Omg you just gave me the sweetest shout out! I’m not going to lie…you made me smile and a little cry all at the same time!!! Hugging you😘 That was very sweet and thoughtful and I really appreciate it. And of course I appreciate both of you and your wonderful content.❤️
You have no idea how much we remember and value from all the comments we have received throughout all of our videos and of course we want to give recognition to the people who deserve it! Thank you so much for being such an important part of our community! -Judy
Happy New Year! We really need to meet up somewhere; we have so much in common! Will be looking forward to hearing where you're heading this year. Have a happy journey! John & Bev
Thanks so much for reaching out! We would love for a meetup to work out! We are excited for our 2025 travel and having our paths cross would be icing on the cake. We be sharing our destinations and timing this Saturday, but feel free to DM us. Happy New Year from Rio de Janeiro! -Judy & Kevin
Hi @1980mikeh, We thought the camels would be very uncomfortable, but we actually did really well. We would have taken another ride if there would have been a chance to do so in the morning. Happy New Year! -Judy
Happy New Year from Chiang Mai ! I mean Chiang Rai! I mean, wait…Chiang Rai is tomorrow…yeah, Chiang Mai! My wife stepped out for a run…I usually count on her to tell me where we are…
Hi @nickholt5835, Happy New Year! Thank you so much for following along with us this year. We appreciate all your support! We'd love to hear what your thoughts are about Chiang Rai. We ended up skipping it when we were in Chiang Mai, and I'm wondering if it's worth the effort of getting there. Hope you have an amazing 2025! -Judy
This is both the fun and challenging part, I find and it is really helpful to see/hear your thoughts. I wish our travel plans would align this year, though it doesnt look like that is going to happen. I look forward to the videos and updates from you both.
Hi Christine, We love answering your questions! We would love it if our paths could cross this year. Is there nothing that aligns? We'll keep releasing videos and updates, and if there's anything you want to know, just ask! -Judy 🎥 What’s New for 2025: Our Complete Travel and Budget Planning Breakdown ❤️ ruclips.net/video/IkA76TWLvMM/видео.html
@FindingGinaMarie our flights are all already booked and I looked at Georgia for our non-Schengen time, but we only needed about another 30 days more of time so we're going to explore North Macedonia instead and save Georgia for a full 90 day time. Plus North Macedonia is an easy bus ride from where we'll be in Greece.
You'll have to let us know if you recommend North Macedonia! Someday we'll spend 90 days somewhere, but that time isn't yet. But it sounds very fun and relaxing! Have an awesome time. Where will you be in Greece or will you be moving around?-Judy
A fun and informational video as always Kevin & Judy. Christine told me your live on Christmas Eve was very good and I still have yet to watch it (I think she said she commented on it). I feel like the two of you and John/Bev at Retirement Travelers have created the most amazing communities for people our age and up who are living the dream of slow traveling the world and meeting up with those who want to share the journey. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to both of you! Talk soon... we are enjoying Valencia (drinking lots of orange juice) and getting ready to head to Mexico City in a few weeks!
@andrewkamchi7478 Yes, our livestream was so much fun and it was wonderful to have Christine join (at least we had a blast and we just hope everyone else did, too!). Thank you so much for your kind words! We really are so grateful for everyone who has supported us and commented and watched our videos. We don't take a single person here for granted. We hope you have a great 2025 and we do plan to make our way to San Miguel de Allende, so I will reach out to you separately to confirm the details. I was literally finalizing our dates before we saw this come through! I can't imagine how that fresh orange juice tastes right now. My mouth is watering! Take good care! -Judy
Hey Judy and Kevin, Happy New Year. Thanks for the lovely videos you make. you guys are awesome. i started following your vlogs since Cairo trip :) . Amazing work Kevin with the editing and using the charts and video backgrounds. i know how much effort in content writing and editing it takes, since i have a RUclips channel myself (my channel is mostly about migration to Australia and USA, in Arabic though!) . We booked our family trip flights for early June yesterday , yay! we will be spending 2 weeks in Italy and 3 weeks in Egypt (mostly to see my family) . flights were super expensive to fly from Las Vegas, especially for a family of 5. Fortunately we found flying from San Fran to Rome and Cairo and back somehow affordable. still need to prepare the itinerary for ITA, i am thinking Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence then back to Rome! my wife (Pam) will be the organizer and she told me give me 4 weeks to research :) . looking forward to your travel plans video. Regards
Hi Morad, Wow, that sounds like a fabulous trip you have planned! And I am SO impressed you've been following along for so long. I knew it was a while, but sheesh! I have checked out your channel but as you said, it's in Arabic! Maybe someday we'll get to your subscriber count! I think what you're doing is such a cool niche. I'm sure you've seen our videos from Italy, but I'm going to link them below. And I'm going to remind you both that this is a Jubilee year and some of these places in Italy will be very, very crowded. If you've never been to Italy, I can understand that you want to see the cities you're mentioning, but I think you might also enjoy places like Genoa, Turin, and Verona, and even Spello as being less crowded and still super charming. We hope you have an absolutely amazing time. Let us know how it goes. And you probably know more than me, but I recently wrapped up a blog post for Egypt that might be interesting. -Judy 🎥 Italy video series: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk 🎥 Egypt travel series: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF1WcH9GxfK4ngH49MXf5oOv 📝 Check out our Egypt trip planning guide: findingginamarie.com/articles/egypt-trip-planning
Also, here's a link to the ETIAS application so you'll be notified when it goes into effect. There's an upcoming requirement to get a tourist visa when visiting Europe, which is still being worked on for 2025. -Judy ✅ ETIAS application: etias.com/etias-application
Happy New Year Judy & Kevin!! Enjoyed your Q & A video!! We really appreciate your kindness & willingness to share your hearts & your knowledge. Blessings to you both in this coming New Year! We are looking forward to sharing your adventures online & on video in 2025. God bless you, Marion & Jan 😁👍🏼
Awww, Marion & Jan, Thank you so much! The pleasure is ours. I can't tell you how much joy it brings us to have you watching and commenting on our videos. We wish you both safe travels, good health, and much happiness in 2025! -Judy
Happy New Year! Thank you for all the wonderful content that you provide us! Looking forward to your 2025 travel plans and videos. Hope you have a safe, healthy and happy 2025!
Thank you so much, @lindab5789. We have enjoyed all of your comments and encouragement over this past year. We can't wait to share what we're doing for 2025. We're pretty excited about everything we'll be experiencing in 2025! -Judy
Hi @awalker916 ♥️♥️ Some guides are average, but some have been outstanding and we continue to stay in touch with those and recommend them. In fact, I am literally on WhatsApp connecting with our tour guide from our Nile River cruise. I love that some of them have become lifelong friends and great resources for me to get questions answered for our viewers! And I have learned SO much than I ever have from books! Have a wonderful New Year! -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie wow, still in touch, that's phenomenal! I can't wait to join you guys. One more year, and we're kissing the USA goodbye. I look forward to videos from you & Kevin. Thanks as always for your response. Happy New Year!🎉🍾
Yes, it's been so amazing. We know there are downsides to this lifestyle, but they pale in comparison to the joy we have living this way. We are very excited for you. The time will fly by! -Judy
Happy new year to you both! Love the bloopers. We may have to incorporate some into our videos. You guys are great at what you do. Can’t wait for the video this Saturday!
Hi Diana and Joe, Happy New Year! We've been deep in video production except for enough time to catch the festivities for NYE in Rio. Surprisingly, it was well done but much tamer than I expected! Bloopers are great! Thanks so much for your encouragement! -Judy
@bw5911 I think we were both a little punchy after the excitement of the livestream and having such amazing engagement and interactions with our viewers! It was so unintentional, but it fit perfectly for this video. Ask and you shall receive! We hope you have some truly amazing travels in 2025! -Judy
Happy New Year! Your channel and the community have been so important to Stan and me. Thank you for all your efforts, inspiration, tips and support. We look forward to watching and reading your content going into 2025!
Oh Erin, you and Stan have been such a great support to us. You have no idea how much your comments and participation in our community have encouraged us. We hope there's an occasion for our paths to cross in 2025. We'll be sharing the rest of our travel plans this Saturday. Have a wonderful 2025. Happy travels to you both! -Judy
Thanks so much, Annette & Pete! We were still coming off the high of enjoying all the people on the livestream. It was completely not planned in any manner! Happy New Year and we hope you have an amazing 2025! Hopefully our paths will cross again soon! -Judy
Hello Kevin & Judy, Thank you for answering our Qs in this bonus video. Happy new year and look forward to following your adventures in 2025. Wishing you and your family health and happiness in all years to come.
