jb510's travels on Nomad List

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Where are the nomad hot spots in Central and South America?

by @jb510 | 1yr 1 year ago | 106 comments

The last few years I’ve spent mostly in Asia (Thailand/Indonesia) and Europe (Spain/Italy), but I run a company in the US and need to coordinate with 10 US based employees and business partners. The time zone issues between EU/US and SEA/US are exhausting even if I love the locales.

I’d really like to try romping around the Americas for a while, but I’ve never been south of Baja California and really can’t find much positive having been said about remotely working from CA/SA as a DN.

I know some hippy, surfer, artist, musician, yoga teacher types calling various locals home, but no one making a living online… more than a few people have told me it’s fabulous down there until you go to Thailand/Bali and then you wonder why all those ExPats are suffering in CA/SA. Of course you only really know when you go yourself.

I’d love to see nomadlist.io get filled out with more details on Central and South American cities. It seems really sparse coverage at the moment, but maybe that’s simply because it’s not good and no one stays there for long.

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Suggestions for somewhere to spend Jully in northern Spain?

in Spain by @jb510 | 3yr 3 years ago | 6 comments

I’m looking for somewhere to spend July in northern Spain. (Not that it matters but June we’re in Paris, August in Porto).

I’ve spent time in small Italian villages and loved the experience. I’m hoping to find something like that but in coastal Spain, I just don’t know the area at all yet. Suggestions?

Somewhere roughly in or between Galicia and Bilbao. Somewhere walkable to a half dozen small resturants/cafes/etc…

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Looking for somewhere with snow

by @jb510 | 4yr 3 years ago | 9 comments

We spend a ton of time in the tropics and are craving a little bit of winter. There was a thread about ski towns: What are good ski towns for digital nomads? but I’m actually wondering about non-ski towns.

On the cheaper side
Reasonable internet and/or coworking
Has good public transit
Has snow without being mind numbingly cold

Anywhere on the planet is of interest from Bulgaria to New Zealand, from Harbin to Matroosberg… i don’t really care where on the planet it is, just that it’s not to hard to get to/from.

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Anyone have experience with Emergency Assistance Plus?

by @jb510 | 5yr 4 years ago | 1 comment

I was just discussing travel insurance with my mother and she mentioned she’s had an EA+ policy ($179/year) for a couple years. Personally I buy a policy through World Nomads for 4-6 months at a time (usually $1-200/m). I’m more worried about in country care than evac assistance. EA+ seems to focus on evac, but I’m still curious about anyones experience with it.

EA+'s brochure language is a bit vague as to what “assistance” actually means. ie. are they arranging medical care, or paying for it. Curious if anyone has utilized them or made a claim? Seems cheap for what it claims to offer.

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Can you recommend a non-US bank for digital nomads?

by @jb510 | 5yr 4 years ago | 8 comments

Can anyone recommend a non-US bank for nomads?

My specific use case is that I’m a US citizen but I’m going to be in Cuba later this year and I know US based ATM cards won’t work (unless that’s changed in the last couple months).

Long ago I recall expats setting up accounts in Panama, Belize, etc… but I assume a lot has changed in 10 years and I don’t recall the details.

In short I’d like to setup a non-US affiliated, non-US denominated (prefer EUR), account without having to actually visit the country the bank is in, such that I could transfer funds to it (wire is fine) and then withdraw those funds in Cuba.

FWIW, my primary travel ATM card is tied to a Schwab High Yield Investor Checking card which I wrote about here: http://wanderingjon.com/2014/01/01/avoiding-fees-noble-vacation-goals/ but which I’m assuming won’t work in Cuba, and besides, I’d like to have a non-US backup account just in case.

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Can you be a digital nomad in Cuba?

in Cuba by @jb510 | 5yr 5 years ago | 5 comments

I know many people that have been Cuba but none are digital nomads and can really answer my questions.

