04.02.22

Being a permanent nomad is fraught with misunderstandings; usually from those on the OUTSIDE who see how we live. So many times over the years people have asked, “Did you win the lottery? How can you afford to do what you do?”

The answer is easy, since the cost of living is lower than what we had in California and probably would be similar throughout most of the US. Who knew?

It wasn’t until Kat and I visited Barcelona (Spain) and Nice, France in January of 2018 that we realized how reasonable prices were in Europe. Our room in Barcelona directly ACROSS THE STREET from the most iconic landmark in that town, the La Sagrada Familia, was about $55 per night. We were looking at the towers of the Gaudi cathedral from our bed. And a few days after that we left for Nice and stayed in a small studio just two blocks from the marina which was about $35 per night. Mind you, it was January, off season, and this was a few years ago, but there are still bargains to be found.

Generally, Western Europe, Great Britain, and the Nordic countries, are more expensive than Eastern Europe and Asia, likewise with most of South America and Mexico. We have learned to avoid the “Big Cities,” and instead stay outside them, or go to the suburbs. Staying in Paris or London or Stockholm is a budget stretcher, but if you are 15 minutes outside of town (by Metro!), that makes the visit affordable.

I just returned from a 1000-mile motorcycle ride from Romania to our home in Turkey, and over five days I stayed in five different locations. The most expensive room was about $18 USD, and I had a great room in Canakkale for 100 Turkish Lira (TL), which was $6.69. I had to take a ferry across the Dardanelles Strait and that was 21 TL which is $1.43. Crazy. In Turkey they have a breakfast pastry called a “simit,” which is a small version of a bagel, but without all the different types of flavors. The going price for a simit is 3.5 TL, or 23 cents. Add in some Turkish (chai) tea, some cheese, olives, and a hard-boiled egg, and I get a great (and healthy) breakfast for a little more than a buck. Even though they’ve had horrendous inflation here, the $5 carmel macchiato from Starbucks is still about $1.60 here.

A few days ago I went to the theater to see The Batman. That ticket in the US is about $12 unless it’s a matinee or senior rate. My ticket was $1.84, and some popcorn and a drink cost about the same. Those little things add up!

Kat just went to the hospital to get some medical tests done, and this is what they did for $89 USD:

• Complete eye exam
• Ear specialist
• Dermatologist
• Internist along with complete abdominal ultrasound
• And a complete blood panel…

There was minimal paperwork or hassle with insurance and, as an American, they gave her priority service since they know we pay on demand. When I first got to Turkey I had an eye exam to get an updated prescription, and that was under $9.00 and new frame and progressive lenses was about $300.

Public transportation is cheap overseas, but there is one thing that is pricey: gasoline. But when I was in the US last month my friends were posting pictures of almost $10 per gallon gas, so it’s all relative.

Would you like to Travel Younger? It is not just a dream, but can become your Reality if you wish. You can learn how we did everything from Day One from my two books, “Traveling the World Six Weeks at a Time, Volumes I & II.” Three plus years later we are still learning…and teaching you!