BANGKOK - Greetings from Bangkok, or as it is soon to be known as - Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (but you can still call it Bangkok).

I’ve just extended my tourist visa for another month, so I am going to do some more travel in Thailand before moving on. I’m feeling more optimistic about travel in Southeast Asia now that Vietnam is reopening next month. Apparently, it will reopen on March 15, almost 2 years to the day when it closed international borders. I will wait though until it is certain.

Assorted travel reads

• Andalusia’s ‘white towns’ were forged by past epidemics

• Moonbows, starling migrations and other rare natural phenomena worth traveling for

• The bygone era of the hotel detective

• Travel is my antidote for fear. As covid eases, I’m heading out again.

• Bitcoin paradise? Briton creates ‘crypto utopia’ in South Pacific

• Comparing the carbon footprint of transportation options

Ahh, if only the Eurostar went everywhere. And one of my annual travel traditions (before the pandemic) was getting the train to Butterworth then getting the ferry as a foot passenger to Georgetown Penang. Perhaps Visual Capitalist could update this infographic to include this spaceflight trip.

• International tramway lines of the world

There are not many places in the world where a tramway could run between counties, yet here they all are within one region.

• Jungholz: A ski town stuck in the wrong nation

“An afterthought on the map of Austria, the exclave of Jungholz has carved out its own identity, even if the reality for those living there is far from straightforward.”

• I have previously mentioned an airport-themed copy of Wordle (which has since been bought by Big Word), and now there is Worldle. With this daily game, you have to guess the country shape. You are given clues by how far away in distance your guess was. Some days it’s obvious what country it is, but other days make me realise I hardly know the shapes of most countries.

• S'porean man, 22, names exact spots in India by looking at map without border lines on quiz show

This guy would crush Worldle.

• Why Peter Savage devotes himself to ensuring his beloved Kalangadoo railway town doesn't disappear

• AirAsia to lease at least 100 flying taxis for air ridesharing service

After visiting Shanghai Expo 2010 I lamented on a world that hasn’t delivered us our promised jetpacks and hovercars. Perhaps flying electric taxis are a better option. If AirAsia go through with this and if they go to Vietnam, they should use the unused helipad on the Bitexco Financial Tower in Ho Chi Minh City.

• When the giant cruise ships came to town

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The Nomadic Notes Travel Newsletter is a weekly newsletter of the best travel reads and interesting travel news from around the web, and random ramblings by the editor.

- James Clark