Blog

Waking up to the sound of the surf or the sounds of the jungle, creating a healthy routine with morning surfing, yoga, or sharing breakfast with friends before the workday begins in… January, for example. And that’s just the beginning of the story of the coolness of wintering in the tropics for those with remote jobs. If you’ve never wintered outside your homeland before, it seems like a good time to give it a try.

What does wintering in the tropics give you?

Immersion in a different cultural code and mentality. The locals are sure to surprise you with their rituals, religion, unhurried service and attitude to life - smiling, positive, without fuss.

More time for your business and activities that have long been put off. The tropics dictate your schedule - you get up and go to bed early, the sun goes down every day at the same time, so the “magic of morning” becomes part of everyday life much easier and more pleasant. While your coworkers are asleep, you have time to do a bunch of your chores and start the work day at 12:00 with a sunset break.

No need to buy a down jacket and winter tires, with the ability to negotiate to rent a house can be much cheaper than in the big city, and it will not be an apartment / room, and a house with its own terrace or backyard, the same story with the bike. You don’t need a lot of stuff - slates, t-shirts, shorts, that’s it. In general, for $ 1000-1500 per month you can live quite comfortably, eat and have fun, experienced winterers spend a lot less.

You get to know like-minded people, you get into a community of people for whom to live in travel - the norm, you pull up English, learn new things - fit into the hike on the mountain, rafting, go to mitaps as much, if not more, than usual.

The choice of countries for wintering is quite extensive - it’s not only SEA (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, etc.), but also South Africa, Dominica, Mauritius, Egypt, Mexico, India, Sri Lanka…

A pressing question when packing for any long trip or winter stay - what to take, what it all fits in, and do I really need this “house on wheels” - a suitcase?

A little travel addict’s know-how:

A comfortable backpack is definitely better than a suitcase! It weighs less, saves from 2 kg, you can fit more things. It frees your hands if you need to eat on the go, take a photo, go through passport control. On arrival it is convenient to walk to the bus stop, in the hotel you can put some things and take for a walk around the city. How to choose the right backpack: the attention to the strength and water resistance of the material, the quality of fittings and seams, the volume of 30l, several compartments for sorting things (we put a laptop separate from the food), the ability to transform to a compact size with the top flap and braces, anatomical back ventilation, wide straps, a few handles for easy grabbing, pockets in the belt, rain cover. Options with good reviews: Osprey, Gregory, Deuter, Ortlieb or Tatonika, Hunter, Humtsman, Trek planet. Low-quality backpack can easily be identified by a cheap interior trim, protruding threads, chemical odor inside, flimsy zippers and lack of frame on the back.

If you can not do without a suitcase - look at the size and volume: S - up to 45 liters, looks like hand luggage; M - up to 90 liters, the suitcase for 1 person; L - up to 120 liters, family option; XL - up to 180 liters, suitable for moving. Try to figure out if it will be convenient to lift the suitcase on the escalator, 4 wheels should be made of thick rubber on a metal rod, recessed into the body of the suitcase, plastic ones will definitely fall apart, reliable hardware that will hold up if it is crammed to the limit. Reliable options in the price/quality segment include Proffi, Swissgear, Francesco, Xiaomi.

Traveling as a couple, you can save money and take one large L suitcase instead of two backpacks, for two (23 kg for economy and 32 kg for business class).

If you’re planning a weekend trip to a neighboring country by low-cost airline, prepare in advance a proper bag/backpack for hand luggage: usually you must check beforehand not more than 115 cm in the sum of all dimensions or 554020 cm. Before the check-in desks is a calibrator, where you can check the bag or not, if not - put some things on yourself, scatter in his pockets.

Share your best finds in the world of suitcase and backpacking in the comments!

Source

Afghanistan
Afghanistan is the most dangerous country for foreigners - tourists are kidnapped, terrorist attacks happen in the cities. Afghanistan is also the world’s largest supplier of heroin and it is easy to run into a drug user as well as a pickpocket.

