We made a pretty big decision this week.
(cue the musicians)
This round-the-world “trip” of ours has just been expanded.
Yep, that’s right. We are going to be citizens of the world, settling down when it suits and traveling in between.
(high fives all around)
Life will be one long fabulous journey of exotic destinations, fascinating people, and delicious food.
(the crowd roars)
It’s no longer a trip; it’s a lifestyle!
Ahem. Just one minor detail to work out, though.
(the music awkwardly stops)
How in the hell are we gonna PAY for that?
Well, it turns out that our decision to continue this little journey of ours indefinitely does have a practical consideration. We need MONEY! Our travel funds will eventually dwindle to nothing if we don’t do anything to replenish them. Rather than wait until we get closer to the red zone, we’ve decided to - gasp! - start generating some income now.
It’s actually not as dramatic as it sounds. We’ve both worked online for a while now, writing, building websites, and consulting with small business owners. Warren has even continued his website development with a few clients since we’ve been on this trip. But we had not planned to really focus on work much at all during our travels.
You know, since this was just a trip and all.
But now that we’ve crossed the line from “trip” into “regular life” we have to find a way to pay for this retirement-like lifestyle all the way into our actual retirement ages.
This fall we will be settling down for six months to do a few things:
- Grow our existing business to be able to support us long-term
- Take the downtime to pursue some long-term interests, like cooking, yoga, and language lessons
- Work on some bigger projects, like finishing the book and enhancing our website
The Rules
One of the rules (the only rule, actually) of settling down is to not spend our travel money. That means we have to make enough money to support ourselves in full for 6 months. To that end, we are both looking for some new projects, Warren with his WordPress website development business and me with my small business content creation services.
You get a bonus out of this in 3 ways:
- We’ll write about the successes and challenges in creating this kind of work/travel lifestyle so you can create your own if you want to (if you thought the 12-mile fight was good, stay tuned for the living AND working together fights!)
- You’ll see what it is like to live in another country as an ex-pat. This is going to be very different than just traveling through and staying in hostels.
- We’ll finally finish writing the book.
We need your help
Now that we’ve made the big decision, we have one other thing to do: Decide on a location. We’ve outlined our top 3 choices based on lifestyle, cost, and interest, though we are open to your suggestions. Watch it, weigh in with a comment or a thumbs up, and let us know what you think. (Click here if you don’t see the video below.)
We’ll be making our decision by the end of this month and heading to our new digs in October after we do some traveling around Europe.
Continuing the life-improvement process
This is the thing I love most about creating the life you want: once you achieve your dream, you open yourself up to new experiences and opportunities, which create even bigger dreams.
This is the most recent incarnation of our dream, and we are excited to share it with you just like we did when we sold everything we owned and saved like mad to go on this fantastic journey.
It all comes down to this: Life is short. Live your dream.
About Betsy
First of all you both look fantastic!!! Brian and I think this is a great decision to settle down for a bit - we also think that Thailand would be a great idea. Affordable place to get this off the ground and beautiful. Also, like you said great base for traveling. So as much as we love Edinburgh ( we were married there!) we vote for Thailand.
Thanks, Amy. I can see why you would want to be married in Edinburgh with all the castles and grand churches. It really is a spectacular place, and we love it here.
You were the first to weigh in on Thailand - I think you started a trend!
Congratulations on making the decision! I vote for Thailand. The food is delicious, the people friendly, the weather that allows for beach days nearly year-round, pretty high standard of living for still pretty cheap.
Good food, friendly people, nice weather…so far not finding anything at all wrong with that picture. Thanks, Connie! (also my mom’s name, so you are obviously a stellar person)
Okay, I won’t be able to look at the video until tonight, because I’ll wake my husband this morning and I can’t watch at work. But I had to weigh in! This is so exciting!
1. a book? did I miss this? I had assumed you would write a book based on all your prep and travels, but I don’t actually remember you mentioning it. I feel like I’ve read all your posts for the past two years.
2. I don’t even know all the choices yet, but I would say to consider the weather since you’ll be there during a specific time frame. For example, you might not want to go to Alaska if you’re traveling in December, or to the southeast during typhoon season.
Best of luck with this fabulous new decision. It sounds absolutely perfect.
Angela, the book is something I have been playing with for over a year. As you know, nothing ever gets completed if you just “play” with it and avoid the serious work. That is why I’ve committed to this writing project every day we are in Edinburgh - sussing it out to see if there is something there worth publishing. I might publish some of the work here on the blog to get some reader feedback. Stay tuned…
Sounds great, Betsy! Looking forward to it.
It is way too fun to live this through you guys!!! I say you dont make a desicion until you visit Turkey… Istanbul is a crazy city (can be expensive) but there are amazing places on the coasts. If you need any connections there let me know!
Again I love what you guys are doing and hope to do the same sameday!
Cheers to you both..
Both looking great btw!
Warren Talbot- lay off the beer dude you will need your liver for the rest of the trip!!
Nokta
Nokta, Istanbul and Turkey in general sounds fabulous, and we are trying to work out a trip to see it before we leave Europe this fall. It has long been on my list of places in the world to see.