Aww, thank you so much, @charchui! We had so much fun on our livestream that we weren't ready to have the party end, so it was fun to look through the questions we missed and try to cover them. It's a lot harder than we thought to catch all the questions when they're coming through. We are so glad you could join us, and thank you for watching this bonus video! Happy New Year to you and yours! -Judy
@charchui You are so kind to say this! We are glad there are two of us and that our glitches were minimal. It helps that our viewers are so patient and kind. And really, we are only sharing what we have lived, so it's significantly easier than communicating abstract things we have only a peripheral knowledge of! We'll tell you straight away if we don't have a good answer for something! -Judy
Great video! I really enjoyed this format. I am 2.5 yrs away from traveling 6 months out of the year, but I am definitely taking time to travel while nomadically working within the states. I used all my Hilton and American airline points for a trip to NZ and Australia last December, so I opened up an IHG credit card to earn hotel points. We will use them for Lake Tahoe and Yosemite later this year. Hoping for a trip to Patagonia and Peru in 2026. I hope you have a wonderful New Year, and I will do continue to live/travel vicariously through your videos.
Hi Deb, Happy New Year and bravo on planning ahead and also for being able to work nomadically! We think waiting until 2026 to visit Patagonia isn't a bad idea, especially if that involves Argentina, which right now is wildly expensive. We'll be sharing our 2025 travel plans this Saturday, including how we did our trip planning. If you're at all interested in our travel planning spreadsheet, I'll link it below. We hope you have an incredible 2025 (and we'd love to hear your suggestions for Australia and New Zealand!) -Judy ✅ Get our FREE Downloadable Travel Planner: findingginamarie.com/request-planner
@livnsji We definitely would like to get back to Poland again soon. Happy New Year, and thanks for all your support and encouragement in 2024. May the year ahead bring you good health, plenty of laughter, and many grand adventures! -Judy
By the way, the visa I just got was the ETA for the UK that starts January 8. The EIATS starts in mid 2025, but I don’t think they’ve opened the application for that yet. So many new changes this year it’s crazy! Not to mention the biometrics that will also be starting.
Correct; we are registered for the ETIAS, but it sounds like it may show up for another five or six months. We aren't sad about the biometric changes. Big Brother has been watching for a long time and seeing the page count availability go down in our passports hasn't been fun. We want them to last as long as possible before we need to get them renewed! I do appreciate the info about the UK. Someone (you?) mentioned that you need them even if you are merely passing through the UK and aren't even leaving the airport. -Judy
I love watching your videos. My husband and I are trying to do what 'you guys' are doing! So my question is how do you explain to your US doctors you need all your meds? Thanks so much in advance....We are starting our big trips in South America to Patagonia!
Hi Happy, Thanks so much for your kind words and for watching! We have an article on our website that talks about prescriptions. We've been fortunate that we haven't had to carry prescriptions. I do take something that requires me to see travel doctors to get a prescription in each country that requires one. It's not ideal, but it works. Let us know if you have additional questions about it. Happy to answer what we can. We are really enjoying South America so far. Where in Patagonia are you planning to visit? -Judy 📝 Prescription Power: Navigating Medication Abroad Like a Pro!: findingginamarie.com/articles/dealing-with-prescriptions-as-full-time-travelers?rq=prescription
So glad i discovered your site. I'm preparing to slow travel and I am concerned about how to handle taxes, federal and state. How have you handled this? Thanks in advance and looking forward to your next video!
Hi Manu, Our residence is still considered San Francisco because it's where our last-known address was. We still have California driver's licenses, so that means we pay California state taxes and still have to file a federal tax return. We aren't willing to give up our US passports or citizenship even if we end up living in Italy after my dual citizenship comes through. We aren't ready to stop traveling for a very long time, but we still have family in the US and our US passport opens a lot of doors. Here are links to some of the common items to resolve when you are traveling abroad full time. We wish you all the best and are happy to answer any other questions you have! -Judy 📝 Voting While Living Abroad (As a US Citizen): findingginamarie.com/articles/voting-while-living-abroad-as-a-us-citizen 📝 Using eSIMS for international for data: findingginamarie.com/articles/using-esims-for-international-travel 📝 Peace of Mind Abroad: Choosing the Right Health Insurance as Retired Travelers: findingginamarie.com/articles/choosing-the-right-health-insurance-as-retired-travelers ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 🎥 Preparing for Full-Time Travel: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF0Hm94IeHJksaTV37AcdchX 🎥 Navigating Full-Time Travel: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF1PzikjO5wvLLMtOE1UkdvH 🔗 Here's a link to our ever-growing articles for full-time travelers (you can find it by going to our travel tips and then filtering by Nomads): 📝 Articles for Full-Time Travelers: findingginamarie.com/travel-tips/?category=nomads
@@FindingGinaMarie Thanks so much! So do you fill out your tax forms remotely or have you returned to the States to collect all documents and take them to an accountant?
@@manuvital9071 We fill them out online. They aren't terribly complicated since we have less money coming in these days as retirees. And I'm not sure what you mean by collecting all the documents. Everything we need comes to us electronically, so even if we had very complex tax returns, we wouldn't need to return to the US to have an accountant complete them. -Judy 📝 How to Stay Connected to Your Mail While Traveling the World: findingginamarie.com/articles/how-to-stay-connected-to-your-mail-while-traveling-the-world
Happy new year! Some of the craziest stuff we saw was in Cairo. On day one, in our Uber from the airport to Giza, we had a crazy person try to jump in front of our car, travelling at 100kms! The driver said the person was trying to commit suicide. Then 5 minutes later, we saw an overloaded pickup truck bouncing along the freeway, with two workers sitting on top of the load in the back. They were also doing 100! Then the next day, as we were driving back to Giza from Sakkara, I saw a butcher slaughter a goat on the footpath in front of his shop. He let the gizzards slop onto the footpath, facing the main highway. I’m guessing this is how all the stray cats and dogs stay fed? Cairo was fun, but it also freaked us out😅 Then there was the incident with the Athens pickpockets in Plaka. We were travelling with our three teenage daughters. We tended to get better treatment when we were with our pretty girls, but we also got more attention from pickpockets too. One day I got sick of it, and decided to fight back. So I went to a busy atm and withdrew some cash. There was one of the pickpocket ‘spotters’ watching, so I pretended to place $1000eu in cash into my 14yo’s tote bag, and loudly announced what I was doing. Then I whispered to Olivia to leave one of the handles hanging down, to make easy access for the thieves. Then we walked to our accommodation. I walked about 10m behind the family, and it didn’t take long for about 5 people to converge on my daughter. I got there with perfect timing, and I literally caught the hand of the thief, inside the bag! Then I gave the thieves an almighty dressing down, then we walked home. My wife and oldest daughter went inside, but my younger two daughters thought it was a thrill catching the pickpockets, and wanted to do it again. This is where I should’ve ended it, but instead, the three of us walked around the block again to see what trouble we could cause. As we circled around the block, we saw a bunch of about 30 of them, congregating on a corner. The three of us walked right up to them, but the gang of pickpockets scattered. So we just walked home again. But waiting for us at the front door to our apartment building, was two 17yo male pickpockets! I told my daughters to back up against a wall so they couldn’t be attacked from behind, then I approached the two boys. Luckily I’m a large imposing man, and the boys got scared after a few stern words and eventually walked off without trying anything. We were relieved and scooted inside our apartment before more thieves came. Later that night, as I was sitting on our balcony, I noticed a red laser pointer light on my wife’s forehead. Then I looked down to the street, and a big gang of pickpockets had setup below our balcony, drinking beer, being rowdy and very loud. A few of them actually ripped a small tree out of the ground, and were yelling at us too. They were trying their best to intimidate us, and they did a pretty good job. So we just went up to our rooftop entertaining area, where we couldn’t see them again. That’s when I swore off doing anything else silly while overseas, if anything bad had happened, I would have only myself to blame.
