Slow Travel may be better than being Expats!
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- čas přidán 25. 11. 2023
- Many thanks for all of the great comments that expand on the discussion! We got rid of most of our belongings, and headed to Portugal to move overseas. But it didn't really work out for a number of reasons. But we are really happy with the alternative - being slow travelers and part-time expats! This video identifies some of the characteristics of Slow Travel and Part Time expats.
We have a small home in the USA that is our home base, and spend 1-3 months at a time in one place overseas, several times a year. We stay long enough to really learn about a place's people and the history, and experience living in the culture.
This video provides a brief overview of why being a slow traveler / part-time expat may be right for you, and some tips on how to prepare.
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Our channel title "89 Days Away" refers to the EU Schengen limit of letting visitors stay 3 months (in the Schengen zone) during a visit-living away for 89 days before having to go home. If you want to stay away for longer, some other countries let you stay for 6 months, so you can put together an agenda that allows you to stay overseas as long as you need to get what you are looking for.
We got rid of most of our belongings, and headed to Portugal to move overseas. But it didn't really work out for a number of reasons. But we are really happy with the alternative - being slow travelers and part-time expats!
We have a small home in the USA that is our home base, and spend 1-3 months at a time in one place overseas, several times a year. We stay long enough to really learn about a place's people and the history, and experience living in the culture. This video provides a brief overview of why being a slow traveler / part-time expat may be right for you, and some tips on how to prepare.
👇👇👇Our FREE weekly newsletter where we share travel info, but also talk about how to navigate midlife, aging, and the years leading up to retirement: 👇👇👇
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We hear you guys.... we did this starting in 2011 when we were 35 and 37 years old.....it's been 12 years and counting! We'd N E V E R look back!! We should have started our travel channel THEN!! Oh well....
We live in our RV for 6 months in Canada and then 6 months overseas somewhere, a new country (or 2 if the visa's don't work out smoothly) and it's been the best, most interesting, warm life ever.
We help others figure out how they can do it too, if they want to! Check us out, happy to share experiences any time! Ayr & Lori
Good thoughts! I applied for a Portuguese residency (as a base from which to see all of Europe and other countries) and jumped through all the processing hoops last year. It isn't cheap to do this, but and when I got there the tax regime changed to a less favorable one than I was counting on. So, I came back home and will do the slow travel solution as well. :) I still love Portugal and will return, but not as a resident.
Hi - we just found your channel and we love this conversation! We recently moved to Portugal, and we love it, but I wish here had been more content about living as an expat vs slow travel when we were researching our options. We have no regrets, but I am very interested in your story. Good for you for changing course to make it work for you!
We moved full time to Portugal, two years ago but I have some serious misgivings. My wife still enjoys Portugal. We have applied for another residency elsewhere and intend to leave in 5 years. We intend to visit our new home for longstays after the residency has been approved. I think my only issue is the excessive costs of this approach - juggling both financial lives, even if we downsize. We enjoy travelling me slow, my wife on somesort of military operation - today is Wednesday therefore we should 'do' Paris!! Yes, we should move out our relationship to travel first!!
This seems like a good plan
The reality of traveling, living abroad, once you take the leap as a senior,really hits you. It’s a great fantasy. I lived as a expat in Mexico for 4 years, as a 70, and 80 year old. Then had a heart attack. An emergency operation in Mexico. The fantasies were over. It took every effort I had left to make the trip back home. I am still recovering,thankfully I have my wife
It can be fun until it isn’t. Red-tape isn’t handy in these situations. I recommend being a slow traveler to start. Don’t buy anything until you have been there for at least 2years. You have no clue what you’re getting into.
Do travel, keep it light, you only live once!
you need to stop fearing death to really be free. of course freedom doesnt work for anyone who believes in the narrative of the modern medical system and trying to prolong your life artificially. if you are over 80 you have had enough time. I havent been to a doctor in 36 years. God will know when it's my time and I shall not fight it.
So two different times in Mexico? You said 4 years, but as a 70 and an 80 year old.
@@marcd1981wife was 70 and he was 80.
I’m 63, single and self-employed. Since 1990, I’ve traveled to 40 countries as a PT/FT expat. I planned to retire overseas but decided to keep my US apartment as a home base as my work-from-home business requires my presence occasionally. In 2024, I plan to take every 3rd month off to travel and leisurely explore new places or return to my favorite destinations. If I didn't have my business, I might move abroad but I love what I do (online reselling vintage clothing and home decor) and the extra income funds my trips!
That sounds ike the perfect balance between home base, resting and then forging out into the world. Being self-employed is really great when you want to have this kind of a lifestyle; it's definitely been the main thing that has allowed us to do this too. Good luck with your 41st country! Where do you want to go next?
very nice!!
So you sell on Etsy or eBay? Good for you that you are doing what you ❤
Would love to know how your manage that .. I sell too on ebay, and have to close all down when out of town. ..
