeks ago, so many of you wrote in looking for me to expand on some of the apps that were featured on the list. So inspired on your feedback I dug into my phone’s “Travel” folder and I’m sharing my most used travel apps for 2024 in no particular order. Notably missing are all the transportation and lodging apps as those I am saving for my upcoming “Ultimate Guide to Travel Planning”. So make sure you stay tuned for that one. Though I live in the iOS ecosystem, I’m also including Google Play Store links to the Android version or its closest equivalent.

#1 Google Maps.

Let’s just get the most obvious one out of the way first. This app is the OG and the truth is I live by it everywhere I go. Although there are apps with more utility and better looking maps out there, After traveling through over 110 countries, Google’s is just the most universally reliable. But more than the basic navigation features everyone at this point will probably be already familiar with, it’s the more advance features and integration with desktop that really put it above the rest for me. I use it to save pins of my favorite locations in every city, check out reviews of local restaurants and establishments, plan walking routes and almost everything else regarding point to point ground navigation. Together with TripIt (bellow) they form an integral part of my electronic travel diary. Although the Watch integration is not as solid, the navigation accuracy more than makes up for it. For years Google Maps app has come preloaded on most smartphones, but if for some reason it isn’t you can download it for free here:

Google Maps for iOS // Google Maps for Android

#2 Trip-It.

If Google Maps is my journal for “where”, Trip-It would be the one for “when”. Once you go through the setup process, the app will automatically scrub your email for all incoming booking confirmations of transport and accommodations then automatically organize everything under one neat timeline within the app. Each entry in the timeline contains all relevant information including departure and arrival times, booking confirmation codes, hotel addresses and a plethora of other useful information beyond the scope of this short write up. The app is free to use with a yearly “Pro” subscription that unlocks advance features. I have been using the free version to plan and organize all of my travels since it came out. But the best way to experience all it does is to download it and configure it before your next trip.

Trip-It for iOS // Trip-It for Android

#3 Elk.

Elk is the most beautiful and intuitive currency converter I have ever run across. Not much else to say. It features a simple gesture based interface and automatic location based exchange rates between your default currency and the one from the country you are in. This is the only app I did not find an Android equivalent.

Elk for iOS

#4 Flush.

Ever find yourself having the urge and absolutely no idea where to go? In comes Flush the Toilet finder. Available for both iOS and Android devices, Flush is a simple to use map database with the location of over 200,000 toilets. So whether alone or with the family, on the other side of the world, or just on a side of town you’ve never been, this free app is a definite must have. Download it for you respective device here:

Flush - Toilet Finder for iOS // Flush - Toilet Finder for Android

#5 WhatsApp & WhatsApp Business.

Although Apple iMessage and Google Messages are the undisputed kings of texting in the United States, everywhere else in the world the crown belongs to WhatsApp. Though the utility of cellular based SMS can not be denied, instant messaging apps allow for richer experiences over text. WhatsApp takes it a step further by untethering from the cellular network all together allowing users to communicate number to number wherever there is data access. For my use though the most powerful feature is it’s sibling WhatsApp Business. The Business app has several advanced features the regular WhatsApp lacks but with both of these on my phone, I can effectively run independent messaging to/from both of my fixed US phone numbers while using much more affordable local phone SIM cards from whatever country I am in. Both of these free apps have saved me thousands of dollars in roaming fees over the years and have allowed my phone numbers to follow me regardless of where I go.

WhatsApp for iOS // WhatsApp Business for iOS

WhatsApp for Android // WhatsApp Business for Android

#6 Maps.me.

Imagine the Waze app but for those times when you want to go off the beaten path. Though it does share some of the standard navigation features as may other map apps, it is at the trail where this app excels. Much like Waze, it features a hiker oriented crowd-sourced database of point of interests you will not find in other apps, like view points and drinking water sources to just name a few, as well as offline map capability. If you love the going off road, this app is a definite must have.

Maps.me for iOS // Maps.me for Android

#7 Wifi Finder.

Much Like Flush listed above but for Wifi hotspots instead of toilets. As someone who runs a business 100% from the road, having fast and reliable connectivity is a must. Wifi Finder catalogues and maps wifi locations everywhere in the world and rates them by speed. This tool has been invaluable in getting me out of jams in multiple situations. The app is free to use for most features and has an optional subscription for advanced functionality. I’ve always been on the free version and have never had the need to upgrade.

Wifi Finder for iOS // Wifi Finder for Android

#8 Sun Seeker.

If you have been following me on social for more than 2 minutes, you’ll probably already know I am an absolute fool for a good sunrises and sunsets. Well here is my little secret on how I land the perfect one every single time. Sunseeker is an advanced solar tracking app that shows the sun position in augmented reality. It uses your GPS position and other sensors built in to your phone to determine the sun’s path. At $9.99 it is the most expensive app on the list but one that is worth every penny if you are one who loves the colors of dusk and dawn.

Sunseeker for iOS // Sunseeker for Android

#9 PackPoint.

Ever find yourself overwhelmed trying to decide what to pack? There is an app just for that! Available for iOS and Android, PackPoint is a travel organizer that will advice you on the best options based on the weather at your destination, the length of your trip, and any activities you have planned. Take a peek at how it works below:

PackPoint for iOS // PackPoint for Android

#10 Workfrom.

Workfrom started as a crowd sourced app for remote workers. Today it is an online databases of places around the world where you can pull your laptop out and get a day’s worth work done. It includes everything from proper co-working spaces, to laptop friendly coffee shops, restaurants and even hotel lobbies. You may access the mobile database here:

workfrom.com

Have a favorite App you would like to share with the community? We would love to hear it! Leave in the comment section down below.

