Greetings from Kansas City!

You know, I really should win some kind of medal of honor for this trip.

I’m crossing deep into enemy territory to serve my followers.

As a diehard Buffalo Bills fan and loyal member of Bills Mafia, Kansas City is one of the last places on earth I ever thought I’d visit.

The truth is, the Tourism Board of Missouri is paying me to come explore the area and document my adventures on Instagram. As part of the deal, I told them that I also wanted to experience the best BBQ this city’s famous for – to feature on my @GarethEats Channel.

Hopefully, the barbeque makes up for the agony of seeing all the red and gold everywhere.

Wish me luck.

COOL THING IN TRAVEL

I won’t dive too deep into the all-knowing power (and scary capabilities) of AI, but I will say this…

MAN, what an asset it’s going to be for travelers, especially for foreign languages…

OpenAI just released a “Siri-like” voice assistant for your phone that can do real-time language translations.

No annoying lag between talking and waiting for a response. No typing on your phone and showing it to the other person. Just speaking to it – and it speaks back in the other language.

Pretty amazing how far things have come since I was walking through the streets of Buenos Aires with a translation book tucked in my back pocket – and it’s only getting better (fast).

Think of the local connections, the street-level hidden gem restaurant recommendations, the jokes you can actually share with a bartender – truly Traveling Deeper – all without needing to study for months beforehand.

AI is intimidating, but as a world traveler, I’m excited about how it will connect people.

DESTINATION OF THE WEEK

Something new this week that I’ll sprinkle in from time to time – a spotlight on a unique destination that everyday vacationers don’t usually talk about.

Inspired by this week’s Day in the Life of a Casino CEO episode, I want to highlight Macau – the Las Vegas of the East – have you heard of it?

One thing Jonathan told me on the rooftop of the Plaza was that the casino companies who are really thriving now are those that tapped into the Macau market.

This tiny region of China has surpassed Las Vegas as the world's biggest gambling market by a long shot.

Macau has only 38 casinos but generates over 5 times more annual gambling revenue than Las Vegas' 100+ casinos.

Way back in 1557, Macau was leased to Portugal as a trading post. Despite remaining under Chinese authority, the Portuguese pretty much took over and their influence is everywhere.

So, if you’re looking for a unique travel destination, consider a Portuguese Las Vegas in China!

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That’s it for this week. Wish me luck in Kansas City!

Cheers to new horizons,

Gareth