I (64 yr) live full time in a campervan (RV) when I'm in the US and then store it for the winter months ($63 pm) in TX. The winter months I'm off to warmer climates. I also make a living through the internet. What a great invention!
Did it a bit when younger (30s - 40s). Just an FYI... Its called Sojourning, and the person is a sojourner.
Terrific video that explains exactly how we currently live. Retired at 55 to do more with less. Cannot emphasize enough how important downsizing your US footprint is to make this happen. Not just for reducing costs, but also freeing up the time and space in your life to get away for months at a time. Heading out for our third slow- travel trip since retirement, 114 days with month-long stays in Spain, Portugal, and Scotland… for us the key is to mix in low cost places like Spain and Portugal with HCOL like Paris (11 days on this trip) and Scotland.
Thanks for the kind words! Great points, all of them. We found that the psychic burden of having the accumulated junk of 30 years was also kind of exhausting. Spent so much time trying to organize it all and it's just easier to pare things down. It really is about freeing up the time and space, for sure. Our kid goes to school in Scotland and last year we spent a month there (and have spent a few weeks there in the past). incredible place! Thanks again for writing.
@@89daysaway if only we could do something about that pesky 90 day visa problem!
Great Britain is 6 months out of the year, not 3 in and 3 out. So you can do 3 in EU and 3 or 4 in GB, and still be in the same general region...
@@89daysaway but more expensive for these early retirees!
This is exactly our goal, Covid has delayed it, we plan to start next year. Glad to find you!
We had 3 middle schoolers when schools closed down from c* vid. They got used to online school format and my husband was already working remotely. We decided to travel in our RV for a few months. Now it's been 3 years. We are in Bangkok right now as I write this. Kids are in high school now and we like to slow travel when we can. 2 months in Korea, 1 month in Thailand, and we just completed 1 month in Vietnam. We love the fact that we are able to cross off what we would have done in retirement and we get to do it with our children
Love this! I live in China and they just made it easier for Americans to get the tourist visa. Feel free to visit! If you come to Beijing I am happy to be a tour guide 😆. I stayed thru COVID and am glad it’s opening up but I know handling the pay by app system can be intimidating.
But how does it work for your kids? Attending high school remotely, missing out the experience with other kids, that will never come back
@@RafaelBorbaCostadosSanto-gt8mj that's true that they miss some of the experiences of regular school. But they meet other children on the road who travel like we do and we told them that anytime they want to return to regular school, we can settle down. A couple weeks ago in the Phillipines, they were snorkeling and swam with sea turtle and while we were riding the boat to snorkel, saw a bunch of dolphins. They learn about the history of every place we travel to. These are the types of adventures and first hand history learning that they are loving.
@@NHJDT That's wonderful god bless your family
Thanks for your comment. Currently I work from home, but I am restricted to the United States. I hope to slow travel with my junior high school and homeschool. I’m really torn between keeping a homebase or not. I hope to full travel like you guys have with your family. Although I’m close to retirement, I don’t want to wait until I’m 67 and 70 and too old to enjoy it as much as when I was younger. I commend you for stepping out and living your dreams with your family.
Been to 25 countries. It worked great for a few years, then eventually you fall in love with one amazing spot and stay there longer, recharge your energy. Its a cool approach not to decide long term and see how you feel about it all. Sometimes its fun to be on the road for a long time and sometimes you want to build a nest. So go with a flow ❤ it is all funnnn
We get burned out after a few months and want to get back home. Then after a few months at home, we are itching to go on a long trip.
I dont keep a US homebase but I do what I call "perpetual travel." Kind of expat, digital nomad, slow traveler. There are alot of names for what people like us do. lol
Yes, I'm more familiar with this term. I bought a 2 volume set called "PT1" and PT2" by W.G.Hill way back pre-internet days when I was just 21. I have been enjoying the PT lifestyle ever since then (I'm now 54).
The only thing that’s stopping me is my 2 cats 🐈⬛ 🐈
Our dog is a really big issue for us. We have a 10 pound 8 year old dog we inherited that we love. When we are getting ready to go overseas, we drive 7 hours from Maryland to Upstate NY to drop off the dog with relatives, who take care of her while we are gone, and drive back. 2 Days of travel just to get the dog settled. And then we end up missing her while we are away, and that prompts us to head home earlier than we would if we did not have her in our lives. So we get what you are saying...
We sold our house 2 1/2 years ago to travel and our 2 cats were a huge deal. Two friends took the cats.
Love is a powerful thing.
I wonder if anyone actually travels with their pets
Many do. Usually just need a clean bill of health from a vet 14 days before departure
My family just did an 11 month slow travel through SE Asia. My wife used to be a teacher, so she did homeschooling. We typically stayed for 2-6 weeks in a given location and it worked out great. We came back to the US so that the kids could go to public schools (their request), but they keep begging to go back to Thailand and the Philippines.
