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Old 05-27-2019, 03:18 PM   #61
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Congrats on your inventive lifestyle and thanks for sharing all of your experience. What kind of cell phones and plan do you have and are you able to track each other’s locations in all countries, please? Costs? DW and I are planning a GAP year in 2021 and we want to be able to see the other’s location at all times. Thank you.
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Old 05-27-2019, 03:57 PM   #62
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Originally Posted by Markola View Post
Congrats on your inventive lifestyle and thanks for sharing all of your experience. What kind of cell phones and plan do you have and are you able to track each other’s locations in all countries, please? Costs? DW and I are planning a GAP year in 2021 and we want to be able to see the other’s location at all times. Thank you.
We use T-Mobile for cell service. We have never tried to track each others location before, but there is probably an app for that, or maybe you could use one of the "find my phone" features. Not sure.

FWIW, we use wifi when we can to not abuse the unlimited data, and also download maps of areas we are heading to next while on wifi for offline use once we get there. Then even if offline, the map feature will get your location from the cell tower and give you directions and track your progress, etc. without using data.
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Old 05-27-2019, 04:32 PM   #63
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Huge fans of Billy and Akaisha (https://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/). They also were my early retirement inspiration although we still have not become travel nomads (soon hopefully - still have an aging dog 🐕 at home - last kid to get off the payroll!). In the mean time, Mr. Money Mustache was HUGE inspiration for getting our financial house in order so we could retire early (https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/). Good luck. 👍 The World 🌎 Is Your Pearl
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Old 05-27-2019, 06:19 PM   #64
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I would love to do a year or two of travel with or without a fixed address. DW...not so much. So we compromise. I start looking and thinking about the next trip or the one after that about a week after returning home from a trip. So it goes at our home.
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Old 05-28-2019, 06:36 AM   #65
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4 Years of FIRE & Perpetual Travel/Nomad Life

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Some people traveled to south America countries and complained that people there do not speak English.

To the extent that I can, I try to blend in with the locals. Eat where they eat, shop where they shop and so on. Another culture is just that, another culture. Don’t expect them to do things the same way they are done in the States. Anyone I run across that has those expectations I tell them to simply stay home...
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Old 06-22-2019, 09:23 PM   #66
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Great thread. We too, were inspired by Billy and Akasha and travel 6 or 7 months during the winter (mostly diving too!) since we retired 4 years ago. We have realized that having a ‘home base’ is important to us but recently decided to sell our house and use one of our vacation rentals as our ‘home base’ for a few months out of the year. Hard part is downsizing, but hopefully we’ll simplify our lives too. Congrats!
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Old 06-30-2019, 03:04 PM   #67
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We use T-Mobile for cell service. We have never tried to track each others location before, but there is probably an app for that, or maybe you could use one of the "find my phone" features. Not sure.

FWIW, we use wifi when we can to not abuse the unlimited data, and also download maps of areas we are heading to next while on wifi for offline use once we get there. Then even if offline, the map feature will get your location from the cell tower and give you directions and track your progress, etc. without using data.

From other forums I've heard that T-Mobile is cracking down on long-term travellers and cancelling accounts ( and hence phone numbers) that are used abroad during more than three billing cycles per year. Have you had any pushback from T-Mobile? With your low data usage, you may be flying under the radar.

For my upcoming 18-month-ish trip I want to keep my T-Mobile account -- which has worked well on 6-week trips in the past, in Asia and in Europe -- to have access to my phone number for second factor identification, calls to/from the US, etc. So as to not irk T-Mobile, I may buy a local SIM for my second cellphone, and use that for data.

Thoughts?
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Old 07-01-2019, 06:43 AM   #68
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Here in Chapala, Mexico, a couple could live well on $1,500/mo, including eating out alot. You can rent a nice apt in town for $300-400/mo all-in.
These numbers are *very* optimistic. Try $2000-2500 for more realistic numbers. We recently moved away from the Chapala area due to ever-increasing rents. Our former place, a tiny studio, now goes for $850/mo. I would say that $700 is the new base rent for lakeside from Chapala to Jocotepec. If you want a convenient location or a view of the lake, plan on $1000.