Leave a comment

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. Amazon’s Prime Day sale is one of the most exciting shopping days of the summer. For those of you who might not be familiar with the concept, it is the 2 days of site wide sales on all sorts of items. So I have curated and compiled a list of my favorite deals on travel gear. Note that you must be an Amazon Prime Member to be eligible to purchase Prime Exclusive Deals during Prime Day. If you are not an Amazon Prime Member, you can sign up for a FREE 30 day trail here:

Start your free 30-day trial

All these items I have personally owned and all have over 4 stars on Amazon. Don’t forget deals will run through July 17th, 23:59PM PST and items can sell out. So now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

1. Beats Studio Buds

I recently added the Beats Studio buds my list of favorite wireless buds for their unique sound signature over my AirPods Pro. At almost 1/2 off they are the best value in noise cancelling wireless buds in the market right now. They come in 6 different colors.

Prime Day Deal: -47% $79.00

List Price: $149.00

Get this deal

2. Apple AirPods Max

If you in the Apple ecosystem, it doesn’t get any better than this. Excellent sound quality, noise cancellation and ergonomics. This is the lowest price I’ve ever seen them.

Prime Day Deal: -28% $394.99

List Price: $549.00

Get this deal

3. Twelve South AirFly

I reviewed the AirFly last year. If you missed the review, the AirFly plugs in to your in seat entertainment system and allows you to use any bluetooth headphone with it. I never board a flight without it.

Prime Day Deal: -24% $41.79

List Price $54.99

Get this deal

4. TomToc RFID Blocking Belt Bag & Compact EDC Sling

I have an unhealthy relationship with bags and pouches. I own several TomToc bags and the Compact EDC Sling bellow is my favorite every day cary bag while traveling and around town. These both come in various colors.

Prime Day Deal: -20% $23.99

List Price: $29.99

Get this deal

Prime Day Deal: -25% 32.44

List Price: $42.99

Get this deal

5. Samsonite Styrde 2 Hardside Expandable Luggage

Before switching from roller bags to duffles, the Stryde was my main choice of carry-on. Lightweight, super strong and very versatile.

Prime Day Deal: -41% $154.22

List Price $259.00

Get this deal

6. MZOO Sleep Eye Mask

I was never really able to use sleeping masks until I discovered the MZOO eye mask. The eye sockets make the mask feel like it’s not even there. Highly recommend it.

Prime Day Deal: -41% $16.99

List Price: $28.99

Get this deal

7. Anker Prime 67W 3 port USB C Charger

Anker is another brand I have been using for years. I currently travel exclusively with this charger to power all my devices. I also have the EU version which doesn’t have the folding prongs.

Prime Day Deal: -33% $39.00

List Price: $59.00

Get this deal

8. Anker Magnetic Battery Charger with Stand

I’ve had this battery for over a year and it never leaves my TomToc Compact EDC Sling (see above). It charges my phone multiple times and doubles as a phone stand in both portrait and landscape orientation.

Prime Day Deal: -44% $44.98

List Price: $79.99

Get this deal

9. Sony ZV-1F Camera

Originally marketed as a “Vlogging” camera, the Sony ZV-1F is one of the most underrated compact travel cameras in the market right now. If you want to upgrade from your cellphone photos, this is a perfect option. It also comes in white.

Prime Day Deal: -20% $398.00

List Price: $499.99

Get this deal

10. Canon EOS R100 Mirrorless Camera

As great as the Sony ZV-1F above is, sometimes we want to step up our photo game even further. If that’s you and don’t mind the additional size and weight, the Canon EOS R100 is currently at the same price as the Sony. Biggest difference aside from that being the you have the option to interchange lenses. So if you are looking to get into serious photography, The Canon EOS R100 is a great entry point.

Prime Day Deal: -20% $399.00

List Price: $499.00

Get this deal

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. As a professional traveler, I have enjoyed some of the world’s best food and beverage for most of my adult life. Every once in a while, I will run across a gem so rare, that it challenges everything else I’ve experienced before it. A concept executed so well, it raises the bar with which other players in the space are measured. This is exactly where I place HB Bronze Coffee-bar in La Paz. So today I’m taking you on a café aficionado's tour of this jewel of the Bolivian capital.

Now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

☕️ The Location:

When I say jewel, it's not hyperbole. A short 5 minute walk from Plaza Murillo in the heart of La Paz, this modern landmark building, stands out from its modest surroundings like a diamond in the rough. As you approach the end of the sidewalk at Plaza Tomas Frias, the crosswalk leads you to the wood, brass and iron main entrance almost inviting you to step in.

☕️ The Ambiance:

Living in Paris, I get the privilege of frequenting iconic literary retreats the likes of Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots. In that context, if Ernest Hemingway was in La Paz, this is without a doubt where he would hang out. From the moment you walk through the door, you realize this is not your typical cafeteria. An imposing bookshelf greets you to a foyer that leads into an elegant two level room. Tables are handcrafted from up cycled sewing machine legs and old doors. Tall windows, drape the space with plenty of natural light. The upper level offers a cozier environment and oversees the busier lower floor under more subdued illumination.