Unfortunately we can only get a 3-month visa there and we want the option to stay somewhere longer when we settle down to work. We hope to be visiting there in September and will let you know what we think…you never know where we’ll end up!
I’m in agreement with Angela, really consider where you’re going to want to be if it’s winter or even summer for that matter and what types of weather you’re willing to put up with. I live in the cold prairies of Canada and as soon as I am able I’m outta here for part of the winter!!!
I hear you, Jackie…I love the Canadian prairies but I can’t handle the winters.
Jackie and Joanna, you make a very good point. We’ve managed to dodge 2 winters now, and I think we should continue that trend.
Warren & Betsy… I am THRILLED to hear you’ve decided to TRULY redesign your life for good and not just for “the trip”. That is exactly what Jim & I want to do and once we leave on our road trip down the Panamerican we want to make it our life and continue on to who knows where. As you said, the biggest challenge is the money and you’re lucky that you’ve already been making some income from on-line business. Our challenge of the next 2 years before we leave is to figure out what works for us to generate some money while traveling (and we’re not adverse to getting jobs on the road as well) to keep the lifestyle going.
Can’t wait to follow your continuing adventures!
Cheers,
Rhonda
Rhonda, I love the idea of a trip down the Panamerican! And very smart of you to work something out before you leave, because getting a job locally is not always that easy due to low wages and work visas and such.
No matter where we end up, we’ll be writing a lot more about the business side of our lives - something we have not covered much til now - so I hope it helps you plan something for yourselves.
Wow tough choice! Somehow after reading Warren’s 40th birthday post this decision doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. I thought it would be a matter of when not if!
I’m going to go against the grain and vote for Argentina. While the prices may have gone up, my thought is when aren’t prices going to go up? That means that right now, its much CHEAPER to go than to wait another few years! There are so many great places to see in that area as well and your Spanish is still fairly fresh. They also have the most beautiful book store I’ve ever seen there (in reference to literary culture!)
Scotland in the winter? You could get the same weather in Seattle for cheaper : ) Lovely city but I’d probably keep to the April-October stay.
Chiang Mai- that’s a nice spot as well but its not going anywhere and I think they aren’t seeing the same price growth you’ll see in Argentina over the next several years.
Michelle, this is exactly the kind of reasoned, logical response I expect from a savvy business person like yourself. We never even considered the falling/rising economies of the locations in making our decision.
You have just made it harder! (thanks for that, btw
Oh, big decision
As a Canadian I’d vote for somewhere warm…and being adventurous I’d try somewhere new so if I were you I’d go to Thailand (ok double-check, is it the monsoon season that time of year?). Then again, our winter is Argentina’s summer…still, the more places you go, the more options and information you’ll have next year (ie. travel, stay somewhere else 6 months, etc.). The UK is great but pricey; the winters can be bleak…we’re having lovely weather today in Southern Ontario making it hard to imagine in six months..snow, snow and more snow! Wish I had your decision, you guys are great 
Joanna, you are right. The only time we want to be surrounded by snow is when we go to it on purpose - like to ski!
Argentina will be lovely weather-wise because it is their summer. Thailand finishes up their monsoon season around October, so we will be arriving at the end of that if we choose to go there. If we decide to go somewhere warm, there is really no difference in the two weather-wise (for us, anyway). It all comes down to lifestyle, cost, and other amenities.
Wow, so excited for you guys. Wherever you end up will be right where you should be. You have been such an inspiration for me and my husband as we plan and sell our stuff to leave on our “trip” or whatever it turns out to be. AND… what’s up with this book? Did I miss that too? I’ll be your first reader. Congrats.
Aw, thanks, Kim! The book is like I told Angela above - a project that has been on the back burner for me for a while and one that needs to either go somewhere or go away. I’m giving myself some time each day while we are here in Edinburgh to breathe some life into it and see if it turns into something.
The countdown continues for you guys…can’t wait to see what kind of amazing things happen once you start your journey!
I vote for Thailand. Something happened to your affect when you were discussing Thailand. Was it lack of enthusism or was it fear? I figure if I say Thailand you’ll have to look at that choice more carefully coz you respect me. Hee hee.
BTW, that blog post below is for a sale on my family get-togethers book that you liked so much, Betsy. Feel free to pass it along!
Love you guys!
Margit, I think it is a weird one for us because it is so highly recommended, but it is also the only one we haven’t been to. We would also be starting from scratch - we speak English and passable Spanish, but absolutely no Thai. The discomfort level is high, but that’s also what attracts us to travel in the first place. You know us so well!
And yes, I do love this book. You give practical advice for family get-togethers - you know, the kind of thing that will keep you from going on a trip around the world to avoid them. (I’m KIDDING, mom!! Kidding!!)
Thailand! I can’t wait to go back! I was there in 2005 and I will be back someday soon! It is an amazing place with some very gracious people. I was there to serve them after the Tsunami and they were so welcoming to me? It was a wonderful experience.
I am inspired by you both!
I am so glad to follow you on your life adventure!
Kathy
Kathy, thank you for recommendation. You must have a lot of stories about your time there - what an incredible thing to do for people you don’t even know. Fantastic!
