Is less more?

The Spirit of Myanmar 🇲🇲 ❤️

I never thought I’d find friendlier people than the Thais.

Known as ‘The Land of Smiles’, Thai people are some of the kindest I’ve met, willing to give you their last bowl of rice if they thought you needed it more than they did.

That was until I visited Myanmar.

The Burmese people are something else. Gentle, warm, and genuinely delighted to welcome visitors to their country.

My sister and I were stopped more than once just so someone could thank us for coming to their country. Thank us! For travelling!

One of the highlights of my life was visiting Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage site home to thousands of ancient temples. My sister and I took a sunrise hot air balloon ride, floating quietly above the temples as the sun rose in the distance. It was pure magic!

So, it hit me hard this week to hear about the 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday. To date, over 1,600 people have lost their lives, with thousands more injured or still missing. Entire communities have been devastated. It even hit as far away as Bangkok with a high rise building collapsing from the shockwaves.

What makes this even more heartbreaking is how much Myanmar has already endured over the years. From violent military takeovers to ongoing unrest, the people have faced more than their fair share of hardship. And yet, in the early days of the 2021 coup, many of them were still handing out flowers and bottles of water to the incoming junta, begging for peace. That says everything you need to know about their spirit.

So look, I’m not CNN. My goal is to fill your inbox with joy, purpose, and a bit of inspiration to live life to the fullest. But both Myanmar and Thailand hold such a special place in my heart, and particularly in Myanmar’s case, where people already have so little, I think it’s important that in moments like these, we don’t just scroll past the headlines.

So if you feel moved to help, here’s a trusted link supporting a group of on-the-ground charities providing emergency aid:

UN Crisis Relief Myanmar Earthquake Appeal

And if you do choose to help — thank you. Your support will mean a lot to these beautiful people. ❤️

Interestingly, before the earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday, I’d just published this piece about Cambodia. Another corner of Southeast Asia filled with warmth, resilience, and some of the friendliest, most resourceful people I’ve ever met.

Honestly, you could take that whole stretch of the region — from Myanmar through Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam — and you’ll find similar values everywhere. Kindness. Dignity. Deep community. A completely different relationship to happiness and wealth than we’re used to in the West.

This story has stayed with me for years, and somehow feels even more relevant right now.

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RANDOM THOUGHTS & RESOURCES

1. I came across this old (2018) YouTube video this week with Tim Ferriss Travel Tips! I thought it was going to be fairly obvious but I particularly liked Tips 2 & 3 and found his tip about ‘travel caching’ interesting, particularly if you return to the same place regularly. See his video here.

2. I’ve talked about Dr Peter Attia before. He’s a longevity expert and as I plan to travel for the next (insert years I might be alive here 😉), I’m deep in longevity, health & energy research right now. This post includes his Centenarian Decathlon goal and a plan for living better, longer! Read the post here.

3. So many of you were intrigued by the TikTok Grandma I posted about last week, I thought I’d find another one! @brunchwithbabs is a 73-year-old who was encouraged by her daughter to share a recipe online during lockdown in 2020. Now she’s got millions of followers loving her cooking tips, life hacks, and warm, no-nonsense advice. Everyone starts somewhere… what could you start posting about today?

4. I also stumbled across ElderTreks this week – an adventure travel company specifically for the 50+ crowd. They run small group tours to more unusual spots around the world, designed for active, curious travellers. They’ve been at it for over 30 years and some of their itineraries are seriously bold – we’re talking Mongolia, Madagascar, and beyond. It’s adventure with a touch of comfort, so you get the excitement without having to rough it. Worth a browse. Check them out here.

I posted this on my FB page this week and just love the message;

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