Matthew feels guilty for getting too much sleep—then realizes how ridiculous that is, leading to reflections on our unhealthy habits of working too much and ignoring our bodies. Matthew also reflects on a key component of his philosophy of travel, and h

Feeling as though the village has gotten just a little too small, Matthew hides out inside all day. By nighttime, he’s stir crazy—which leads to an unplanned walk in the woods and a last-minute quest for wine. The next day, Matthew is shocked to discove

Everywhere he turns, Matthew is confronted by huge grasshoppers. In sharp contrast, despite their five-hour bonding on the beach, Young Neptune now runs the other way every time he and Matthew cross paths—leaving Matthew utterly baffled. Meanwhile, he’s b

When all of his favorite characters at the nude beach seem to disappear from one day to the next—including the three elderly women—Matthew is not sure what to make of it. Meanwhile, he’s been on the island so long that his reality has shifted. What was n

As his novel, A Voice Beyond Reason, about a young Spaniard’s awakening to his intuition undergoes a resurgence, Matthew moves ahead with plans to develop a workshop based on the book. In the process, he reflects on why being in touch with our inner voice

77-year-old Lidia tells Matthew about her book, which gets him thinking about his own grandparents’ untold stories - and how they matter to who he is. Young Cervantes is always on vacation, and Matthew is in for a surprise when he thinks he’s buying oliv

On his way to the neighboring village, Matthew experiences an uncanny—and irrefutable—synchronicity. Later, he gets more mixed messages from Young Neptune.

The malevolent neighbor starts his construction project again - having already sworn four times he was done. This time Matthew is ready. And Matthew reflects on the the joys of genuine human interaction.

Matthew's ongoing stay in the village leads to yet another new friend, this time a 77-year-old woman who wants to go to Alabama—but is afraid of mosquitoes in Africa. And Matthew finds that the “problem” isn’t not enough inspiration, but “too much”—except

Matthew unexpectedly finds himself breaking down into tears - ironically, a familiar benefit to his way of traveling. And he reflects on key components to making change and advancing creative pursuits: making the time and the space.