For whatever reason, your comment double posted (as I've mentioned, there are some times when RUclips glitches). Just in case my response doesn't come through, I'm going to post my response here as well (I don't know which comment is the ghost and which is the real one!) -Judy Hi Dan, your life continues to surprise me! No wonder you need us to go into the Amazon-you've had some wild experiences! I guess we have to admit that we had a driver in Cairo go backwards for probably half a mile because he overshot his exit and also turned around into oncoming traffic. This was during rush hour! Surprisingly, Kevin tipped him extra for his driving "skills"!!! I can't believe you would want to catch pickpockets. I called out a person who was trying to pull the Italian bracelet scam on an unsuspecting couple and he was not happy with me at all. I actually realized afterwards that while I didn't regret it, it could have gone sideways very quickly. The one thing that you and I have going for us is that those people actually don't want a lot of attention drawn to them and it's easier for them to slink away than escalate the issue. Unfortunately, I can't open your file, which appears to be something accessed locally only. Also, Happy New Year! I hope you have a fun-filled, SAFE, and happy 2025. -Judy
One of the craziest things I did was when I was in Turkey I wanted to do one of those tandem parasailing things and so I did but I didn’t realize you have to runoff a mountain that is about 7000 feet high. The first attempt right before we got to the edge of the mountain our parachute got tangled and we had to get pulled back and stop terrified me. The second time was the success and it was really lovely. Somehow I had it in my mind that we were just gonna be like I don’t know going off the beach or something like that. I don’t know like you run off a mountain.😂 one other thing was In Paris eating lunch and a bunch of cop cars came because there was a stabbing, and it made the news. I was like Kevin’s thinking… lunch is done. I loved Krakow too. I should have done that in Morocco. Maybe next time. Who did you use?
Not sure if you double posted, or if there's a glitch in the matrix, but I'm reposting my answer here as well: Wow, you are brave! I always thought parasailing looked interesting UNTIL we heard about all the things that could go wrong, and this tipped the scales against it for us. Someone recently suggested we should do it while we're here by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio, but I reminded him of this: ruclips.net/video/gCQyKJr6pJA/видео.html We aren't particularly risk adverse except when it comes to keeping our mobility intact! I don't know how you summoned the courage, especially after that failed first attempt, but bravo to you! We've done zip lining with our kids, but I never really loved the concerns about being very, very, very careful that you slow down enough before you get to the end. Or else the people who get stuck in the middle of nothing. Nope! Sorry you had to deal with that incident in Paris. Of course, crime like that can happen everywhere, but it sure puts a damper on things. -Judy
Great video that answers a lot of questions 😊 I love Mexico City. Lived there a number of times. There's so much to see and do. Great food and Architecture 👍 On a side note 📝 I'm "trying" to learn no code automations 🤯😳 with a.i. Trying to figure out how to build out an a.i. agent to help us manage and grow out rewards and travel points. Mainly to figure out how to use/ book the majority of business class flights ✈️ ( Bad tailbone and back) You both are very inspiring. Thanks again for sharing your travels with us.
Hi @livingworkingoutsidebox, thank you so much for watching and for your encouragement about Mexico City. We recently heard about someone experiencing some violence while they were there, so it did give us an initial pause, but the truth is that truly can happen anywhere, including nearly everyplace in the US where gun violence is more prevalent than nearly anywhere else. The app you're working on sounds quite interesting. The one question I have about AI as it becomes more prevalent is whether the answers it gives become prioritized by how they're monetized on the back end. Will AI make recommendations based on the highest bidders versus the best deals? But I'd love more techniques for getting business class flights. I know people do it all the time, but right now it takes a lot of time and effort, especially for full-time travelers who don't have a home base or series of locations that they can use as base places for getting the best deals. Keep us posted on your progress and good luck! -Judy
When we lived in Mexico city we carried dummy wallets with a hundred peso bill and a couple of 20 pesos and expired cards/ used gift cards. Never needed it. The ai agent will search , airline point sites then wait for changes. Based on parameters like starting airport, destination, date ranges, and points. I'll keep you posted in the forum. Joined today 😊 I commented about boosting the fb ad .😉🍨
That's probably a wise idea. Someone mentioned that the downside of a travel wallet is that a thief knows exactly where all the goodies are kept. But your suggestion is a good one. I *thought* that was you on the forum and in our Gelato membership. 😉 Thank you so much! -Judy
Hi Kevin and Judy, thank you for an entertaining and informative video, as always. You mentioned posting a ink to an article about health insurance and I can't seem to find it. Can you point out where it is posted? Thanks!
Hi Bryan, We'll get that posted, but here is the article. Thanks so much for watching! We hope you have a terrific 2025. Safe travels wherever your year takes you! -Judy 📝 Peace of Mind Abroad: Choosing the Right Health Insurance as Retired Travelers: findingginamarie.com/articles/choosing-the-right-health-insurance-as-retired-travelers
@@BryanBashaw WOW, May will be here in a blink! Our video with our 2025 travel plans will be out on Saturday, so if there's a way to meet up, we'd love to do that! Here are our resources for full-time travel if we haven't sent them to you previously if they are helpful. -Judy 🎥 Preparing for Full-Time Travel: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF0Hm94IeHJksaTV37AcdchX 🎥 Navigating Full-Time Travel: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF1PzikjO5wvLLMtOE1UkdvH 🔗 Here's a link to our ever-growing articles for full-time travelers (you can find it by going to our travel tips and then filtering by Nomads): 📝 Articles for Full-Time Travelers: findingginamarie.com/travel-tips/?category=nomads ✅ Get our FREE Downloadable Travel Planner: findingginamarie.com/request-planner DOWNSIZING 🎥 Downsizing for Retirement or Full-Time Travel Series: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF2xRusfMEQvN-5LZZqdnQIf ✅ Downsizing Prep Worksheet: findingginamarie.com/request-downsizing-prep-worksheet
One of the craziest things I did was when I was in Turkey I wanted to do one of those tandem parasailing things and so I did but I didn’t realize you have to runoff a mountain that is about 7000 feet high. The first attempt right before we got to the edge of the mountain our parachute got tangled and we had to get pulled back and stop terrified me. The second time was the success and it was really lovely. Somehow I had it in my mind that we were just gonna be like I don’t know going off the beach or something like that. I don’t know like you run off a mountain.😂 one other thing was In Paris eating lunch and a bunch of cop cars came because there was a stabbing, and it made the news. I was like Kevin’s thinking… lunch is done.
Wow, you are brave! I always thought parasailing looked interesting UNTIL we heard about all the things that could go wrong, and this tipped the scales against it for us. Someone recently suggested we should do it while we're here by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio, but I reminded him of this: ruclips.net/video/gCQyKJr6pJA/видео.html We aren't particularly risk adverse except when it comes to keeping our mobility intact! I don't know how you summoned the courage, especially after that failed first attempt, but bravo to you! We've done zip lining with our kids, but I never really loved the concerns about being very, very, very careful that you slow down enough before you get to the end. Or else the people who get stuck in the middle of nothing. Nope! Sorry you had to deal with that incident in Paris. Of course, crime like that can happen everywhere, but it sure puts a damper on things. -Judy
Happy New Year, Judy and Kevin! Ruben here. I have a strategic question (almost an existential one, LOL) about being a full time traveler. Maybe you guys can answer it in a future video. I am starting planning my life ahead after semi-retiring in 2025. I am quitting my 8-5 job (more free time to travel), but keeping my rental properties in the USA (nice extra income, yet requiring a lot of planning too). From there on out, the number of options start to branch out. Buying a home abroad is not the immediate option for me, because that would be equivalent to being anchored again in a place, although that could bring the option to get into a local healthcare system. So then, traveling full time is very appealing to me, at least to begin with. My question is: I see you guys booking lodging for several weeks or months at each place to get better deals. Isn't that too long a stay in some places? And then, if you do day trips (or multiple-day trips) from there, doesn't that create an extra hassle or paying extra for lodging? I guess that I am trying to figure out a plan for a balance between fast and slow travel, for it not to be too fast (hence, enjoy as much as possible one destination has to offer), nor for it to be too slow (hence, not to feel ready to go on to another destination while still having days/weeks paid for in that particular lodging). I think finding a strategy for that would be similar to finding the holy grail, LOL. Thank you for all you do! Happy travels!