If you can’t wait to go back, it definitely moves it up higher on our list.
Great decision! We are also travelling indefinitely (Simon is also a WordPress designer/developer) and it’s a wonderful feeling of freedom. It’s a good idea to stop for a while to focus on the business. It can be so difficult to work when you are moving around and we’ve neglected our business a bit so have decided to head to Chiang Mai in September/October for at least 3 months. There must be so many travel bloggers/digital nomads there for a reason.
Erin, maybe we can meet up in Chiang Mai. Wherever we decide, we’ll be there in October.
Enjoy the TBEX conference (Vancouver is a fantastic city) and hope to see you somewhere out there in the big wide world!
Chiang Mai is truly heaven on earth!!! Such a beautiful city, in one of the most incredible countries of the world. Its big enough to be interesting, but small enough to be charming. Great food, many options to get out and explore just outside the city, and more used book stores than I’ve ever seen in one place! Thai people are so warm and welcoming, and we found them to be especially hospitable in Chiang Mai. Cost of living is very low, and the quality of life is amazing! Lots of fabulous cooking schools (including the organic farm) for you to enjoy as well. I could go on and on and on about Chiang Mai… we cannot wait to go back! I’m more than happy to talk your ears off about Thailand and Chiang Mai, if you’d like=).
My husband and I are living and teaching overseas (just completed 4 years in Dubai and are heading off to Shanghai in August), and we simply love following your adventures! We are completely envious of your recent decision, and wish you all the happiness in the world! We’ll be watching with anticipation to find out where you end up next! =)
Jen, you are getting us very excited about Chiang Mai! And your adventure sounds amazing…what a great way to see the world and learn about the people up close and personal.
Have you connected with reader Paz yet? She just moved her entire family to China for a year of work. They are in Guangzhou, but they may make it to Shanghai on occasion. Check them out here: http://internationalcravings.com/
Wow, amazing, great decision. I’m so excited for you! I was planning on voting for Edinburgh, because I felt that even though it is more expensive, it might be easier for you to get off the ground with your businesses and working lives living in a place where people speak English. However, after reading the comments about weather (argh), I am inclined to vote for Chiang Mai.
Warren, I’m working on my life dream list as I mentioned I would after your great 40th birthday post. Thanks again for the inspiration! I’m currently living the life of an expat, so some of my dreams have come true, but it’s on someone else’s work schedule, so I still have dreaming and scheming a plenty!
Can’t wait to hear your decision!
Kristin, we are leaning away from Edinburgh the more we think about it because of winter weather, expense, and the very good point by Rob about getting out of our comfort zone a bit.
We’d love to hear more from you about your life dream list as you finish it…just putting it out there is a big step!
I think once you get the taste of freedom there’s no turning back! Congratulations on following your hearts and gong for it! You’ll both do fine and I’m sure you’ll atract all the business and money you need wherever you are!
My vote is for Argentina, for two reasons #1 because you BOTH went up vibrationally when you talked about it, you already know it and it seems like a place that you can see yourselves enjoying in many ways there.
#2 It seems like a better fit if you’re wanting to make money, it’s a city filled with opportunity, money and people that are more likely to use your skills.
I would suggest going to Thailand after, for a visit, and if you love it there stay there next!
Wherever you decide it will be the perfect place and I’m sure you’ll have fun!
Taste of Freedom - as a foodie, I love that phrase! Also another good name for a book, don’t you think?
We think Edinburgh is going to be ruled out pretty quickly, so that just leaves BA and Chiang Mai…tough decisions! We don’t have to worry about the local economy in terms of our own employment because we won’t be looking for clients in those places, just settling down to work on our own business online. So it really comes down to cost, weather and lifestyle.
Oh….and Traveling As A Life Style sounds like a good name for a book!
Hurrah for you guys! So glad to hear you are game for more work, as I’ve been feeling guilty about wanting to use you for my websie revamp.
Can’t speak to the location selection (they all sound great) but one money-making idea for you: why not license the great photos you’ve been taking ,Warren? Not sure how it works, but does iStockPhoto pay for each photo people buy? You’re already taking great ones that are stunning - you should either sell them directly to people or license them through a Sotck Phot site like Getty or iStock. Just a thought!
Best of luck on this continuing adventure - and thanks for sharing it all with us!
(PS, not sure if you knew your Maps page link is not working from your Nav bar)
Maria, thanks for the great suggestion! Warren doesn’t promote his photography like he should, and this is a great suggestion for doing it.
We don’t have a landing page for the Maps category on the nav bar - you just choose in the dropdown which map you want to see. One details our trip so far, and the other details the posts we’ve written along the way based on where we were at the time. Both are fun ways to track the journey if you haven’t had time to check them out.
I also am going to vote for Argentina! Why? Well I agree with Michelle. Your Spanish is very very fresh and if you become fluent in Spanish you can use it in many countries. I have been using my Spanish in China almost as much as I use my English….lots of beautiful latin people everywhere. Also there are many amazing countries that you can visit and the weather well that is amazing!
