Hiya y’alright?
That’s right, I’m writing this edition from the UK. I’ve been away for three weeks and I’m half way through my six week trip hopping between Canada, Portugal (for The House of Beautiful Business), the UK for family and friend time, back to Portugal to work remotely, and then back to the UK again for three days of London fun.
My Canada trip was mostly spent in Montreal finally meeting my friend Olivia in person. She’s a very talented designer based in NYC and whilst we’ve been virtual friends since early 2021, we’d not yet been able to meet in person. So late last year we hatched a plan to spend a week in Montreal together, exploring, hiking, eating, and catching up. Whilst more than a few people were very weirded out when I told them about this plan, I *highly* recommend meeting your coolest virtual friends in human form. It’s an absolutely friendship-affirming experience and totally transforms the relationship, connection, and communication you have after.
On a similar note, at The House of Beautiful Business event they dedicated one whole day to ‘community’. The final day was hosted in the gardens of a stunning restaurant just outside Lisbon and we spent 10+ hours just having great conversations with the people we’d met at the event. Now, 10 hours of chatting is pretty much my dream day anyway, and to do that with interesting, funny, clever people whilst in a gorgeous location makes that perfect. I messaged a friend that night to rave about it and how a day like that made me feel like myself. Buzzing.
Anyway, I have got some books to tell you about, but this edition is a bit of a show and tell on the best tools, apps, and tricks I’ve been trying on my travels, so that you can add them to your packing list if you’re also disappearing off over winter/summer.
As usual, let me know what you’ve been up to / reading / listening to. Hit reply or add a comment to this post and let me know.
Waving through the crumbs of bourbon biscuits,
Steph
PS. To borrow from Austin Kleon, this newsletter and the podcast are 'free but not cheap'. You can support their ongoing creation and keep me in books by buying me a coffee as a 'thank you', recommending it to a friend, using one of the affiliate links in the email, or leaving a podcast rating on Apple or Spotify. Thanks!
The it list; travel edition
Airalo eSim
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
We all know that international roaming is well overdue a major overhaul as is one of the biggest consumer ripoffs. But, if your phone is eSim enabled, there is another option.
I’ve used Airalo on this trip and I’ve loved their package options (especially the European one, which I could use across the UK, Portugal, along with 37 other countries) and the fact you can purchase and install the eSims before you leave home. No more faffing around with that sim card ejector tool or finding a mobile provider store at the airport.
On many phones you can have multiple eSims installed (and can give them custom names), making it easy to switch between them. Another big benefit is being able to still receive calls/texts on your home line, whilst using data on the eSim. Especially useful if you’re logging into things that send you a text confirmation code.
Ready to roam? You can get $3 off your eSim using code STEPH1595
Apple Airtags
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Waiting for my bags to turn up on the carousel turns my tummy to jelly. So I am a total convert to using Airtags to track my bags and make sure they’re in the same place as me. I have one hidden in my suitcase, and another in my rucksack. Some airlines are now relying on people using these to track lost luggage. It’s also peace of mind if you’re leaving luggage in hotels storage etc.
Give Apple more of your money.
Bounce luggage storage
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One of the downsides of accommodation such as Airbnbs is the lack of luggage storage options if you’re arriving early / leaving later than check in/out times. I discovered Bounce when I was in Montreal and after much googling to check it was legit, my friend and I decided to try it out.
Bounce is based on a similar model to Airbnb; places with extra space rent that space out as luggage storage. These places tend to be hotels, shipping stores, or shops. The app is super easy to use, with a map to find your nearest space, and a QR code scanned when you drop off and pick up. You also upload a photo of your bags for extra security and to activate the $10,000 insurance policy. Our bags cost CAD$8 per bag to store and we were very happy with this as an option. This would be perfect if you have a long layover and can’t drop bags with your airline.
Need to lighten the load? Get $5 off your luggage storage.
Nord VPN
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve been using NordVPN for a few years, and when I’m overseas I’m even hotter on using this on my phone as well as my laptop when I’m logged into hotel/airport wifi. It does use up a bit more battery and data, but it’s worth it for the extra security.
An added bonus is being able to log into different country servers, which means you can access some Australian sites that you can’t always access overseas, or sites that get confused if you’re not in the ‘right’ country when trying to order/update something.
Beef up your security with 3 months free.
Loop earplugs
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Instagram made me do it. After being peppered with Loop ads I finally bought some. I’ve been really impressed with the Loop Experience, which I now wear to concerts to keep tinnitus at bay. So I decided to also buy a pair of Loop Quiet, the softer versions designed for sleep, in case I stayed anywhere loud that interrupted my zzzs.
I got my first opportunity to try them on my overnight flight from Montreal to Lisbon. I’d upgraded to business class as I was landing and going straight to The House of Beautiful Business, so wanted to maximise for rest. As much as I appreciate jet engines working well at 35,000ft, they aren’t exactly soothing, and wearing noise cancelling headphones when you’re a side sleeper isn’t an option.
Sadly, the Quiets weren’t as comfortable as I’d hoped, and didn’t feel like they cancelled enough of the plane noise. I ended up taking them out and trying to sleep with my headphones on in a semi-side-semi-back position. Thoughts and prayers for my neck please.
The it list
Here’s a few other things I’ve been obsessing over, enjoying, or doing recently…
Podcast - Team Human ft Fenton Bailey: This episode talks about the long-standing role of drag as an art form, how all of us use drag in our daily lives to put on certain costumes and personas, and the joy and creativity of drag performers. Spotify | Apple
Podcast - Possible ft Ben Nelson on the future of higher education: I loved hearing about how the Minerva Project is throwing so much of the outdated higher education model in the bin, and turning education on its head to be better aligned to what students and workplaces need now, and for the future. Spotify | Apple
Netflix - Queer Eye: Please don’t laugh at how utterly late to this party I am, but whilst in Montreal, Olivia and I made a little ritual of watching a couple of episodes before bed. I’d forgotten how nice it is to sit on the sofa and watch a show with a friend that gets you discussing all sorts of topics as a result. Watch it and your heart will warm.
Book - Crying in H-Mart: This book is worth the hype. Michelle Zauner beautifully shares her experience in this memoir of growing up in rural America whilst straddling her Korean and American identities. It’s a story of identity, grief, life, art, and family, and it’s well worth a read.
Newsletter - Madeleine Dore’s On Things: It is a regular occurrence that Madeleine hits the nail right on the head, at the right time. Her recent newsletter (titled “when the thing that was meant to change your life doesn’t change your life”) was another example of that. It features musings on change and how we sometimes put a lot of pressure on ourselves for something to be a life-changing experience. She also includes the excellent Liz Gilbert quote: “I've never seen any life transformation that didn't begin with the person in question finally getting tired of their own bullshit”. Read On Things here.
ICYMI, recently on the podcast…
How to Work With (Almost) Anyone by Michael Bungay Stanier
What I read in April 2023; pre-releases, comedy, and books I didn't finish
Your holiday sounds amazing! And a perfectly timed travel post - thank you so much! We head off to Europe at the end of next week. I hope the rest of your trip is just as good!