So, here we are, all of a sudden it is the year 2022.  I would wish you a Happy New Year but it’s too late for that.  We have been up to some very exciting stuff over here on our end and we have some very exciting projects that are coming up.  It is still too early to speak about the details, but let’s just say that we have not been wasting away again or wasting any of our southern charm.

Anyway, my boss demanded that I throw together a listicle to kick off the new year and so this is what I came up with: The Top 5 Places that Every Real Traveler Must Go (and incidentally, where a Block + Ink shirt will look great!)  

5)  Koh Phanang, Thailand, Full Moon Festival:  This was the party made famous by the Di Caprio movie, The Beach (the book IS better).  The party still goes and it is a full on shit show.  It is worth seeing but you can get off the island as soon as you are able. The black shirt would be best suited for this place, one, so all the drinks will blend in, two, so you can hide. 

4) Hvar, Croatia: this is a gem of an island.  It is off the coast of Split and it has an amazing night life and traveler scene. Take the fast ferry from Split, then continue on back to Italy when you are done.  Dubrovnik is overrun these days, thanks HBO. Obviously our floral patterns would kill it at Carpe Diem, the little island club (if it is still around). 

3) Pamplona, Spain, San Fermin Festival (July 6 - July 13):  This is hands down one of the wildest parties in the entire world. The city of Pamplona is a medium sized medieval city that opens its gates to 1,000,000 revelers during a week of pure mayhem. The streets are awash in people dressed in all white with red sashes indicating where they are from (I had no idea they meant anything at the time). Every morning at 6:00 they release bulls into the streets, which run a course with a crowd of daredevils/drunks into the bullfighting stadium.  Most people sleep in the parks (I did) and it is 24 hrs a day for a full week. One of our white shirts or even the cream herbs or tear drops will look great, but trust me when I say that they will come back stained.

2) Berlin, Germany: Berlin is an amazing city, essentially two cities that came together after a little thing called the Berlin Wall was knocked over by Reagan, or something, I don’t know history.  Anyway, the city is a great history destination as well as a night life. Famously frisky clubs aboud. I think that the Blue Crosses would look mighty good with a jacket at a club. 

1) The Mae Hong Son Loop, Mae Hong, Thailand: this one is not for the faint of heart.  Go to Chiang Mai, rent a motorcycle - not some sissy moped, you will need the motorcycle. Get a map, head south. Continue around until you head back up North, and you will eventually end up in Pai (which you will want to skip or stay, depending on what kind of person you are). The entire trip can take as few as a few days or as many as a few weeks if you adventure off the main route for day trips here and there. It is the only way to travel Thailand.  I think that the upcoming Beachly shirts would be a terrific addition to the bag if I were back on the open road.