“United’s in-flight publication goes digital—and marks the end of an era.”
Travel
Trekking Across Switzerland, Guided by Locals’ Hand-Drawn Maps
“Nostalgic for a time before ubiquitous connectivity, a writer ditched his phone and relied instead on serendipity — and maps made by people he met along the way.”
Costco in Cancún
“This is the Costco psychology: quality over brand; value over status. To be ripped off is to be taken for a sucker. It is to have your resources wasted, your hard-earned cash sucked into a delusion of taste, timeliness, or class.”
Crying Myself to Sleep on the Biggest Cruise Ship Ever
“Seven agonizing nights aboard the Icon of the Seas.”
The Foreign Language That Changed My Teenage Son’s Life
“I worried about his ability to fit in. But then he fell in love with Russian — and on a trip to Central Asia, he flourished.”
A Single Small Map Is Enough For A Lifetime
“What if this bog-standard corner of England is actually full of adventure, nature, wildness, surprises, silence, perspective — if only I bothered to go out and look?”
“America Does Not Deserve Me.” Why Black People Are Leaving the United States
“The expats forging new lives in Puerto Viejo are part of a wider exodus of Black Americans from the U.S. in recent years, with many leaving for reasons that are explicitly political.”
Fast Times on America’s Slowest Train
A surreal train ride between Chicago and New Orleans proves that Amtrak still has a lot to offer. (Not including speed or the food.)
Meeting Mumbai Again After a Life-Changing Loss
“Moment by moment, this city will teach me to stay awake to the present, to pay attention, to follow the thread of human connection, to take pleasure where it’s found.”
How I Survived a Wedding in a Jungle That Tried to Eat Me Alive
“Nothing says “I do” like a small blood sacrifice.”