While there are big visa and logistical details (duration of stay) that still need to be worked out, id love to hear anything about how practical it’d be to spend a few months there?

Internet? From what I’ve heard it’s awful outside of the resorts and non-existent outside the Havana. Things changes fast though,
Cost of living? From what I’ve heard it’s cheap, it can just be hard to find things occasionally.
Transport?
Housing?

Any first hand accounts from fellow digital nomads would be way more useful than the random Canadian tourist that went there for 5 days in 2009 if you know what I mean

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🗯 Forum replies

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Introduce yourself — who are you, where are you and what do you do?

by @coffeeshopceo | 15d 14 days ago | 667 comments

tl;dr: introduce yourself in this thread.

We must all get sick of the same backpacker travel questions when we meet new friends, I know I do.

You know the ones - where are you from, where’ve you been, where are you going, what do you do, how long have you been doing it - etc.

The novelty of answering these questions wears off after maybe a week, but they’re nonetheless insightful and no matter how much we hate them, we find ourselves asking others.

So let’s bring the dreaded backpacker questionnaire to NomadForum and introduce ourselves shall we?

what’s your name?
where are you from?
how long have you been away from home?
what do you do?
where are you currently?
where are you going?
what has been memorable for you so far?
will you go home anytime soon?
what have you learnt during your time as a nomad?
[insert your own question here]

No need to answer them all if you don’t want to
But the more you share… The merrier!

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How do we solve housing for digital nomads?

by @levelsio | 7mo 7 months ago | 61 comments

There’s been a lot of discussion on this recently.

Nomads usually stay in hostels, hotels and short-term apartments. But it’s all not very optimal.

I’ve heard people suggest getting funding and building a network of houses you can stay at for a subscription price (e.g. Bruno Haid is working on that).

I don’t want do physical stuff, so I’m thinking of building a platform around making housing better for nomads.

What are the housing problems nomads face? And how can we solve them with products/services?

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What's a good and warm place in April to surf with fast internet?

by @jakegibson | 3yr 2 years ago | 9 comments

I landed a remote job that is fully remote with only one team skype meeting a week. I’m looking to leave around March 13th and stay 1 - 3 months in each place. The first place I want somewhere that is warm with good surf. For the group video chat I need at least 5/2 down/up reliable internet. Any recommendations for a place that meets that end of March - April?

I’ve read through the forums / nomads list. I’ve already done Costa Rica and Indo and would like to try somewhere new. Currently looking at Sayuliata Mexico, Canary Islands, and Morocco though I think I’ll wait on the second two since they sound like they are better in the fall.

Thanks!

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What's the best digital nomad backpack?

by @levelsio | 3yr 2 years ago | 93 comments

I hear stuff about Tortuga and Minaal, although I’m myself using a fake Chinese one I bought here in Bali.

What do you currently have and what’s the best?

2017 UPDATE: I made a gear page now:

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What vaccinations should I get traveling from US to Indonesia?

in Indonesia by @metamas | 3yr 2 years ago | 5 comments

What are the vaccinations I should get traveling from US to Indonesia? I read the CDC suggstions, but I’m curious on more anecdotal knowledge from experienced travelers to Indonesia.

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Is anyone using Charles Schwab vs N26 banks?

by @mary_oleksiuk | 3yr 2 years ago | 11 comments

Hi nomads! I’m trying to figure out all props and cons of using Charles Schwab vs N26 banks. Is anyone using those banks? If yea - what you like/dont like about it. And if income is mostly in US which one is better to open?

Thanks

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What are digital nomad hotspots in the Caribbean?

by @sarab | 3yr 3 years ago | 6 comments

Hello fellow nomads,

I’m thinking of a shortish Caribbean jaunt, probably in September/October, so I thought I’d throw this out there for any tips you guys might have of the ideal place for a DN.

