Phil Thomas | Travel Writer & Blogger
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some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Phil Thomas | Travel Writer & Blogger
@some1elsescountry.bsky.social
430 followers 490 following 240 posts
Travel writing and musings for adventurers low on time but high on Wanderlust

Bylines: BBC Travel, CN Traveler, T+L, The Independent, Newsweek and others

113 - and counting - countries. Next up: 🇦🇹🇮🇹🇸🇻

✍️ www.someoneelsescountry.com ✍️
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some1elsescountry.bsky.social
I bow before anyone who’s ever got a roller bag onto EasyJet for £5.99!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
EasyJet ad banned for claiming bags available for £5.99
The airline said the fact there were no bags available for less than £5.99 meant the claim was not misleading.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 28, 2026 at 12:27 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Vegas tourist numbers are their worst in decades.

Not a unique issue in US tourism context but I have zero sympathy for hotel chains wringing their hands while charging exorbitant resort fees for WiFi, pool access and theit invariably crappy micro-gyms.

www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article...
Significant Downturn in Las Vegas Visitor Numbers Marks Sharpest Decline in Two Decades - Travel And Tour World
Las Vegas is experiencing its most significant tourism decline in twenty years, analyzing the economic shifts and changing travel patterns impacting the city.
www.travelandtourworld.com
January 27, 2026 at 8:00 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
My last visit to New Orleans was a rapid one, less than 24hrs in the Big Easy.

Assuming you’re willing to risk sore feet and an even worse head - here’s my Flying Visit guide to the most intoxicating city on Earth.

#travelblogger #travelblogshare

www.someoneelsescountry.com/post/24-hour...
January 23, 2026 at 2:07 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Spent the week escaping to warmer weather…adding #Elche “Spain’s Oasis” to my list of new favourite European cities.

#traveladdicts #travelblogshare #travelblogger
January 16, 2026 at 9:24 AM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Starting 2026 by saying bollocks to dry
January 🍷🇳🇿

The End of the World Tastes Like Pinot - new article for Food, Wine and Travel magazine

fwtmagazine.com/the-end-of-t...

#travelwriter #travelblogger #traveladdicts
The End of The World Tastes Like Pinot:  A Wine Tour of Central Otago, New Zealand - Food, Wine & Travel
Phil Thomas embarks on a Central Otago Wine Tour through a landscape more commonly known for Lord of the Rings and outdoor adventure tourism.
fwtmagazine.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:17 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Final blog of 2025…obligatory look-forward but not the obvious ones!

12 Months, 12 Destinations: Where to go in 2026

Featuring 🇩🇿🇮🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇦🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇳🇴🇫🇴🇬🇪🇦🇱🇺🇸🇪🇸🇪🇪

Happy New Year and may your travels be epic in 2026!

#travelblogshare #travelblogger #traveladdicts
December 29, 2025 at 10:04 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
We all see the pictures of New Year in the big cities - fireworks, ball drops etc…

But some cities have more interesting quirks - from throwing furniture out the window to 8hr open air pub crawls.

New blog now live.

#traveladdicts #travelblogshare

www.someoneelsescountry.com/post/europea...
Three, Two, One...JUMP: Unusual European New Year Destinations
If you think New Year’s Eve is just fireworks and tepid fizz, Europe is here to gently correct you.Across the continent, cities mark the turning of the year with rituals that are eccentric, communal a...
www.someoneelsescountry.com
December 27, 2025 at 8:35 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas from across the miles 🎄🎅🏼🥂
December 25, 2025 at 11:59 AM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Nailed it!

Losing access to the Erasmus scheme was one of the biggest - amongst many candidates - fuck ups of Brexit.
December 18, 2025 at 11:28 AM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
If winter has you hankering after longer days, how about perpetual daylight for four months of the year?

Welcome to Svalbard, the northernmost “visitable” place on Earth…

Latest piece for Wander With Wonder

www.wanderwithwonder.com/exploring-sv...

#travelwriter #travelblogger #traveladdict
December 17, 2025 at 11:57 AM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Tis the season for Christmas markets. All over Europe. Literally everywhere.

But how do you actually enjoy them without the requirement to sharpen your elbows to get anywhere near the Gluehwein?

New festive blog live

#travelblogger #travelblogshare

www.someoneelsescountry.com/post/tips-fo...
Survive and Thrive: Five Tips for European Christmas Markets
If you’ve ever imagined European Christmas markets as softly glowing winter wonderlands where snowflakes fall around you, mulled wine warms your hands, and crowds part like the Red Sea, allow me to of...
www.someoneelsescountry.com
December 12, 2025 at 3:29 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Austria says happy St Nicholas’ Day - mind the Krampus (who reimagins utterly terrifying!) 👹

#travelblogger #traveladdicts #froheweihnachten
December 6, 2025 at 3:19 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Taking advantage of literally the only day of passable weather in the last three weeks to get out to lovely #Aldeburgh on the #suffolk coast.

