Greetings, Travel Tip-Seekers!

Don’t be shy. We know you’ve got some great photos on your phone!

It’s not too late for you and your friends to enter our travel photo contest and be eligible to win a big fat prize! We’re looking for travel photos that capture a sense of wonder.

Check out all the details here.

Your small entry fee for each photo will help us pay an honorarium to our professional judges.

First prize: $1,000 cash or $2,000 off a future NextTribe Trip!

No AI images will be accepted. Our judges have ways of checking for that.

Deadline to submit is May 15.

Now, in other news…

Here are this week’s tips curated for you from our reliable sources in the travel industry and from general interest newsletters, websites, and publications.

Buy local bug spray. Put the country’s emergency number in your phone. Skip the long line at the airport Starbucks by ordering ahead with the mobile app.

These are only a few of the 53 great travel tips put together by the editors of U.S. News and World Report. Even travel pros can learn a thing or two.

After years in the making—and several delays and technology snags—the EU’s Entry/Exit System finally came into effect last Friday. The system—kiosks where you enter the info requested—replaces passport stamping and even though it’s intended to save time eventually, right now you can expect lines 1.5 to 3 times as long. Here’s the short version of what you need to know. For the long version, click here.

One of the great pleasures in air travel is to end up alone in an economy row and be able to stretch out for a nap. You get the main benefit of flying business (lying flat), for a fraction of the price. But it’s still not the most comfortable of situations—seat belt holders can dig into your side and the seat cushions are lumpy and narrow.

Now, United is officially making lying flat a thing in economy and making it comfortable to boot. It’s the first U.S. airline to offer a “Relax Row”—a series of seats in which the leg rests rise up to a 90 degree angle to create a couch of sorts. The idea is targeted at families with small children, but if you’re feeling brave, you can book it on your own and see who you end up snuggling with!

Jeannie Ralston’s passport expires in 2027 so she’s been reading up on what she needs to do to renew—aware that she can’t put it off. She knows that if your passport expires within a six month window before your trip, you will be denied boarding. (It happened to her ex-husband once, derailing their biking trip in France. He was a very experienced world-traveler, which just shows that anyone can make this oversight.)

She’s figuring out the best time to schedule her renewal—a stretch when she’s got enough time between international trips, which doesn’t happen very often. If you’re getting close to that cut off date, you’ll want to check this article out.

When Jeannie Ralston lived in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, friends and family were often hesitant to visit because they’d read a State Department Travel Advisory about some place in Mexico. Her standard response was: “Mexico is a big country. That is like saying you’re not sure about visiting Iowa because there’s a gang war in the Bronx.”

With the world in the state it is right now, governments are issuing travel advisories right and left. But before your freak out, you need to understand what and where the advisory is focused on. That’s one of the insights in this helpful article that tells you what you really need to pay attention to.

We spend so much time complaining about airports (we’re looking at you IAH), that we thought we should raise a toast to those that are doing it right—making our layover time at least a notch above hell. Here are the best-rated—two of which (Dubai and Singapore) have swimming pools. Please note that no U.S. airports are in the top 10. Sigh.

A change to Canada’s citizenship rules is putting a second passport within reach for millions of people—including many Americans who may not realize they already qualify.

In December 2025, Canada enacted changes to its Citizenship Act that significantly broaden who can claim Canadian citizenship by descent. The update removes a rule that previously limited citizenship to just the first generation born outside Canada, opening the door to newly eligible individuals with Canadian grandparents or even more distant ancestors. Learn more here.

Thanks for reading. Happy trails!

Jeannie Edmunds

Chief Operating Officer

Wed. April 29th: India Trip Preview, 6:30 pm ET. Meet next year’s trip leader, yogi Kim Cihlar, and learn why slow travel is especially sweet in India. Remember: someone on the Zoom will win a $400 discount on the trip.

RSVP here.

Wed. May 13th: Ecuador & Galapagos After Party, 6:30 pm ET. This when travelers on the 2026 trip gather to reminisce, look at photos and give you live reviews of their experience. Join us if you want the unvarnished truth about our 2027 trip, which will be open for sign ups in May.

RSVP here.

Click on a square to see our trip listing.

REMEMBER: We offer interest-free monthly payments