I also was wondering when you may settle down. I am happy to hear about your decision and can’t wait to continue following you guys.
Besos!
Hi, Paz. I just told Jen (below) about your blog yesterday! She and her husband are moving to Shanghai this year for work.
I do think Spanish is an excellent language to know for world travel. I’m still amazed at the amount of Spanish I hear spoken here in Edinburgh. I’m really glad we chose to learn the language and am reinforcing the need to keep practicing. Did I mention that the podcast we used to learn Spanish - Coffee Break Spanish - is based here in Edinburgh? We’re trying to meet up with Mark, the brains behind this awesome free podcast, before we leave.
We are planning to settle down in the fall, probably mid-October or so. It all depends on the destination we choose and the most economical way we can get there.
Thank you so much Betsy! I would love to join your Spanish-Coffee Break…sounds delicious. Thank you for the connection with Jen. I hope I get to meet up with her.
I hope you guys get to meet up, too.
well…If it is me to decide I would prefer tropical countries such of Philippines,Thailand,Malaysia or Vietnam. You could do a lot of outdoor activities there.
We are really excited about going to the Philippines at some point - we met many Filipinos on the 5-week cruise from South America and have lots of friends to see when we get to that gorgeous country.
Good to see ya! Love the challenge. Joe and I disagree and agree. We both agree that Scotland is the first choice but because of the expense we would recommend Thailand. Where we disagree: I was wondering since you are considering Asia, have you thought about India? I realize that that opens a can of worms but remember - cheap, well educated, lots of employment. Just a thought.
Jena, India is definitely on our radar, but we don’t want to work there. There is so much to see and do, and we really want to have that as a travel-only country. We’ll be making money online and through website services to people mostly from the US and Europe, so it doesn’t matter where we go in terms of jobs available locally because we won’t be taking one (getting a work visa is much harder than a tourist visa in every country - as you well know from your work and travels).
So, India is definitely on our radar as a destination, but not as a work stop. Thanks for weighing in…what does The Cuteness think?
Great choices! Chiang Mai gets my vote from your 3 cities. But since you will already be in Europe, you may want to consider settling down in Andalucia, as close to the sea as possible. You can practice your Spanish, it is cheap, has warm(er) weather and it is an all around very beautiful area. At least try to go there before you make your decision.
Andalucia sounds fabulous, but if it is in Spain it falls under the Schengen Agreement, which means we can only stay there 90 days out of 180. That’s the problem with settling down in most of Western Europe - besides cost, that is. We’ll check into and see if we can get there during out 6 weeks of travel after the housesit in Brussels and before we head off to…wherever! Thanks for the recommendation, Violeta. I would love a chance to continue the practice on our Spanish (though I’ll wish I had paid attention to the “vos” tense that we skipped over when in South America!)
I wonder whether there is a way to extend the 3 months restriction in Europe, ie get an official visa extension or do a visa run in Morocco, if you pick a village on the coast between Cadiz and Malaga, Morocco is just a short ferry away. Soul Travelers 3 have been wintering in Andalucia for many years, you may want to check with them. Brussels can be boring as a city (my opinion) but it is an excellent getaway for so many short trips around Europe. I have a friend who works for the EU and has lived there for many years, I can put you in touch with her if you would like.
Btw, here is an idea for you to consider: apply and become a Fulbright scholar. See http://www.cies.org/us_scholars/ for more info. You are professionals, so I am sure there are more than a handful of opportunities in your former specialties, or pick up something else along your hobbies. Some of the positions are more competitive than others. Reach out to the coordinator for the area and speciality you are interested and ask questions, they can be very helpful. I think the deadline for next year’s grants is August 1. The opportunities I checked out seem to pay well, plus they have a stipend for living expenses. You can do several of these over the coming years, and it will really help your finances plus ensure immediate contact with locals and instant immersion in the foreign culture. But if you decide to apply, remember that they would likely want to read how it will benefit the US … when you are back. Just an idea …
Wow! Very interesting post. I must confess that all along I was sort wondering why you’d spend your savings at all. Based on what I figured was a budget of between $2-3K/mo if I know you can make fairly easily using several business models — even CPA marketing. (Though that is a mind-numbing treadmill unless stats and figures happens to blow your skirt up). I think your new direction is extremely wise variation! This helps remove the financial strain that otherwise taints an awesome life-choice (I don’t care who you are or what your priorities are, it sucks to watch your bank balance grow smaller — especially when it doesn’t need to!). I just love your transparency- you guys are amazing.
Finch, one blogger I like to follow, just made a decision to leave Tailand after six months because he was just pouring through too much money! lol!! So I guess you can do that in any country.
Yet another adventure in your adventure!
Be Present, Expect Success, Live with Passion!
Tranque, why didn’t you tell us this at the start of our trip?
We have some ideas and can continue some other things we have had on the back burner, so I’m pretty sure we’ll be okay. We just need to be in one place to figure out how much time and effort it will take to bring in what we need and how we can best travel with that commitment.
I remember Warren telling me on the day before the trip - when the last check was direct-deposited into our account - that we would never see our bank balance higher than it was at that point. It is a sobering realization after 20+ years of working that there is no longer any money coming in on a regular basis.
