Norm Bour – Travel Younger

Chapter 322: Sri Lanka Bike Trip part III, All Good Things Come to an End

Norm Bour — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 01:18:57 +0000

08.31.26

Our nine day ride covering about 1200 km (750 miles) finished on a high note as we returned to the resort we started at: Suriya Resort, in Negombo. Our ride through Sri Lanka was very challenging in the first few days, starting at sea level, and climbing to 1900 meters in 8 hours (and to 16c/60f degree temps!) in the small town of Nuwara Eliya. Along the way we ran into the only rain during the entire time, and as soon as we finished getting our rain gear on, it was done. No one complained~

We got a tour of the Bluefield Tea Plantation, which was a tourist trap, but one of the better ones! We learned about tea; how it’s picked, dried, cleaned, and ground up into packets for distribution, and we got to sample a dozen different varieties. The best: Silver Leaf if you can find it. We rode through villages small and medium size, and without exception, everywhere people on the streets waved at us! Young and old; sometimes we beeped, but generally not, but they waved and we waved back at them. Overall the Sri Lankan people were some of the overtly friendliest we have met anywhere.

We stopped overnight at a small village called Sigiriya, home of a gigantic rock similar to the Uluru in Australia (AKA Ayers Rock), but here known as “The Lion Rock.” I was unable to climb it, but many in our group did, and the vistas were gorgeous. The next night had us into the heart of elephant territory, but drought conditions forced many of the wildlife into other areas to find water, so we struck out. Even so, to stay in a room where elephants were just 50 feet on the other side of an electric fence was a cool experience.

We finished up at the resort where we started, and because flights out were few, we stayed two days to decompress–and we needed it! Between late dinners, long days, and many miles on two wheels and four, it was an exhausting trip. Not a VACATION, but truly an EXPERIENCE.

If you’re interested in a Sri Lanka biking adventure, send me a note.

Chapter 321: Sri Lanka Bike Tour (part II)

Norm Bour — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:05:07 +0000

08.21.26

The last few days have been a combination of twisty roads, flat roads, and a two day of rest in a beautiful beach town called Trincomalee. After being on the road for 4 days it was nice to have a day to relax at the pool and catch up on some things. It has become obvious that Sri Lanka is an absolutely gorgeous country, possibly even more so than Bali or Vietnam. Today we went on a safari, our first, but saw no elephants in the wild. On the road a few days ago I actually did see one off in a field, but it was too far away to stop and take a closer look. We have seen our share of monkeys and wild deer, and one Mongoose crossing the road.

Not all has gone swimmingly as we had one minor brake failure which was fixed on the road, one rider fall on some slick mud that put him out of circulation for a few days, and one by me which did the same. I’ll not go into that now, but let’s just say I’m on the mend and will share more later. Aside from one more flat tire, and one battery that needed replacement, it’s been nice having a full-time mechanic with us, for peace of mind as much as anything.

In the last 7 plus years of living as nomads. We have had our share of adventures. We slept on the side of a cliff in Peru at 11,000 ft elevation, had the opportunity to pet cheetahs at a zoo in Australia and sleep in a room where giraffes were able to be fed off of our balcony. We’ve walked over the top of the Sydney harbor bridge, and then did two almost 90-day motorcycle rides throughout Turkey, Greece, and much of Europe. But I think this 9-day motorcycle tour of Sri Lanka certainly ranks as one of the top adventures we will ever have.

Our first safari was not as elaborate as maybe an African safari and took 4 hours, but it was quite an adventure on a rocky rutted Road in a highly outfitted four-wheel drive Land cruiser, and we did see a couple crocodiles, plenty of cool birds, and assorted other things, plus did hear a leopard, and though we diligently tried to find it, we had no success

Chapter 320: Sri Lanka Bike Tour

Norm Bour — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:57:53 +0000

08.14.26

This is the first motorcycle helmet I’ve bought since 2023, which is when I got one in Turkey, shipped it to Romania, and picked up a motorcycle there for a 90-day ride. My rental company kept it there for several years until we returned, but that helmet was stolen along with that motorcycle in May of 2025, in Sicily… But that was then, and this is now, and we’re just about to start a 9-day tour of Sri Lanka!

