Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas


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Flight Reviews | Lounge Reviews | Destinations | Short Breaks | World Trip 1986 | World Trip 1998 | World Trip 1999-2000 | World Trip 2006 | World Trip 2009 | World Trip 2009-10 | World Trip 2010 | World Trip 2011 | World Trip 2012-13 | World Trip 2015 | World Trip 2016 | World Trip 2017 | World Trip 2017-18 | World Trip 2018 | World Trip 2019 | Australia 2022 | World Trip 2023 | World Trip 2024 | World Trip 2024-25 | World Trip 2026-27

  • Health Progress – One Year Completed

    Health Progress – One Year Completed

    Today marks one year since I made the difficult but essential decision to do something about my health. I started with solid ideas that I evolved as I progressed. The first goal was weight-focused: to go from a BMI of 45.1 (127.1 kg), classed as obese, to a BMI of 29.9 (95.1 kg), classed as overweight.

    Today I stand right on the edge of a BMI of 25 (76.4), classed as ideal. I first achieved this on 13 June 2026, well ahead of schedule, and I’ve managed to drift in and out of the ideal weight range ever since.

    Maintaining what I originally thought of as a long-shot BMI target of 25 for 4.5 months feels like an achievement in itself, and suggests I might have a shot at long-term better health and this new “normal” might be sustainable.

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  • Destination: Portugal

    Official Name: Portuguese Republic
    Established: 868  
    Population: 11,424,031 (2025 estimate)
    Religion    : 80.2% Roman Catholic, 14.1% No religion
    Language(s)    : Portuguese
    Capital    : Lisbon  
    Order of Visit    : Ninety-Third 
    First Visit    : Yet to Visit
    Last Visit    : Yet to Visit 
    Duration    : 0 Days 
    Times Visited    : 0 (Planned 2026 visit)
    Next Planned Visit    : 17 – 21 December 2026 (5 days)
    Expected Highlights    :
    Learning the history of Portugal, trying Portuguese meals, exploring historic buildings, visiting wine cellars, exploring Capela dos Ossos (Chapel of Bones), undertake a Porto Ribeira Cruise, explore Sao Jorge Castle (Moorish castle), explore Praça da Figueira Market, Lisbon Food Tour, explore Évora Cathedral and Roman Temple, explore Olhão Fish Market.
    Planned Places to Visit    : Porto, Lisbon, Évora, Olhão

    Portugal Journal Entries (to be written)
    Published    : 02 October 2026 | Last Update: 02 October 2026

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  • Destination: Spain

    Official Name: Kingdom of Spain
    Established: January 1479 (First constitution 19 March 1812)
    Population: 47,431,256 (2020 estimate)
    Religion: 61% Roman Catholic, 35% No religion
    Language(s): Spanish 
    Capital: Madrid 
    Order of Visit: Twenty 
    First Visit: 28 June 2006
    Last Visit: 26 October 2012 
    Duration: 12 Days 
    Times Visited: 2 (with future planned 2026 visit)
    Next Planned Visit: 15 – 16 December 2026 and 22 – 23 December 2026
    Visit Highlights: 
    Barcelona – Bustling Las Ramblas, Placa de Catalunya (beautiful fountain), Borri Gothic sector,  tapas bars, flamenco dancing (2006).  
    Madrid – The crazy Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, excellent Museo Nacional Del Prado, bullfighting, flamenco dancing (2012).Burgos – the amazing Cathedral. 
    San Sebastian – beautiful beaches and tapas bars.   
    Segovia – Alcazar (castle), Cathedral, and ancient, magnificent Aqueduct. 
    Avila – the walled city. 
    Places Visited: Avila, Barcelona, Burgos, Madrid, San Sebastián, Segovia 
    Planned Places to Visit: Madrid, Seville
    Spain Journal Entries  
    Published: 26 February 2010 | Last Update: 10 September 2026

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  • Destination: United States of America

    Established: 1776
    Population:     308 million (2010 census)
    Religion:     Protestant (51.3%)
    Capital:     Washington DC
    Order of Visit:     First
    First Visit:     27 November 1986
    Last Visit: 06 January 2025
    Duration: 168 Days
    Times Visited: 9 (1986, 1998, 1999-2000, 2006, 2009, 2009-2010, 2012-2013, 2019, 2024-25)
    Must Do: Grand Canyon, Deadwood, New York Comedy Clubs, The Alamo, New Year’s Eve at New York Times Square, Amusement Parks (LA and Orlando), Jazz in New Orleans, Major Sporting events (NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, US Open), Movie related experiences (Walk of Fame, Studio tours), Everglades.
    States:     Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, New York State, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington State (15 of 50 USA states)
    Cities:     Anchorage, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Deadwood, Denali, Flagstaff, Honolulu, Key West, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Orlando, Redoubt Bay, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Savannah, Sausalito, Seattle, Washington DC, Whittier
    United States of America (USA) Journal Entries
    Published:     26 February 2010 | Last Update: 18 August 2026

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  • Health Update – Nine Months Completed

    Health Update – Nine Months Completed

    I’m now nine months into a twelve-month health and fitness program I commenced back in November 2025. A big part of this is an early-morning 2-hour walk as the sun comes up, and this gives me time to reflect on life in general and matters like my progress on this health plan.