It’s great that you were able to do that with kids! We traveled quite a bit-not slow travel though-when ours was little and are really glad to have been able to broaden horizons at a young age. (Also would love to someday get to Asia!)
We’re with you. We retired five years ago and have been maintaining our small home in upstate NY while traveling about 6-8 months a year. It doesn’t cost much to maintain our base and little car and we still get to visit all the amazing places overseas. I subscribed to your channel just now. Thanks for posting your great video. By the way, we were in Lisbon last June and had a sangria at the same cafe shown in your video next to the kiosk. We loved that place and the bartender was so welcoming too.
Where do you go for 6-8 months a year without visa restrictions?
@Edgar-rw4ru You can't stay in most places for 6-8 contiguous months. You can stay in the Schengen zone for 3 months, and can then stay within Europe but outside of the Schengen zone or in the UK until you are eligible to re-enter the Schengen. You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months. (As US citizens). That said, it can get a bit complex, Schengen rules/countries change, and we're not experts. Your mileage may vary!
Wow well done.
I am assuming you have someone to look after your home while you are gone? I am considering this part time expat thing but I am single, no kids. Not sure who would watch my home.
@@jimb3093I'm single as well. I have a home in an HOA so basic tasks like lawn maintenance are taken care of. My next door neighbor checks on my home and picks up mail for a nice lunch when I return.
We spent a total of 2 months this year in Europe. We took 2 separate trips to visit several countries via small to midsize cruise ships. It's nice having the ship as a home base. There's no need to grocery shop, cook, clean, or worry about money, internet, etc. We extended our stay by 3-5 days before, after, and between cruises. Our luxurious transatlantic cruise was actually cheaper than business class airline tickets. I think that being away from home for a total of 2 to 3 months a year is our limit.
Smaller cruise lines sounds nice. Was it a river cruise? That seems best to be able to see the country. Regarding duration, we like 2 to 3 months at a time ourselves, so that we can keep in sync with home life. But I get the travel itch after being homes for 2 months, and lobby for another trip.
@@89daysaway We didn't take a river cruise although we probably will at some point, to explore new cities. Most of our trip was on Oceania cruise line. The transatlantic portion was 23 days (9 countries) from Miami to Venice, Italy.
That sounds amazing. We will have to explore this! Thank you for sharing it.
So Your children are teenagers now?
@@My_Secret_ArtSketchbook We're newly retired empty-nesters. Our daughter is a young adult now. Royal Caribbean was our choice when we traveled as a family with a teen. Then we sailed on Princess. Now we sail on Oceania's 1,200 passenger ships. It's the right size ship for personalized service and great food, but not as expensive as Silversea, Regent Seven Seas, or Seabourn.
My wife and I have been seriously contemplating a very similar change in our living situation. The expat route is complicated and emotionally daunting to say the least but downsizing one’s US base residence in a way where it is still a nice situation to come home to and then spending several months a year in other interesting locations sounds less risky and perhaps more enjoyable. Staying in an apartment for weeks at a time also allows one to “set up shop” so to speak and get some work done. Thank you for your video
Look at century village, Deerfieldbeach florida 55+ community. It is affordable and get one where u can rent out. I rent out my in the summer and travelled overseas.
Thank You! Your response cleared up what was confusing to me after I read some online material. Great website.
Great video. We are doing something similar, but we don't actually have sticks and bricks home in the US. We traveled the US and Canada for 3 years in a Class A and then downsized to a van. Last winter we flew to South America and stayed there for 4 months. Similar stuff this year. What's important to emphasize is that you don't have to do what everyone else is doing. Do what ever you can afford and makes you happy. We do find that not owning a home (we got rid of nearly all our stuff) is really a coast savings.
Very well put together video. My husband and I are not retired yet but are remote workers. We typically already travel slow but next year plan to stay overseas longer. We own a home in the US and as we work towards being a full-time expat we plan to do just as you guys are doing now. We will maintain a home base for now. Best of luck on your future travels!
This is an excellent video. I think the idea and the approach is a good balance and, a way to potentially decide whether or not one wants to do this full-time. YT is loaded with videos from all types of countries singing mostly the praises of affordability etc. You often have to search for the negative reviews of a place. I think the ideas you presented were steady-handed and practical. Great video! It helped me a lot.
I’m 60 recently retired Nurse & I’m doing exactly this! Im born/raised in NYC & own a very nice affordable coop in a very safe community. Im also set up with my pension here. I just traveled to Costa Rica for a month & then Hawaii for 2 months! I love this- I get to rest in NY & travel whenever I want for as long as I want. It’s the best thing ever- not committing to anything- the freedom to come & go is priceless!
That sounds fabulous! You really have the best of both worlds, and having all of that that freedom is amazing after a long career (we’re huge fans of nurses here…). Hope you continue to have a great time! Thanks for watching and writing.
