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Going to Nepal
k-k-k-k-k-k-Katmandu — up to the mountains where I'm going to 🎵
Rames Quinerie
February 28, 2025
Never trust a thought that occurs to you indoors.
— Friedrich Nietzsche
In a few days, we’ll be off to Kathmandu, Nepal. It’s one of those rare true holidays—the kind where I leave my laptop behind, which doesn’t happen often. As I wrote in a previous issue, it always feels like I’m on holiday yet working at the same time.
That’s one of the many paradoxes of the digital nomad lifestyle.
So I’m really looking forward to dropping everything and completely logging off. No work, no newsletters, not even a quick just checking email. I’m not the type to stress about it—I know things will happen, but nothing that can’t wait a few weeks.
Off we go to this new country, one that seems to have so much to offer. It borders the highest point on Earth, a peak so many dream of ascending. We’re not alpinists, but we love hiking, so you’ll find us on some of the region’s many treks.
We’ll be hiking in the Langtang National Park
It’s been a while since we last traveled abroad. Sure, we’ve moved countries several times over the years, but always with the goal of settling somewhere new—missing the constant movement that real travel brings. Living out of a backpack, even just for a couple of weeks, feels exciting.
I have no idea what to expect, and I love being surprised. But if you’ve been to Nepal, feel free to share your best tips, stories, or recommendations—I’d love to hear them!
See you in a couple of weeks!
— James
Tools & Websites
Remove Paywall is a free online tool that lets you read paywalled content without having to pay or subscribe. It's really useful when you want to access a one-off article.
Class Central is a directory of all the paid and free courses you can find on the internet. They have over 250,000 courses on a variety of topics, ranging from computer science to hosting a party.
David Whyte is a poet, philosopher, and speaker whose work I hadn't encountered before. What fascinates me even more is the companion portal they created on his website—paintings reveal themselves on hover while you scroll through his essay ↓
James’ Library
Article | Loved this new piece from Kevin Kelly—co-founder of Wired magazine, famous for the 1,000 True Fans concept and avid traveler—which compiles tips from someone (Kelly himself) who has visited over half the world's countries. Here are a few of my favorites: If you hire a driver, or use a taxi, offer to pay the driver to take you to visit their mother. They will ordinarily jump at the chance. They fulfill their filial duty and you will get easy entry into a local’s home, and a very high chance to taste some home cooking. Mother, driver, and you leave happy. This trick rarely fails. Sketchy travel plans and travel to sketchy places are ok. Take a chance. If things fall apart, your vacation has just turned into an adventure. Perfection is for watches. Trips should be imperfect. There are no stories if nothing goes amiss. Organize your travel around passions instead of destinations. An itinerary based on obscure cheeses, or naval history, or dinosaur digs, or jazz joints will lead to far more adventures, and memorable times than a grand tour of famous places. It doesn’t even have to be your passions; it could be a friend’s, family member’s, or even one you’ve read about. The point is to get away from the expected into the unexpected. |
Book  | The Courage to Be Disliked is likely my most highlighted book. Presented as a discussion between a young man and a philosopher, it explores Adlerian psychology, emphasizing that happiness is a choice, trauma doesn’t define us, and interpersonal relationships shape our lives. It challenges the need for approval, encourages taking responsibility for one’s freedom, and promotes living for oneself rather than for recognition. The format makes it easy to read, and I also recommend Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi's sequel The Courage to be Happy. If one really has a feeling of contribution, one will no longer have any need for recognition from others. Because one will already have the real awareness that “I am of use to someone,” without needing to go out of one’s way to be acknowledged by others. In other words, a person who is obsessed with the desire for recognition does not have any community feeling yet, and has not managed to engage in self-acceptance, confidence in others, or contribution to others. |
…Aesthetic Corner…
 © Thomas Barlow & Connor Gibbons |  © Dr. Sherif Abdallah Ahmed  © Jochen Stern |
I think everybody can agree that microphotography is truly fascinating. I'm grateful we have devices that can capture these intricate details invisible to our naked eyes. The images from Nikon's 2024 Microphotography Competition are absolutely mind-blowing 👀
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To celebrate Casio Watch's 50th anniversary, Casio has brought back their very first ring watch. It comes with two size-adjusting spacers, making it suitable for all finger sizes. My girlfriend was the only person I knew who had ring-watches, but I'm confident Casio can turn this into a new trend.
Sustainable Living
Casa Alférez blends the idea of a forest cabin with the strength of concrete. Nestled among trees, it appears carefully placed in nature, balancing a lightweight form with solid, fortress-like elements.
Designed to minimize impact, the house adapts to the steep terrain with a compact footprint. It is semi-buried on one side and extends outward on the other, reducing foundation work, construction costs, and material use.
Its vertical design maximizes natural light while keeping an eco-friendly footprint. Skylights and high windows reduce reliance on artificial lighting, making it a sustainable and efficient home in harmony with its surroundings.
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