Hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast Newsletter, our monthly newsletter designed to compliment our weekly travel podcast, offer additional travel tidbits and tips. As always, your feedback is welcome.

Quotes from last month's podcast:

If you haven’t heard this month’s podcast episodes yet you can find the full interviews HERE. Some notable quotes include:

“The journeys, we call them journeys, have been carefully curated to provide that in-depth experience for the guests and be a little bit more immersive as well, having more overnights, late-night departures. And it isn't that rinse-repeat cycle.”

"With regards to food, you know, making sure that they're well cooked, that they are served hot, avoid foods that are served at room temperature.”

“it's so enriching when you have an opportunity to experience it and experience a culture in a place that came from that history and the people who live there and they're the descendants of the people who went through that history.”

^{3 Things I Learnt this Month}

New York City’s famous horse-drawn carriages that have been trotting through Manhattan’s Central Park may soon become a thing of the past. The nonprofit organization that manages Central Park in concert with New York City has come out in support of the ban. Animal rights groups have long complained the horses can get easily spooked on city streets, leading to accidents and injuries. The tipping point was two recent incidents of carriage horses running amok: in May, a spooked horse bolted from its handler and ran loose through the park. Days later, two more horses broke free from their drivers and crashed into a fleet of parked pedicabs, breaking a driver’s wrist and causing other injuries.

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The Sphere in Las Vegas started screening The Wizard of Oz, the 1939 MGM musical starring Judy Garland last month. According to Sphere President and COO Jennifer Koester, “you’re not just going to be watching it, you’ll be living it”. The presentation includes 167,000 audio speakers, haptic seats, and 4D effects, including fire and flying monkeys to surprise the audience. Oz at the Sphere also boasts the highest-quality resolution for a movie ever.

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Disneyland will be ending its Early Entry perk for guests staying at the Disneyland Resort Hotels starting January 5, 2026. Once early access ends, it will be replaced by a new Lightning Lane perk for Disneyland Resort Hotel guests. Guests will receive one Lightning Lane entry for an available Lightning Lane Multi Pass attraction of their choice to use during their stay, subject to attraction availability.

Looking at the Month Ahead 

Here some of the events happening around the world in the month of August.

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead): (Oct 31 – Nov 2) Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead in Mexico is one of the country’s most captivating and meaningful traditions, a celebration where life and death meet in color, fragrance, and memory.

Samhain: (October 31): An ancient Celtic festival in Ireland and Scotland marking the end of summer and the beginning of winter, observed on Halloween 

Festival of Lights / Boun Lai Heua Fai – Luang Prabang, Laos: (Annually in October – 7 October, 2025) Every October at the end of the Buddhist equivalent of Lent, locals and travellers alike celebrate the Festival of Lights (also called Boun Lai Heua Fai) in Luang Prabang, Laos. The vibrant city at the heart of central Laos comes alive with light, music, and celebration.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta – Albuquerque, New Mexico: (Annually in October: 4 – 12 October, 2025) The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is not only the largest hot air balloon festival in the world, but one of the top festivals in the world that attracts more than 500,000 visitors from around the globe each year.

Travel Tip of the Month

Rolling vs Folding when packing - The best approach is to use both rolling and folding, as it maximizes space, prevents wrinkles, and offers better organization. Generally, roll smaller, more delicate items like shirts and underwear to fit them into odd spaces and create more space overall. Fold larger, bulkier items like sweaters, jeans, and formal wear to prevent creases and maintain a neater appearance. Using packing cubes with either method can further enhance organization and compression.