u/Electrical_Coast1365

I went to Bhutan years ago. I organised a trip to COMO Punakha and Paro with a local agency. The country was absolutely brilliant and I fell in love BUT our cultural excursions were seriously lacking.

The monk they organised for us to have a private Buddhist philosophy and meditation session with was so utterly clueless to the point I even doubt he was a monk LOL. And the Thangka Madala painting session was more of a pushy sales visit to a gallery with 5 minutes of painting.

I’d love to go back to Bhutan for a slow immersion in one or two valleys (Punakha, Gangtey or Bumthang) over 10-14 days. The focus would be tranquil nature and excellent private sessions on Buddhist culture, art, meditation and philosophy.

Any ideas on how I would go about organising something like this?

I went to Bhutan years ago. I organised a trip to COMO Punakha and Paro with a local agency. The country was absolutely brilliant but our cultural excursions were seriously lacking.

The monk they organised for us to have a private Buddhist philosophy and meditation session with was so utterly clueless to the point I even doubt he was a monk LOL. And the Thangka Madala painting session was more of a pushy sales visit to a gallery with 5 minutes of painting.

I’d love to go back to Bhutan for a slow immersion in one or two valleys (Punakha, Gangtey, Neyphu or similar) over 10-14 days. The focus would be tranquil nature and excellent private sessions on Buddhist culture, art, meditation and philosophy.

Any ideas on how I would go about organising something like this?

Looking to plan a last minute trip to Kenya in mid September. I’m thinking of 4 nights each at a combination of 2 lodges or 3 nights each at 3 lodges.

My ideal stay:

• Baby elephant sanctuary and private feeding session in Reteti

• A couple of Samburu experiences like the singing wells and Ngoma

• One 2-3 hour, doors-off helicopter photography safari over epic landscapes

• A night of fly-camping and camel-supported walking safari. I’m not looking for a hectic hike, more for the romance and adventure of the experience but a gentle walking safari LOL

• Good game drives and unique wildlife would obviously be nice, but I understand this isn’t Mara

• Private vehicles, luxury accomm and beautiful art are all nice to have, but ultra-luxury is not the goal. No AC up in Laikipia is fine.

I’m considering Sarara Camp plus one or two of Segera, Solio, Ol Malo, Ol Lentille, Suyain.

The last two seem luxurious and lovely but also perhaps the most overlap with Sarara?

Segera is my strongest contender for now, but I’m intrigued by Solio and Ol Malo as well.

I want to end with 5-6 nights in Lamu, explore the old town and take a dhow boat out to tranquil beaches, ruins and atmospheric villages. I’m struggling to find a characterful luxury place to stay. I’m only expecting AC, good design and great service not ultra luxury! Amani House looks gorg but $20-40K (for 2 people) feels bonkers for Lamu.

Any Laipikia + Lamu / Culture + Conservation experts in this sub who could help me plan this trip? Many thanks!

Hello Melbourne, I’m likely to be in the city this summer. I’d love to find a likeminded community.

• I love to feel like I’m a part of something bigger, whether that’s a communal artwork or helping to organise a street party

•I’m a big proponent of gifting economy and alternative festival culture without being insufferable about it

• I like arts in all forms: watching comedy, indie films and ballet, discussing writers at a book club or popping into a good museum

• I adore wildlife, and tranquil farm communities

• I’m happiest when I’m learning something new, whether that’s astronomy or fire dance or Acro yoga

• I am not particularly sporty and have very little in the way of athletic talent, so I’m not looking for running, padel or hiking clubs

I’d be grateful if you can suggest warm, small, quirky groups, communities, clubs that may welcome a visitor for a few weeks :)

Hello Melbourne, I’m likely to be in the city this summer. I’d love to find a likeminded community.

• I’m a big proponent of gifting economy and alternative festival culture without being insufferable about it

• I love to feel like I’m a part of something bigger, whether that’s a communal artwork or helping to organise a street party

• I like arts in all forms: watching comedy, indie films and ballet, discussing writers at a book club or popping into a good museum

• I adore wildlife, and tranquil farm communities

• I’m happiest when I’m learning something new, whether that’s astronomy or fire dance or Acro yoga

• I am not particularly sporty and have very little in the way of athletic talent, so I’m not looking for running or hiking clubs

I’d be grateful if you can suggest warm, small, quirky groups, communities, clubs that may welcome a visitor for a few weeks :)

I’m testing an idea for a 5 bedroom villa on a Big Five private game reserve. It is 3 three hours from Johannesburg in a malaria-free zone.