High quality video with important information. You gained a new subscriber. In the summer of 2022 I sold my house and car and donated almost everything else to embark on full-time travel. At this point I generally stay 10-14 days in a location and go back to the US twice a year to visit friends and family. I'm using this early part of my nomadic life to mainly visit places I haven't already been to. But I would eventually like to slow it down more and spend longer periods of time in the places that I really like, as you do. Maybe someday I'll want to establish a more permanent home base, but where I see myself headed is having short-term home bases that change every few months or so. That would be the most ideal for me. Looking forward to your upcoming videos!
You don't know how much I needed this. Thanks 🎉
Wow. Thank you so much!
Yeah, ya gotta have money. No real way around that. We’ve spent 2.5 months in Italy, 2 months in Spain, and just came back from a short 30 day stay in Venice. The only way to travel in our opinion. Getting ready to split for another 3 months to warmer weather. Just found your channel and have subscribed. Cheers🥂
Information video, also addressing problems and issues with the solutions which is always fantastic!
Thanks!
Thank you for the idea and view
This is the most helpful video on this topic I've seen. Jam packed with practical, thoughtful, actionable advice.
Wow! Thanks so much for the comment. I am the type of CZcams viewer who fast scans through videos to locate the main points. So I tried to keep the fluff to a minimum and get the points out.
Have bin doing this since 2017, even around Covid. Had the good fortune of cousins in Ulster who stored my car for the time I was not on the road. Every year, somewhere else, Turkish North Cyprus, Malta, Spain, Portugal, Morocco. But you have to watch out for the duration limitations of your home jurisdiction. In Ontario it's 153 days for medical and 186 days for Canadian pensons. Under Brexit UK car insurers can now only issue you policies for One month outside the UK, which severly limits my 5 or 6 month travels. Also my policy cost tripled making it no longer financially possible to travel in the EU. This Winter it's the Pacific coast of Mexico. I do this all alone. Happy travels.
Great video. We did 90 days in Portugal/Spain/Italy. One option for those still working is to locate near a good short term office rental place - good wifi and good coffee is a must!
Great summary and perspective. Thank you!
We're so glad you liked it! Thanks for writing. We're putting more together now! Feel free to comment with any suggestions for future topics, etc. More soon. :-)
Very informative much appreciated
Great video!! This is actually an idea that we have been developing for a while, it's great to hear first-hand how positively it's working for you... we have debated becoming expats for the remaining few years of our working lives but the complications of doing so is overwhelming, filing 2 tax returns, our sons (> 20) are in the US so we have interests in the US... you laid out this concept in such a pleasant and easy to understand manner (with great examples of how to make the temporary residence your own) that we're encouraged to live this life style... worse comes to worse and we don't like our temporary place, we can always go back to our comfort zone in the US... thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for the comment! When we first tried our Expat Adventure we met with real estate agents and a lawyer in Portugal to get the home purchase process rolling, and it was really disturbing - it seemed non-transparent and much more risky compared to the US. And with the recent changes in the political winds poised to cause a drop in real estate values in Portugal (dropping the golden visa and NHR, limiting short term rentals, and variable rates resetting), we are glad that we were scared off. This approach is much easier for us. We get the fun experience without all of the disruption, risk, and work.
Great content. Thank you!
I just subscribed to your channel, great research and informative. I too enjoy this part-time travel experience as I believe it greatly enhances the experiences. Best way to see the world before planting roots somewhere else, jah bless!
Thanks for the video
This is exactly what hubby & I are planning for! Thank you for this video 🙂We are from the UK and have been calling it our 'semi-retirement'.
What you seek is seeking you 😊
Good luck!! Thank you for writing. We LOVE the UK and want to see much more of it in the future. We've been to the Cotswolds, Bath, York, London, and lots of Scotland. Need to get to Wales! Beautiful country and amazing history. Enjoy your semi-retirement!
Great video. Amazing you and I never met but have so much common way of thinking. Your video is an excellent travel tool and guide. Take care.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your kind words. Take care.
That’s me!!!! ❤ I did that for two years being a part-time expat. I will consider doing it again but this time if I get a home- based location, I will use house sitter for my time away.
Great Job‼️ I Am a Senior and I stayed in Portugal and Spain for 2@ a Half Months. Wow did that feel Great. I hope that more people catch on to your mindset. It is an Awesome Experience. Like having your , Cake and Enjoying it too💯
Thanks! We love that area of the EU. We are planning to spend time in Spain in 2024.
I'm loving this idea!
Thanks! Let us know if you have any suggestions for other topics. Thank you for writing!
great video. planning to become a part time expat from canada soon...
Nice video. The first I've seen on an approach I plan to explore next year. It depends where you go but I've found that many more eastern countries use Facebook much more, especially for rentals but if your budget is $2k you are not going to have a problem anywhere.
This is plan on doing and I’m two years out in the waters and it is Wonderful.
Great stuff! Thanks for!