Time to reverse that!
Yikes! The whole “make money online” is a HUGE minefield. Virtually all Biz Ops are pure shit! There are a lot of people “selling shovels” to the “miners” and a whole hellava lotta starving miners racking up their credit cards buying Internet “guru” stuff. I’d recommend avoiding anything like that crap. It is funny, there are people business making great money online that have nothing to do with “make money online” if that makes any sense at all.
This is the thing we are most interested in - making money online in a legitimate way that doesn’t make us feel smarmy. We know several people who do this so we are encouraged that we can ramp our business up and do the same. Anyone who has followed our blog knows that we don’t do “get rich quick” schemes. Our scheme takes at least 2 years and requires selling all your stuff. But the payoff at the end is incredible.
“people business” wtf??? scratch the “business” and this sentence might actually make some sense! lol!!!
Oh, I’m so happy to hear you’ve made the decision to make this your lifestyle. I am in the process of working my way around the world (starting in Nov.) doing WorkAway jobs, and getting inexpensive apartments in smaller towns, like I did in Chiapas this past April. I don’t have a recommendation on your choice of 3 cities. I’ve only been to Edinburgh, so I can’t say. It’ll be interesting to see where you wind up. Best of luck to you, the important thing is that you have the BEST time doing it, whatever it is!!
Congratulations, Sherry! It sounds like a fantastic way to live/work/travel, and we’ll be interested to hear how it works out for you. Plus, you’ll be skipping winter, too (right?).
Congratulations! I am so happy for the two of you. And not one bit surprised. You both look so radiant and energetic. This lifestyle definitely suits you.
I say go to where you’ve never been. You both light up when you talk about the spontaneity of thinking of Chiang Mai out of the blue and so unexpectedly. I think you’ve begun to really thrive on that kind of adventure and spontaneity. So go with it! Chiang Mai is a beautiful city with lovely people and some of the best food you could possibly imagine. It’s inexpensive and slow paced. It may be just what you need to settle in, focus on your work and relax a bit.
Whatever you decide, I know you’ll thrive there!
Peggy, the lifestyle is something I cannot imagine giving up now. Every single bit of saving and downsizing, every single fight we had over the process, every single moment of sadness about leaving - it was all worth it for this experience.
You guys keep mentioning the food…that is certainly something that would sway me!
There’s lots to like about Scotland, but don’t forget that you’re there in the summer. I lived at about the same latitude (Stockholm) for years and it’s wrist-slittingly depressing in the winter when it’s dark all the time. Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if the mostly common language you have with the Scots isn’t influencing your attraction. Just saying…
I think you should go to Thailand. I have a facebook friend who lives and works on one of the islands (Koh Samui) and she loves it. You have to like heat, though. It’s internet connected, cheaper than the UK, for sure, and the opportunities for being outside your comfort zone abound. Argentina’s good, too. I’ve a friend here in Boulder who travels there on business and pleasure frequently and she loves it.
I think if you’re going to “settle down” for a longer period, it probably doesn’t want to be somewhere that’s a variation on where you’re from. IMHO the UK is too “easy” while at the same time too expensive.
But I’ll enjoy watching, no matter where you are!
You called us on it, Rob! It is very tantalizing to stay in an area where we are so much the same as the people around us. There are no problems or adjustments fitting in here, and thus no real stretch to our boundaries. We have friends here, have already developed a neighborhood pub, and have no trouble navigating the grocery store or managing transportation. More than anywhere we’ve ever been, Edinburgh feels like a vacation we would have taken back in our previous lives. You just made me come to that realization with your statement.
Thanks for the nudge.
Okay, I watched the video. My favorite part, which made me laugh out loud, is when Warren says, “Wine… and meat.” Those apparently are the reasons to live in Buenos Aires.
Whatever you decide will be amazing, and if it isn’t, you can change your mind! How brilliant is that?
So excited for you! And if Edinburgh doesn’t make the cut for the winter, I think you should spend as much time there as possible this summer.
I know this is going to sound snotty to some other readers, but even though I’m sure you would love Thailand, I don’t see you guys as the type who would want to stay there more long-term. But six months can go by pretty quickly, so maybe your limited form of “settling down” for short periods will work perfectly there.
“Wine…and meat.” It’s the phrase of a cultivated caveman, for sure!
You hit the nail on the head, Angela. No matter where we go for our six-month stint, if we don’t fit in or get things going faster than anticipated we can always pull up and go somewhere else. That’s the beauty of this life. We don’t know if we would fit in to Chiang Mai long-term, but we do know we want to travel in Asia and take the Trans-Mongolian Railway next year, so if we go there and it doesn’t work out it is not a total loss. Same thing holds true for Buenos Aires - there are lots of things we still want to do in South America.
As for Edinburgh, we did just book an additional week at the flat, so we’ll be here til July 1. We do really love it here - in the spring/summer, that is!
Congrats!!!
Okay - clearly we are missing the boat, and need to become a little WordPress nerdy ourselves. I do mean that in the nicest way…seriously - jealous!!
All the best - looking forward to hopefully hearing more about those plans in person!
