Welcome to The Morning Shave for Friday, August 8, 2025. Learn how to protect yourself against unexpected tour operator closures, ways to protect your data on public WiFi, and where to travel if you don’t have a passport. Visit BaldThoughts.com/tms to read all the stories.
We read a ton of travel articles each day for our research to share the best travel tips, tricks, and news with you. Here are the articles we think you should read.
Don’t miss out on any new posts. Join our email list for the latest tips, tricks, and travel news.
The Morning Shave
Tour operator files for bankruptcy, travelers stranded across Europe.
Booking travel plans far in advance is usually a great way to save money on travel. But the downside is that you never know if the tour operator will still be in business when your trip finally happens. This is especially important as we encounter uncertain economic times with erratic tariffs, rising unemployment, and the possibility of a recession. Stick with well-known tour operators like GetYourGuide or Viator (affiliate), and only spend money that you’re willing to lose if the business goes under. (Big thanks to reader Larry for sharing this article.)
TSA Issues WiFi Warning to All Smartphone Users.
We live in a connected world where we’re always online, even when at the airport – checking email, doom-scrolling social media, shopping online, or retrieving our boarding passes. It’s easy to let your guard down when traveling, but that’s precisely when you need to be most aware of your security. If you’re logging into public WiFi, use a VPN to encrypt your data (I use ExpressVPN). Avoid plugging directly into USB ports. And have a privacy screen on your laptop, tablet, or phone.
What it’s like to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Finland’s Arctic to see Santa.
Given my Finnish ancestry, this is a dream trip for me. Especially while my kids may still be young enough to believe in Santa (but I may have missed that boat.) The snowy landscape, massive reindeer, and Santa-themed activities sound amazing. However, the price tag of around $7,000 for a four-day trip for a family of four sounds tough on the wallet. And that’s not counting additional activities that can add hundreds to your bill. Using miles & points can reduce the cost quite a bit between airfare and lodging, but you’ll still need to spend cash for the best parts of the trip. Would you do a trip like this?
Discover the Best Places to Work Remotely Around the Globe.
While many companies are calling their workers back to the office or are shifting to a hybrid work schedule, the rest of us can still work remotely from anywhere in the world. If you have flexibility and are looking to try something new, check out this list of destinations that are remote-worker friendly. Before you go, remember to check visa requirements (including digital nomad visas), travel insurance options, and get permission from your employer since tax & labor laws may get tricky.
You Can Travel to These Stunning International Destinations Without a Passport.
Are you looking to travel somewhere exotic, but don’t have a passport? With these travel destinations, you can leave the continental U.S. without bringing along extra documents. There are numerous islands to explore, and you even have the option of booking a cruise that visits multiple ports.
Thinking of getting a new credit card?
To see the best credit card offers available, go to our credit card marketplace to find your next card.
Well of course you can travel to those places without a passport….they’re US territories! They are not “international” and I can’t believe you tried to imply that. Just as you can travel to Hawaii or Louisiana without a passport.
Come on man, talk about bait and switch here. Of course, before 9/11, you could travel to Canada, Bermuda, Mexico (“frontera” or border zones only), the Bahamas and other Caribbean nations without a passport. Your DL would do just fine. No more of that now.
You’re certainly living up to your “AngryFlier” nickname. Yes, they are U.S. territories. But, I guarantee more than 50% of Americans wouldn’t be able to name them all… or even know that you could travel there without a passport. Heck, there’s even stories about Spirit Airlines, TSA workers, and others not recognizing that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and don’t need a passport to enter the continental United States. And Puerto Rico is probably the most recognizable of the U.S. territories on this list.
Beyond that, the article title says “International Destinations,” which I’m referencing in the title of this roundup. But, I thank you for reading and caring enough to comment. Have a great weekend.