5 Trips to celebrate your birthday + How to travel with medication

Hi Reader,

How is your summer going?

This week is my Birthday 🥳

I am turning a whopping 45 years old, wow!

My fitness tracker says my real age is 41, and I actually feel more like 37, which is apparently a very common phenomenon.

Research shows that it is common for people over 40 to feel 20% younger than their real age. That means I would be 36, which is more or less how old I feel. In fact, I often still think of people in their 40s as "old" even though I am 45! 🙈

Crazy isn't it?

Do you feel the same?

Hit reply and let me know, I'd love to not feel alone in this 😅

In this week's email 📩:

Trips that are deserving of a birthday celebration
Last spots left on this year's tours
Tips for traveling with medication

5 trips to celebrate your birthday

I am celebrating this year's birthday in Porto and the Douro Valley with my best friend.

Every year, I try to celebrate my birthdays somewhere exotic and extravagant, and many years, we've celebrated it together. This year, his dad's health isn't the best so we are going somewhere nearby and for a shorter period of time.

In the past, I have celebrated in Bali, Tuvalu, Samoa and American Samoa, Kenya, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Tanzania, Palau, Malawi, Mozambique,...

These weren't particularly birthday friendly destinations, but rather bucket list trips that were good to take in August, which is no mean feat.

This is the busiest month of travel and a terrible month to visit many parts of the world. It is too hot in North and West Africa, the Middle East or South Asia. It is hurricane season in the Caribbean, Monsoon in many parts of Asia and winter in the southern hemisphere. That does not leave a lot of options...

If you are looking to celebrate your birthday with a trip, here are a few ideas for epic ways to do so.

The south Pacific

The south Pacific is one of my most favorite parts of the world.

It is remote, hard to get to and relatively underdeveloped, with some exceptions.

If you are looking for diving, Fiji (incredible soft coral walls, white sharks), Vanuatu (shipwrecks) the Solomon Islands and Tonga (humpback whales), this is a magical destination.

Nature lovers will be amazed with the active Yasur volcano in Tanna Island, Vanuatu, that has been spewing lava for years or the beautiful crater pool in Samoa.

If you are looking for crystal clear waters, all of the islands have the fluffiest white sand beaches and cleanest waters, no matter which country you pick.

Culture is alive in all these islands; Spend a night in Savaai in Samoa and sleep in open-air "fales" on the beach. Learn about Polynesian and Melanesian culture in Fiji; Witness the origin of bungee jumping in Pentecost Island, in Vanuatu.

Best time to visit: June to September is the dry, cooler season.

Las Vegas

Nothing says celebration like Las Vegas, with its many shows, pool parties, festive atmosphere, parties, and general upbeat mood.

Las Vegas is the party capital of the world and solo travelers will not feel out of place there, as many members have mentioned in the group.

Best time to visit: Year-round, since most of the action happens indoors anyway, though if you would like to explore the nature around it, you'd have to avoid the steaming hot summer months.

The Maldives

The Maldives oozes "I deserve it" and I can assure you that you don't need someone to take you there to enjoy it. Many resorts have solo packages and long are the days when the island-country was a destination for couples only.

Today, you will find as many families, groups of friends and solos as couples on a honeymoon. Don't delay any longer and treat yourself to that bucketlist trip.

If you are worried about being alone, you can have the best meals in your overwater villa or book private meals in secluded locations like a sand bank, with nobody else around but you.

Most resorts offer activities such as snorkeling, diving, whale watching, island visits, cooking classes, etc. and it is common for only one person in a group / couple to want to do them, so solos are welcome. Bonus points if you like diving and end up paired with the instructor as your dive buddy, they will be the best at spotting wildlife.

All resorts in the Maldives have beautiful spas and multi-day wellness programs, as well as daily yoga or meditation.

Best time to visit: November to April. Summer months are cheaper but storms and bad weather will put a damper on your holiday, and there is not much to do on an island when it is pouring outside.

A safari in Tanzania

If there was ever a trip worth saving for, this is it. Safaris are the ultimate bucket list trip and we have many guests celebrating their special day with us on tour.

They are usually expensive, because of the very high park fees, and need at least 10 days to 2 weeks of vacation time, including travel time, so they are special trips deserving of a celebration and of your investment.

Check out our safari and Zanzibar trip here and book your next birthday trip with us.

Best time to visit: June to October are the best months for wildlife spotting, and September and October are the best to see The Great Migration.

Antarctica

Nothing says trip of a lifetime more than a visit to the 7th continent: Antarctica.

Many of the guests booked on our Antarctica trip are actually celebrating their birthday on the trip, or have booked it as a present to themselves.

As cliche as this sounds, it is very difficult to find the words to describe what Antarctica "looks like", let alone describe what it "feels like".

The majestic landscapes, the crystal clear waters devoid of any human influence, the expansive mountains, the untouched glaciers and the neon blue icebergs...