Skott & Shawna, we hope to chat about this in person with you, too! You must be getting very excited about your trip about now. Hope to see you soon!
i have never been to any of those cities but i would vote for chaing mai. weather i would think would be a huge consideration as would cost of living and great food. learning spanish is huge, but you can study the language in thailand and perhaps go somewhere spanish speaking when you settle down for another stint later. good luck!
Thanks, Laura. We are not necessarily warm-weather people - last summer in the Andes proved that! But we don’t want to be somewhere with bad weather when we’re trying to stay motivated to get things done. It will be too easy to talk ourselves into leaving.
Something funny we just realized when we were talking about the choices is if we choose Buenos Aires or Chiang Mai it will be the third winter we’ve skipped since we started the trip - we left the US in October at the start of fall, left South America at the start of their fall, and will now possibly be leaving Europe at the start of fall. We don’t have anything against winter, I promise!
I have said to many people since you departed….you are never returning! I saw it in your eyes 6 months before you left and am so pleased you have come tho this conclusion. It suits you! Kudos.
Debb, I remember you saying it to me before we left and not being able to contradict you (though I still wondered if we’d hate it and come back after 6 months!). You were spot on. It suits us individually and as a couple, and we’d love to do it as long as we are able.
Having just read this: http://www.aroundtheworldwithluca.com/2011/05/blossoming-chiang-mai-its-chimes-and.html , I’d be very tempted by Thailand I think.
Moonwaves, it is hard to read something like that and not want to be there *now*! I can almost smell the frangipani blossoms wafting up from my laptop…
Hi, Oh I so enjoyed your video and the choices you are pondering for your next destination.
Since you want to shift into work mode while abroad, I started thinking about what your needs might be while working and away? Internet, quiet, desks, clients, I’m sure this has all been thought of and discussed (just curious). One of my daughters friends travels a bunch and posted a great video from Indonesia that I thought you might enjoy; http://rawmeyn.blogspot.com/
Happy decision making…
Karen, I just watched the video from Indonesia. WOW. I’ve never been a surfer, but this guy makes me want to live that life in Indonesia. What a compelling video! For those of you searching for it, you can find it here: http://rawmeyn.blogspot.com/2011/05/selamat-jalan-indonesia-2010.html
It is beautifully shot and well worth a 30-minute investment of your time. He’ll make you dream about doing what you want even if it isn’t surfing or visiting Indonesia. Very compelling. Thanks very much to Karen for sharing this with us!
First things first, you guys look fantastic !!
Betsy, I am so loving the hair. Really suits you.
As for input on the 3 choices, well - I would lean toward somewhere warm.
I have only spent time in Edinburgh, and it was Dec/Jan.
Seriously frigid, and this is from a Canuck
That, and it really is very expensive, for most everything.
I am leaning toward the place in Thailand, because it sounds like a completely new experience, the weather/food should be great, and the cost of living is low.
I think it could possibly make an easier transition for you guys, less $$ to shell out.
And, from what you’ve said, there are many travelling writer nomads such as yourselves.
Whatever you choose - can’t wait to see the results!
Thanks, Sandra. I’m pretty happy to actually have hair again after the bleach-blonde-followed-by-head-shaving incident last fall when it all started to fall out.
http://www.marriedwithluggage.com/2010/07/08/how-a-minor-change-can-motivate-bigger-change/
Edinburgh is lovely, but since we’ve managed to dodge winter twice already, it might be a trend worth following.
Btw, I just checked your site again and am loving what you are doing with your business. Remember when we did a little brainstorming together? I love how much energy you can generate in a single hour. Ideas to implement for weeks and months!
I vote for Chang Mai….all the way! Thailand is my favorite among favorites and we have done a ton of travelling throughout our 12 years living in the Middle East (originally from Canada).
The land and sea is so amazing, the people gracious and friendly, the sights and sounds always sooth my soul.
I just attended an Anusara yoga workshop last weekend here in Qatar, given by a wonderful Anusara yoga teacher whose studio is in Chang Mai. Highly recommend it/him. Although we’ve been to Thailand 5 times now, we’ve not yet been to Chang Mai but may just have to head there as he not only does Anusara but the most amazing Thai Yoga Body Work. Check it out http://www.shantaya.org/jonas_westring.php
Whatever you decide, I look forward to hearing all about it! Safe journey….
Jody, one of the things I really want to do when we settle down is explore a regular yoga practice. I’ve been hit and miss with it for a while now, and when I do it I feel - and look - so much better. If we end up in Chiang Mai maybe we’ll be able to “strike a pose” together sometime.
Thank you for the recommendation on Jonas. I just clicked over to see his website and am now wondering if he has any actual bones in his body. And wanting my body to do the same. (Very cool that he goes all out like that instead of the usual “namaste” pose on so many yoga websites)
guys, you left Boston off the list???
Just kidding. Warren had me at Beer in Edinburgh. But no matter what you choose, I’m sure it will be a blast.
Happy Belated 40th!
Be well,
Bob & Patricia
Bob and Patricia, we don’t regret our 2 winters in Boston, but we are not keen to repeat them. We’d like to continue our new tradition of skipping winter if possible!