Hi @RRSS2009, This could be an interesting video idea. Thanks for the suggestion. Congratulations on the semi-retirement. We are HIGHLY in favor of doing that if you're able (and we think being strategic in your thinking to help you get there sooner is an important piece-and not just the save every dime you make so you can fast track it). I'll link a video below that might be helpful. The answer I'd give you in the meantime is that (1) we have never been in any one place longer than 5 weeks, and that was in Chiang Mai when we were getting healthcare done. We were in Morocco and Japan for 41 and 42 days, but we moved around versus in one place. We think that a month is enough to get a good discount on accommodations and not so long that you're stuck if you don't love a place and are ready to move on sooner. In most cases, we can deal with anything for a month, but when we can't or don't want to we're occasionally willing to deal with "sunk" costs and move somewhere else because our accommodation costs aren't astronomical and we don't want to be miserable (this really only happened to us by being in the wrong location in Saigon). If you are doing any amount of work while you're traveling, having a month in one place is enough to give you time to work and to sightsee and also to feel more like a local. We like trying to find a local coffee shop to build some routines and staying in Airbnbs that feel more home like than a sterile hotel space, which also typically has fewer amenities. We also tend to like to spend time in big cities where there is more to do, or when we're in smaller towns that there are day trips that are accessible easier as a tour or to hop on a train or bus for the day. We do pay double accommodations at times, but we sometimes try to plan those places either before or after a long stay (see our video below about how we planned our 2024 trips and then our budget video so you can see how those trips impacted our budget). We did do what your suggesting when we were in Vienna and took a three-day trip to Amsterdam (and also when we were in Luxor and took a three-day Nile River cruise from Aswan to Luxor). The benefit is that we could leave our big suitcases and travel with an easy backpack apiece and that can often work out really well. We'll try to flesh this out more in an upcoming video, but hopefully this gives you some answers to chew on. Please reach out if you have any questions! -Judy 🎥 How we thought unconventionally to retire early: ruclips.net/video/ttyh4NXrbfs/видео.html 🎥 Our 5 Travel Secrets for Retirement as Full-Time Travelers: ruclips.net/video/Oc4tZ4M1v0w/видео.html 🎥 You don’t have to be an EXPAT to leave the US!: ruclips.net/video/ZeKxy_zxbZE/видео.html 🎥 How We Planned Our 2024 Trips as Full-Time Travelers: ruclips.net/video/PXlGWPyUnAA/видео.html 🎥 HOW MUCH DID WE SPEND to travel the world in 2024? 💸 ruclips.net/video/gjDwaTYrB3I/видео.html
What can we say, sometimes these things happen even when you're not trying! Thanks so much for watching and commenting, Enrique! Have an amazing 2025! Thank you for everything you've done for us this year; we truly appreciate you. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie I couldn't help myself! They were so funny! But, awww thanks, darling for that wonderful wish, I wish you and Kevin MOST OF ALL: HEALTH! 💥💢💫💯
Interesting. Based on FlyDubai's website, it doesn't look like that's still in effect. I wonder how old the reel was. But heck, things can change. Thanks for this information. -Judy www.flydubai.com/en/flying-with-us/covid-19/dubai-travel-requirements#:~:text=All%20the%20passengers%20travelling%20to,or%20negative%20PCR%20test%20results.
Happy new year! Some of the craziest stuff we saw was in Cairo. On day one, in our Uber from the airport to Giza, we had a crazy person try to jump in front of our car, travelling at 100kms! The driver said the person was trying to commit suicide. Then 5 minutes later, we saw an overloaded pickup truck bouncing along the freeway, with two workers sitting on top of the load in the back. They were also doing 100! Then the next day, as we were driving back to Giza from Sakkara, I saw a butcher slaughter a goat on the footpath in front of his shop. He let the gizzards slop onto the footpath, facing the main highway. I’m guessing this is how all the stray cats and dogs stay fed? Cairo was fun, but it also freaked us out😅 Then there was the incident with the Athens pickpockets in Plaka. We were travelling with our three teenage daughters. We tended to get better treatment when we were with our pretty girls, but we also got more attention from pickpockets too. One day I got sick of it, and decided to fight back. So I went to a busy atm and withdrew some cash. There was one of the pickpocket ‘spotters’ watching, so I pretended to place $1000eu in cash into my 14yo’s tote bag, and loudly announced what I was doing. Then I whispered to Olivia to leave one of the handles hanging down, to make easy access for the thieves. Then we walked to our accommodation. I walked about 10m behind the family, and it didn’t take long for about 5 people to converge on my daughter. I got there with perfect timing, and I literally caught the hand of the thief, inside the bag! Then I gave the thieves an almighty dressing down, then we walked home. My wife and oldest daughter went inside, but my younger two daughters thought it was a thrill catching the pickpockets, and wanted to do it again. This is where I should’ve ended it, but instead, the three of us walked around the block again to see what trouble we could cause. As we circled around the block, we saw a bunch of about 30 of them, congregating on a corner. The three of us walked right up to them, but the gang of pickpockets scattered. So we just walked home again. But waiting for us at the front door to our apartment building, was two 17yo male pickpockets! I told my daughters to back up against a wall so they couldn’t be attacked from behind, then I approached the two boys. Luckily I’m a large imposing man, and the boys got scared after a few stern words and eventually walked off without trying anything. We were relieved and scooted inside our apartment before more thieves came. Later that night, as I was sitting on our balcony, I noticed a red laser pointer light on my wife’s forehead. Then I looked down to the street, and a big gang of pickpockets had setup below our balcony, drinking beer, being rowdy and very loud. A few of them actually ripped a small tree out of the ground, and were yelling at us too. They were trying their best to intimidate us, and they did a pretty good job. So we just went up to our rooftop entertaining area, where we couldn’t see them again. That’s when I swore off doing anything else silly while overseas, if anything bad had happened, I would have only myself to blame. file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/42/02/F07D6929-DA7E-4943-B505-B63C8F3A15EC/IMG_9380.MOV.3gp
Hi Dan, your life continues to surprise me! No wonder you need us to go into the Amazon-you've had some wild experiences! I guess we have to admit that we had a driver in Cairo go backwards for probably half a mile because he overshot his exit and also turned around into oncoming traffic. This was during rush hour! Surprisingly, Kevin tipped him extra for his driving "skills"!!! I can't believe you would want to catch pickpockets. I called out a person who was trying to pull the Italian bracelet scam on an unsuspecting couple and he was not happy with me at all. I actually realized afterwards that while I didn't regret it, it could have gone sideways very quickly. The one thing that you and I have going for us is that those people actually don't want a lot of attention drawn to them and it's easier for them to slink away than escalate the issue. Unfortunately, I can't open your file, which appears to be something accessed locally only. Also, Happy New Year! I hope you have a fun-filled, SAFE, and happy 2025. -Judy
@ the Cairo freeways are a wild ride, that’s for sure. I tried to send a video of the crazy men riding on top of their pickup truck, but I’m not very good at technology 🤦♂️
@@danbulowski7013 Oh boy! We actually heard something about someone getting killed by doing that, but in the US recently. I think it was a celebrity. Not a great idea under the best of circumstances. Although there were a LOT of people who ride in the back of a pickup in Texas. Accidents waiting to happen, especially at highway speeds in Texas, which can be 80 mph! Crazy stuff. And Cairo is next level. Our driver who was taking us to our accommodations the day we arrived stopped on the side of the road to go to the bathroom. 🤦♀ -Judy
@ lol that’s so funny. Your driver reversing back down the freeway to catch the exit? That’s so Cairo😂 Stopping to piss on the side of the road? Lol that’s ridiculous 🤣 I feel bad that Taiwan had the unfortunately timed earthquake, meaning you missed out on seeing Taroko Gorge😢Not to mention the unaffordable costs of the Amazon cruise. To help make up for it, I pledge to take you on a tour of Fraser Island. If you find yourselves in south east Queensland one day. I’d be happy to show you the sights, it would be similar to your Sahara visit, but way more beautiful. Especially if you could time it for the Aussie winter, it’s cheaper, more pristine, and the bioluminescent mushrooms are blooming. I’m not trying to sell you a tour, I’m just trying to thank you for the fun entertainment you post!
@@danbulowski7013 I'm not sure what it says about us that we didn't think this was one of the weirdest things we've ever seen during our travels, but indeed it was! And yes, we are gutted to have missed Taroko Gorge. I wasn't familiar with Fraser Island, but it looks fascinating! -Judy
Omg you just gave me the sweetest shout out! I’m not going to lie…you made me smile and a little cry all at the same time!!! Hugging you😘 That was very sweet and thoughtful and I really appreciate it. And of course I appreciate both of you and your wonderful content.❤️
You have no idea how much we remember and value from all the comments we have received throughout all of our videos and of course we want to give recognition to the people who deserve it! Thank you so much for being such an important part of our community! -Judy
@ ❤️❤️❤️
Happy New Year! We really need to meet up somewhere; we have so much in common! Will be looking forward to hearing where you're heading this year. Have a happy journey! John & Bev
Thanks so much for reaching out! We would love for a meetup to work out! We are excited for our 2025 travel and having our paths cross would be icing on the cake. We be sharing our destinations and timing this Saturday, but feel free to DM us. Happy New Year from Rio de Janeiro! -Judy & Kevin
Sahara: personally I thought 90 minutes on a camel to get to glamping was 89 minutes too long 😅😅
Hi @1980mikeh, We thought the camels would be very uncomfortable, but we actually did really well. We would have taken another ride if there would have been a chance to do so in the morning. Happy New Year! -Judy
Happy New Year from Chiang Mai ! I mean Chiang Rai! I mean, wait…Chiang Rai is tomorrow…yeah, Chiang Mai! My wife stepped out for a run…I usually count on her to tell me where we are…
Hi @nickholt5835, Happy New Year! Thank you so much for following along with us this year. We appreciate all your support! We'd love to hear what your thoughts are about Chiang Rai. We ended up skipping it when we were in Chiang Mai, and I'm wondering if it's worth the effort of getting there. Hope you have an amazing 2025! -Judy
This is both the fun and challenging part, I find and it is really helpful to see/hear your thoughts. I wish our travel plans would align this year, though it doesnt look like that is going to happen. I look forward to the videos and updates from you both.