Shelving units come from repurposed antique bronze beds. For the ears, there’s a soft musical soundtrack that blends well with the background. The warm wood, brass and iron elements tie the entire space together with a particular patina that accentuates the room’s character. To the eye, the room evokes an inspiring sense of glamour and nostalgia. All hallmarks of a perfectionist designer with an unapologetic devotion to details and a close relationship with sophistication. Free wifi is available, though it is intentionally metered to prevent laptops from overstaying their welcome. As a whole, the ambiance is very inviting whether you opt to read a book, write one or sit back to enjoy a conversation.

☕️ The Experience:

As you're ushered to a table, there is a distinct change of pace from the city’s hustle and bustle. Once the server returns a few minutes later with a moist warm towel and the menu, it becomes very evident you are in for a first class experience. Whether a fault or a feature, the expectation is set from the beginning that good things take time to prepare and enjoy.

While waiting for the coffee tasting to begin, I couldn’t help but appreciate the very handy visual type guide on the left edge of the coffee menu. This is one of the many examples of the attention to detail you can expect to see everywhere. I appended the full menu at the bottom of the article for reference.

The first bean in the coffee tasting consisted of a Geisha varietal produced by Fernando Calle from Finca Isabel in Caranavi and filtered on a V60. The second bean was a Bourbon varietal also from Finca Isabel, brewed on a Japanese syphon. The third and final bean was an award winning Geisha varietal produced by Julio Cesar Machaca from Finca Las Alturas in Chojña Pampa, filtered on a V60.

All three coffees were excellent with rich and very distinct aromas. The first Geisha from Finca Isabel felt smooth with very low acidity while their bourbon was creamy with lots of body. It’s no surprise why these are widely regarded some of the best coffees in Bolivia. My favorite though was the Geisha from Finca Alturas. It felt the most balanced to my palette. If anything leaning towards fruity in a very good way.

After the coffee tasting, it was time to dive a little deeper into the food menu. With so many options it’s easy to fall into decision paralysis. If you're pressed for time though, the most practical way to get a suitable sampling is to go for one of the Tablas.

These charcuterie boards offer 3 levels of the country’s finest cheeses and meats curated from Bolivia’s top producers. Although the menu suggests they are for sharing, I see no wrong in making them a decadent platter for one.

For the wine pairing, there was no shortage of appealing alternatives either. Bolivia, with it's unique topography is one of the Worlds most interesting wine regions. After sampling several of Carlos' recommendations, I settled for the Syrah from Cepas de Fuego. The wine is produced by Weymar Rios at the Cinti Valley in Tarija utilizing methods that go back 3 generations. To my palette, the wine presented distinct sweetness uncharacteristic of other Syrah wines. Medium body, with hints of oak and leather. Looking back, there is no such thing as a wrong choice when all the wines are this good.

☕️ The menu and final thoughts:

At first glance, HB Bronze’s menu offers a good range of staple hot and cold drinks, as well as a variety of wines & spirits. But as you dissect it closer, some of the more exotic drinks and peculiar dishes begin to stand out. Eclectic recipes with ingredients sourced from local producers. Unique offerings representing the best flavors of Bolivia to patrons of discerning taste.

I’ve included the entire menu as of May 2024, but note that some items may be seasonal and the options are subject to change. There is definitely a lot of culinary room to explore. I’ve pinned the “Cafegroni HB” coffee cocktail and “Llama Prime” sandwich as I will without a doubt return to HB Bronze to try them the next time I’m in La Paz.

Huge thanks to owner Boris Alarcón, manager Carlos Monzón and the rest of the excellent staff at HB Bronze for being such accommodating hosts.

HB Bronze: Plaza Tomas Frias 1570, La Paz, Bolivia

Phone: +591 2 2202323

Reservations: wa.me

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome to Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. Hope everyone’s had a great start to the new year. Flights can often be most expensive part of a trip, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. As someone who depends on long haul flights to commute back and forth between jobs on a weekly basis, I am always looking for ways to save money. So in this edition of Departures I am highlighting some of the new carriers coming in to the low-cost-long-haul space with fresh routes and innovative products that can save you thousands for 2024 and beyond.

So now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

📰 Best strategies to save on flights:

Tips and tricks to get the most out of your money when booking your next trip.

When bargain hunting, you will always run into compromises. With some carriers it will be more than others. From arriving at smaller airports outside the main city centers, limited inflight service and ancillary charges for certain amenities, it all comes with the territory. You must ultimately decide if the cost savings are worth it for you. Just make sure you read all the fine print and adjust your expectations accordingly. If in the end going the low cost carrier route is not for you, here are some best practices I highly recommend employing to save money when booking your next flight regardless how you decide to travel:

1. Subscribe to alerts. It is a common practice for carriers to price a limited number of seats in each flight very aggressively in order to kickstart the sale of the flight. These usually sell out pretty fast so take any advantage you can get in order to grab first dibs on the sale. Subscribe to price alerts directly from the airline and/or your favorite aggregator site.

2. Have flexible dates. Having a flexible calendar is probably the single most effective way to save the most on airfare. Whether you choose to go full service or low cost, all carriers follow fairly similar pricing models and prices will fluctuate around certain seasons. The more flexibility you have, the better you will position yourself to use the calendar to your financial advantage.

3. Have flexible destinations. Flying to/from local regional airports will usually increase the cost of flights exponentially. If you go through the carriers in this list you will notice that they all operate out of major international hubs and from airports that offer lower operating fees. Although this might not be the most convenient, it opens up the possibility for other options, specially on the European side where flights, trains and bus routes are so accessible.

4. Book in advance. At the very latest 6 weeks in advance. Although deals can still be occasionally found beyond the 6 week mark, the odds will usually not be in your favor. Booking in advance while having a flexible schedule is my main “left-jab-right-hook” strategy to always landing the best deals on airfare.

