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May 12, 2026
Peter's Notes | Bags
Peter on the small, considered collection of bags that accompanies a thinking traveller — and why each of them earns its place.
Read full postLast-minute departure · DEC 2026
Open Road
Australia · New Zealand
May 12, 2026
Peter on the small, considered collection of bags that accompanies a thinking traveller — and why each of them earns its place.
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April 28, 2026
Temples, traffic chaos and deep-fried snake… Arthur hits Cambodia on a pushbike and a prayer.
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July 29, 2026
The complete guide to travel insurance, managing pre-existing conditions, healthcare abroad, vaccinations, and staying healthy on a three-month retirement gap year.
Read full postJuly 15, 2026
Everything UK passport holders need to know about visas, flights, accommodation, banking, and logistics for a three-month retirement gap year — by destination.
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July 8, 2026
The complete packing and preparation checklist for a three-month retirement gap year — covering documents, medication, clothing, technology, and everything you need to sort at home before you leave.
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July 1, 2026
What actually happens when you come home from a retirement gap year — the adjustment, the identity shift, and what most people change afterwards.
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October 6, 2026
Phil talks to two recently retired friends who took their new freedom in opposite directions — one moved to the coast he loved, the other stayed put and travels more instead.
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August 28, 2026
Phil didn't expect retirement to cost him friendships - or that travel would be what brought new ones in their place.
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August 28, 2026
Phil unpacks why old budgeting habits die hard in retirement, and why spending a little more on travel might be the wisest investment of all.
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August 11, 2026
Phil reflects on how retirement blurs the line between travel and giving back — and why the two don't have to be a choice.
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July 7, 2026
This month, Phil challenges the common assumptions about retirement - from boredom to identity to how travel changes.
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July 29, 2026
On the road and online - Phil asks cyber resilience expert Paul which travel tech is genuinely worth the bother, and which you can happily ignore.
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September 18, 2026
Two overnight sleeper trains through Vietnam — Saigon to Hoi An, then Hue into Hanoi — and everything Peter saw between falling asleep and waking somewhere else.
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July 29, 2026
Peter's word-picture snapshots from four weeks on the road in Vietnam. Bridges, buffaloes, scooters and the small scenes that stayed with him.
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July 29, 2026
Peter's quick and dirty survival guide to transiting international airport terminals — from booking overnight hotels to surviving security and stress.
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July 29, 2026
Independence celebrations in Hanoi, foot-rowed boats at Tam Coc, a 500-step climb up Mua Cave, and a fine-dining cruise around Halong Bay - plus the answer to last week's cliffhanger.
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May 12, 2026
Egg coffee on Train Street, a sobering tour of Hoa Lo Prison, a 95p bar bill, and the question of whether to try cooked dog - Arthur's first dispatch from Hanoi.
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May 12, 2026
Tailors and lanterns in Hoi An, a cooking school, the legendary Hai Van Pass on two wheels, and a wander round Hue's Citadel - a quieter week before the final push to Hanoi.
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July 29, 2026
What UK passport holders need to know about visas for long-term travel: the Schengen 90/180 rule, long-stay options in Europe, and rules for Japan, Thailand and Vietnam.
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August 20, 2026
A practical long term travel insurance guide for extended trips: duration limits, single-trip vs annual cover, the exclusions that matter, and what good cover costs.
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August 20, 2026
How to stay healthy on a 3-month trip over 60: the GP conversation, 3-month prescriptions, vaccinations, managing conditions abroad, and the routines that help.
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August 20, 2026
A practical UK guide to managing money on long-term travel: fee-free cards, currency, pensions, direct debits and fraud protection for a 3-month trip abroad.
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July 29, 2026
The complete packing list for 3 months of travel: luggage, clothing quantities, tech, medication and the leave-at-home list. One medium case really is enough.
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August 20, 2026
Leave it empty, get a house-sitter, rent it out or home exchange? The complete UK guide to what to do with your house during 3 months of travel, insurance included.
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August 20, 2026
DIY long-term travel or an organised experience? A clear-eyed comparison of cost, control, company and support, and how to tell which suits you for a 3-month trip.
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August 20, 2026
Eight tested 3-month travel itineraries for retirees (Portugal, Italy, Japan, Greece, Spain, Southeast Asia, Latin America and Mediterranean winter sun) with month-by-month rhythms and realistic costs.
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June 17, 2026
Solo or organised group? A practical comparison for retirement gap year travellers - covering cost, freedom, social connection, and who each format actually suits.
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May 27, 2026
The best gap year destinations for retirees in 2026, evaluated on what actually matters: cost, healthcare, visas, safety, and the quality of the long-stay experience.
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July 29, 2026
Extended travel ideas for your 50s and 60s, from South America to Southeast Asia — and why staying longer beats moving faster.
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July 29, 2026
Find out which South American cities are best suited for longer stays of one to three months...
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July 29, 2026
What to expect when returning home after long-term travel: the strange first week, the flat patch that follows, and how to carry three months forward.
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July 29, 2026
The honest emotional arc of long-term travel: the honeymoon weeks, the week 3–5 wobble, homesickness, solo travel realities, and the settling-in that follows.
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July 29, 2026
How to stay connected with family during long-term travel: eSIMs and WiFi, weekly call rhythms, keeping close to grandchildren, and easing family worry.
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June 17, 2026
Multi-month travel isn't a holiday. Pioneers who prepared for what it actually is had a better time. Here's a practical framework to do it properly before you leave.
Read full postJuly 1, 2026
What actually happens when you come home from a retirement gap year — the adjustment, the identity shift, and what most people change afterwards.
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June 24, 2026
Your 60s are the ideal decade for a golden gap year — here’s why the combination of health, finances, freedom, and psychological readiness won’t be better later.
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