Venezuela
Kidnapping, armed robbery, pickpocketing in public transportation and supermarkets - poverty abounds. It is relatively safe to travel around the country only in designated areas, avoiding border areas. Safety rules should be adhered to: for example, it is better not to catch a cab on the street, so as not to run into a criminal behind the wheel

Iraq
The country has been at war almost constantly in recent years. The population suffers from stagnant economy, civil unrest, armed conflicts

Papua New Guinea
Papuans have long been cut off from civilization, and while the cities we are now accustomed to have supermarkets, universities and factories, in the villages people still live in huts without electricity. Here there are still tribes with bloody conflicts between them. In the cities, there are youth gangs that rob, steal cars, and rape people. The police do not work at night. Papuans believe in black magic and can burn a woman if they think she is a witch. And there’s also the risk of catching malaria and dengue fever in the local rainforests

Somalia
- It’s not uncommon to see people armed with assault rifles in the street. Protracted civil war, attacks, terrorist attacks and destruction are everyday occurrences in the Horn of Africa.

Syria
The country has had a long full-scale war, after which it has been in ruins, with water and electricity cuts in the cities, high crime rates, armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom

Jamaica
Jamaica is a transportation hub for cocaine, so the crime rate is high. The gap between rich and poor makes the situation worse, so shootings, robberies are not uncommon here. Tourists are mostly attacked for petty thefts, so it’s important to be careful not to walk at night, not to walk in deserted streets and beaches, not to put valuables on display, change your routes.

SOUTH AFRICA
In general, the trend in recent years has been a decline in the country’s crime rate. However, the level of danger remains high: robbery, violence, kidnapping, and also the proximity of wildlife. Not only can you run into an armed criminal, but also a distraught rhinoceros capable of overturning a jeep.

Source

The best city for a digital nomad right now is Lisbon. But not everyone has a visa or the opportunity to get one. Here are the top cities with visa-free or easy-to-obtain visas.

Changu (Indonesia) - Digital nomads appreciate it for the high speed internet, as well as the entertainment nearby. The cost of living is $1400 USD per person per month.

Chiang Mai (Thailand) - the city has a good infrastructure for pedestrians and a high level of security. The cost of living - $ 1250 USD per person per month.

Bangkok (Thailand) - again representative of Thailand, its capital. More developed infrastructure and an international community than in the previous city. But also a higher cost of living - $2000 USD per person per month.

Mexico City (Mexico) is one of the largest metropolitan areas in Latin America, offering many opportunities for living, traveling and further relocation. The cost of living in Mexico City is $1850 USD per person per month.

Buenos Aires (Argentina) is another representative of Latin America. The high standard of living and education, a huge number of places to work and rest attract freelancers. However, many note the low speed of the Internet. This is worth taking into account. But next year, Argentina is launching a starlink. So Buenos Aires could go much higher. The cost of living is $2000 per person per month.

Set inside the world-renowned Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, Lake Louise is a year-round resort destination. No matter what time of year you visit, it really is truly remarkable. On a sunny day, the impossibly blue lake reflects the surrounding snow-capped mountains and in winter it transforms into a winter wonderland. Even if you aren’t particularly an outdoorsy type, you will find Lake Louise truly breathtaking, no matter when you choose to visit.

Ha Long Bay was chosen as one of the new 7 Wonders of Nature, and was designated in 1994 as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Loosely translated, the name means, ‘descending dragon’, and it is outlined by over 1,600 islets and islands. These islands and islets are made of limestone, with a lot of them given names by the locals, depending on their shape. There’s so much natural beauty here, and it’s a must for those who love traveling by water.

Yes, one of the greatest wonders of the world and loved by tourists from all over the world but it still has to be seen to be believed. It’s over 21,000 km long, thousands of years old, and can be seen from space—no wonder it is loved by all.

Tulips are often the first things that come to mind when you think of Holland and the Netherlands, and for good reason! You’ll be blown away by seeing the vast tulip fields in person nothing can compare than seeing the fields in person.