For several years we’ve been trying to get together with my friend Simone, who owns a motorcycle rental company in Sri Lanka, but it never quite worked out. But this time the stars were aligned, and Kathleen is wisely going to be following nine riders in our chase van, instead of sitting on the back. Over 9 days we will hit seven different cities, and we’ll see everything from ocean to mountains, from elephants to buffalo, and who knows what else! Stand by, I’ll be doing regular reports

Our first night was in the town of Negombo at the lovely Suraya Resort. Kathleen and I actually got there 2 days early so we could relax, and so glad we did! Those Chase credit card points we’ve accumulated over the years really paid off.

Simone’s rental company is called Ride on- Sri Lanka, and his slogan is one that I faithfully believe in: No stress

Chapter 319: Fasting: Should YOU? Should I??

Norm Bour — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 06:42:11 +0000

07.30.26

I’ve had many friends over the years who swear by fasting and the benefits it offers, and I’ve been tempted many, many times. I actually did it occasionally in my twenties, but could barely make it a day. Recently, I’ve been motivated and inspired by a friend from the UK, Trevor, who ended up losing 110 lb. these past few years between fasting, diet, and walking, so I thought I would give it a try.

I did 31 hours recently and was surprised to discover that I wasn’t starving even after 24. Hell, on that first day, even with a big breakfast, I was not even hungry by dinner the NEXT night at 31 hours. So I recently tried to do a 48 hours fast, but it did not work out….

At the start I had a big breakfast and got through dinner with no problem but had a little high blood pressure that night. After 24 hours (next morning), still good, and my energy level during the prior day was very high, as was my mental acuity. I slept great, and on the morning of the second day I was bored not having breakfast, but again, not starving. Pretty cool. I really didn’t worry about my BP from the night before, but by the end of the second day when I checked my blood pressure, about 35 hours in, it was elevated again. So I did some research and asked my Gemini AI if fasting was bad for my BP and it said yes, it can elevate for a number of different reasons, which you can certainly ask your favorite AI program.

Well, after dealing with high blood pressure for a dozen years, off and on meds, and having the OPPOSITE happen a few months ago, when my blood pressure crashed downward, due to dehydration, I am not about to mess with my health. At this point in my life I LIKE my life and it is too precious to risk anything, ego be damned! So I ended my fast.

Some lessons I learned:

> If you’re going to fast, learn the rules of hydration during your fasting period and eat a “good meal” before you begin.
> It’s OK to have water or tea with no sugar during your fast, and if you are prone to any prior medical conditions, keep that in mind
> Schedules and ego be damned. If you feel you are at risk take a break and review what you’ve done
> When you start again eat a proper meal to replace what you’ve lacked

When my AI suggested I STOP my fast, I did, and had a snack of some protein and electrolytes to get everything in balance. The following morning I had a good healthy breakfast, and everything is back to normal. So, lesson learned, and I will be more mindful in the future.

Chapter 318: WOW (airline): My 10 year anniversary

Norm Bour — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 06:20:33 +0000

07.28.26

Ten (10) years ago today my life changed.

Permanently.

And for the better. At the age of 62 I departed California for a 19-day, six country trip to Europe, and this was really my first time overseas, certainly by myself. I had no idea what to expect, felt overwhelmed and intimidated, but very excited.

The first bit of excitement was a layover in Iceland, and watching the sun out the window, never setting, just hovering above the horizon for the time I watched it, intrigued the hell out of me. The layover was short, and not long after we departed for Amsterdam, which was stop number one. I was invited to speak at an event there, followed by another in Prague, then Warsaw, and had a large time gap in between. A client in Ireland asked me if I had time to check out a new manufacturing facility they were considering, so of course I said yes! They paid my way there, put me up in a nice room in Dublin, and from there we drove up to the northern coast of Ireland–Donegal–my first time being driven on the left side of the road. The one thing that I really wanted to see in Ireland was the green hillsides they are known for, and I got my share over that 290 km drive.

Watching young people travel so effortlessly from country to country, navigating borders, public transportation, and dealing with money, truly inspired me since I was overwhelmed much of the time.

And I said to myself,

“I need to learn how to travel like a millennial!”

and that is where the seed was planted which eventually turned into my website and platform, Travel Younger.

I had no idea that trip would change my life to the degree that it has, but when I returned I had lunch with a fellow writer (a millennial …) who was continually on the road, and asked her how she did it on such a meager budget. With her suggestions, and my realization that I truly WAS location independent and had no reason to live in California, or the United States for that matter, my life changed, and as they say, the rest is history.