Hi Christine, We love answering your questions! We would love it if our paths could cross this year. Is there nothing that aligns? We'll keep releasing videos and updates, and if there's anything you want to know, just ask! -Judy
🎥 What’s New for 2025: Our Complete Travel and Budget Planning Breakdown ❤️ ruclips.net/video/IkA76TWLvMM/видео.html
@FindingGinaMarie our flights are all already booked and I looked at Georgia for our non-Schengen time, but we only needed about another 30 days more of time so we're going to explore North Macedonia instead and save Georgia for a full 90 day time. Plus North Macedonia is an easy bus ride from where we'll be in Greece.
You'll have to let us know if you recommend North Macedonia! Someday we'll spend 90 days somewhere, but that time isn't yet. But it sounds very fun and relaxing! Have an awesome time. Where will you be in Greece or will you be moving around?-Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie mostly in Thessaloniki with a couple nights in Meteroa and a few day trips. Weather in May/early June should be great!
That sounds like it will be amazing! -Judy
A fun and informational video as always Kevin & Judy. Christine told me your live on Christmas Eve was very good and I still have yet to watch it (I think she said she commented on it). I feel like the two of you and John/Bev at Retirement Travelers have created the most amazing communities for people our age and up who are living the dream of slow traveling the world and meeting up with those who want to share the journey. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to both of you! Talk soon... we are enjoying Valencia (drinking lots of orange juice) and getting ready to head to Mexico City in a few weeks!
@andrewkamchi7478 Yes, our livestream was so much fun and it was wonderful to have Christine join (at least we had a blast and we just hope everyone else did, too!). Thank you so much for your kind words! We really are so grateful for everyone who has supported us and commented and watched our videos. We don't take a single person here for granted. We hope you have a great 2025 and we do plan to make our way to San Miguel de Allende, so I will reach out to you separately to confirm the details. I was literally finalizing our dates before we saw this come through! I can't imagine how that fresh orange juice tastes right now. My mouth is watering! Take good care! -Judy
Hey Judy and Kevin, Happy New Year. Thanks for the lovely videos you make. you guys are awesome. i started following your vlogs since Cairo trip :) . Amazing work Kevin with the editing and using the charts and video backgrounds. i know how much effort in content writing and editing it takes, since i have a RUclips channel myself (my channel is mostly about migration to Australia and USA, in Arabic though!) . We booked our family trip flights for early June yesterday , yay! we will be spending 2 weeks in Italy and 3 weeks in Egypt (mostly to see my family) . flights were super expensive to fly from Las Vegas, especially for a family of 5. Fortunately we found flying from San Fran to Rome and Cairo and back somehow affordable. still need to prepare the itinerary for ITA, i am thinking Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence then back to Rome! my wife (Pam) will be the organizer and she told me give me 4 weeks to research :) . looking forward to your travel plans video. Regards
Hi Morad, Wow, that sounds like a fabulous trip you have planned! And I am SO impressed you've been following along for so long. I knew it was a while, but sheesh! I have checked out your channel but as you said, it's in Arabic! Maybe someday we'll get to your subscriber count! I think what you're doing is such a cool niche.
I'm sure you've seen our videos from Italy, but I'm going to link them below. And I'm going to remind you both that this is a Jubilee year and some of these places in Italy will be very, very crowded. If you've never been to Italy, I can understand that you want to see the cities you're mentioning, but I think you might also enjoy places like Genoa, Turin, and Verona, and even Spello as being less crowded and still super charming. We hope you have an absolutely amazing time. Let us know how it goes. And you probably know more than me, but I recently wrapped up a blog post for Egypt that might be interesting. -Judy
🎥 Italy video series: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk
🎥 Egypt travel series: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF1WcH9GxfK4ngH49MXf5oOv
📝 Check out our Egypt trip planning guide: findingginamarie.com/articles/egypt-trip-planning
@@FindingGinaMarie
Thanks for the recommendations 👍 I was not aware about the Jubilee year
Will keep you updated
Also, here's a link to the ETIAS application so you'll be notified when it goes into effect. There's an upcoming requirement to get a tourist visa when visiting Europe, which is still being worked on for 2025. -Judy
✅ ETIAS application: etias.com/etias-application
@
You are the best
Happy New Year Judy & Kevin!!
Enjoyed your Q & A video!! We really appreciate your kindness & willingness to share your hearts & your knowledge. Blessings to you both in this coming New Year! We are looking forward to sharing your adventures online & on video in 2025.
God bless you,
Marion & Jan 😁👍🏼
Awww, Marion & Jan, Thank you so much! The pleasure is ours. I can't tell you how much joy it brings us to have you watching and commenting on our videos. We wish you both safe travels, good health, and much happiness in 2025! -Judy
Happy New Year! Thank you for all the wonderful content that you provide us! Looking forward to your 2025 travel plans and videos. Hope you have a safe, healthy and happy 2025!
Thank you so much, @lindab5789. We have enjoyed all of your comments and encouragement over this past year. We can't wait to share what we're doing for 2025. We're pretty excited about everything we'll be experiencing in 2025! -Judy
I agree about the tours. Self touring is great. But learning cool, little known facts from locals is unmatched.
Hi @awalker916 ♥️♥️ Some guides are average, but some have been outstanding and we continue to stay in touch with those and recommend them. In fact, I am literally on WhatsApp connecting with our tour guide from our Nile River cruise. I love that some of them have become lifelong friends and great resources for me to get questions answered for our viewers! And I have learned SO much than I ever have from books! Have a wonderful New Year! -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie wow, still in touch, that's phenomenal! I can't wait to join you guys. One more year, and we're kissing the USA goodbye. I look forward to videos from you & Kevin. Thanks as always for your response. Happy New Year!🎉🍾
Yes, it's been so amazing. We know there are downsides to this lifestyle, but they pale in comparison to the joy we have living this way. We are very excited for you. The time will fly by! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie Whew....let the time fly!!
Happy new year to you both! Love the bloopers. We may have to incorporate some into our videos. You guys are great at what you do. Can’t wait for the video this Saturday!
Hi Diana and Joe, Happy New Year! We've been deep in video production except for enough time to catch the festivities for NYE in Rio. Surprisingly, it was well done but much tamer than I expected! Bloopers are great! Thanks so much for your encouragement! -Judy
Happy New Year🎉 to both of you! Thank you for some bloopers…it made me laugh. 😂
@bw5911 I think we were both a little punchy after the excitement of the livestream and having such amazing engagement and interactions with our viewers! It was so unintentional, but it fit perfectly for this video. Ask and you shall receive! We hope you have some truly amazing travels in 2025! -Judy
Happy New Year! Your channel and the community have been so important to Stan and me. Thank you for all your efforts, inspiration, tips and support. We look forward to watching and reading your content going into 2025!
Oh Erin, you and Stan have been such a great support to us. You have no idea how much your comments and participation in our community have encouraged us. We hope there's an occasion for our paths to cross in 2025. We'll be sharing the rest of our travel plans this Saturday. Have a wonderful 2025. Happy travels to you both! -Judy
@ 🥰
Happy New Year, y’all! 🎉
Happy New Year, Alison! Thanks so much for watching and we hope you have the very best New Year and 2025 exceeds all your expectations! -Judy
Well that a a bit fun…I really enjoyed the bloopers to start the video. Happy new year to you both and cheers to happy travels and good health xx
Thanks so much, Annette & Pete! We were still coming off the high of enjoying all the people on the livestream. It was completely not planned in any manner! Happy New Year and we hope you have an amazing 2025! Hopefully our paths will cross again soon! -Judy
Hello Kevin & Judy, Thank you for answering our Qs in this bonus video. Happy new year and look forward to following your adventures in 2025. Wishing you and your family health and happiness in all years to come.