In comparison our rent in Zacatecas is $211 for the most modern apartment we have ever lived in here in Mexico, going back to 2012. Of course, unlike Lakeside, English is as rare as gringos here.
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Old 07-01-2019, 07:22 AM   #69
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From other forums I've heard that T-Mobile is cracking down on long-term travellers and cancelling accounts ( and hence phone numbers) that are used abroad during more than three billing cycles per year. Have you had any pushback from T-Mobile? With your low data usage, you may be flying under the radar.

For my upcoming 18-month-ish trip I want to keep my T-Mobile account -- which has worked well on 6-week trips in the past, in Asia and in Europe -- to have access to my phone number for second factor identification, calls to/from the US, etc. So as to not irk T-Mobile, I may buy a local SIM for my second cellphone, and use that for data.

Thoughts?
My DD just got back from 9 months in Ireland (grad school). We have Verizon. She would swap out her sim card going to and from Ireland. Never had an issue. As long as the bill was paid everything was fine.
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Old 07-01-2019, 12:40 PM   #70
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From other forums I've heard that T-Mobile is cracking down on long-term travellers and cancelling accounts ( and hence phone numbers) that are used abroad during more than three billing cycles per year. Have you had any pushback from T-Mobile? With your low data usage, you may be flying under the radar.

For my upcoming 18-month-ish trip I want to keep my T-Mobile account -- which has worked well on 6-week trips in the past, in Asia and in Europe -- to have access to my phone number for second factor identification, calls to/from the US, etc. So as to not irk T-Mobile, I may buy a local SIM for my second cellphone, and use that for data.

Thoughts?
I have T-Mobile's Simple Choice, and used it for three weeks in New Zealand and 6 weeks in Guam. Haven't had a problem, but we'll see once I move overseas. They say that the account is not for full-time use out of the country, and I definitely can see them cancelling the account.
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Old 07-11-2019, 07:32 AM   #71
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Great thread. We too, were inspired by Billy and Akasha and travel 6 or 7 months during the winter (mostly diving too!) since we retired 4 years ago. We have realized that having a ‘home base’ is important to us but recently decided to sell our house and use one of our vacation rentals as our ‘home base’ for a few months out of the year. Hard part is downsizing, but hopefully we’ll simplify our lives too. Congrats!
Good luck with the downsizing, Bearkeley! I think you will really appreciate it when it is done, but it can seem overwhelming at the start. Should get easier and easier, tho!
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Old 07-11-2019, 07:44 AM   #72
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From other forums I've heard that T-Mobile is cracking down on long-term travellers and cancelling accounts ( and hence phone numbers) that are used abroad during more than three billing cycles per year. Have you had any pushback from T-Mobile? With your low data usage, you may be flying under the radar.

For my upcoming 18-month-ish trip I want to keep my T-Mobile account -- which has worked well on 6-week trips in the past, in Asia and in Europe -- to have access to my phone number for second factor identification, calls to/from the US, etc. So as to not irk T-Mobile, I may buy a local SIM for my second cellphone, and use that for data.

Thoughts?
Great point, BarbWire. I have read similar stories of accounts cancelled. One was an intl flight attendant. I am concerned, because I got one text from T-Mobile last year, and one this year that said that I had excessive intl usage and that it was intended for occasional use. I have not heard about the 3 billing cycle rule. My husband has never gotten a nastygram, so I am very careful to use wifi nearly all the time and let him turn on data if necessary. I do plan to get a sim card when we stay in a country for awhile.

We have 4 other lines on our family plan, and they are all stateside. I don't know if that helps. Somehow DH is flying under the radar, but I have been flagged. I do love T-Mobile, so fingers crossed. It took 2 years to get any sort of slap on the hand.

I think you will be OK with your trip, but I would advise you to use wifi anywhere available so your usage stays down.
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Old 07-11-2019, 08:13 AM   #73
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These numbers are *very* optimistic. Try $2000-2500 for more realistic numbers. We recently moved away from the Chapala area due to ever-increasing rents. Our former place, a tiny studio, now goes for $850/mo. I would say that $700 is the new base rent for lakeside from Chapala to Jocotepec. If you want a convenient location or a view of the lake, plan on $1000.

In comparison our rent in Zacatecas is $211 for the most modern apartment we have ever lived in here in Mexico, going back to 2012. Of course, unlike Lakeside, English is as rare as gringos here.
I will defer to you since you lived there, and we only were visiting.

