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On the last night of every El Camino trip, we go around the table and each share something from the trip that stuck with us, something we're taking home.
It's a chance to reflect, and it often reminds me why the type of travelers who join El Camino trips travel in the first place. They aren't looking to escape. They're looking to be stretched, to learn something they didn't know, and to see how else a life can be lived. Travel makes us a little more adaptable, and a little more curious, every time.
When it was my turn, I knew exactly what I wanted to share. I'd been thinking about it all week.
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AI got brought up more than once on this trip, as it does everywhere now.
Right now, we are burning through billions of dollars, and a staggering amount of energy, to make everything as easy, fast, and automated as possible. So that anything can be done at the touch of a button.
The promise is that we'll get time back. Less to do. More room to breathe.
But that's not what I'm feeling. In my own days, everything is speeding up at a breakneck pace, even as more and more gets automated. The time that frees up doesn't stay free. It fills right back up with more to-dos.
And if I'm honest, with more scrolling. (A habit I'm working hard to break completely.)
I left Japan, once again, in awe of the people who value the opposite. It was a stark reminder to myself of what we lose when we remove the effort.
Earlier that week, we met a ceramicist who fires his work twice a year. Twice.
Picture a dome of clay and brick under a timber roof, at the edge of a forest. Open the front, and the shelves inside are packed with pale cups, vases, and plates. Thousands of pieces, and months of work. Everything he's made in six months goes into this one kiln.
It's a climbing kiln, the same kind Kawai Kanjiro built at his home in Kyoto in 1937. Fewer than 4 percent of ceramicists in Japan work this way. No paint. All of the color comes from the clay itself.
Then he lights it. For three days, he feeds the fire, and he stays up with it the entire time. He doesn't sleep.
Six months of work, and three days without sleep, for one firing.
Then there were the two sisters who led our tea ceremony. They've been practicing since they were little. Now in their 30s and 40s, they told us they're still learning, and still not experts. The tea ceremony is a lifelong dedication to the craft.
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The hardness of a craft. The long road to becoming good at one thing. The patience, the concentration, the years it takes.
They find fulfillment in the doing, not just in the result.
That's what I shared at the table. When I finished, Stephane, our guide, gave it a name, a Japanese word we don't have in English.
Ikigai. The one thing you are dedicated to that makes life worth living. It doesn't have to be grand. For the people we met, the ceramicist, the two sisters, the oyster fishermen, and so many others, it looks like obsession, and a devotion to getting one small thing right.
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So that's what I'm bringing home.
Relishing the time it takes to do one thing really well. Indulging in it, instead of being annoyed by it. Perfecting the craft and art of hospitality with more and more obsession.
May we all be blessed enough to find our ikigai.
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I'm curious. What's your ikigai? Hit reply and tell me.
— xx, Katalina
PS We're down to the last spots for quite a few trips in 2027. Georgia 1 spot left in a private room, Oaxaca Day of the Dead we only have 2 spots left in a shared room, and Nicaragua Creative Retreat has only 2 spots left in private rooms. If your are still looking for a 2026 escape, we have a few spots left on our Kerala and Jaipur trip to India.
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As Seen in AD, Vogue, and CNT
"The design and aesthetic are a 10/10—every detail is beautiful... The private courtyard and plunge pool were a favorite. After hot days exploring, it was the perfect place to cool off and recharge."
Casa Violeta is our sister property — a tropical oasis in the colorful colonial town of Granada, Nicaragua, featured in Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, Domino Magazine, and Vogue.
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New on BoE: Fora’s VP of Product on Why AI’s Biggest Travel Opportunity Isn’t Software
Most people in travel tech are busy building software. Shaina Shiwarski, VP of Product at Fora, thinks the bigger opportunity is somewhere else.
BoE is our B2B publication exploring the future of hospitality, travel, culture, and experience-driven brands. Discover thoughtful insights, industry conversations, and ideas shaping how people connect with the world today.
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Bolivia, Land of Technicolor Extremes
October 16 – 23, 2027
Move through Bolivia’s high-altitude capital, mineral lagoons, desert landscapes, and the vast Salar de Uyuni, where Aymara traditions and centuries of history unfold across the Altiplano.
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Colombia, In Full Sabor
February 13 – 21, 2027
Move through Cartagena’s Caribbean rhythms and Medellín’s creative reinvention, meeting the musicians, dancers, and communities shaping Colombia’s culture from the coast to the mountains.
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Egypt, Temple and Table
October 2 – 9, 2027
Move through Cairo’s ancient monuments, Aswan’s Nubian villages, and Luxor’s legendary temples, following the Nile through layers of history, architecture, ritual, and daily life.
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Georgia, Roots and Revival
March 27 – April 4, 2027
Move through Tbilisi’s layered history, Kakheti’s ancient wine traditions, and Georgia’s subtropical west, meeting the winemakers, artists, and growers bringing centuries-old traditions into the present.
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Mongolia, Wide Open
September 4 – 12, 2027
Move through Mongolia’s sweeping steppe, sacred mountains, river valleys, and ancient landscapes, from the pulse of Ulaanbaatar to the quiet nomadic traditions of the Central Heartland.
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Nicaragua, A Creative Retreat
January 15 – 19, 2027
Five days in Granada designed to make space for your next big idea. Move through reflection, experimentation, and business-building while surrounded by the rhythms and stillness of Lake Nicaragua.
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Oaxaca, Made by Hand
October 28 – November 4, 2027
Move through Oaxaca’s agave-covered valleys and craft villages, discovering the ceramic, textile, mezcal, and woodcarving traditions that come alive during Día de los Muertos.
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Senegal, Rhythm and Reinvention
March 6 – 14, 2027
Move through Dakar’s contemporary art scene, Saint-Louis’ colonial river streets, and the Sine Saloum Delta, meeting the artists, dancers, architects, and musicians shaping Senegal’s creative identity.
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Sri Lanka, In Full Color
October 31 - November 8
Move through Sri Lanka’s misty highlands, eastern shores, and ancient cultural heartlands, discovering the makers, dancers, farmers, and storytellers keeping the island’s traditions alive.
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