5. Pack light. Long gone are the days where you could pack carelessly and throw half your wardrobe into your multiple checked bags “just in case”. Even full service carriers these days want to nickel and dime each passenger as much as they can. So be aware of all the specific allowances of your carrier and be prepared to pack accordingly.

✈️ How to Fly to Europe for under $200:

These are the carriers to watch in 2024 for the most affordable flights from North America to Europe.

Norse Air

It is no secret the pandemic hit the airline industry particularly hard. Out of all the casualties that came from the aftermath, Norwegian’s transatlantic operations was the one that affected me personally the most. It was my preferred carrier for both Europe and Asia. So I was very happy to hear last year that Norse would be taking over Norwegian’s Boeing 787’s Dreamliners, part of their routes and more importantly their low fares + fees for everything business model.

Last February they ran a sale on their Economy Light product from New York to London for $99 each way.

Most of the year though, bargain hunters can cross the Atlantic from Los Angeles, New York or Miami direct to Oslo for just over $100 each way. Flights to and from Los Angeles start at $179. Here’s a chart of their 3 economy products:

Additionally they also offer several premium products (not listed here) and the ability to upgrade only certain parts of the experience with add-ons for wifi, special luggage, seat selection and in-flight meal service.

via: flynorse.com

Play Air

Where Norse is taking over where Norwegian left off, Play is filling the shoes of Wow Air, the failed Icelandic carrier that ceased operations in 2019. Like its predecessor, Play connects Europe and North America via Reykjavík and it’s a great option for a long stopover if you fancy to witness some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world on your way to or from your final destination. Although unlike the country’s national carrier Iceland Air which has the stopover feature built in to the site, with Play you will need to book your itinerary point to point on your own with separate tickets each way.

A couple of things to note, Play flies the smaller Airbus A320/321neo aircraft which in my experience can feel a little cramped for a long haul flight. This might or might not be a deal breaker for you, but I always prefer the larger aircraft on anything over 4-5 hours. The other caveat that you might also want to consider if planning to fly in / out of New York is they only service Stewart International Airport, which is about 1.5 hours north of Manhattan.

Pricing wise, they are typically not as aggressive as Norse, but you can still find plenty of under $200 itineraries off season to most of the destinations they service in Europe. Last December they ran a sale for travel between January 2024 and April 2024 on select dates for €107. Different to Norse, Play offers only one “Economy” cabin class with no seat back entertainment or Wifi. Luggage beyond your personal item, food, drinks and seat selection are all ancillary.

via: flyplay.com

French Bee (Honorable Mention)

Originally called “French Blue”, the Paris based carrier had to abruptly rebrand after objections from US based JetBlue. The carrier began its direct service between Paris Orly and Newark International on September 2019 only to temporarily suspend its US operations in light of all the Covid restrictions a few months later.

They offer non-stop flights to all my most frequented US cities including new seasonal service to Miami. They also operate a fleet of Airbus A350’s that offer a very similar flight experience to Norse Air’s Boeing 787’s.

With fares for Paris to New York regularly available for $139, they served as my goto carrier to commute back and forth to the US for the longest time. Mostly because they flew out of Orly which is always less congested than Charles de Gaulle and way more accessible than Beauvais airport. Because it is so early in the year, I am not ready to completely drop them from the list. But given that just like the rest of the carriers in the ultra low cost space the price only includes flight and an under seat bag, I will probably not be using them unless I find a good sale.

via frenchbee.com

Fly Atlantic (Summer 2025)

Originally scheduled to make their maiden flight on June 2024, they have pushed back to Summer 2025. The airline is setting itself up to cover the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and Canada through its hub in Belfast, Ireland. They will operate a fleet of bran new Airbus A321neos in what the their CEO Andrew Pyne says will be a “factory fresh opportunity to innovate and be creative with how we configure the cabin”. I will update this post as more information becomes available.

via flyatlantic.com

Global Airlines (Summer 2025)

The latest contender to enter the low cost transatlantic market is British startup Global Airlines. After a few delays to their initial 2024 launch, the airline is set to connect Los Angeles and New York with London for the summer of 2025. Very excited to see what they do with their fleet of A380 Super Jumbos.

via globalairlines.com

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome to Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. Happy Friday everyone! Here’s another amazing last minute transatlantic deal from the great folks over at Norse. So far the best deal I’ve seen in the last few months.

Alvin

💰 The Deal:

New York (JFK) to London (LGW) non-stop for $99. This special sale is for travel between now and March 22nd 2024. It is only available directly through the airlines official website flynorse.com and expires Monday, February 5th at 12:00m, or when the seats sell out. So you will definitely need to act fast. As of this morning there were still plenty of seats available at the sale price:

Though the lowest price is between New York and London, there are also other great fares for other European destinations including:

• Orlando (MCO) to London Gatwick (LGW) from $129

• Miami (MIA) to London Gatwick (LGW) from $129

• Miami (MIA) to Paris (CDG) from $129

• Miami (MIA) to Oslo (OSL) from $129

✈️ About Norse Air:

We’ve featured Norse in the past as it consistently ranks as one of our top value long haul carriers in the market. It operates similar routes to Play and French Bee. The biggest difference is that Norse offers a lot more non-stop point to point routes and connects via Oslo, Norway.

📸 About the Aircraft:

One of my favorite things about Norse is that it flies a fleet made entirely out of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. These are among the most comfortable cabins for long haul flights in the industry.