Thanks for the comment. Glad to find folks appreciating what we are doing!
We arrived at same conclusion. More on the how-to’s would be helpful
Great information! I think slow travel is the best way to travel if you are able to do it.
The only downside is that it is the more expensive solution. Maintaining two separate residences is not cheap. So, only so many people will be able to afford it. I retired to Ireland as an Irish citizen. So far, so good.
Yes. Keeping 2 residences works out to having 1/2 the scale of your residence on each side of the ocean in order to keep to a budget. Going for 1 - 3 months or so at a time can allow a person to manage the budget, and alternative between cheap and more costly places, or delay trips until feasible.
Exactly what I was thinking. Already have my scaled down home drawn up, already took off for two months. Just go do it.
I really like the definition of "Part Time Expat". That is exactly what we have done and it has been one of the most fulfilling experiences. The level of adventure and immersion that it gives you is one of a kind- so many lessons to be learned while living on the road, months at a time. Being at home does sometimes make us miss the time abroad, so we started filming everything we did- the drives, the hikes, the skiing, the train rides, all to then watch from home and take us right back to those places. It has also helped with showing family the beauty that is out in this big, beautiful world. We hope to be able to continue being "part time expats" because there is so much to learn and grow from a slow travel way of immersion in this world.
Thank you for sharing your experience, looking forward to more videos :)
Thank you so much for your comment. Looks like your channel has lots of great footage of your travels. We just recently decided to create some videos, so it will take a while to catch up.
@@89daysaway Thank you very much- excited to see your upcoming videos!
I’ve been doing this in Mexico the last 3 years… and realized it was working for me… scale back at home country, and living for a few months in 2 or 3 places for a few months… I’m glad to find your site w/excellent clear info…. 2024 will take me to southern Italy. Thank you
Glad we could provide something helpful! Let us know if there’s anything g else you’d like us to cover. Lucky lucky you going to southern Italy.! We’ve been saving Italy for a special occasion because it’s so beautiful. That’s one of our next trips we hope. Keep us posted!
Greatly appreciate this video. I am 68 and retired and wanted to spend at least a month in each country that actually gives me time to relax, explore and enjoy each country which helps me make more informed decisions😊 I look forward to hearing more! Thank you.
that is what I have been doing since 2015, look at century village, deerfieldbeach florida 55+ community, get the rentable ones.
Love it. I'm a few years out from leaving full time work and looking to plan a part-time expat life. My wife and I travel a fair amount already, but with the restraints still of full-time work. This is appealing, particularly because my wife wants to keep our house in the US. I look forward to more great content on the subject.
Thanks! We are so excited to find so many other people who are interested in this way of life too! Hoping we can share info and learn from you too. Please drop us a line anytime if you have suggestions or ideas for topics you'd like us to cover. We've got a list, and are always looking for things to add that are truly useful for people! Thank you again for writing. :-)
That's very interesting.
I migrate in my RV with the seasons in the USA. Usually from the high Rockies in Colorado in summer to southern Arizona in the winter.
And Utah in spring and fall. I aim for 70 degrees all year.
Exactly my plan
What a great video! I've been thinking about doing this for a long time -- 2-3 months in one country, then traveling onto the next country, and just keep moving like that. I don't want to give up my home -- I live in a great area, and I want a home. base to come back to -- after a year or so!! So looking forward to more of your videos. I'm not ready for the move yet, but in the next year or so, I will be.
same here. I am military retired, 51, single, no kids. Not ready to sell it all and move abroad yet. But it does sound liberating to sell it and have nothing but a backpack and two bags lol! And travel from country to country. I have a house but thought about a condo, something easier to close up and leave with no yard to worry about.
@@jimb3093 , One thing I learn, never buy abroad but only rent. I have bought a rentable condo in a 55+ community in deerfieldbeach florida and rent it out for 6 months the other 6 as a base.
Thats awesome! I will have to look into that. @@judymckee5992
Nice video. Thank you for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it
I do this. I live in the uk but go to warmer places especially in winter
Just found your channel. I have the same plan, will start as soon as my 15 year old heads off to college. I'm either going to get a condo in the States or maybe live with my son at college (if I'm only there 6-8 weeks per year...after all, I'll be paying for his apartment any way you slice it!!).
Loved this video. I'm planning on seeing Asia and Europe primarily. Also looking at relocation cruises as a mode of transportation. Plan to work remotely part time. Cheers!
Thanks for watching! Sounds like a great plan (and yes, if you're going to endure college expenses you may as well enjoy it)! LOL We're really interested in learning more about relocation cruises too. That sounds like a great adventure.