Aww, thank you so much, @charchui! We had so much fun on our livestream that we weren't ready to have the party end, so it was fun to look through the questions we missed and try to cover them. It's a lot harder than we thought to catch all the questions when they're coming through. We are so glad you could join us, and thank you for watching this bonus video! Happy New Year to you and yours! -Judy
So impressed by how eloquently and clearly you both spoke on a LIVE stream while navigating the technology.. it was really well done !!
@charchui You are so kind to say this! We are glad there are two of us and that our glitches were minimal. It helps that our viewers are so patient and kind. And really, we are only sharing what we have lived, so it's significantly easier than communicating abstract things we have only a peripheral knowledge of! We'll tell you straight away if we don't have a good answer for something! -Judy
Great video! I really enjoyed this format. I am 2.5 yrs away from traveling 6 months out of the year, but I am definitely taking time to travel while nomadically working within the states. I used all my Hilton and American airline points for a trip to NZ and Australia last December, so I opened up an IHG credit card to earn hotel points. We will use them for Lake Tahoe and Yosemite later this year. Hoping for a trip to Patagonia and Peru in 2026. I hope you have a wonderful New Year, and I will do continue to live/travel vicariously through your videos.
Hi Deb, Happy New Year and bravo on planning ahead and also for being able to work nomadically! We think waiting until 2026 to visit Patagonia isn't a bad idea, especially if that involves Argentina, which right now is wildly expensive. We'll be sharing our 2025 travel plans this Saturday, including how we did our trip planning. If you're at all interested in our travel planning spreadsheet, I'll link it below. We hope you have an incredible 2025 (and we'd love to hear your suggestions for Australia and New Zealand!) -Judy
✅ Get our FREE Downloadable Travel Planner: findingginamarie.com/request-planner
Great video. We really enjoyed meeting you in Albania. Happy 2025!
Hi Jen (and Rich), We absolutely were thrilled to meet you! It was such a fun surprise. Happy 2025. May your travels be happy (and safe!). -Judy
Great video, thank you. After Prague my interest in Poland spike so it was cool to hear that as your hidden gem! Happy 2025!
@livnsji We definitely would like to get back to Poland again soon. Happy New Year, and thanks for all your support and encouragement in 2024. May the year ahead bring you good health, plenty of laughter, and many grand adventures! -Judy
By the way, the visa I just got was the ETA for the UK that starts January 8. The EIATS starts in mid 2025, but I don’t think they’ve opened the application for that yet. So many new changes this year it’s crazy! Not to mention the biometrics that will also be starting.
Correct; we are registered for the ETIAS, but it sounds like it may show up for another five or six months. We aren't sad about the biometric changes. Big Brother has been watching for a long time and seeing the page count availability go down in our passports hasn't been fun. We want them to last as long as possible before we need to get them renewed! I do appreciate the info about the UK. Someone (you?) mentioned that you need them even if you are merely passing through the UK and aren't even leaving the airport. -Judy
Home New Year ❤😊🎉
@DGNza Yeahhhh! We were a bit punchy after that livestream! We did not expect to have those bloopers! Wishing you and yours a wonderful 2025! -Judy
I love watching your videos. My husband and I are trying to do what 'you guys' are doing! So my question is how do you explain to your US doctors you need all your meds? Thanks so much in advance....We are starting our big trips in South America to Patagonia!
Hi Happy, Thanks so much for your kind words and for watching! We have an article on our website that talks about prescriptions. We've been fortunate that we haven't had to carry prescriptions. I do take something that requires me to see travel doctors to get a prescription in each country that requires one. It's not ideal, but it works. Let us know if you have additional questions about it. Happy to answer what we can. We are really enjoying South America so far. Where in Patagonia are you planning to visit? -Judy
📝 Prescription Power: Navigating Medication Abroad Like a Pro!: findingginamarie.com/articles/dealing-with-prescriptions-as-full-time-travelers?rq=prescription
So glad i discovered your site. I'm preparing to slow travel and I am concerned about how to handle taxes, federal and state. How have you handled this? Thanks in advance and looking forward to your next video!
Hi Manu, Our residence is still considered San Francisco because it's where our last-known address was. We still have California driver's licenses, so that means we pay California state taxes and still have to file a federal tax return. We aren't willing to give up our US passports or citizenship even if we end up living in Italy after my dual citizenship comes through. We aren't ready to stop traveling for a very long time, but we still have family in the US and our US passport opens a lot of doors. Here are links to some of the common items to resolve when you are traveling abroad full time. We wish you all the best and are happy to answer any other questions you have! -Judy
📝 Voting While Living Abroad (As a US Citizen): findingginamarie.com/articles/voting-while-living-abroad-as-a-us-citizen
📝 Using eSIMS for international for data: findingginamarie.com/articles/using-esims-for-international-travel
📝 Peace of Mind Abroad: Choosing the Right Health Insurance as Retired Travelers: findingginamarie.com/articles/choosing-the-right-health-insurance-as-retired-travelers
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
🎥 Preparing for Full-Time Travel: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF0Hm94IeHJksaTV37AcdchX
🎥 Navigating Full-Time Travel: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF1PzikjO5wvLLMtOE1UkdvH
🔗 Here's a link to our ever-growing articles for full-time travelers (you can find it by going to our travel tips and then filtering by Nomads):
📝 Articles for Full-Time Travelers: findingginamarie.com/travel-tips/?category=nomads
@@FindingGinaMarie Thanks so much! So do you fill out your tax forms remotely or have you returned to the States to collect all documents and take them to an accountant?
@@manuvital9071 We fill them out online. They aren't terribly complicated since we have less money coming in these days as retirees. And I'm not sure what you mean by collecting all the documents. Everything we need comes to us electronically, so even if we had very complex tax returns, we wouldn't need to return to the US to have an accountant complete them. -Judy
📝 How to Stay Connected to Your Mail While Traveling the World: findingginamarie.com/articles/how-to-stay-connected-to-your-mail-while-traveling-the-world
Happy new year! Some of the craziest stuff we saw was in Cairo. On day one, in our Uber from the airport to Giza, we had a crazy person try to jump in front of our car, travelling at 100kms! The driver said the person was trying to commit suicide. Then 5 minutes later, we saw an overloaded pickup truck bouncing along the freeway, with two workers sitting on top of the load in the back. They were also doing 100! Then the next day, as we were driving back to Giza from Sakkara, I saw a butcher slaughter a goat on the footpath in front of his shop. He let the gizzards slop onto the footpath, facing the main highway. I’m guessing this is how all the stray cats and dogs stay fed? Cairo was fun, but it also freaked us out😅
Then there was the incident with the Athens pickpockets in Plaka. We were travelling with our three teenage daughters. We tended to get better treatment when we were with our pretty girls, but we also got more attention from pickpockets too. One day I got sick of it, and decided to fight back. So I went to a busy atm and withdrew some cash. There was one of the pickpocket ‘spotters’ watching, so I pretended to place $1000eu in cash into my 14yo’s tote bag, and loudly announced what I was doing. Then I whispered to Olivia to leave one of the handles hanging down, to make easy access for the thieves. Then we walked to our accommodation. I walked about 10m behind the family, and it didn’t take long for about 5 people to converge on my daughter. I got there with perfect timing, and I literally caught the hand of the thief, inside the bag! Then I gave the thieves an almighty dressing down, then we walked home. My wife and oldest daughter went inside, but my younger two daughters thought it was a thrill catching the pickpockets, and wanted to do it again. This is where I should’ve ended it, but instead, the three of us walked around the block again to see what trouble we could cause. As we circled around the block, we saw a bunch of about 30 of them, congregating on a corner. The three of us walked right up to them, but the gang of pickpockets scattered. So we just walked home again. But waiting for us at the front door to our apartment building, was two 17yo male pickpockets! I told my daughters to back up against a wall so they couldn’t be attacked from behind, then I approached the two boys. Luckily I’m a large imposing man, and the boys got scared after a few stern words and eventually walked off without trying anything. We were relieved and scooted inside our apartment before more thieves came. Later that night, as I was sitting on our balcony, I noticed a red laser pointer light on my wife’s forehead. Then I looked down to the street, and a big gang of pickpockets had setup below our balcony, drinking beer, being rowdy and very loud. A few of them actually ripped a small tree out of the ground, and were yelling at us too. They were trying their best to intimidate us, and they did a pretty good job. So we just went up to our rooftop entertaining area, where we couldn’t see them again. That’s when I swore off doing anything else silly while overseas, if anything bad had happened, I would have only myself to blame.