Not to mention the many hilarious and adorable penguins, the playful seals and the wild whales, breaching peacefully at sunrise.

Antarctica is changing fast, and remains one of the most incredible places, one words have yet to be defined for.

Check out our expedition trip, starting in Buenos Aires, that is 2 days longer than other trips and sails on a small 108-people ship that has access to more remote parts of the continent and spends more time on land than any other expedition.

Other great birthday trip ideas

Here are a few other trips to celebrate your birthday, and resorts that I have had on my bucket list for a while:

Paris: The city of love can also be the city of self-love. Book a sunrise photoshoot with Eiffel Tower views, indulge in great French food, chill with a book at a quaint cafe or max out your credit card shopping at the best stores.
London or New York: Both cities have SO MUCH to see and do, and so many people going about their day to day on their own that a solo traveler does not stand out at all. Shows, fab restaurants and bars, food tours for some evening action, culture galore, it does not matter what kind of city holiday you like, both will fulfil your birthday dreams.
Cuba: Cubans certainly know how to have fun and I am certain that if you visit during your birthday, the whole country will celebrate it with you. Salsa at 8am? Yes! Music everywhere? Yes, please! Freshly made mojitos, pina coladas and cachancharas? That's right! Colorful towns and friendly people? The best background. Plus, if you choose to stay at local homes / BnBs and eat at local restaurants, you can be sure your holiday money will go towards helping a struggling economy, suffering from 70 years of financial embargo. See if our Cuban tour dates match your birthday here.
The body holiday in St Lucia: This all inclusive wellness resort is a favorite one with many of the members of our community for its holistic approach. Solo female travelers will feel at home and pampered as much as you want.
Ananda in the Himalayas in India: An Ayurveda-focused retreat in the Himalayan mountains that focuses on overall wellbeing. The resort offers programs of up to 21 days that include medical supervision and peaceful views that follow the principles of this ancient Indian practice.
The Burgenstock Resort in Switzerland: A breathtaking location in the mountains above Lucerne with a range of treatments and the best views over mountains and lakes sine 1873. This is a retreat to rest and enjoy classic spa programs.
Chiva Som resorts: This wellness brand has resorts in Hua Hin, Thailand or in Qatar and offers a self-care set of wellness retreats focused on pain management, anxiety, stress and more. Check in and let them take care of you on your special day.

How did you celebrate your birthday this year?

Tips for traveling with medication

Medications approved in one country, or even available over the counter, could be banned in another, and this means that you could get in trouble with the border officials on a trip for unknowingly traveling with something you need on your day to day.

Check out this Travel+Leisure article which has a list of medication that are legal in the US but banned elsewhere (useful even if you aren't from the US) and the tips it mentions to avoid issues.

The CDC also have a handy list of tips as does the UK Fit to travel website here.

Summary of tips below:

Always research if your medication is legally allowed where you are traveling and whether you need extra documentation (eg. a prescription in English) or if there is an amount you are allowed to bring in (typically 30 days worth of supplies). Every country has its own website / organization that is in charge of this, or you can check with the embassy. Some countries, like Singapore, make it quite easy for you to check, others make it harder and require you to send an email beforehand to get pre-approval or confirmation. You can check the International narcotics Control Board for info.
Keep medication in the original package so that any authorities can confirm it is what you say it is. If you remove the pills from its packaging, it will be harder to prove what they are, see what the ingredients are or check they comply with the requirements.
Get a prescription: Even if not a requirement, it always helps to have a prescription written by your doctor and translated into English and / or the local language. An extra note by your doctor explaining why you need it may be helpful too. Get several copies of both as authorities may keep them.

If what you take is not allowed at the destination, no matter how many note and prescriptions you bring, consider switching to a different medication instead.

If you plan to travel for longer than 30 days and know you will need to refill your prescription, discuss your options with your doctor to see if there is a local alternative you can get instead or if your health insurance can help by sending you what you need.

Last availability for 2025

Here are the last few spots left on this year's tours:

🔔 3 SPOTS left on our Georgia tour 20 to 28 September => BOOK GEORGIA
🔔 1 SPOT opened up on our Morocco tour 6 to 16 November => BOOK MOROCCO
🔔 1 SPOT left on our Australia tour 12 to 23 October => BOOK AUSTRALIA
🔔 1 SPOT left on our Iceland tour 28 September to 5 October => BOOK ICELAND
🔔 3 SPOTS left on our Oaxaca 12 to 18 October tour => BOOK OAXACA
🔔 1 SPOT left on our Xmas markets tour 22 to 29 November => BOOK XMAS MARKETS
🔔 4 SPOTS left on our Cuba tour for New Year's Eve, the celebration you needed! => BOOK CUBA (PS Yes, Americans can travel to Cuba legally, directly and without any issues, reply to this email and ask us for details)

=> You can also see the FULL CALENDAR of tours with all the destinations.