Really should write some more UK content for the blog!

#travelblogger #traveladdicts
December 2, 2025 at 8:30 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
….and now I feel ancient 🫣

Although seeing Sister Bliss spin this at Glastonbury will always be one of my musical highlights.
joyofhazel.bsky.social Arrivals Hall Travel @joyofhazel.bsky.social · Nov 28
Faithless released Insomnia 30 years ago this month. Still sounds fresh, but where have the years gone? Mad!
youtu.be/P8JEm4d6Wu4?...
Faithless - Insomnia (Official 4K Video)
YouTube video by FaithlessVEVO
youtu.be
November 28, 2025 at 11:03 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Spent a couple of Thanksgivings stateside and nothing will compare to the views from Angel’s Landing in Zion NP - 2021 (two weeks after the borders opened!)

Happy Thanksgiving to all those celebrating 🦃

#travelscapes #traveladdicts #travelblogger
November 27, 2025 at 5:03 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
North Korea wants a word.
November 26, 2025 at 10:30 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Because this will - of course - make up for the wholesale gutting of National Park budgets and laying off of skilled and knowledgeable staff…! 🙄

Another reason to pick Canada right now🇨🇦
axios.com Axios @axios.com · Nov 26
The Trump administration is raising national parks' prices and adding fees for international tourists from next year in an "America-first" initiative, the Interior Department announced.
Trump admin hikes national parks prices by up to $170 for international tourists
The Interior Department said the "America-first" policy will see "resident-only patriotic fee-free days" on some holidays.
www.axios.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:27 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Long overdue and all the evidence from Europe shows it makes no difference at all to visitor numbers.

That said…

1. It should be transparent where money from the tax is re-invested (the Canaries do this well)

2. No Vegas style 22% “resort fees” thanks very much.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
English mayors will get new powers to levy tourist taxes - BBC News
Mayors will be given the power to charge tourists a tax for staying overnight in their towns and cities.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 10:24 AM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Yet another #Brexit boon - on arrival, queuing for an hour to register for EES (for a country that would have let us in with just a passing glance at passport pre-2020).

Congrats yet again to everyone who voted for this, you’ve done us all proud, clap clap. 😒😫🤮
November 22, 2025 at 11:23 AM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Latest article for Food, Wine and Travel
Magazine

From Bayou to Table - A Cajun Culinary Pilgrimage ⚜️🥘🐊🦐

One of the tastiest trips I’ve ever taken!

fwtmagazine.com/from-bayou-t...

#travelwriter #louisiana #traveladdicts
From Bayou To Table: A Louisiana Cajun Cooking Pilgrimage - Food, Wine & Travel
In Louisiana, Cajun cooking is a culinary pilgrimage – from bayou to table. Join Phil Thomas to learn how Cajun cuisine reflects its heritage.
fwtmagazine.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:50 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
👋 #TravelBloggersCommunity theme of the week for #travelblogshare is #citybreak

I’ve written a blog series on “Second Time” visits to popular destinations including cities in 🇺🇸🇪🇸🇮🇹🇹🇷🇫🇷🇩🇪

You’ve done the showstopper sights…now go off the beaten track!

www.someoneelsescountry.com/second-time-in
November 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Surprise Italy? 🇮🇹 Sold!!
November 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
If #travelblogshare theme is food, I’m heading straight to Italy 🇮🇹🍝😋 ahd a cooking class we did in an Agriturismo close to San Gimignano, Tuscany.

Suffice to say we left full

#travelbloggerscommunity #travelblog #tuscany

www.someoneelsescountry.com/post/tuscan-...
November 6, 2025 at 9:30 AM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Returning to Paris for a second visit? Incroyable 💙🤍❤️

Away from tshowstopper sights, a return visit lets you picnic like a Parisian, see world-class street art and find areas missed by most!

Latest #travelblog now live

#travelblogshare #travelblogger

www.someoneelsescountry.com/post/second-...
Second Time In...Paris
Paris is one of those places you can visit a dozen times and still stumble upon something new. The first trip will inevitably be all about the classics (Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa, escargots that you alw...
www.someoneelsescountry.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:55 PM
some1elsescountry.bsky.social
Allons danser!

Cajun culture alive and well in #Lafayette, Louisiana 💃⚜️ 🍻

#travelwriter #travelblogger #traveladdicts
October 21, 2025 at 8:33 PM