They offer a modern in flight entertainment system and have a good selection of choices on their menu.

The complete PDF menu is available for download on Calameo here:

Norse Inflight Menu

🧳 Baggage Allowance

As with all ultra low cost carriers (and most full service ones) the baggage allowance is limited. For the Economy Light fare product in this sale, Norse only includes 1 personal item. Here is a chart of charges for additional baggage and other services:

If you are a minimal or efficient packer, you can maximize your carry to fit the personal item dimensions with a backpack like this one from Eastpak:

via: eastpak.com

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

Happy holidays and welcome to the first episode of the Departures on Air Podcast. It has been quite a long time coming. What originally started as a small weekend project turned into a year long adventure. Lots of moving around, building, tearing down and rebuilding back up but it is finally here. I have lots on the calendar already planned so make sure to watch this space and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. I was not expecting to have to start on such somber note, but as I’m writing this, what appears to be the worst mass shooting in the history of the Czech Republic seems to be unfolding. Although I have no intent on platforming the perpetrator in anyway, I do want to take a moment to express my condolences to the all the victims and their families that have been directly affected by this heinous act. The Czech Republic and Prague specifically have an extremely fond place in my heart and a history that goes back to my youth. I am deeply saddened for the community and join them in mourning of all those lost.

Alvin

📰 This Week in Travel:

A TLDR approach to some of the week’s most important headlines.

The only headline that matters this week is that a very large portion of us are traveling. In countries that celebrate some version of the Christmas holidays, it will be the busiest travel weekend of the year. According to aviation analysts Cirium, globally in 2023 airlines have sold 31% more tickets between December 21st and December 31st than the same period in 2022. In the US, the AAA forecasts about 115 million people will travel by car 50 miles or more. Fortunately aside from some minor weather related flight cancellations in Denmark and some strike related train delays in the Eurotunnel, overall everything seems to be on its way to go smoothly this year and thankfully not a repeat of last year’s Snowpocalypse.

All that being said, preparing and having a proper plan before you head out the door is always beneficial. The more organized you are the better you will position yourself for a smooth and enjoyable journey. The following are some of the best practices I follow for most trips and are meant to improve your travel experience regardless of where you go, for how long you will be going and the transportation method you choose. I like to subdivide my prep into 3 main categories: Packing, Transportation and Destination. Let’s dig a little deeper into each one and so I can show you what each one entails.

🧳 Packing:

Over the years I streamlined my carry quite a bit. What used to be a week long ordeal of deciding what I was going to take, finding the right bag to take it and getting it all together to pack it is now a simple task on my todo list that does not hold me up for more than an hour for any given trip.

1. Paperwork - This is something I try to organize as much as possible during the planning phase which for me is usually weeks, if not months before I begin to pack. I always doble check entry and stay requirements if going to an international destination as well as any special advisories for the destination country and the passport I will be using for entry. I input all my calendar, alarms and todo list entries on my phone and also make copies of all important travel documents to a cloud folder I can access from anywhere. Although I use the TripIt App to keep all my documents electronically organized in one place, I also print any copies of documents I might need en route to my destination. For years I had discontinued this practice, but during the pandemic I found having hardcopies extremely useful when navigating through checkpoints.

2. Baggage - This can be very personal and the best choice for you will depend among many things on the weather at your destination, transportation restrictions, the items that you deem essential etc. In that regard I can only expand on what works for me given my travel style. I exclusively travel with carry-on only so when selecting my baggage I already have certain size limitations that I need to stay under. After much research, I settled on the Peak Design Travel Duffel 35L as my main carry-on. The bag is light weight, weather proof and compatible with Peak Design’s excellent packing cube system (more on those below). To complement the Travel Duffel, depending on the items I need to carry, I will alternate between the Peak Design Everyday Totepack 20L or the Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L. All of these are under the carry-on and personal item allowance of all ultra low cost carriers in the US, Europe and Asia.

3. Packing Cubes - I live by packing cubes. They are essential to proper suitcase living whether on longterm travel or a short holiday. Though I use the Peak Design Travel Cubes because of their compatibility with the rest of my bags in the range, there are a slew of options out there including these very inexpensive ones from Ikea. I own and have traveled extensively with these too and though the features and quality of the materials are well aligned with their price point, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that for most people they will do their job. Whether you go for something inexpensive or something more premium, the idea is to compartmentalize your items in order to maximize your carry, keep your items organized throughout your travels and make sure everything remains easy to find.

4. Your Items - This is the most important part. I’ve always found that what I choose to bring is just as important as what I choose to leave behind. For many years I used to be a pretty maximalist packer. I would pack completely different daily outfit choices with multiple pairs of shoes and accessories. These days though I’ve become quite a bit more practical. I have a travel specific neutral capsule wardrobe that allows me to mix and match pieces to get different looks and present myself properly in different situations no matter how casual or elegant. To avoid overpacking I loosely abide by the simple 5-4-3-2-1 method:

   x5 Tops

   x4 Bottoms

   x3 Accessories

   x2 Shoes

   x1 Bathing suit

   Though the type of items will vary depending on the weather and planned activities at the destination, the total amount of items tends to stay the same. I will usually wear the bulkier / heavier items on the plane and pack the rest. The specific items and variations of this method I will expand on my Ultimate Guide to Packing 2024 which I will be publishing later this year. In the meantime this should hopefully get you on your way.