We don’t always know what events or people will change our lives, but it’s important that we keep an open mind and heart to all of them.

Chapter 317: Incidents and Accidents on the Nomadic Highway

Norm Bour — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:10:19 +0000

07.14.26

I recently had a third incident in just a few months happen when I missed a step going downstairs at a friend’s house, and swung around and hit the banister with my head. Within milliseconds a big bump (“goose egg bruise” they call them) was generated. It really didn’t bleed very much, but I knew enough to realize that I needed to get ice on it ASAP, so that’s what I did. I laid down for a while and looked for symptoms of anything more serious (concussion-wise), and fortunately there were none. For Peace of Mind I went to the hospital just to have a doctor take a look at me, they gave me a thumbs up, and sent me on my way.

I am generally not accident prone but this third faux pas since April, when I had my dehydration episode, and then 6 weeks ago colliding with a motorbike, had me a bit worried, and that got me started on recounting HOW MANY things like this have taken place over the last 7 plus years of nomadic travel. I don’t know if being on the road INCREASES your chances of having accidents or not, but the results and the SOLUTIONS can be more challenging since you don’t always have a medical clinic or hospital down the street that you can drive to. Or a car to drive!

So I thought I would ask you all of your experiences being on the road and to share if you can. They only count if you had occasion to go to a doctor or hospital or it caused you significant concern. If it involved stitches or a cast you’re in! And we may even have an award for the best story. Covid doesn’t count, BTW, because most of us have had at least one of those….

Here is my brief list of shit that happened:

2020 (COVID time): riding my bicycle down the road in Puerto Moreles, Mexico, I got hit by a right side car mirror. I got knocked down, they did not stop, but I had massive bruising on my left side and lower back. Kat said I was white as a sheet when I got home, and I had to shower to remove the gravel from my skin. That took a while to heal and the coloration of the bruises was knarly!

2026: (April) dehydration in Ninh Binh, passing out with extremely low (scary low), blood pressure. (June) motorbike collision, and this new one.

I’m not counting situations where I went to a doctor because of high blood pressure or “normal” medical concerns, and Kat has had a few of them as well.

Other than that, aside from a few minor slips, falls and cuts, nothing required a doctor or hospital.

Your turn!

Chapter 316: Da Nang: it may not be what it was, but it’s still pretty damn good

Norm Bour — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 09:54:24 +0000

06.30.26

How BAD is it? How GOOD is it?

We’ve been back in Da Nang for about a month, and though bloggers, vloggers and media are both touting it and doubting it, after being gone for 2 years, it still works. We heard a lot of people complaining about the construction, and that is absolutely happening. And yes, prices have gone up as well, but we moved back into the apartment we left 2 years ago and even though we’re paying about $150 more, it’s still a value, especially since they added a kitchen to the unit. We have been planning to return here pretty much since we left Vietnam 22 months ago, and our intention/plan is to stay for the foreseeable future. The visa runs are not a problem since it gives us a chance to go somewhere new (like Japan recently, Sri Lanka in August). There is no doubt we are slowing down a bit after 7+ years of nomadic travel, and this place—Da Nang– is one of the three places that we truly love and plan on making our semi-regular or semi-permanent home. As my token brother has said before, “We don’t live anywhere but we belong everywhere.”

Some of the rants we’ve heard and continue to hear:

> Construction: yup, it’s everywhere, including to the left of our unit as well as the right! The vacant lot that was there 2 years ago on one side is now a single story café (yay!), and on the other side is a tall apartment about 80% complete. Yes, they DO make noise, and it does seem that there is construction on almost every street.

> More tourists: oh yea, lots more. The Walking Streets are quite busy, as is the beach and the beach promenade. But that is true in almost every desirable city in the world. It will get busy, the buildings will grow to accommodate it, and hopefully the infrastructure will, too.

> Careless motorbike riders: How controversial is THIS topic! Tourists without helmets, even shoes! Rude riders (of all persuasions), and car drivers who don’t pay attention. As a bike rider for half a century I can state with certainty that this is NOT THE PLACE to learn how to ride!! You must ride like a local in order to fit in and stay safe.