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  • Destination: Switzerland

    Official Name: Swiss Confederation
    Established    : 1291
    Population: 8.3 million (2019 estimate)
    Country Size: 41,291 square kilometers
    Religion: Protestant (51.3%)
    Languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh
    Capital: Bern
    Order of Visit: Sixteenth
    First Visit: 31 May 2006
    Last Visit: 7 June 2006
    Duration: 8 Days
    Times Visited: 1 (2006 with another visit planned 2026)
    Next Planned Visit: 08 December to 15 December 2026 (8 days)
    Highlights: Lake Lucerne, eating delicious Swiss Chocolate, admiring the stunning Lauterbrunnen Waterfalls, enjoying the high-altitude scenic train to Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe), and standing in awe before the snow-capped mountains.
    Places Visited: Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen, Bern
    Planned to Visit: Basel, Interlaken, Murren, Zermatt, Zurich
    Switzerland Journal Entries
    First Published: 02 January 2010 | Updated: 02 August 2026

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  • Destination: France

    Established: Treaty of Verdun – August 843, Republic – 22 September 1792
    Population: 67,076,000 (2020 Estimate)
    Religion: 57.5% Roman Catholic, 35% Non-religious, 3.5% other faiths, 3% Protestant
    Language: French
    Capital: Paris
    Order of Visit: Tenth
    First Visit: 24 April 2006
    Last Visit: 08 July 2006
    Next Planned Visit: 7 December 2026
    Duration: 18 Days
    Times Visited: 1 (2006, planned 2026)
    Highlights: Chateau De Versailles, Climbing the Eiffel Tower, Disneyland Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral, Moulin Rouge, The Louvre, Arc de Triumph, Auguste Rodin’s House, Sacre Coeur Monument, Night bike ride along the Seine River, Promenade des Anglais, Beaches at Cannes, The Palace of the Popes (Avignon) 
    Places Visited: Avignon, Cannes, Paris, Nice
    Planned to Visit: Strasbourg
    Frances Journal Entry
    First Published: 02 January 2010 | Updated: 31 July 2026

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  • Destination: Germany

    Official Name: The Federal Republic of Germany
    Established: 1871 (German Empire), West Germany and East Germany 1949, Reunification 1990
    Population: 83,166,711 (2019 estimate)
    Religion: 31.7% Protestants, 31.2% Roman Catholics
    Language: German
    Capital: Berlin
    Order of Visit: Thirteenth 
    First Visit: 11 May 2006
    Last Visit: 09 April 2024
    Next Planned Visit: 01 December 2026 to 06 December 2026
    Duration: 23 Days (includes 8 days for planned 2026 visit)
    Times Visited: 4 times (2006, 2013, 2024 and 2026)
    Visit Highlights: Heidelberg Castle, Attending a World Cup Football Match (Munich), Fruenkirche Church, Glockenspiel Clock, Beer Gardens, Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin Wall, Hitlers Bunker, Bebelplatz (infamous book burning site), Reichstag Dome, Berlin Bomb Bunker
    Places Visited:Berlin, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Munich,
    Planned to Visit: Duesseldorf, Cologne, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Mainz, Speyer
    German Journal Entries
    First Published: 01 January 2010 | Updated: 21 July 2026

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  • 2026 World Trip Updated

    New plan: Christmas Market – Cologne, Germany

    I unexpectedly had to make new plans for my upcoming world trip commencing in November 2026 (see Trip Plans). Trafalgar contacted my last month and advised that thir Best of Greece tour in December wasn’t going ahead. I was very dissappointed to say the least.

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  • Health Progress – Stage 3 Commences

    Seven months into twelve month health and wellness focus I can see success is in sight

    After completing both Stage 1 (01 November 2025 to 09 April 2026 i.e. 160 days) and Stage 2 (10 April 2026 to 13 June 2026 i.e 65 days) it is now time to create and commence the final Stage 3 of this one-year plan.

    The major goal of Stage 1 was getting to a Body Mass Index under 30 (for me that is 91.7 kgs) and Stage 2 was a BMI under 25 (76.4 kgs).

    I now need to create Health and Wellness Stage 3 goals to focus me between today and 10 November 2026.

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