My wish list and questions:

I’d like a beach place (does not have to be an island)

Reasonably cheap, not looking to stay in a resort or anything like that, but a decent, clean room in a house or bungalow situation. Walking distance to beach, food etc. I don’t want to have to get a vehicle/taxi for most things.

I need reliable wifi, either where I live (with a little work space) or easily accessible at cafés etc. doesn’t have to be terribly fast, just reliable.

It needs to be a safe place, especially for a female solo traveller. If I am taking my laptop around I don’t want to worry about being held at gunpoint for it (as it has just happened to me in Buenos Aires)

Some of you have already mentioned Caye Crozier, which is definitely on my list, but I’d like to hear of more options, and even specific places you’ve stayed that could fit the bill. Also, idea of some costs would be great.

Thanks as ever for any feedback!

Sara

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Is it too late to become a digital nomad at 40?

by @roadwalker | 3yr 3 years ago | 36 comments

Hello, i am a developer from italy currently working in south of france.
I would really like to go nomad as i don’t like my current job and i would like to try new experiences in other countries.
I saved lot of money in the past and i don’t have wife/son.My only fear is linked to my age. Going from 9-18 stable job to earn nothing is a litte bit crazy at this age. If i fail as a nomad(n it could be probably difficult to find another job.
I have good knowledge of java/javascript and i programmed in the past with many other languages. I am also familiar with iOS sdk /android and SEO: i was not able to make good stable incomes from apps and blogs as side projects working some hours during the week.
What do you think about my situation? thanks

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Best noise canceling headphones?

by @matthewmagellan | 3yr 3 years ago | 19 comments

Does anyone have recommendations for noise canceling over-ear headphones for traveling? I’m not quite a minimalist, but I do believe in “fewer, nicer things,” so I want something that will last. I’m considering the famous $300 Bose headphones, but after consulting with The Wirecutter it seems like I might be perfectly happy with a budget pick.

These are mostly to for plane travel. I get weirdly distraught by airplane noise on long haul flights.

Thanks! Also, this is my first post!

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Is a 4G sim device in addition to phone advisable in SE Asia?

by @anderkd | 3yr 3 years ago | 4 comments

I’m planning a visit to Chiang Mai and Bali starting in April. I have a Google Nexus which has worked flawlessly in Mexico at least. Assuming it will work just as well in CM and Bali? If I decide not to work in a coworking space, but rather Airbnb w/wifi and/or Coffee shops wifi, would a dedicated 4g sim card device be worth spening $75 USD to purchase, plus local sim, plus potential SIM hassle, or just rely on Nexus hotspot + airbnb and coffee shop Wifi?

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Are internet speeds fast and reliable enough for digital nomads in Tulum?

in Tulum, Mexico by @natekap | 3yr 3 years ago | 10 comments

Do any digital nomads here live and work from Tulum? Has anyone in the recent past?

I’ve been researching spending the fall in Tulum so I can work and also go to a great immersive Spanish school I found there. However, I recently started seeing a lot about internet connections being slow, going in and out if there is rain in Tulum, going down for a week at a time. On top of all that, I also heard that cellular connections are spotty there and that there isn’t 4G there yet. Airbnb hosts I contacted have said mixed things and the ones who were specific said that their internet connections were only 1mb up and 256k down…

Can anyone confirm or deny? Is Tulum’s infrastructure not quite ready for digital nomads?

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Places to stay in bangkok for a few days

by @elirang | 4yr 3 years ago | 5 comments

Hi ,
Im going to be in Bangkok for a few days and i’m searching good places and not expensive price (around 25$ a day max) - i’m thinking on airbnb flat/private room but i’m seeing a lot of hotels/guest houses on this budget.

Do have recommendation on accommodation types/places based on your experience ?