🗺 Transportation:

Getting to and from your destination is usually the most stressful part of the entire journey, but there are a few things I do to make it a little better. The first thing you should really consider during your planning stage of your trip is the advantages and disadvantages of taking a plane, train or automobile. The case for each is a bit beyond the scope of this quick guide, but as a general rule, I start with the amount of people traveling in my party, the options available to get to our destination and the time it will take us to get there. My preference is to expose myself to airports as least as humanly possible. This is a lot easier to do in places like Europe, but it is also an option in countries like the US where you have good interstate highway infrastructure and even some long distance rail options within certain major cities. Again here, the more organized you are the better your experience will be. Specially in the event something does not go as planned.

1. Going by plane - This tends to be most people’s preferred way and sometimes only way to travel long distances. But even in the best of days, the experience is chaotic and extremely time consuming. Passing through security is extremely invasive and un-dignifying. As a professional photographer I have to often completely empty the contents of my camera bag so it can all be thoroughly inspected. Once past security it’s crowds and queues galore on your way to your duty free or overpriced meal. In order to stack the odds in my favor at the airport I typically follow this process:

   1. Arrive early. I know how unpredictable crowds can be. So I arrive 3-4 hours before my flight. Sounds like overkill but this is the best way I’ve found to ensure I have a stress free experience at the airport. In the US the TSA has the MyTSA App and CBP has the BWT Border Wait Times App that allows me to get a glimpse at what is happening on the ground and how long the queues are. I also use TSA PreCheck and Global Entry Both pay themselves many times over in just a few trips every year. With all that, I still pack everything I would typically be required to get out of my bag in a way that the items are easy to access should I encounter any issues at the TSA checkpoint. I also pack my wallet, keys, belt, watch, jewelry and another accessories inside my carryon and will only put them on after I have passed security.

   2. Lounge access. Although there has been many recent reports of over crowding, airport lounges still remain an oasis of tranquility and relaxation when compared to the zoo that can be the main passenger terminal. They offer premium food, beverages, power outlets, cleaner restrooms and some are even equipped with private showers. Where just a few years ago this used to be an option for only first/business class or passengers with elite status at the airline or credit card, these days, the entire space has been democratized. Apps like Loungebuddy allow anyone with a smartphone to access most airport lounges around the world. I will usually book my space ahead of time to make sure I avoid the line at the lobby or risk getting the to a lounge completely at capacity. Once inside, at the very least I take the opportunity to top off the charge of all my devices and go through any last minute little details that might pertain the arrival at my destination. Most times I try to indulge a little.

   3. Entertainment. Once past security, whether I make the lounge or not, I will make sure I have all the media I will need for the flight downloaded to my devices and accessible offline. This can include any music, podcast or movies as well as files I might need to access. If traveling internationally this would be when I would go ahead and buy and install the Airalo eSim to my destination country. This will ensure I have local data access the second I land and completely untether myself from my local carrier’s slow data and exorbitant data roaming rates. I have been using Airalo for years, long before I even started this newsletter and with access to over 200 countries, I have always been extremely satisfied with their service. To see how Airalo can let you stay connected where ever you go, click on the banner on top of the page.

1. Going by train - There’s a lot I could say about train travel but I’ll just summarize it by stating unequivocally it is my favorite form of travel. Large seating, smooth ride without all the hassles of the airport make for a great relaxing travel experience. Bar none the best resource for planning train travel around the world is The Man in Seat 61. The website looks like it came straight out of 1996, but it is very accurate and extremely useful when planning more complex multi country trips. While in Europe, I will mostly choose to travel by train everywhere as the stations are usually located right in the middle of where ever I’m going and the scenery is just unmatched to any other form of transportation. Any trip I can do under 7 hours, I will typically go on train. In the US it is substantially more limited, but for example Miami to Tampa is a great route I would not think twice about taking the train. In the US, Europe or Asia here are some of my best practices for train travel:

   1. Plan my stops. For travelers on their first long distance train, taking responsibility for all their own transfers can feel a bit overwhelming. In most cases the train only stops at a station for a few moments to let passengers out and take passengers in. To avoid missing my stop or transfer, I put alarms on my phone to alert me 5-10 before arrival. If the stop is not my final destination, I will also take the opportunity to check what is the platform I need to take my next train before I get tot the stop.

   2. Plan my food. One of the many advantages of not having to go through such rigorous security checks is you can bring all the food and drink that you want onboard. For me this usually means an assortment of good picnic snacks and if allowed, a bottle of wine.

   3. Keep my valuables close. One of the biggest disadvantages to the train’s relaxed approach is how easy it can be to loose track of your belongings if you’re not careful. To avoid leaving things behind, I make sure I only take out what I need and put everything back into my bag as I use it. I make sure I pack everything back up at least a few minutes before my stop. If possible I try to avoid using the luggage racks located on the ends of each train car. Although rare, it is from where most items are “lost”.

2. Going by automobile - The car is an excellent way to travel, specially when going long distances with multiple people. The flexibility is unmatched if your destination does not have alternate transportation options and you obviously have non of the limitations of planes and trains. For planning all my road trips I usually start with the viaMichelin website. It is by far one of the best ways I’ve found to get accurate cost of fuel and toll around the world in one place. It also provides information on traffic, restaurants, hotels, service stations and miscellaneous tourist sites.

   1. Check the fluids. Seems kind of obvious, but you have no idea how many people I’ve met stranded on the side of the road for something that could have been easily preventable by a simple check and top up of fluids. Also remember the weather can have an impact on the types of fluid a specific vehicle needs, so I alway make sure to take that into account when checking my fluids. Same thing with the tire pressures.