We paid $600/mo thru Airbnb (owner had a 50% discount from daily rate of $40 for monthly rentals) for a 2 bdrm apt in Chapala centro a block from the lake and a block from the main street. Walkable to everything in town. It was a typical older Mexican apt, tho, not a modern gringo one, but clean with wifi and TV and all utilities included. A nicer more modern place would definitely cost more.

We met friends that were apt hunting in town and they found some apts (again, older, not modern, and in local neighborhoods) for the prices I mentioned. No lake views, of course! There seemed to be a big price difference between renting from locals using word of mouth from other locals vs renting from other gringos or going through realtors and advertisements. We did hear many long term expats complain about rising rents, though, so I hear you.

Sounds like you found a great area with a really reasonable cost of living. Will have to check it out one day!
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Old 07-11-2019, 09:49 AM   #74
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Very envious of your lifestyle over the past four years.

Good for you for living your dream. Happy trails. I hope the wind is always at your back.
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Old 07-20-2019, 12:34 PM   #75
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Did you fly or take local buses when traveling Vietnam? I'm considering it but SWF here so not sure if I'd be comfortable or not. If you didn't have DH along, would you be fine with solo travel there?

I'll be working in India for a few months so I guess I'll get to find out the easy way there!
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Old 07-21-2019, 12:14 AM   #76
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Did you fly or take local buses when traveling Vietnam? I'm considering it but SWF here so not sure if I'd be comfortable or not. If you didn't have DH along, would you be fine with solo travel there?

I'll be working in India for a few months so I guess I'll get to find out the easy way there!
KimL, we took no buses in Vietnam. We flew and took the coastal train from Ho Chi Min City/Saigon towards Hanoi stopping for several days/week each in Nha Trang, Hoi An (loved it), and Hue (loved it), then flew from Hue to Hanoi. The train travel along the coast was scenic, albeit the train was old. We booked a quad with 2 bunkbeds, even tho we rode during the day. It was comfy to lay on the bed and watch the scenery go by with a few really scenic coastline areas. BUT, we were lucky with midweek rides and had no one else join our cabin. I heard weekends and local holidays are more crowded with locals visiting family. Another couple we met just booked the extra beds in their quad.

Not sure if you would be comfortable, as I assume anyone of either sex could end up.in your cabin. We chose the private rooms over a hard bench seat, but you could go that route and not take a chance on creepy cabin mates, esp for short stretches.

You will absolutely be fine flying. We used plenty of discount airlines with no problems whatsoever. We never took buses there, but met lots of backpackers who did, and some were women traveling alone.

We took several overnight buses in Thailand, and really liked them. We only took "1st class" buses there, which were just a few bucks more than regular. Lots of other westerners traveling and backpacking, and the seats were like business class seats on planes, but not lie flat. Lots of recline and a footrest. They even had a stewardess hand out snacks and water. Definitely nothing like greyhound, which I rode as a college student back in the day! If the long range buses are similar in Vietnam, you would be fine. I would bet they are better than the ones in India!
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Old 07-21-2019, 12:21 AM   #77
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Did you fly or take local buses when traveling Vietnam? I'm considering it but SWF here so not sure if I'd be comfortable or not. If you didn't have DH along, would you be fine with solo travel there?

I'll be working in India for a few months so I guess I'll get to find out the easy way there!
KimL, and Yes, I would be fine with solo travel in Vietnam without DH. Absolutely, with the exception of I probably would not have booked a bunk in a quad cabin on the train. You are likely to meet loads of other travelers from Australia, Europe, etc. All of them will be happy to share tips and tricks, recommendations and directions. Lots of other travelers everywhere we went there, including many solo women. Most were younger, but we met other more "senior" ones as well. The locals will also try hard to help you if you need it. Go for it!
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Old 07-21-2019, 09:59 AM   #78
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Thanks! And no problem if you speak NO Vietnamese??
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Old 07-21-2019, 04:31 PM   #79
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We use T-Mobile for cell service. We have never tried to track each others location before, but there is probably an app for that, or maybe you could use one of the "find my phone" features. Not sure.

FWIW, we use wifi when we can to not abuse the unlimited data, and also download maps of areas we are heading to next while on wifi for offline use once we get there. Then even if offline, the map feature will get your location from the cell tower and give you directions and track your progress, etc. without using data.
Regarding offline mapping and directions (data free) we used the Maps.me app on our travels in Curacao and Bonaire recently. We used no international data due to wifi and this free mapping app.
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