Hi Betsy and Warren,
I vote Argentina. You will be able to continue your Spanish to become closer to fluency. Even though prices have risen, I hear the prices are still incredible. Selfishly, I hope you choose Argentina because I too plan on spending a couple of years in South America and can continue to live vicariously through you two for now.
Joanne Rocheford
Seattle
Joanne, where do you plan to stay in South America? There are so many fantastic choices (Buenos Aires being our favorite city destination, of course).
Oh I can’t wait to hear what you guys decide! Andrew and I have been talking about doing something similar in a couple of years. We are loving expat life here in Brussels but after 6 years here we are feeling really settled. It may be time to shake things up a bit.
I can certainly attest to the fact that expat life is very very different from travelling. It can be rough especially once the ‘shiny new’ phase wears off but it can be so rewarding too. I look forward to talking to you guys about it in July!
As for where you should go… I’ll throw in a hearty vote for Brussels. Great food, over 1000 different beers (Warren), lively international community, one of the cheaper cities to live in in Europe and great travel links to the rest of the continent. But I may be a wee bit biased
Alison, are you trying to tempt us?
We are looking forward to meeting you in Brussels in just over a month, and we are intrigued by your “one of the cheaper cities to live in Europe” comment. Unfortunately Belgium is also part of the Schengen Agreement, and as US citizens we can only stay 90 days out of every 180 with a tourist visa. After 30 days at your place and another 30-45 days touring Europe before settling down, we couldn’t stay there for more than 15 days.
But we are risking falling in love with it as we live there in August and meet you and fellow reader @BartVerdeyen (from Twitter). It is a risk we are willing to take!
Thailand without a doubt. It will be a great jumping off point for quick getaways to Lao, Cambodia, Vietnam……….
Oh, Matt. You know us too well! Lao, Cambodia, and Vietnam have long been on our list of countries to visit. We can’t wait to see those places, and if we settle down in Chiang Mai we will see them a full year or so before we had originally planned. That is definitely one of the perks of settling in Chiang Mai.
Wow…what a great decision. I see a lot of folks are suggesting Thailand or Argentina. Both require considerable travel (read expense) to get to and unless they are convenient to your next round of travel may be a bit out of the way. For my money, I recommend Portugal. There are plenty of inexpensive rental accomodations all over the country and if you’re in Lisbon or the Algarve they have a large ex-pat community. My suggestion would be to find a nice apartment in the Central Historic District of a town in the the Algarve, maybe Faro or east towards the Spanish border. Faro has a decent airport and trains in nearby Spain will get you anywhere in Europe you wish to go. I like the idea of still having the hsitory of Europe at my beck and call without the expense of living in high cost cities such as Paris or Frankfurt. Whatever you choose, I look forward to hearing more about this latest turn in your road of life.
I also recommend Portugal, get a rental out of season away from the coast. Central Portugal is especially cost effective. Lisbon may suit you better though. Not sure Thailand will be your cup of tea.
Hey, Rob. We are really excited to see Portugal one day - Lisbon especially - but we are still limited by the Schengen Agreement as to how long we stay there. After 2 months of travel in Western Europe this summer, we would only have 30 days left for Portugal. It is definitely on our list to visit later, though. More than one person has told us Portugal was their favorite country, and we can’t wait to experience it ourselves.
Hey, Grant. Like we said to Rob, Portugal is definitely on our list, but with only 30 days left in our Schengen Agreement visa for Western Europe by the time we decide to settle down, Portugal simply isn’t an option. We would LOVE to spend some time there and even have readers offering to show us around or offer up a spare room. Believe me, we will be there one day!
Have you spent a lot of time there? What drew you there in the first place?
Thanks for all your input on this - we have copied your responses and added them to our travel notebook for when we do get to Portugal.
Thai one on! But if you don’t stop moving around, we will never be able to come visit you because who the hell knows where you’ll be!!!
One thing about this lifestyle, Karen, is that being mobile and flexible becomes a way of life and we sometimes forget that our friends and family need some kind of plan to break away to see us.
The good news is that settling down for a while makes us a little more reliable in terms of a visit…hint, hint.
I’m dying for you to visit us to show off the things you are learning in your fish-cooking experiment. Readers, if you are at all interested in learning to cook fish really well, check out Karen’s blog where she plans to cook a recipe almost every day this summer out of the Good Fish cookbook and blog about the results. So far they have been entertaining and appetizing!
I have to say I’m not surprised. I think once travelling gets into your blood, it’s pretty hard to recover. I would vote for Edinburgh, even if it’s the most expensive choice. I haven’t gone there yet, but expect to soon now that we’re in Denmark. I believe, dream big! Believe your finances will be there and they’ll show up.
That’s what we’re doing here in Denmark. It’s pretty expensive to live here, but absolutely amazing. And since we’ve gotten here, the book sales on Amazon have been going up like crazy. So I say, go with your heart and believe what you need will follow. Or you could go to Spain. It’s cheaper, you can practice Spanish and it’s not too far from Edinburgh. 