I head that its common in hotels that there is constructions or loud noise from bars …

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Which country is the easiest to get a Self Employed Visa?

by @msurocks99 | 4yr 3 years ago | 4 comments

Dear Digital Nomads,

I am looking for a place where I can get easily a Digital Nomad visa i.e Self Employed VISA

Can be any place of the earth, No choice of continents
Comparatively decent living costs
Less paper work and faster processing
Less bank balance requirements, less complicity

Please share with me the locations you prefer for living as a Self- Employed Base. I am from South Asia(Bangladesh), that’s why Its tough for me to get Visa’s generally for travelling.

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How do you work without multiple monitors? I can only carry a MBP 15"

by @tschentscher | 4yr 3 years ago | 39 comments

Hi Nomads!

Starting January 2016 I’m going to be starting a year as a Digital Nomad.
The last 5 years I’ve never worked with less than 2 monitors in front of me.
Sure, I’ve done some café and hotel-room work. But all my biggest project has all been done in front of a stationary setup.

I do webdesign and development and have created a working habbit with several monitors on a large desk. Funny enough this is my biggest concern getting closer to January.

How do i teach myself to work from a 15" screen?
Do you find working from a 15" screen enough or do you have some kind of magical folding screen in your backpack?

If you have any ideas for me keeping a dual-monitor setup (The laptop being the first monitor) I’m all ears!

Regards! And thank you for this delightful Forum!

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Any digital nomads w/ over $10k/m revenue?

by @homakov | 4yr 3 years ago | 79 comments

Are there guys here with income over $10k month living more luxury-like lifestyle? I struggle to find friends with similar lifestyle who can travel anywhere and not care about the money, who can go to a nice restaurant or bar and not look at the prices.

I am not a douche bag (mostly) who only cares about the money, but the majority of people I met are trying to spend less and it kills so many opportunities to have fun… I am not rich at all, but I hate “backpacker” lifestyle and call myself a “flashpacker”.

I used to live in Bangkok and I visit this city frequently. Now I’m in Saigon and going to Taipei in the end of Nov. Anyone wants to connect?

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How do you stay safe on public WiFi?

by @skatkov | 4yr 3 years ago | 27 comments

We’ve seen some ‘coffee-spot lists’ websites popping in, a lot of them consider wifi signal quality, some of them measure internet speeds. But i didn’t see nobody considering Wifi AP safety.

If we consider co-working spaces, we would think that it should be safe to use internet there. But coffee shop are a different deal, especially while traveling in less touristy places. I would like to encourage community to gather a ‘Digital Nomad wifi access point safety checklist’.

Doing work an a road we should consider safety of our computer. It’s not just a matter of your personal data, usually clients and company could be involved. I really hope everyone uses secure connection at least over the VPN while you guys are working.

There are very easy measures to avoid ‘men-in-the-middle’ attacks and other nastyness. Lets list all the checks we can run against Access Point to verify it security at some level.

I’ll start:
– Go to access point login screen and verify that it’s impossible to login with default passwords.
– Don’t use wifi with WEP!

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Where's home? Where do you return to?

by @magalhini | 4yr 3 years ago | 10 comments

Hi there!

I’m sorry if this question has been asked before, whether in disguise or directly, but I couldn’t find its own dedicated topic and I find it very interesting to talk about.

One of my issues with the remote working world is the lack of knowledge of where to return to. After a one/two/ten month stint living and working somewhere else (say Airbnb’ing or a short let, meaning a place that is NOT yours by any means), where do you return to?

Do most nomads own a place that you rent while you travel?
If not, is this something that you consider doing?
Do you return to your home country before deciding where to go next? Or do you jump directly somewhere new?
And when you return, do you find the need to be in a personal, private space? (ie, not sharing with strangers 24/7 365 days a year)

Speaking for myself, I’ve gotten rid of my apartment in Portugal 2 years ago and moved to London simply for the pursuit of new and interesting opportunities. I’m now, at last, working remotely and I plan on working and living for a few weeks/months in random European cities, but not knowing where to return after to after this… is killing me! (I still own too many possessions to carry in a backpack. Not too many, but moving is a hassle).