Great video! I've often wondered about "slow travel" as my wife and I are both retired. I'm subscribed, so please keep the good info coming!! (very curios about where you.ve been and going)
Thanks for the compliment! We have traveled quite a bit in the past, for work and pleasure, usually doing the standard quick visits to a place (and not really taking any usable video this channel is a new idea). But now that we have slowed down our tempo, we tend to stay put in one place for a while. We are planning to stay in Edinburgh in an short term apartment for around 2 months in the spring to live for a bit in the general area where our daughter is currently staying (she is a student in the university), and take in that general area of Great Britain via side trips, then spend a few weeks at the end of the trip in Barcelona.
THX for the rereply! Do you ever cruise?? @@89daysaway
Nope! We are hoping to try that out in a few years. Repositioning cruises look interesting
Before I watched this video, I was designing a 3-12 month trip to various S.E. Asia Countries sometime in 2025 [so far, my Intuition says start with Malaysia, at the Capital City of Kuala Lumpur]. I even have maps on my walls, with flag pins. I use A.I. to help me with an Itenerary, which is VERY helpful. I stumbled onto this video, and it helped define what I'm trying to do [a slow-traveler]. Thank You!! I just subscribed to your channel and website. I will view more of your videos soon
Glad we had some info you could use.
What did you use the AI for in your planning?
Well put together video (thus subscribed). We just came back from month-long trip to Portugal (Lisbon, Madeira, Porto) with our intention to get a residency there. With the possible expiration of NHR, we are not sure if it's going to work for us. Spain and France are also an option but both countries tax heavily via wealth and inheritance taxes.
So we have decided to give slow-travel a try as well. 6 months a year of travel and the other 6 at home. Without the messy residency and tax situations.
NHR and Golden Visa going away. Variable rate mortgages resetting. Crackdown on short term rentals. Real estate could get dicey over the upcoming months.
We spoke with some tax people about moving to the Netherlands, and they said that the EU was a great place to live, and a terrible place to die in, given the inheritance taxes.
@@89daysaway Unfortunately when and where we die is completely out our control.
Very comprehensive and helpful
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for writing. Feel free to let us know if you have any suggestions for future topics, etc. Thanks!
This is for people who either have their US residence fully paid, or who can afford to maintain two households at the same time. We’re not there but would love to be! Seeing the world is the best way to spend your retirement years especially as you are still healthy enough.
I do both live in the US and have a residence card in Belgium. It took 10 years but nice
Happy to find your channel. I'm in the process of doing something very similar and would love tips on finding a rental. Thank you
Thank you! We have that topic on our list. We also recently posted a tour of our apartment on our current trip (in Great Britain).
We tried this slow travel and being a part time expat but the housing was EXTREMELY challenging! So finding a comfortable, nice home to stay temporarily is not easy! Finding a good monthly rental is very challenging! I think it would be nice to have someone share their experience in a nice apartment that is in a safe, good location with markets nearby. We prefer not to have the responsibility of a car so we are also relying on the areas transportation. This is a great video and the place you showed looks very nice but it is not easy to find a comfortable place! We do not have a home or car anywhere! We are open to finding a home base so we can continue to travel slowly because not having a home base is very exhausting with travel. Great advice!!!😊
We are embarking on our retirement as slow travelers. We have found good success with monthly rentals thru Airbnb and Housing Anywhere including 2 week and monthly discounts. How were you searching for lodging? Any suggestions are appreciated.
Yes! What's the best way to get a month or two rental in an area with adequate public transit?
I find housing easy and cheap in the winter 6 months in Europe.
Someone should write a blog or book on longterm housing issues in different foreign countries. I would be very interested.
@@warrentrout How can you stay in EU for 6 months without permanent residency?
Excelente video
Thank you!
Good vid. Best is to sell all you dont need. Then travel around the world for ever… stay 1 month… 2 month… 3 month etc
Sounds like an interesting way to travel. We were thinking about an endless summerish. Northern hemisphere during Spring and Summer, Southern hemisphere during the Winter up north. And maybe visiting with friends in Singapore where every day is the same.
Thanks for the video. This sounds a lot like "Snowbirds" in the US. Lots of people in the cold north go to Florida or Arizona for the winter and return home in the spring. But instead of Florida it's a different country. Interesting.
The interesting thing about it is that for many EU destinations, during the shoulder seasons and off season, lodging is much cheaper than you would expect. Especially compared to Florida in the winter. I was in Madeira for about a week at the end of October to visit some friends, and rented a one bedroom modern condo overlooking the sea in a desirable area for ~$80/night. Monthly (or a more residential area) would have been even cheaper. And overseas flights from the US are also cheaper in the off season. So it makes it more viable to spend a longer period in a foreign destination than many would think. It may not be as warm as Florida (Madeira is ~70 year round), but there should be many cool things to see.
You may have already in the messages, but curious how you find monthly apartments to rent. Are there any resources you can share. TIA
We are doing what you should suggest. Perhaps a little differently by mixing trips in between. I have so far traveled to 103 countries and am still adding a few a year. We are now into 17th week of 31-week travel this time. I have subscribed to your channel and keep up the good work!
