A weekly newsletter of great travel reads and news by James Clark from Nomadic Notes.

Latest posts from Nomadic Notes

Visiting the world’s largest Starbucks in Tokyo

Visiting the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo - the largest Starbucks in the world.

Travel Reads

One Thai Man’s Epic Overland Journey from the UK to Bangkok in 1970

“…in the ‘70s, Anussorn was barrelling across Europe and the Middle East on his way from the UK to Bangkok. He threw back entire cases of beer in Switzerland. He ate hashish in Afghanistan, after smoking it “had no effect.” He stared up in awe at the Bamiyan Buddhas.”

In the world’s highest city, a lack of oxygen ravages the body

“At 5100 meters’ elevation, a Peruvian gold mining town is the world’s highest settlement—and a good place to study how life at extremely low oxygen levels ravages the body.”

The signature film of every major city

“Which movies own these towns? Let’s trot around the globe to 50 cities and attempt to determine which fictional films best exemplify their real-life setting.”

What it was like to fly the baddest airplane the world has ever known

“The X-15 was the most demanding airplane I’ve ever flown.“

The last of the great explorers

“The ocean floor is the Earth’s last great uncharted region. Oliver Franklin-Wallis joins the man descending to the bottom of the deepest trenches on the planet.”

People Are Sharing The Worst Hotels They’ve Been At

“There are plenty of horrid hotels out there that make Stephen King’s hotel in ‘The Shining’ seem like a picnic near the Seine in comparison. ”

Announcement of new ‘kingdom’ in pocket between Egypt and Sudan raises eyebrows

An ‘unclaimed’ territory has been declared the Kingdom of Yellow Mountain, a home for the world’s displaced and oppressed

Photography

Civilisation: a breathtaking vista of life in the 21st century

“A photography exhibition featuring more than 200 images from around the world explores the phenomenal complexity of modern life.”

Eye-Opening Photos of Hong Kong’s Packed “Vertical Graveyards” on Steep Hillsides

“Architectural photographer Finbarr Fallon spent 5 years photographing Hong Kong’s hillside cemeteries. These terraced graveyards abut urban highrises.”

Travel Lists

Safe Cities Index 2019 whitepaper

“The Safe Cities Index 2019 report is based on the third iteration of the index, which ranks 60 cities across 57 indicators covering digital security, health security, infrastructure security and personal security.”

A Snapshot of the Tourist Spending Around the Globe

“Love to travel? See where most tourists are spending their vacation dollars.”

Instagram

Palembang, Indonesia.