> Too many… Russians! Koreans! Japanese! Westerners! You name it, people will say there are too many of “them.” Truth is, Russians are less than 5% of visitors, and the Japanese influence is more deep rooted, and they have a significant business presence. The Westerners, including Americans, Brits, and Aussie presence IS significant, especially in the An Thuong party and beer areas. Is it just cheap beer that brings them?? But the largest group, by far, is South Koreans, who look at Da Nang as being the “Seoul of Vietnam.” Generally (but not always) they have more money and stay at nicer resorts and do more high end tours. You’ll see more and more Korean eateries in the years to come.

Nothing in life is perfect, and no PLACE is either. You take the good with the bad, but even the worst part of Da Nang and Vietnam is probably better than where you left

Chapter 315: A Recap of Japan

Norm Bour — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 03:45:41 +0000

06.10.26

Kathleen and I recently spent two weeks in Japan, a country we never visited, and combined that with our Vietnam “visa run” to reset for another 90 day stay. Even with all our experience in southeast Asia, Japan was a bit intimidating since we thought it was going to be SO different. And it was. But it was also surprisingly effortless to navigate, so I asked Kathleen to share her thoughts, recorded it, and had Gemini AI pretty it up. And then I added my own two cents, because, well, that’s what guys like to do.

Two Weeks in Japan: The Modern, the Authentic, and the Surprisingly Familiar

Kathleen: We just wrapped up an incredible two-week adventure spanning Osaka and Kyoto, and I’m still processing it all! I loved both cities for completely different reasons, but the trip definitely threw a few curveballs my way.

Osaka: Futuristic & Lively

Osaka is an absolute powerhouse of contemporary, modern energy. The train stations alone are mind-blowing—they are practically massive underground cities packed with endless shopping and dining options. If you love a vibrant, high-tech urban buzz, this is your place.

Norm: I SOOO agree, and what was nice is that even though the metro and malls and underground businesses were frantic at times, the PEOPLE were orderly. You stand in line for the metro or train and everyone is chill. No pushing or shoving, and overall they are extraordinarily polite. Getting a ticket to the train was daunting at first, but once I understaood the different lines and where they go, it was easy. And Google Maps for BUSES?? Amazing! They directed us to the right intersection, which platform, if there were more than one, and it took away a lot of the Fear factor.

Kyoto: Peaceful & Scenic

Kyoto definitely delivered more of that traditional Japanese ambiance. We caught a sumo wrestling match, saw beautiful geisha culture, and took an unforgettable train ride out past gorgeous waterfalls and rivers. Walking through the old town areas felt wonderfully peaceful and authentic.

Norm: Yes, Kyoto was much smaller and actually quite fun to navigate by foot. Mostly flat and MAPS worked great. We also attended a Taiko Drum show, and I visited the most amazing TRAIN museum! BUT finding food from menus that we could understand, was very frustrating, and put us off. But even so, we found a few places that we liked enough to revisit, so that’s always fun.

Oh, one more thing, which I mentioned before: their convenience stores, like 7-11, Lawsons, etc…were SO much more than what most of the world offers. We could find full meals there for a very reasonable price.

The Big Takeaway: A Westernized Surprise

If I’m being completely honest, I came away a bit surprised! Having traveled to many countries, I expected Japan to feel entirely different from anything else. Instead, I found both cities—even Kyoto—to be much more westernized and homogenized than I anticipated. From the standard modern hotel rooms to the Starbucks on the corner, a lot of it felt familiar.

Norm: I concur, and that’s a double-edged sword since it did allow us to feel more comfortable. No doubt if we visited the smaller places outside the big city we would truly find untarnished Japan that we read about.

Would I go back?

Absolutely, 100%! Japan is a wonderful country, and I highly recommend anyone visit. Next time, though, my goal is to escape the major cities. I have my sights set on Okinawa and some smaller islands—I think that’s where the deeply rooted, traditional culture is waiting to be found.

Norm: yea, ditto. Japan was a trip and Okinawa sounds good, along with maybe some islands that are a bit less structured. Osaka was fairly affordable by most expat/ nomad standards, but Kyoto; not so much. Granted, we stayed at BOTH places in the places that everyone wants to be, so you get what you pay for.

Until the next adventure!

Chapter 314: How Many Days do You Need in Hanoi?

