Midlife Nomads explores how people are redesigning work, travel, and life in our 40s, 50s & beyond.
Good morning / Good evening / Good afternoon, Readers — wherever you are in the world today.
I’m back in beautiful Nicaragua, enjoying all of the colour, sunshine, and fruit that didn’t ripen on a 4-day truck ride.
For those on the move or planning near-future travel this week, there are a few things going on that you’ll want to have on your radar:
Travelers are warning of scam European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) portals. Visa-exempt travellers (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan and more) will need an ETIAS authorization to enter the EU. Don’t just Google and choose the top pick; the only real portal is travel-europe.europa.eu/etias.
Heatwaves and wildfires continue to wreak havoc in parts of Europe, with wildfire forcing beach evacuations in northern Greece recently. Check for wildfire maps and warnings, and know your exit plan if possible, as things move fast.
Barcelona: ground crews still striking. El Prat ground crews are into week three — 250 flights cancelled, 6,000 bags stranded, no deal in sight. Only Groundforce-handled airlines are affected (Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, Qatar, Turkish, Air Europa, ~20 others, T1 and T2). Check in with your carrier, and go carry-on-only if you can.
Palma: all clear. The Mallorca strike that shared those headlines ended August 9 and the airport is running normally.
Airfare is up 25.5% year-over-year. NerdWallet's August index has airfare +25.5% YoY — the biggest jump of any category — while lodging is up just 2.6%. The pain is in the flight now, not the bed, which is a great argument for staying put longer once you land.
On that note, I’ve been checking out repositioning cruises for my 2027 transatlantic crossing. If you have any tips or recommendations for those, I’m all ears!
If you’re also hoping to avoid flying across the pond, there are sailing trips here you might like to check out — though cost savings likely won’t be the driver of that decision. At € 7,900 per crossing, the price tag is too rich for my blood, but it could be a grand adventure for the right person.
(I’m more intrigued by this cargo ship route down the African coast…)
If you’re looking for a soft place to land next month and stay a while, there are some great options on The September 2026 Shortlist, including:
a well-regarded French mountain chalet coliving capped at 15 colivers
villa living in Vietnam with en suite bath, balconies, pool, and rice field views
a two-bedroom apartment in an historic South American center, with terrace a full kitchen coming in under $700 a month
A dozen more recommended stays across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia
Check it out:
The Shortlist: September 2026
Colivings, serviced city stays, nomad trips, cruises, and the occasional artist residency for people in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond who are still working, value reliable internet and real comfort, and occasionally want to drop into a community without dorm energy. July 2026 Update: Full members will find a last-chance booking offer for a women’s retreat in France below.
And in the meantime, here’s what you may have missed in your inbox:
From the Blog
Where in the world are you, and what are you up to? Share your stories, questions or adventures in the comments, or reply to this email. I read every response.
Until next time — may your motivation stay strong and your offers come in above asking.
✌🏻 Miranda
P.S. I’ve opened up consulting sessions for people working through a specific remote work or relocation question. Details and rates are on the Work With Me page.
Past issues:
All of those places and nothing about visiting beautiful Nicaragua?