For whatever reason, your comment double posted (as I've mentioned, there are some times when RUclips glitches). Just in case my response doesn't come through, I'm going to post my response here as well (I don't know which comment is the ghost and which is the real one!) -Judy
Hi Dan, your life continues to surprise me! No wonder you need us to go into the Amazon-you've had some wild experiences! I guess we have to admit that we had a driver in Cairo go backwards for probably half a mile because he overshot his exit and also turned around into oncoming traffic. This was during rush hour! Surprisingly, Kevin tipped him extra for his driving "skills"!!!
I can't believe you would want to catch pickpockets. I called out a person who was trying to pull the Italian bracelet scam on an unsuspecting couple and he was not happy with me at all. I actually realized afterwards that while I didn't regret it, it could have gone sideways very quickly. The one thing that you and I have going for us is that those people actually don't want a lot of attention drawn to them and it's easier for them to slink away than escalate the issue.
Unfortunately, I can't open your file, which appears to be something accessed locally only. Also, Happy New Year! I hope you have a fun-filled, SAFE, and happy 2025. -Judy
One of the craziest things I did was when I was in Turkey I wanted to do one of those tandem parasailing things and so I did but I didn’t realize you have to runoff a mountain that is about 7000 feet high. The first attempt right before we got to the edge of the mountain our parachute got tangled and we had to get pulled back and stop terrified me. The second time was the success and it was really lovely. Somehow I had it in my mind that we were just gonna be like I don’t know going off the beach or something like that. I don’t know like you run off a mountain.😂 one other thing was In Paris eating lunch and a bunch of cop cars came because there was a stabbing, and it made the news. I was like Kevin’s thinking… lunch is done. I loved Krakow too. I should have done that in Morocco. Maybe next time. Who did you use?
Not sure if you double posted, or if there's a glitch in the matrix, but I'm reposting my answer here as well:
Wow, you are brave! I always thought parasailing looked interesting UNTIL we heard about all the things that could go wrong, and this tipped the scales against it for us. Someone recently suggested we should do it while we're here by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio, but I reminded him of this: ruclips.net/video/gCQyKJr6pJA/видео.html
We aren't particularly risk adverse except when it comes to keeping our mobility intact! I don't know how you summoned the courage, especially after that failed first attempt, but bravo to you! We've done zip lining with our kids, but I never really loved the concerns about being very, very, very careful that you slow down enough before you get to the end. Or else the people who get stuck in the middle of nothing. Nope!
Sorry you had to deal with that incident in Paris. Of course, crime like that can happen everywhere, but it sure puts a damper on things. -Judy
Great video that answers a lot of questions 😊
I love Mexico City. Lived there a number of times. There's so much to see and do. Great food and Architecture 👍
On a side note 📝
I'm "trying" to learn no code automations 🤯😳 with a.i.
Trying to figure out how to build out an a.i. agent to help us manage and grow out rewards and travel points.
Mainly to figure out how to use/ book the majority of business class flights ✈️ ( Bad tailbone and back)
You both are very inspiring. Thanks again for sharing your travels with us.
Hi @livingworkingoutsidebox, thank you so much for watching and for your encouragement about Mexico City. We recently heard about someone experiencing some violence while they were there, so it did give us an initial pause, but the truth is that truly can happen anywhere, including nearly everyplace in the US where gun violence is more prevalent than nearly anywhere else.
The app you're working on sounds quite interesting. The one question I have about AI as it becomes more prevalent is whether the answers it gives become prioritized by how they're monetized on the back end. Will AI make recommendations based on the highest bidders versus the best deals? But I'd love more techniques for getting business class flights. I know people do it all the time, but right now it takes a lot of time and effort, especially for full-time travelers who don't have a home base or series of locations that they can use as base places for getting the best deals. Keep us posted on your progress and good luck! -Judy
When we lived in Mexico city we carried dummy wallets with a hundred peso bill and a couple of 20 pesos and expired cards/ used gift cards. Never needed it.
The ai agent will search , airline point sites then wait for changes. Based on parameters like starting airport, destination, date ranges, and points.
I'll keep you posted in the forum. Joined today 😊
I commented about boosting the fb ad .😉🍨
That's probably a wise idea. Someone mentioned that the downside of a travel wallet is that a thief knows exactly where all the goodies are kept. But your suggestion is a good one.
I *thought* that was you on the forum and in our Gelato membership. 😉 Thank you so much! -Judy
Hi Kevin and Judy, thank you for an entertaining and informative video, as always. You mentioned posting a ink to an article about health insurance and I can't seem to find it. Can you point out where it is posted? Thanks!
Hi Bryan, We'll get that posted, but here is the article. Thanks so much for watching! We hope you have a terrific 2025. Safe travels wherever your year takes you! -Judy
📝 Peace of Mind Abroad: Choosing the Right Health Insurance as Retired Travelers: findingginamarie.com/articles/choosing-the-right-health-insurance-as-retired-travelers
@@FindingGinaMarie Thanks Judy. We hope to join you om the road, sometime in the future. We begin our travel journey in May of 2025.
@@BryanBashaw WOW, May will be here in a blink! Our video with our 2025 travel plans will be out on Saturday, so if there's a way to meet up, we'd love to do that! Here are our resources for full-time travel if we haven't sent them to you previously if they are helpful. -Judy
🎥 Preparing for Full-Time Travel: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF0Hm94IeHJksaTV37AcdchX
🎥 Navigating Full-Time Travel: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF1PzikjO5wvLLMtOE1UkdvH
🔗 Here's a link to our ever-growing articles for full-time travelers (you can find it by going to our travel tips and then filtering by Nomads):
📝 Articles for Full-Time Travelers: findingginamarie.com/travel-tips/?category=nomads
✅ Get our FREE Downloadable Travel Planner: findingginamarie.com/request-planner
DOWNSIZING
🎥 Downsizing for Retirement or Full-Time Travel Series: ruclips.net/p/PLNT98lWfwdF2xRusfMEQvN-5LZZqdnQIf
✅ Downsizing Prep Worksheet: findingginamarie.com/request-downsizing-prep-worksheet
One of the craziest things I did was when I was in Turkey I wanted to do one of those tandem parasailing things and so I did but I didn’t realize you have to runoff a mountain that is about 7000 feet high. The first attempt right before we got to the edge of the mountain our parachute got tangled and we had to get pulled back and stop terrified me. The second time was the success and it was really lovely. Somehow I had it in my mind that we were just gonna be like I don’t know going off the beach or something like that. I don’t know like you run off a mountain.😂 one other thing was In Paris eating lunch and a bunch of cop cars came because there was a stabbing, and it made the news. I was like Kevin’s thinking… lunch is done.
Wow, you are brave! I always thought parasailing looked interesting UNTIL we heard about all the things that could go wrong, and this tipped the scales against it for us. Someone recently suggested we should do it while we're here by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio, but I reminded him of this: ruclips.net/video/gCQyKJr6pJA/видео.html
We aren't particularly risk adverse except when it comes to keeping our mobility intact! I don't know how you summoned the courage, especially after that failed first attempt, but bravo to you! We've done zip lining with our kids, but I never really loved the concerns about being very, very, very careful that you slow down enough before you get to the end. Or else the people who get stuck in the middle of nothing. Nope!
Sorry you had to deal with that incident in Paris. Of course, crime like that can happen everywhere, but it sure puts a damper on things. -Judy
Happy New Year, Judy and Kevin!
Ruben here.
I have a strategic question (almost an existential one, LOL) about being a full time traveler. Maybe you guys can answer it in a future video.
I am starting planning my life ahead after semi-retiring in 2025. I am quitting my 8-5 job (more free time to travel), but keeping my rental properties in the USA (nice extra income, yet requiring a lot of planning too). From there on out, the number of options start to branch out.
Buying a home abroad is not the immediate option for me, because that would be equivalent to being anchored again in a place, although that could bring the option to get into a local healthcare system. So then, traveling full time is very appealing to me, at least to begin with.
My question is: I see you guys booking lodging for several weeks or months at each place to get better deals. Isn't that too long a stay in some places? And then, if you do day trips (or multiple-day trips) from there, doesn't that create an extra hassle or paying extra for lodging?
I guess that I am trying to figure out a plan for a balance between fast and slow travel, for it not to be too fast (hence, enjoy as much as possible one destination has to offer), nor for it to be too slow (hence, not to feel ready to go on to another destination while still having days/weeks paid for in that particular lodging). I think finding a strategy for that would be similar to finding the holy grail, LOL.
Thank you for all you do! Happy travels!
