* To celebrate our hitting issue #200 this month, anyone becoming a paid subscriber before the end of the month will be entered to win a free hardback copy of Colors of Asia by Nomadico co-founder Kevin Kelly. See more about it in this week’s edition.

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Enforced Civility on United

United Airlines is now officially going after passengers who don’t use earbuds/headphones when playing sound on their devices. “Whenever refusal or removal of a Passenger may be necessary for the safety of such Passenger or other Passengers or members of the crew including, but not limited to: 22. Passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content.” If you buy a United ticket now, you just agreed to these terms, so don’t make them kick you (and your iPad-wielding kid) off the flight. Let’s hope this spreads to the airport waiting areas too…

Battling the Thirst for the New

Are nomads addicted to stimulation? Do they have trouble enjoying what isn’t new? It’s a question asked in this interesting essay from a person who is currently hanging out in my beautiful home city of Guanajuato. In The Slomad’s Paradox, a digital nomad faces the problem that, “We build location-independent businesses to experience life differently, then our brains habituate so fast we stop using the very freedom we created.” The solution may just be taking more breaks to enjoy our surroundings, without our phones or laptops along. “The real privilege isn’t having the amazing view. It’s having the agency to step away from the screen and actually look at it.”

Colors of Asia

I’m really enjoying the photography book by our co-founder Kevin Kelly. Called Colors of Asia, it’s a beautiful compilation of his photographs from decades of travel going back to the film-carrying days, all categorized by color. Besides the thematic interest this provides, there’s text with a little coaxing like, “Historically purple was a very expensive color to make, so it became associated with the rich and ruling class.” Get the hardback to see it in its full glory, but he’s also selling a pdf e-book version directly at a low price so it’s affordable to anyone.

RVs as a Lodging Alternative

While the number of foreigners visiting the USA these days has nosedived, it’s still going to be plenty busy in the lower 48 this summer thanks to the World Cup, the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Many hotels in key destinations are sold out or have tripled in price, so you might have better luck with a different kind of bed: a recreational vehicle, camping trailer, or camper van. You can rent from an owner, Airbnb-style, through RVShare where you’re headed or where you’re leaving from. Many will even deliver it to where you’re crashing. See the details here.

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A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.

03/26/26