Wow! Sounds amazing. We don't have the reserves of endurance for more than 2 or 3 months at this point, and that is even with staying in one general location.
Sounds like what I’m working toward 😊
Hope it works out for you! Good luck! We'll be posting some videos soon that might be helpful in preparing.
Finding decent, affordable and centrally located accommodation is always the most challenging aspect of travel. Perhaps you'd be kind enough to share places you could recommend? Many thanks.
I'm glad I found your channel. We homeschool our kids, so traveling would not be an issue, and in fact would complement our kids learning.
Oh my gosh there is so much that you could do with this! History, geography! We took our kid overseas on regular vacations just for a couple weeks here and there when she was growing up, and we think she learned so much about the world even in those shorter trips. Really glad we did this.
@@89daysaway So glad you agree.
Terrific video. Very helpful perspective of the 'retiree' vs 'slow travel.' Dan from Vagabond Awake has a great YT page where he explains many of the same things, though his is more specific to whatever country he and his lady are traveling in. These videos MAKE THINGS POSSIBLE! Thanks for helping with that.
We will have to check out his channel. Thanks for the recommendation. We did not think about doing videos in previous trips, but if we find enough people are interested in this topic, we plan to spend time on future trips getting some nice video content.
I’d love to see a video of the challenges of downsizing your US residence. We are currently looking at downsizing to a 1000 sqft condo so we can spend 6 months away at a time.
Oh boy, can we talk about this! SO much to say. It’s on our list! Stay tuned. And thanks for the suggestion! We’re glad someone is interested in this too. 😁
FANTASTIC! And here I thought I was unique in disliking the typical two-week vacation thing. But, what about friends?
This is a great question. Knowing what we know now, we'd be more intentional about making new friends by finding Meetups and groups to connect with. I (the wife!) got a bit lonely doing this and discovered I really missed connecting with people.
If you're lucky enough to have friends with similar interests and flexibility, you could have friends meet up with you while you are overseas, cook them some dinners and show them around. We have done that and it made their trips much better, as we were waiting to meet them at the airport, and already knew enough about the area to be able to support their interests. They did their tours during the day, and we would meet up for dinner and watch some TV at our flat. It gave them more of a sense of visiting local residents. But that really can be a stretch!
We are about to start our slow travel early retirement nomad life. We are giving up everything including our house in our home country and have no plans to take up residency anywhere - primarily due to tax considerations at this time. 3 months at a time here and there, maybe a month here or there.
Cool concept. Did you just do one trip this way (Lisbon and Madeira)? I'd like to hear about some others if there were any...
We have done this a number of times, but were not thinking about CZcams, so we did not capture video other than phone photos and short phone video clips until recently. Maybe we can use some older still photos to illustrate some upcoming videos.
But the overall experience is the same regardless of destination. We have stayed in Edinburgh and Great Britain for extended periods (our daughter is a student in Edinburgh University), the Netherlands, Estonia (we have relatives in Tallinn), and Portugal. And many other shorter trips throughout the EU over the years where we rented furnished apartments instead of hotels.
The differences we have encountered between destinations are primarily language (how well we can get along with English), openness of the society, ease of transportation, etc.
This may be a good idea for a video - what characteristics to consider when selecting a destination.
This is my plan.
We are heading in the same direction as you.
We downsized a few years ago to a townhouse in FL. No mortgage, so very low carrying costs, but still nice. We retired 2 years ago, traveled about 15 weeks last year, and will do about 16 this year. Then most likely will do the Great Loop boat trip through the US and Canada for ‘25 and ‘26 which is about 12 months total on the water. We were in Europe twice last year and will go for at least a month this year.
We are able to do all this due to no debt, no mortgage, and seeking bargains. We travel shoulder seasons and off peak, which is quite pleasant and MUCH more affordable. We have lots of airline miles. We link different trips and spend time with friends and family. We don’t do fancy hotels or restaurants, we don’t fly first class, we do short term rentals. We take cheaper cruises in inside cabins focusing more on the itinerary that the ship. We have a timeshare from years ago that still creates several inexpensive stays per year. We have a nice boat, but it is over 30 years old, and I enjoy doing all the maintenance and upkeep myself.
Last year’s travel budget was $25k! Our total annual budget is barely over $100k for everything including taxes and healthcare. We could probably do 100% of what I mentioned for even less, but we still have some other family responsibilities for now with parents and kids that adds some cost.
My point is that although you need some discretionary money to travel, with proper planning and a good mindset, you can accomplish a lot more than you think.
Great points. Congratulations for figuring out what approach best fits your needs and resources. Select the cheaper aspects of a slower travel approach, instead of the "once a year" vacation. Off season, train travel, etc.
When I retire I could sell my home, collect the cash, and rent a home in Costa Rica or Mexico while having a new home built in the US close to my daughters. I could rent a home for a thousand dollars a month less in Puebla, and get all my dental work done for a fraction of the cost. The idea of traveling and saving money at the same time sounds too good to be true.