Hi @RRSS2009, This could be an interesting video idea. Thanks for the suggestion. Congratulations on the semi-retirement. We are HIGHLY in favor of doing that if you're able (and we think being strategic in your thinking to help you get there sooner is an important piece-and not just the save every dime you make so you can fast track it). I'll link a video below that might be helpful.
The answer I'd give you in the meantime is that (1) we have never been in any one place longer than 5 weeks, and that was in Chiang Mai when we were getting healthcare done. We were in Morocco and Japan for 41 and 42 days, but we moved around versus in one place. We think that a month is enough to get a good discount on accommodations and not so long that you're stuck if you don't love a place and are ready to move on sooner. In most cases, we can deal with anything for a month, but when we can't or don't want to we're occasionally willing to deal with "sunk" costs and move somewhere else because our accommodation costs aren't astronomical and we don't want to be miserable (this really only happened to us by being in the wrong location in Saigon).
If you are doing any amount of work while you're traveling, having a month in one place is enough to give you time to work and to sightsee and also to feel more like a local. We like trying to find a local coffee shop to build some routines and staying in Airbnbs that feel more home like than a sterile hotel space, which also typically has fewer amenities. We also tend to like to spend time in big cities where there is more to do, or when we're in smaller towns that there are day trips that are accessible easier as a tour or to hop on a train or bus for the day.
We do pay double accommodations at times, but we sometimes try to plan those places either before or after a long stay (see our video below about how we planned our 2024 trips and then our budget video so you can see how those trips impacted our budget). We did do what your suggesting when we were in Vienna and took a three-day trip to Amsterdam (and also when we were in Luxor and took a three-day Nile River cruise from Aswan to Luxor). The benefit is that we could leave our big suitcases and travel with an easy backpack apiece and that can often work out really well.
We'll try to flesh this out more in an upcoming video, but hopefully this gives you some answers to chew on. Please reach out if you have any questions! -Judy
🎥 How we thought unconventionally to retire early: ruclips.net/video/ttyh4NXrbfs/видео.html
🎥 Our 5 Travel Secrets for Retirement as Full-Time Travelers: ruclips.net/video/Oc4tZ4M1v0w/видео.html
🎥 You don’t have to be an EXPAT to leave the US!: ruclips.net/video/ZeKxy_zxbZE/видео.html
🎥 How We Planned Our 2024 Trips as Full-Time Travelers: ruclips.net/video/PXlGWPyUnAA/видео.html
🎥 HOW MUCH DID WE SPEND to travel the world in 2024? 💸 ruclips.net/video/gjDwaTYrB3I/видео.html
What can we say, sometimes these things happen even when you're not trying! Thanks so much for watching and commenting, Enrique! Have an amazing 2025! Thank you for everything you've done for us this year; we truly appreciate you. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie I couldn't help myself! They were so funny! But, awww thanks, darling for that wonderful wish, I wish you and Kevin MOST OF ALL: HEALTH! 💥💢💫💯
Thank you so much, Enrique! We wish the same for you as well! -Judy & Kevin
Covid test in Dubai I saw on a real. 2nd hand information.
Interesting. Based on FlyDubai's website, it doesn't look like that's still in effect. I wonder how old the reel was. But heck, things can change. Thanks for this information. -Judy
www.flydubai.com/en/flying-with-us/covid-19/dubai-travel-requirements#:~:text=All%20the%20passengers%20travelling%20to,or%20negative%20PCR%20test%20results.
Happy new year! Some of the craziest stuff we saw was in Cairo. On day one, in our Uber from the airport to Giza, we had a crazy person try to jump in front of our car, travelling at 100kms! The driver said the person was trying to commit suicide. Then 5 minutes later, we saw an overloaded pickup truck bouncing along the freeway, with two workers sitting on top of the load in the back. They were also doing 100! Then the next day, as we were driving back to Giza from Sakkara, I saw a butcher slaughter a goat on the footpath in front of his shop. He let the gizzards slop onto the footpath, facing the main highway. I’m guessing this is how all the stray cats and dogs stay fed? Cairo was fun, but it also freaked us out😅
Then there was the incident with the Athens pickpockets in Plaka. We were travelling with our three teenage daughters. We tended to get better treatment when we were with our pretty girls, but we also got more attention from pickpockets too. One day I got sick of it, and decided to fight back. So I went to a busy atm and withdrew some cash. There was one of the pickpocket ‘spotters’ watching, so I pretended to place $1000eu in cash into my 14yo’s tote bag, and loudly announced what I was doing. Then I whispered to Olivia to leave one of the handles hanging down, to make easy access for the thieves. Then we walked to our accommodation. I walked about 10m behind the family, and it didn’t take long for about 5 people to converge on my daughter. I got there with perfect timing, and I literally caught the hand of the thief, inside the bag! Then I gave the thieves an almighty dressing down, then we walked home. My wife and oldest daughter went inside, but my younger two daughters thought it was a thrill catching the pickpockets, and wanted to do it again. This is where I should’ve ended it, but instead, the three of us walked around the block again to see what trouble we could cause. As we circled around the block, we saw a bunch of about 30 of them, congregating on a corner. The three of us walked right up to them, but the gang of pickpockets scattered. So we just walked home again. But waiting for us at the front door to our apartment building, was two 17yo male pickpockets! I told my daughters to back up against a wall so they couldn’t be attacked from behind, then I approached the two boys. Luckily I’m a large imposing man, and the boys got scared after a few stern words and eventually walked off without trying anything. We were relieved and scooted inside our apartment before more thieves came. Later that night, as I was sitting on our balcony, I noticed a red laser pointer light on my wife’s forehead. Then I looked down to the street, and a big gang of pickpockets had setup below our balcony, drinking beer, being rowdy and very loud. A few of them actually ripped a small tree out of the ground, and were yelling at us too. They were trying their best to intimidate us, and they did a pretty good job. So we just went up to our rooftop entertaining area, where we couldn’t see them again. That’s when I swore off doing anything else silly while overseas, if anything bad had happened, I would have only myself to blame. file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/42/02/F07D6929-DA7E-4943-B505-B63C8F3A15EC/IMG_9380.MOV.3gp
Hi Dan, your life continues to surprise me! No wonder you need us to go into the Amazon-you've had some wild experiences! I guess we have to admit that we had a driver in Cairo go backwards for probably half a mile because he overshot his exit and also turned around into oncoming traffic. This was during rush hour! Surprisingly, Kevin tipped him extra for his driving "skills"!!!
I can't believe you would want to catch pickpockets. I called out a person who was trying to pull the Italian bracelet scam on an unsuspecting couple and he was not happy with me at all. I actually realized afterwards that while I didn't regret it, it could have gone sideways very quickly. The one thing that you and I have going for us is that those people actually don't want a lot of attention drawn to them and it's easier for them to slink away than escalate the issue.
Unfortunately, I can't open your file, which appears to be something accessed locally only. Also, Happy New Year! I hope you have a fun-filled, SAFE, and happy 2025. -Judy
@ the Cairo freeways are a wild ride, that’s for sure. I tried to send a video of the crazy men riding on top of their pickup truck, but I’m not very good at technology 🤦♂️
@@danbulowski7013 Oh boy! We actually heard something about someone getting killed by doing that, but in the US recently. I think it was a celebrity. Not a great idea under the best of circumstances. Although there were a LOT of people who ride in the back of a pickup in Texas. Accidents waiting to happen, especially at highway speeds in Texas, which can be 80 mph! Crazy stuff. And Cairo is next level. Our driver who was taking us to our accommodations the day we arrived stopped on the side of the road to go to the bathroom. 🤦♀ -Judy
@ lol that’s so funny. Your driver reversing back down the freeway to catch the exit? That’s so Cairo😂 Stopping to piss on the side of the road? Lol that’s ridiculous 🤣
I feel bad that Taiwan had the unfortunately timed earthquake, meaning you missed out on seeing Taroko Gorge😢Not to mention the unaffordable costs of the Amazon cruise. To help make up for it, I pledge to take you on a tour of Fraser Island. If you find yourselves in south east Queensland one day. I’d be happy to show you the sights, it would be similar to your Sahara visit, but way more beautiful. Especially if you could time it for the Aussie winter, it’s cheaper, more pristine, and the bioluminescent mushrooms are blooming. I’m not trying to sell you a tour, I’m just trying to thank you for the fun entertainment you post!
@@danbulowski7013 I'm not sure what it says about us that we didn't think this was one of the weirdest things we've ever seen during our travels, but indeed it was! And yes, we are gutted to have missed Taroko Gorge. I wasn't familiar with Fraser Island, but it looks fascinating! -Judy