North of 50…

It’s all about the journey…. or maybe it’s the destination… or maybe the journey is the destination…

Welcome to North of 50!

Back at the end of 2018, as my year of blogging through North of 50 wound down, I promised myself I’d do something new.

I decided to set out on what I dubbed the “Decade of Difficult Travel”, with an idea to visit places that might be geographically, politically, and/or culturally challenging. I wanted to do this before my brain turned to mush or my knees or my finances gave out. Got a couple of funs trips in, but didn’t see the cards that called for a pandemic

and the loss of a full time job. So much for that.

It’s funny, though, how stress can make you feel a little more…creative with what you can control. During the pandemic, I started a little FB page where I’d write a passage about a place I had been or one I wanted to visit, and I asked people to share their vacation photos and the response fantastic (See? Somebody really does want to see your photos!). I stopped after a couple of months because life, again, got in the way.

The next several years were spent staying afloat. But when 2025 came, I decided it was the year I would set out to see the world travel in earnest. Not that I hadn’t done my fair share of travelling before, but it was this past year that gave me both the time and resources—and resourcefulness—needed to make it happen. And if the start of 2026 is any indication, it’s still a work in progress, but it’s also moving forward at a crisp pace.

And the thought of shifting N50 to learning about the world came along with me. See the sections below to find out more about how you can be a part of this journey!

Places

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This section is, of course, about places—sometimes maybe an entire country, or perhaps a specific region, or sometimes maybe even just a single city, or maybe an idea, like the first post which I think will be about smaller towns/rural locations that are “off the beaten path” and not found often in larger, standard itineraries. You’ve all been to them—I know you have, and I bet they’ve surprised you just as much as they have me.

In fact, because I will be in Italy for the first post in this section, in a small Adriatic village (not so small that there’s nothing to do)—I think that first post makes sense for me, and I hope it does for you too. Between my time here in Riccione and some of the other out of the way places I’ve come across on my travels, I’ve found some of my best adventures and met the most amazing people along the way.

So, here’s a heads up: the first post will go up on near the beginning of the month (in just a few days!) If you’re subscribed, you’ll get an email; if not, you’ll see it on the N50 FB/Instagram/BlueSky pages-probably on my pages too.

Have a quick read, think about a small town you’ve visited that stands out in your travel memories and get ready to share your adventure. Tell us about the town, a secret restaurant, a hidden beach, a special festival, or a connection with the community. Send some words, send some pix (for now keep it to maybe 5-7 max), and let’s tell some stories. Remember the email to submit is sumissions@north-of-50.com

Practicalities

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Welcome to Practicalities! This section will ask you to weigh in on a theme…could be how you go about planning your trips, what sort of insurance you get, how to quickly adjust to the cultural norms of the place your visiting, how to pack, insurance, travelling with kids (which I think will be my second post, for reasons that will be clear at that time)…..

I think a good way to start will be: what’s your travel style? I thought I knew what mine was, but after this past summer where I did something completely different than my “usual” trip planning, I’m not so sure. (I think what I have learned is that there’s no one-size-fits-all—even as an individual. Depends on the place, depends on the budget, depends on where you are in life.

So..no submissions yet, but think about that and get ready to share. Pix always welcome (5-7 max) and a story to accompany would be great. When the post goes up in just a few days, send a message to submissions@north-of-50.com

Products

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As I was dragging my (brand new) Samsonite light weight hard shell medium sized (too big to carry on) suitcase through London’s Heathrow airport last October, two of the wheels lost their rubber (or whatever it is on suitcase wheels. It looked like the stuff our tricycle wheels were made of). I stuck it in my pocket. It was gross.

Needless to say I was not happy, but in the end, there was a relatively happy ending to my small drama. I’ll tell it more thoroughly in this section and ask you to share what sort of luggage you like to carry, and why. And maybe one of you can tell me how you manage to go away for a few months with just a carry on (probably not a guy because I know you can do it, but ladies—what about you??)

In just a few days, I’ll ask for your suggestions—not packing tips yet—we’ll get to that, but luggage. Pix are helpful, and remember send your notes to submissions@north-of-50.com. But not quite yet!