Norm Bour — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 03:34:03 +0000

06.05.26

Of course, that is a subjective question since no one really needs any, so it’s a matter of what you want to do and how many days you think it takes to do that. We wanted to visit Hanoi because we had never been there, and it was the best departure airport for our leg/ visa run to Japan. We’d also heard wonderful things about nearby Ninh Binh, and none of them were exaggerated, so we stayed there for 14 days and Hanoi for five.

We had to ask ourselves, “what are the most important things we wanted to do in Hanoi?” so we watched videos, read blogs, and spoke with some friends, and came up with three.

First: the famous Hanoi water puppet shows, which is an art form that goes back a millennium, and the productions are very Vietnam specific since they enact rural Vietnamese folklore, daily village life (like rice farming and herding water buffalo), and historical legends—often featuring fire-breathing dragons and swimming frogs. They only last about an hour, but between the beautiful music and watching and wondering, “HOW do they do that?” it went quickly. We opted for front row seats, a great value for the price, and we questioned if this might be a typical “tourist trap,” but it’s not. I highly recommend you attend if you are in Hanoi. And yes, it was all in Vietnamese, so we really had no idea what was going on, but they do offer audio guides, which we should have done. It took awhile for me to figure out the mechanics, but the puppet masters are in waist deep water behind a curtain and use very long bamboo rods with strings to manipulate the puppets.

Next: FOOD! While Vietnam overall offers a variety of different foods unique to the country, there are also regional dishes, and this is the mecca of Northern Vietnam. There were a few dishes I like from the central/ Da Nang area, but one of the biggies here is Bún Chả, which is a simple dish of vermicelli noodles and pork balls or patties, and I happened upon one of the best places in the city (or so the food tour lady said when she sat at a table next to me), which was yummy! Along with that they have their own version of pho, which they call Phở Bắc which is more savory than sweet than what we had in the central coast. And of course, this is the birthplace of egg coffee, which is now a Vietnam staple, but one I never got into. I’m sticking with coconut coffee, and they had plenty of that, too!

We stayed in the Old Quarter and had so many places to choose from that were close, so I highly suggest you stay there if you visit. Along with the eateries themselves, there is also a huge variety of street food, and of course, the Food STREETS themselves, which involves taking a narrow road or alley to start, and placing as many tables in front as possible, leaving a narrow walkway. Oh, and they do this on both sides! Add in competing boom box speakers, mix in alcohol, and you have yourselves a party!

Last on the list was the famous Hanoi Train Street. It’s a street. With a train running through it, and it’s a world-famous attraction. Hundreds of bars and cafes are on both sides of the tracks, and when the train comes, you literally have to move yourselves to only one side, where there is (marginally) more clearance. That is a new precaution, probably due to too many near hits.

The train itself goes back to French colonialism and was built back in 1902, and they put it through an already busy Old Quarter neighborhood. For decades that section of people’s houses on the tracks were just extensions of their living quarters, and they made it part of their kitchens, laundries, and back yards, including kids playing on the tracks. Thanks to Instagram and travel bloggers, these homes were converted to pubs and eateries, and the crowds just grew and grew. It lost that local charm and is now a significant draw to the city, which is fine since it’s free and you have to eat anyway, right? They don’t allow “organized tours” and now there are security people at major access points to keep people off the tracks. A prudent measure.

How Many Days do You Need in Hanoi? We were there for five days, which was ideal for our situation. Any less time would be a rush and truly wouldn’t allow you to get a feel for the city. And we were only in the Old Quarter! There are several other areas, each with their own flavor, like Ba Đình District (The Political & Imperial Heart), West Lake (for a calm and cosmopolitan escape), the French Quarter, and Đống Đa District (which is the Intellectual History & Local Street Food)

Chapter 313: How many countries have we visited now?

Norm Bour — Thu, 28 May 2026 03:17:45 +0000

05.28.26

I’m kind of a numbers person who likes to check off the boxes, and we keep track of how many countries we’ve been to since we left the US in 2019, plus our cumulative numbers. Until recently we were stuck at 44 since it had been over 2 years since we visited a new place, which was the Philippines. But our flight to Japan, finally a NEW country, for sure is #45, and included a layover in Hong Kong for about 2 hours. We didn’t leave the airport since there wasn’t time, and Hong Kong is not officially part of China, so the question is, “do I count China as being number 46?” I’m not really sure.

There have been a few countries before where I counted a layover as being part of the count, and there were a few countries that we only visited for a short time, but didn’t stay the night. So I’m curious as to how you all see it