North Macedonia: Country #40
A friend gave me the idea of visiting forty countries before turning 40 years old in 2019. Even with pandemic-related setbacks, I was able to cross off 44. However, I have to give a special shout-out to North Macedonia, the landlocked country in Southern Europe, because it was the 40th.
In my original plan in the Balkans, I was supposed to go Slovenia (35), Croatia (36), Serbia (37), Bulgaria (38), North Macedonia (39), and finally, Romania (40). While looking at the Croatia forums on Tripadvisor, I saw a thread about day trips from Zagreb and was curious. While most of the suggestions were to visit other towns in Croatia and Slovenia, one commenter suggested Banja Luka, a town in Bosnia & Herzegovina that’s only a two-hour bus ride away. I jumped at the chance to squeeze in another country, which meant every country after Croatia got bumped. So, instead of Romania being country number 40, North Macedonia got the distinction.
Delsey Paris Sky Max 2.0 Underseat Carrier
This beauteous underseat carrier has room for my laptop and my iPad (for use as a second screen), my portable bidet (arguably the single best thing I bought in 2022), an extra day’s outfit (should the airline *knock on wood* lose my checked luggage), my 3-1-1, and a water purifier bottle. The best part? It’s small enough to pass for a personal item at most airlines.
Burberry London Trench Coat
I have many trenches but this is one of my favorites. I like it so much that I’ve brought it with me to at least 10 countries.
Unfortunately, it’s not available anymore since the brand has gone through two creative director changes since I bought it. I’ve also, um, gained some weight, so it fits a little snug now. But who cares. I love it and I will wear it until it finally gets too worn for wear.
Cruise Virgin (Voyages) No More
I was in Costa Rica and Panama in the late spring, and both countries are a quick flight out of Miami. This lively Floridian city is also the departure point of many cruise lines bound for Mexico and the Caribbean.
Eager to add two more countries to my list (Dominican Republic [33] and the Bahamas [34]), I booked a five-day cruise with Virgin Voyages. Richard Branson’s scarlet red ships promise Michelin restaurant-inspired eateries (no staid buffets here!), adults-only programming, and gratis perks (WiFi, gratuities, and group fitness classes).
While I am saving a full review of the experience in a separate post, suffice it to say that I had a great time. I ate to my heart’s content (gaining a few pounds in the process), slept well in my snug cabin, and spent most of the trip lazing around.
USB is the Way to Be
We’ve come a long way. Nowadays, I don’t need to bring a tangle of cords with me whenever I travel. Almost all of my gadgets—except for my iPhone, which was the 14 Pro Max until last month—charge via USB. This means that I only need to bring the Anker 543 hub and the appropriate number of USB-C and USB-A cords (plus one Lightning, boo) and I’m all set.
I gifted myself an iPhone 15 Pro Max for my birthday, so next year, that Lightning cable is going bye-bye.
(The Olympus EM-10 Mark III [right] can charge via USB-A, so I don’t have to carry a separate charger for it.)
Italic Hard Shell Mini Crossbody
Think of this cool hard shell case as a smaller alternative to a fanny pack (the Kelty hip bag that I featured in last year’s gift guide, is the one I use) when you don’t have to bring a lot of items with you. This is large enough to fit my Olympus micro-4/3 camera with a pancake lens by itself, or my money clip, passport, iPhone, a power bank, and a pen for writing things down.
Conair ExtremeSteam Travel Steamer
I don’t claim to be extra when I travel, because I am not. However, a travel steamer truly comes in handy when I am away for an extended period and need to freshen my clothes. This Conair model may not be lightweight but the fact that it’s dual-voltage and compact makes it a worthy gadget in my checked luggage.
ENGO 2 Sunglasses
This has got to be one of the coolest gadgets I’ve ever had the pleasure of taking for a spin. Basically, it’s a sports sunglass with a heads-up display (HUD) baked into the lens. You sync it with its companion app, and you get instant, real-time data on the things that you otherwise would have to pause for (or look down on your action watch), such as heart rate, power, pace, and distance.
I’m not an endurance athlete—in fact, my testing of the ENGO 2 was limited to morning runs and leisurely bikes in my town—however, I did enjoy using it when I was in Toronto. The city was very walkable and at the end of each day, I’d come back to my hotel with a map of where I’d been and the distance I’d covered.
It’s currently on sale for 20 percent off the regular price, and I highly recommend picking one up, because there’s a lot more in store for this type of tech. Within this year alone, it brought in integration with the Apple Watch, along with Strava and Whoop. Matt Fitzgerald, a well-known athlete, wrote a four-part guide on how to maximize the ENGO 2’s features.
As someone who has enjoyed business class flights only occasionally, it makes sense that for a year of big significance, I splurge for a comfortable seat and premium amenities.
My thing is, though, I couldn’t get myself to do it for a flight that’s less than 10 hours long. Fantastic as it may be, I’ll get immediate buyer’s regret if after watching two movies and enjoying the inflight meal service, we’d have to get ready to land.
So I gave myself a compromise: I paid for Virgin Atlantic’s Premium class. It’s not quite Business class but for the trip length, it was Goldilocks. My seat had a generous recline and a 38-inch pitch, I got two checked pieces of luggage, there was a pre-flight beverage, and both the meal service and afternoon tea were substantial (even though I gorged at the lounges in Boston and London, I made room for the food).
Adidas Daily 3.0
Regardless of length, I always travel with two pairs of shoes: One casual-dressy that I pack, and one casual that I wear. The casual-dressy one is always a pain because I have so many that fit the bill. The one that I wear on the plane though? This Adidas Daily 3.0. It fits nice and not-so-snug, it has an OrthoLite sock liner for breathability and cushioning, and it just plain looks nice.
This is my second pair of Daily 3.0. The first pair I bought at the beginning of the pandemic was ravaged when I went on a revenge-traveling spree in 2021 and 2022. It’s only right to get another one.
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