Brenda, if you’re living in Denmark then Edinburgh will be a cheaper option for you! I love your attitude of dreaming big and just assuming your finances will work.
As for your book, I just clicked over to read more about it. This line on the Amazon page means I will be purchasing it: “After an accident where she nearly castrates her ex-boyfriend…”
Readers, if you want to know more, go here: A Snake in Paradise by Brenda Sedore http://t.co/HiC6gFg
Wow - big, exciting decision. Hooked on the idea of living in Buenos Aires long term, we went through the same type of phase as we started/built our business.
We haven’t been to Scotland, but I think - based on cost-of-living alone - that may not be the best choice. Thailand is awesome, and we’d go back in a second. Having said that, there’s just something about BsAs that rocks our world. Although we didn’t end up living there long long term (yet!), we’ve “lived” there a couple of times for months. There’s an ease, a vibe and a warmth that makes it incredible. It sounds like you felt it during your brief stay.
Can’t wait for a decision!
Kent, I do think Buenos Aires is the kind of place anyone can imagine living long-term for a variety of reasons. It is exotic yet very European, and the people there are simply some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Don’t get me started on the men with their ponytails loosely piled on the tops of their heads. I don’t know why I love that, but I do. (Warren laughs at my fascination over this as my hair gets shorter and shorter.)
The expense may rule it out for us at this time, but even if it does it is a place I know we will live at some point. Who knows, maybe we’ll be future neighbors?
While I only know the two of you through this blog I am surprised that it took you this long to decide to make this your forever thing. As for where you go, I am sad to say I have been to none of the places you mentioned so I have no personal wisdom to share. Having said that, if going back to South America means you can ride on the repositioning cruise again I’d be all over that. I know you will learn from wherever you go so I can’t wait to learn through you. My husband is ill and so travel really isn’t an option for us, but we have been so blessed in life we cannot complain. However, we have been doing the 24/7 togetherness for a long time now (Aug of 06) so your post about the fight was so fun to read….maybe I shouldn’t say fun, but I made my husband read it for himself. I thank you for your blog and the honesty you put into it makes my day brighter.
P.S. when is Tranque Fuller going to have a blog. I read through your posts then scan the comments for his.
You know, Stephanie, I’ve been hounding Tranque for months to publish something. I don’t think it is a blog, but I do know he’s working on some kind of super secret project along the lines of his comments. We’ll all have to wait and see. (are you listening, Tranque?)
Thank you for your nice comments about the blog. We have been amazed at how much richer this experience has been for us by sharing it with people we know and don’t actually know. I can’t explain the mojo that exists, but I’m grateful for it nonetheless.
What did your husband say after he read the post? After 5 years of 24/7 togetherness, you guys could probably teach us all a thing or two about getting along.
He smiled and nodded while reading and said he really enjoyed it. I’ve been thinking we need to do some writing sorta he said/she said. We have no advice for others but given our circumstances we try the wholly honest route. It doesn’t prevent arguments but it leads to a lot of deep soul searching discussions, usually late at night when we should be sleeping.
My vote: Edinburgh. Quite simply…it puts you two in the UK!
We do love staying here, Denise. But I can’t help but continue to think about Rob’s comment about staying here because it is easy. He hit a little too close to home on that one. (Damn you, perceptive readers, damn you! If you read the latest post you know I already worked on being a better person today!)
Hi! I’m a new reader of your blog and love this life decision that you have made.. I lived in Asia for three years after college and now after being back in the US for three, I’m getting a little restless! Anyway, my vote is for Thailand… I live in Phitsanulok for a year and often went up to Chiangmai for weekend trips. The culture is lovely, the scenery beautiful, the food amazing .. And as you mentioned, you can travel very easily around SE asia from there.. Not to mention the vast travel opportunities thailand itself offers! It’s a country I hope to live in again someday and I think you will fall in love with it, too!
I have not been to either place but my husband, toddler, and I are headed to SA in August or the 1st of September. We’ve been thinking Uruguay for the beaches. I’ve been reading through your blog with fascination finding so much that feeds my soul. What you describe in this post puts words to the idea in our hearts to live all over the world. So if you decide on Argentina we’d love to connect. I do think the idea of becoming fluent in Spanish makes Argentina seem like a higher priority to me. You can always go to Asia later, but I think it’s a good idea to work on Spanish while it is still fresh. That’s actually why my family is going there first. I minored in Spanish at college and just graduated, and my husband still needs his Spanish credentials to get his degree.
Edinburgh!!!! You can get meat there too you know (Aberdeen Angus steaks…..)
Edinburgh can be lovely in winter - cold, dry and sunny. So much to do there and you can travel all over Scotland too. What could be better?
1. Get out of England it’s expensive and cold
2. you’ve already been to south america
3. Thailand is not a bad idea, it will be cheap and easy to get around Asia and the food will be amazing.
4. Barcelona (or other spanish city) it’s warm, the food is some of the best ever anywhere, it’s as cheap as Argentina, and you can practice your spanish. I loved Madrid and Granada too. It will be easy to travel to other parts of Europe and Africa. And it’s close to England and you can get there with out ever entering an airport.