   2. Plan my pit stops. Driver fatigue is a very real thing. A study from the National Sleep Foundation uncovered that 60% of adult drivers and 51% of teenage drivers reported driving drowsy at least once a year; 14% of adults and 15% of teens said they drive drowsy at least once a week; 37% of adults and 5% of teens said they had nodded off or fallen asleep at the wheel within the past year. That is pretty scary and even more common on long road trips. I try to take short brakes every 2 hours along the way.

   3. Pre-program my trip. With all the apps available to assist drivers while en route, I still find Google Maps to be the most universally reliable. Waze is another great app that takes second place in my driving app shelf. I like to program and save all my routes before leaving so I can recall them at a moments notice. I also have made it a habit to save all maps to my device. It is extremely common to go through areas of poor to no cellphone service and it can be a little nerve raking depending where you are.

📸 Destination:

Though the tips and best practices in this guide can be applied to any destination, it is the holidays after all and most of us will be heading over to meet friends and family at our destination. So let’s hear it from Mr. Manners and Martha Stewart in this oldie but goodie about some of the most common holiday conundrums and how to best handle them. Enjoy!

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👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome to Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. Last week we brought you one of the best transatlantic deals we had come across in a very long while thanks to the folks over at Play Air. One of the big caveats of last week’s sale though is it was only for the Play’s Basic fare and had very limited baggage allowance. Well not to be out done, this week French Bee heats up the competition by throwing in a piece of checked luggage to their already excellent Basic and Smart fare classes.

Alvin

💰 The Deal:

First piece of checked baggage (50 lbs/23kg) free of charge for BASIC fares, and a second piece of baggage free of charge for SMART fares. Depending on how you normally book, this could mean up to $100 savings per way / per passenger. This special sale is valid for flights (one-way or round-trip) operated by French bee departing from Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York to Paris-Orly. It is only available directly through the airlines official website frenchbee.com. Offer expires tomorrow Sunday, December 17th at 12:00m (Central European Time). So you will definitely need to act fast.

✈️ About French Bee:

French Bee (and it’s sister airline Air Caraibes) is another one of our top picks for value long haul carriers right now. It operates similar it competes in the transatlantic routes with Norse and Play Air. The biggest difference is that French Bee / Air Caraibes connect all its destinations via Paris Orly. Another thing to note is they operate in New York out of Newark International Airport, so they offer a bit more convenience over Play Air which serves New York out of Stewart Airport.

📸 About the Aircraft:

One of the things I like the most about French Bee is their fleet of brand new Airbus A350 aircraft which I highly prefer over the smaller A320/321neo’s from Play Air. In my opinion, these aircraft are quieter and roomier.

Each seat is equipped with an infotainment system, headphone jack and USB charging port. Overall they offer a better inflight experience than their more compact counterparts. Limited paid WiFi service is also available onboard.

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

👨‍✈️ The Briefing Room:

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome to Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. Even though it’s been quiet around these parts as of late, doesn’t mean we have not been busy. Between putting the finishing touches to the studio and final tweaks to the podcast, we ran across this amazing deal that is just too hard to pass on.

Alvin

💰 The Deal:

New York to Paris via Reykjavík for €107. This special sale is for travel between January 2024 and April 2024. It is only available directly through the airlines official website flyplay.com and expires tonight Friday, December 8th at 12:00m or when the seats sell out. So you will definitely need to act fast. For easy reference, bellow is the chart with the lowest prices for each month circled in red:

✈️ About Play Air:

We’ve featured Play in the past as it consistently ranks as one of our top value long haul carriers in the market. It operates similar routes to Norse and French Bee. The biggest difference is that Play connects Europe and North America via Reykjavík and it’s a great option for a long stopover if you fancy to witness some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world on your way to or from your final destination.

📸 About the Aircraft:

A couple of things to note, Play flies the smaller Airbus A320/321neo aircraft which in my experience can feel a little cramped for a long haul flight. This might or might not be a deal breaker for you, but I always prefer the larger aircraft on anything over 4-5 hours. Play offers only one “Economy” cabin class with no seat back entertainment or Wifi. Luggage beyond your personal item, food, drinks and seat selection are all ancillary.

The other caveat that you might also want to consider if planning to fly in / out of New York is they only service Stewart International Airport, which is about 75 minutes north of Manhattan. There is an express bus service to and from Stewart International Airport and the 42nd Street Port Authority bus terminal operated by Megabus. It is $25 each way.

The bus schedule is synchronized to the Play Air flights so in that regard, your transfer should be pretty seamless. If New York City is not your final destination and you are changing airports, make sure to give yourself a lot of headroom between connections.

🧳 Baggage Allowance

As with all ultra low cost carriers (and most full service ones) the baggage allowance is limited. For the basic fare product in this sale, Play only includes 1 personal item. Here is a chart of charges for additional baggage and other services:

If you are a minimal or efficient packer, you can maximize your carry to fit the personal item dimensions with a backpack like this one from Eastpak:

via: eastpak.com

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures

Notes and open topics from the editor’s desk.

Welcome Departures. The place to be for where to go and what to see. When I started this newsletter last year I had little idea how far and fast this simple journal would grow. As the world opened up from the pandemic and travel demand surged, I definitely underestimated the appetite for travel related content. So thank you for everyone for your feedback and support. After taking a long deserved break to travel, recalibrate and put the finishing touches to the production studio, we are back for a new season of Departures. There is tons to cover so now without further ado, let’s take it away!