The setting is stunningly beautiful—rolling hills, rivers and enormous winter skies within a UNESCO biosphere. The wildlife includes lions, elephants, giraffes, zebra and even rare horned rhinos.

The villa will have high-speed Wi-Fi. It is suited on 20 acres of securely fenced private land within a 100,00 acre private reserve.

During May and June 2027, for our introductory year only, we plan to offer specially priced 2 to 4 week stays. They’ll be roughly $1,500–$2,500 per person (or $2500-4000 per couple), including:

- A private ensuite bedroom
- Housekeeping and all utilities
- Access to our heated pool

- An early morning safari drive or guided bush walk, 5 days a week.

- Weekly (optional) yoga session, game night and movie night
- Weekly (optional) house dinner where everyone cooks together

The standard plan would be self-catering. You pay for groceries, and our housekeeper can source them from town. Three cooked meals a day and laundry would be available as reasonably priced add-ons.

We’d use a short application process to create a house that feels sociable, kind and genuinely fun rather than like a random holiday rental.

The catch: you are living inside a wildlife reserve. The villa’s 20 acres of grounds are fenced and fully accessible, but you cannot wander through the wider reserve or leave independently.

A game-drive vehicle transfer to the main gate would cost extra and would need to be booked 24-48 hours in advance. For occasional excursions, the area has the Cradle of Humankind, NIROX Sculpture Park, and horse riding on smaller wildlife reserves nearby.

May and June are the off season, although the weather is arguably at its best: crisp, dry, mild days, clear skies and spectacular sunrises and sunsets.

Would this appeal to you for a 2 to 4 week remote-work escape? What would make it feel worth booking—and what would put you off?

If this interests, subscribe to my substack to know when our digital nomad offer launches. You’ll be able to follow my journey of building the lodge and help shape the experience with your inputs, if you wish.

https://madrastomarula.substack.com/subscribe?params=%5Bobject%20Object%5D

I adore safari. I love life in the bush, conversations with rangers and conservationists, the inimitable sense of soft adventure and serenity. The longest I’ve spent on safari (doing photography) is 28 days, and I didn’t feel fatigue or boredom.

I run my beach villa in my home country as a holiday rental home, now that I barely visit it any longer. I love hospitality and hosting.

BUT! I have no serious experience in hospitality whatsoever. I’m not from South Africa, nor am I a wildlife expert. I would spent a maximum of 3-4 months a year living there if I bought the lodge.

I’m a digital nomad, childfree and I have a low workload. I have the flexibility to carve out 3-4 months to live in the bush. But I doubt I’ll want to stay longer than that each year.

I found a lodge that fits almost all of my criteria. Due diligence is going well so far! I would create a company to buy and run it. I would need to invest around 15-20% of my net worth to purchase and refresh the lodge, rebrand it, setup new marketing channels and provide a maintenance/ emergency buffer.

I can afford to risk this chunk of money; I’m fortunate that I’ll still be fine financially. I have a net worth of around $15M for full disclosure. So I’m not super FAT either. But as I mentioned, childfree which means I don’t need more than this and can afford to risk a little.

My ideal outcome would be to break even/ make a small profit, have an incredible experience immersed in the wilderness, rebrand it creatively, curate amazing experience and celebrations for people who visit. And then sell it after a decade or two.

Am I crazy? Give me a reality check please!

I adore safari. I love life in the bush, conversations with rangers and conservationists, the inimitable sense of soft adventure and serenity. The longest I’ve spent on safari (doing photography) is 28 days, and I didn’t feel fatigue or boredom.

I run my summer house in my home country as a holiday rental villa, now that I barely visit it any longer. I love hospitality, hosting, creating unique experience and planning holidays. The idea of owning a space of my own in one of the world’s beautiful wilderness reserves feels very compelling.

BUT! I have no serious experience in hospitality whatsoever. (I did, however, run an operations-heavy business in a developing country). I’m not from South Africa, nor am I a wildlife expert. I would spent a maximum of 3-4 months a year living there if I bought the lodge.

I’m a digital nomad, childfree and I have a low workload. I have the flexibility to carve out 3-4 months to live in the bush. But I doubt I’ll want to stay longer than that each year.

