📷 Italy's Cave City, The Situation In Afghanistan, and What's In My Camera Bag...

Hey everyone! It's Matt. Took a long break from the newsletter, but I'm back. For the past few months I've been working on the backend of my travel blog, and haven't been posting much new content. But that's slowly starting to change. What have I been up to? Baby stuff mostly! Holden is now 8 months old, and we're finally able to sleep through the night somewhat normally. Yay. Anna & I took both kids to the [islands of French Polynesia]( last month, for a much needed vacation. My business took a big hit during the pandemic, like many others in the travel industry, but now that travel destinations have been opening up again, things are going well. Summer in Utah was a bit brutal, with a combination of extreme heat, drought, and constant fire smoke blowing in. We've been contemplating another move next year (possibly to Europe again). Utah has a lot going for it, but the effects of climate change will not be kind to this state... Mysterious Matera [Matera, Italy]( Matera is one of the coolest places we visited in Italy. An ancient town made of caves, carved into the side of a ravine! If you've seen the new James Bond movie out in theaters now, you might recognize it. It is one of the oldest continually inhabited settlements in the world, estimated to be settled in the 10th millennium BC. I put together some photos and a travel guide for visiting this super cool Italian town. [➜ Click Link To Read]( Photos From Afghanistan [Wakhan, Afghanistan]( The tragedy currently going on in Afghanistan is just getting worse & worse. Winter is coming, and the [nation is having trouble feeding itself](. The mountain guide I hired when I went backpacking there in 2016 is still stuck in the country, worried for the future of his family. It's really sad and frustrating. If you haven't seen my photo essay from Afghanistan yet, I re-posted it recently to help draw awareness to what's going on over there now, and to simply see another side of the country that we don't see in the news. [➜ Click Link To Read]( What's In My Camera Bag? [My Photography Gear]( I thought it was time to update this blog post explaining what I pack with me for photography gear. Since the last version, I found a new favorite camera backpack and tripod, and downsized my drone too. This is the camera gear I use to produce content for my blog. I always find it interesting to see what other photographers use for gear, so I thought a peek into my own bag might be helpful! [➜ Click Link To Read]( Cool Stuff From The Web Fascinating articles/videos I enjoyed on the internet this month: - [Afghans Selling Children To Survive]( - A sober look at the desperation going on right now in Afghanistan... - [Italian Towns That Pay You To Work Remotely]( - More and more countries are offering special visas or incentives to attract remote workers. - [Surging Prices Match 13 Year High]( - The last time we had over 5% inflation for this long was right before the 2008 market crash... What I'm Reading... [Naked, Short, And Greedy]( by Susanne Trimbath This Is Awesome [Perk Feel Good T-Shirts]( - My new favorite travel t-shirt! Made with Peruvian pima cotton, they are super soft, fit amazing, dry quickly, and come in many colors. Thanks For Following Along! If you haven't yet, make sure to come say hello on [Instagram](, [Youtube](, and [Facebook](. I'm usually pretty active on social media. 🙂 Matthew Karsten (The Expert Vagabond) matt@expertvagabond.com []( PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS: Read about travel photography & gear [here](. DIGITAL NOMAD TIPS: Read about remote work & blogging [here](. BUDGET TRAVEL TIPS: Get ideas & save money on your next trip [here](. PS. Remember to visit my [Budget Travel Resources Page]( where I share tips for finding cheap flights, saving money on accommodation, packing advice, and much more! ExpertVagabond.com 21750 Hardy Oak Blvd STE 104 #45012, San Antonio TX 78258 United States You received this email because you signed up on our website or made a purchase from us. [Unsubscribe]( Built with [MailerLite](