Alvin

📰 This Week in Travel:

A TLDR approach to some of the week’s most important headlines.

• Air travel meltdown in the US - In a series of unfortunate events, the US has been battered with air travel disruptions at a magnitude never before seen. I won’t rehash all that transpired as the worst seems to be over, but I will point out that one of the most to blame, Southwest Airlines is running a pretty big sale in an attempt to win the public back over with fares as low as $59.

• Croatia joins Schengen Zone - Effective January 1st, the Eastern European country became the latest state to join the European passport-free block. In related news, Romania and Bulgaria have been denied membership over border security concerns from Austria and Hungary.

• China makes a U-turn on COVID - Hard to believe we are still talking about this, but China JUST announced it was finally easing it’s long standing zero COVID policy and opening the country back up as it grapples with economic uncertainty and open social revolt from a population exhausted of endless lockdowns and disrruptions.

📸 Destination Deep Dive:

Comprehensive series on a single destination.

Right up until Thailand put its COVID restrictions in place and completely closed its borders off to non-nationals, Bangkok was a place I called home for a good part of the last decade. It is a vibrant and bustling city renowned for its delicious street food, vibrant nightlife, and historic temples. Revisiting the city for the first time several years after relocating to Europe was refreshing as there’s been so many things I’ve been missing. But it also put things is perspective. In order to make the most out of my time, I had to plan my visit like any other tourist on holiday. Looking back at my notes, I’ve put this short guide together to hopefully facilitate the process for anyone planning their visit to Thailand’s “City of Angels”.

• When to visit - Without a doubt, the best time to visit Bangkok is from November to February when the climate is cool and dry. Although “cool” can be a bit of a misnomer as temperatures hover between 90F (32C) for high and 72F (22C) for a low. In my opinion the lack of rain and humidity makes all the difference in the world and makes for a great escape from the Northern Hemisphere winter. If headed out that way in the summer, just be prepared to get wet as it rains. A lot. Lightweight / fast drying garments are definitely a must.

• Getting there - This will vary largely depending on where you are coming from, but I have consistently found current lowest prices to hover around the mid-$400 range each way whether from New York, London or Paris, with ANA, Emirates and Turkish usually toping the low fare list for each respective city. Definitely a far cry from the mid to low $200s Norwegian seats of 2019, but still quite doable. If looking to break up the trip, I highly recommend taking advantage of one of the stopovers in Dubai or Abu Dhabi you can get with Emirates or Etihad.

• Getting around - BTS Skytrain and MRT subway are the most convenient ways to travel around the city. The ride share app of choice is called Grab. Just make sure you download and set it up before driving in the country to avoid disruptions and unnecessary inconvenience. Works in a similar way to Uber and other ride sharing apps. Tuk-tuks and taxis are also available, just make sure to negotiate the fare before boarding as the drivers are known for being shady with the prices.

• Where to stay - Bangkok has a wide range of accommodation options for all budgets, from luxury hotels to budget hostels. My personal favorite is the Lebua at State Tower. It is very centrally located and has one of the best rooftop bars / restaurants in the city. Although AirBnb works, it is illegal for the most part and there are countless stories online of people being denied entry to their accommodations by security. So use this option with some caution. If you are looking for budget accommodations (and a little nightlife), Khao San Road is one of the most popular backpacker spots in the world, while Sukhumvit and Silom are great for mid-range hotels. Marriott has a very nice property in this area that also has an excellent rooftop bar / restaurant.

  

• Main attractions - This by no means is an exhaustive list, but in my opinion the must-sees if on an itinerary:

  

  

  

• What to eat - Bangkok is famous for its street food, which can be found all over the city. The most popular dish has to be pad thai, and if you want to try one of the best in the entire city look no further than the legendary Thipsamai. I have been going to this restaurant for over 10 years. Long before its Michelin Bib Gourmand award driven rise to international fame. Although the restaurant has grown from it’s very modest origins, I’m happy to say the recipe has stayed unchanged.

• Where to hangout - Bangkok has a vibrant nightlife with a wide variety of bars, clubs and rooftop bars. Khaosan Road, Sukhumvit and Silom are popular nightlife areas. The Chatuchak Weekend Market is a great place to shop during the day and hang out by night with plenty of independent vendors, restaurants and bars to hop around until late. It’s a little further aware from the city center so make sure you plan accordingly.

• Where to shop - If you are looking for a more traditional experience, Bangkok is a shopping paradise with enough malls and street markets to shop until you drop. Siam Square and MBK Center are the ones I mostly frequent but my favorite is the Icon Siam. Street markets at Central World offer great deals on clothes, shoes, bags and accessories.

🗺 Bucket List:

Short highlight of a dream destination.

As much as I love the Thai beaches, I am preparing a full write up on my favorites to publish a little closer to the summer. So I am giving this week’s Bucket List to the One&Only Reethi Rah resort in the Maldives and its beautiful partnership with Italian fashion house Missoni. Their newly redesigned Missoni Resort Beach Club in now among the top choices on my holiday 2023 shortlist.

via: One&Only

🛠 Hack of the Week:

Tips and tricks for better travel quality of life.

Looking to level up your travel pillow game? The Travelrest Ultimate Travel Neck Pillow might be right up your alley. It straps to the seat of most planes, trains, cars and buses and rolls up deflated to about the size of a burrito.

via: amazon.com

🛫 About Us:

Departures is a free newsletter about photography, travel & lifestyle. To find out more about what this is, who I am and why should you be here, visit our dedicated about page here:

About Departures