I found a lodge that fits almost all of my criteria. Due diligence is going well so far! I would create a company to buy and run it. I would need to invest around 15-20% of my net worth to purchase and refresh the lodge, rebrand it, setup new marketing channels and provide a maintenance/ emergency buffer.

I can afford to risk this chunk of money; I’m fortunate that I’ll still be fine financially.

My ideal outcome would be to break even/ make a small profit, have an incredible experience immersed in the wilderness, rebrand it creatively, curate amazing experience and celebrations for people who visit. And then sell it after a decade or two.

Am I crazy? Give me a reality check please!

I adore safari. I love life in the bush, conversations with rangers and conservationists, the inimitable sense of soft adventure and serenity. The longest I’ve spent on safari (doing photography) is 28 days, and I didn’t feel fatigue or boredom.

I run my beach villa in my home country as a holiday rental home, now that I barely visit it any longer. I love hospitality and hosting.

BUT! I have no serious experience in hospitality whatsoever. I’m not from South Africa, nor am I a wildlife expert. I would spent a maximum of 3-4 months a year living there if I bought the lodge.

I’m a digital nomad, childfree and I have a low workload. I have the flexibility to carve out 3-4 months to live in the bush. But I doubt I’ll want to stay longer than that each year.

I found a lodge that fits almost all of my criteria. Due diligence is going well so far! I would create a company to buy and run it. I would need to invest around 15-20% of my net worth to purchase and refresh the lodge, rebrand it, setup new marketing channels and provide a maintenance/ emergency buffer.

I can afford to risk this chunk of money; I’m fortunate that I’ll still be fine financially.

My ideal outcome would be to break even/ make a small profit, have an incredible experience immersed in the wilderness, rebrand it creatively, curate amazing experience and celebrations for people who visit. And then sell it after a decade or two.

Am I crazy? Give me a reality check please!

I’m looking for USA cities surrounded by (or embedded in) beautiful nature, with great, well-stocked cannabis dispensaries, and friendly, creative, lively vibes. Walkable neighbourhoods would be a BIG bonus!

I’ve narrowed it down to these, but would be open to suggestions that better suit my criteria too!!

Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz
Boulder
Telluride
Bend
Hood River
Portland
Traverse City

Cost of living isn’t a criteria. Help me choose the best places to spend this September please!

I’m going to be in Aus for 1.5 months, visiting my sister. I have a cannabis prescription from my doctor in India but can’t bring my gummies to Aus as I transit via Singapore. I use it to manage chronic pain. Can I get a prescription from a clinic/ telehealth clinic and dispensary as a tourist visiting?

I’m 38F, brown-skinned, curly-haired and curvy.

I’ve lived a full, strange, beautiful life. I lost a parent young, gave up my then-dream career to take over a struggling family business, turned it around, and sold it.

I fell in love with a wonderful man, married him, and later parted ways when the lives we wanted became too different to bridge.

A few years ago, an accident affected my mobility for two years. I worked my way back but I live with reduced strength. I’m rather bendy and supple thanks to yoga, but my relationship with steep and rocky terrain is now more cautious than enthusiastic.
My sense of adventure remains as bright as ever though!

After the company sale gave me financial independence, I’ve been able to pursue the things I’m most passionate about. I studied for a cognitive science masters degree at my dream university and wrote a sci-fi YA novel that is going to be published. (This means I can discuss consciousness, aliens, and the poor life choices of fictional teenagers, all with equal sincerity.)

I’ve travelled across all seven continents, and my wildlife photography folder is rich with penguins, koalas, lions, polar bears, and one elusive pangolin.

I’m now rebuilding my life around nature, peace, creativity and meaningful connection. I split my time living seasonally between Cape Town, Melbourne, Boston and my hometown in India.

My idea of a good time includes board games, ice cream sandwiches, sci-fi movies, ridiculous animal facts, spectacular sunsets, slow mornings and the rare night of psychedelics out in nature with someone I deeply trust.

I’m into men with a sense of curiosity, playfulness, tenderness and competence. I’m looking for love, with intentionality. I’d love to meet a man aged between 30–50 who wants to build a childfree, digital-nomad-ish life with me.

A deeply dependable, affectionate, loyal and kind man. Someone independent who is still happy to reach for my hand. Someone who enjoys both adventure and cosy domestic rituals.

If you’re emotionally available, and open to life of travel with me, I’d love to hear from you. DM me with a bit about yourself, what you’re looking for and why this post resonated with you. We can exchange photos if there’s a spark.