Egypt · Jordan · Türkiye
From Cairo and the Nile to Jordan’s red desert, then onward to Istanbul. Nine stories, one journey.
Final stop: Istanbul →Latest travel stories
First-person stories, with the newest at the top.
Egypt on Our Own: The Local Drivers and Guides We Used, and What We Paid
Our firsthand guide to hiring drivers and guides in Aswan and Luxor, with the prices we compared and paid for Abu Simbel and the Nile Valley.
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One Last Night in Bali
After Komodo, a final villa stay above the Indian Ocean offered space to absorb the journey before flying home.
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Between Komodo Dragons, the Sea, and the Stars
A three-day phinisi voyage among dragons, sea turtles, coral reefs, a pink beach, Padar Island, and dark skies.
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Ubud: Learning to Slow Down
An anniversary stay among rice fields, followed by terraces, a monkey forest, a temple, and a Kecak performance.
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East Java: Waterfalls, Volcanoes, and a Different Sense of Time
From Malang to Tumpak Sewu and Mount Bromo, an adventurous route through rain forest, ash, and highland quiet.
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Kuala Lumpur: Two Unexpected Nights
Two unplanned nights brought skyline views, Chinatown, Peranakan food, a lively night market, and time to slow down.
Read story →Aswan and Abu Simbel: South Along the Nile
An unexpected airport mix-up, a houseboat on the Nile, and a desert road to Ramses II’s temples.
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North Along the Nile: From Aswan to Luxor
A road journey through Kom Ombo and Edfu, where temples, river life and present-day towns meet.
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Luxor: Tombs, Temples and Two Banks of the Nile
Two days between the Valley of the Kings on the west bank and the monumental temples of the east.
Read story →Points & Miles
Notes from real bookings and journeys.
Personal Finance
Retirement, taxes, property, and family wealth, with clear assumptions behind every decision.
The Rental Property Retirement Plan
Why rental wealth and spendable retirement income need separate calculations.
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Making Room for the Active Years of Retirement
A flexible approach to retirement spending that makes room for travel without ignoring later-life risks.
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Where the 4% Retirement Rule Came From
The assumptions behind the 4% rule, and why early retirement returns matter more than a single percentage.
Read article →Credit Cards
Firsthand notes on benefits, annual fees, and the cards we actually keep.
Credit Card Welcome Offers Worth Watching This Month
A pinned, monthly look at welcome offers, with points valuations, first-year fees, spending requirements, and clear labels for variable or targeted deals.
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The Credit Cards I've Opened Over the Years
How my thinking changed from chasing welcome bonuses to keeping the travel and business cards whose benefits we actually use.
Read article →Family Travel
Stays, routes and experiences that work for the whole family.
WorldMark
Lessons from more than a decade of membership. Story coming soon.
◈Interval International
Resort exchanges and family suites. Story coming soon.
✧Family trip in New Zealand
From Auckland to Taupō, Rotorua and Waitomo.
Cash or Points?
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Travel is a way of life
For many years, our family has traveled around the world, from cities and national parks to cruises. We enjoy more than just seeing new places. We also like figuring out how to plan a trip, where to stay, and when it makes more sense to use cash or points. I have spent much of my career in technology, so I tend to approach travel with an engineer’s mindset—comparing options, calculating value, and understanding how the rules work. Over the years, we have made extensive use of credit card rewards, airline miles, hotel points, and vacation exchange programs such as WorldMark and Interval International.
Here we share what we have learned from real experience: travel stories, hotels, points and miles, family travel, vacation clubs, and practical tools that make trip planning a little easier.
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