In a world obsessed with excess, these 45 places are made so by subtraction. It’s the absence, the regression, and the return to nature that make them appealing. Whether it’s a train cemetery in Bolivia, a German sanitarium in disrepair, or an abandoned village in Italy, according to this Matador Network article, these sites are the most eerily beautiful, abandoned places in the world.

Apps for Travelers Dreaming of Their Next Trip  Yes, there’s turmoil in the travel world right now, but many people are still eager to linger over plans for future journeys. From The New York Times Travel here is a selection of new or proven and updated online tools to help you plan for future trips.

Spaces for Pondering, Meditating, Praying and ‘Being’: 10 of Britain’s Best Small Pilgrimage Sites  Remote churches, peace monuments and Celtic-style hillside etchings make for a meditative – and free – new year pilgrimage. The Small Pilgrim Places Network lists more than 70 meditative places, gardens, holy wells, ruins, churches and open spaces in England and Wales that are “small, simple, welcoming and inclusive”. From The Guardian, here are 10 small pilgrimage sites to consider.

How to Prove Your Vaccination Status when Traveling Internationally  Even as the pandemic approaches its third year, there’s no such thing as a vaccination passport in the United States. So how do you prove that you’ve been vaccinated and boosted when you travel internationally? While this article was written for a US audience, it raises useful issues for travelers from other countries as well. In this Washington Post article, Christopher Elliott shares tips for proving vaccine status while traveling.

9 Loyalty Programs That Let You Turn Points Into Charitable Donations  Thanks to collaborations with select charities, numerous loyalty programs allow their members to engage in charitable giving without ever pulling out a checkbook or credit card. From Afar Magazine Here are nine programs where you can use points and miles for good this holiday season.