This is us!
I have done this for 15 years, it works for me. I am out of country 11 months a year. I have no home base, but did have a home base in the Philippoines for 3 years.
Philosophically, IDEAL. I’m sold. Now where’s your guide to the BEST experiences?
Planning to do some more videos in the Spring. Stay tuned.
I was an expat for 20 yrs in 5 different countries. This is exactly what we are doing now based out of US. Much, much better.
this is my preferred method of travel...
I've been doing this for several years, now. I'll be curious to see what you come up with in future videos.
We have a number of topics in mind that we should be able to post over the upcoming months. Any suggestions based on your experience?
@@89daysaway Not especially, which is partially why I'm curious to see what you discuss. The one challenge I have had is always renting on AIRBNB, since at least the places I've been in recent years -- Albania and Mexico -- landlords want a minimum lease of 6 months, which for a variety of reasons isn't an option for me. It sounded like you've had success in avoiding that ABB trap. Always curious about people's methods in that regard. Best of luck with the video series.
That’s what I’m planning on doing since it won’t ties me down in one place too long.
yup
Very good. An alternative to Google Fi is to use WiFi Calling. I have AT&T in the USA, and so long as my AT&T phone is on WiFi it can make/receive phone calls and text messages with no problem.
We find the T-Mobile cell plan and international benefits to be excellent for slow travel overseas. Free unlimited data and text in 210 countries. The plan we have provides 5GB of high speed data then goes down to 3 GB if that is used up. And it renews every month. You can get 24 hour pass with 24 hours of unlimited calls or go with $0.25 a minute. Free calls in and to Canada and Mexico also included.
I agree. I had selected three or four neighboring countries that I wanted to live in, but once I got to the first one, my mind set wouldn't allow me to break free and move along to a different place for a while. Looking back at the last 10 years, I should have set a 2 or 3 month limit at each place before settling for one country. Now that I am 10 years in, I would hesitate to reinvest in another country.
I am a Canadian and my wife and I have been doing this for years. We were in Turkey for 2 months and are now in the Canary Islands. A total of 5 months away from the Canadian winter
Good time of year to travel. Off season lower rates for housing. And less bundling up when you go outside...
Good video, my main concern is access to medical care in case of an emergency.
The potential for requiring complex medical care decisions was a big factor with us.
Thank you for sharing this video. It got me really excited about many possibilities. My husband found this channel and I’m so glad he did. We traveled to Ghana earlier this year for a month and loved it. We’re talking about going back to the continent of Africa next year for 2 months. We’ve talked about options for our house. Downsizing and getting a smaller place in the U.S. sounds great, but any suggestion of how to either earn income on your place while you’re away or would hiring a house sitter be a better option? Any suggestions?
Thank you for your kind words. We're so glad you found us too! We haven't tried renting out our place for extra income, but in the past we had considered, though have not tried, (so no endorsement), Trusted Housesitters. We found that a lot of people really like that kind of arrangement. Good luck!
dump the houses, what's the fixation with the homebase? buy a cheap used RV and then rent overseas.
This is EXACTLY what I'm planning to do in the Philippines from Canada as a digital nomad.
Wow! That's a big adventure! Do you find the time difference a challenge in staying in touch with folks back home?
@@89daysaway It's a 12 hour flip sometimes 13 so morning there is evening here, I manage.
I’m a disabled combat veteran living in Guam, but I’m in and out of Manila and Thailand half my time
I moved to a South American country and someone broke my hip less than a year in, and it took a long while to get coverage through being employed there, and I couldn't just go back and have coverage either. So I really suffered for several years, also not trusting the doctors, although at the end of 8 years when I couldn't walk and was forced to operate, I did find a good surgeon.
This is what I am preparing for in 2024❤😊
Best of luck! Starting on an adventure next year is exciting! Taking that path really changed us, and helped us better figure out what we valued. Hope it works out well for you!
Exactly my plan but the goal of finding affordable place to retire. USA is not going to work for me
This how we travel, works great.
My wife and I are planning on buying inexpensive homes (2-3 BR, 2 bath) in both Spain and Italy. In Spain, it’ll be in a village/small town about an hour from the Mediterranean coast-looking from Valencia area to Sevilla. In Italy, we’re searching in Abruzzo and Molise. Our goal is to acquire residency in one of the 2 countries and split time between them while we travel the rest of Europe periodically.
Valencia is the most overlooked and underrated city in Spain.. we love it!
was looking at moving as well but this is definitely a wiser option! I can do Half the yr away and still spend time with family back home but still free to travel and enjoy my single lifestyle as a younger semi-retiree... I can do my part time job remotely from anywhere now.. I have a few good friends In Asia where I can leave a suitcase of essentials stuff/creature comforts when I am back home but still have them out there with me when I am back in the east..
Having someone in place at the destination is a great benefit. Much better than renting a storage space...