Those of you who travel without a set of keys on you, how do you deal with this thought? I’m really curious to get to know your views on this.

Thanks in advance. This forum has helped me a lot convincing me that this is a leap I need to make sooner or later cheers!

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What are the best coworking spaces in Chiang Mai (Thailand)?

in Chiang Mai, Thailand by @lordcyberspacer | 4yr 3 years ago | 4 comments

As simple as that. I’m going to start working on my startup as a digital nomad in January, and Chiang Mai is one of the places where I am going to stay. At present, what are the best coworking spaces here? Any suggestions?

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One Month in Mexico - Where to Stay?

in Mexico by @yuvalbarhai | 4yr 3 years ago | 15 comments

Hello,

I’m planning to fly to Mexico mid October for 1 month. I’m working on my laptop (like many others I guess) so I need a reliable wifi connection.
My budget is about $1500/month.
I was looking at Playa Del Carmen and renting a flat through Airbnb is not too expensive since I get a major discount for staying a month.
I don’t really care about nightlife. I want a place with good vibes and I want a place near the ocean or with nature around me.
Does anyone have any thoughts about Playa Del Carmen? and Maybe suggestions of other place in Mexico?

Thank you!

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Digital nomads tax, how does it work?

by @homakov | 4yr 4 years ago | 63 comments

Is there a lawyer here? I’m a Russian citizen and the last 2 years I’m living abroad. Which makes me non tax resident. And while i spend < 3 months in every country I do not owe taxes from my consulting income to any country.

Is there a flaw in this system? Yes I know Perpetual travel doesn’t work for USA citizens, but everybody else here is in similar situation. Do you pay taxes and why?

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Schengen tourist visa - legal to work for home companies?

by @lefnire | 4yr 4 years ago | 33 comments

So I know it’s illegal to work in Europe for European companies without a work visa / permit. I’m also aware of the Germany freelancer visa, which lets you work in Germany legally for 3 years (but I’m not stationing in Germany; I want to hop hop hop). I see many digital nomads programming on the road, making income from American companies on a Schengen tourist visa. Of course this seems fine, since it’s brining American dollars into Europe. But is it legal? Has anyone had experiences / conversations with immigration, or seen this discussed anywhere online? My Google fu fails me here.

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How can you avoid foreign banking, ATM, and transaction fees?

by @danielgenser | 4yr 4 years ago | 52 comments

What’s the latest on how to avoid ATM/bank/foreign transaction fees? How do you keep track of money spent when you’re never quite sure of the exact exchange rate? I normally use YNAB to keep on top of my budget here at home, but I’m dreading keeping tabs on all the minute foreign transaction adjustments abroad…

I’m looking at this to check out some of the banking options: http://thepointsguy.com/2014/02/the-top-11-checking-accounts-for-avoiding-foreign-atm-fees/

Have you used any of these?

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Do you have a travel hanger you like?

by @gnefkow | 4yr 4 years ago | 4 comments

Its been a little while since I’ve looked, but I wasn’t able to find anything that had good ratings. When you do your laundry by hand, though, and there isn’t always an iron around, it would be a nice thing to have. Obviously looking for something that:

is light weight
folds up somehow to have a small profile
I have kind of broad shoulders, so wide enough for my shirts.

What have you found that is either a good travel hanger or a good way to get around needing one?

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What immunizations should I get for India and South East Asia?

in India by @robetus | 4yr 4 years ago | 17 comments

I’m leaving for India in about a month and then headed to Thailand and probably Indonesia. What immunizations should I get, and which ones did you get for these areas. The CDC says Hepatitis A and Typhoid for most and long list for some travelers. I’m also considering a Malaria prevention pill. I will be in India for 10 days and Thailand and Indonesia for about a month.

Any information regarding what other nomads have or have experience with would be greatly appreciated.

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What are some characteristics a perfect nomad house must have?

by @victorsuarez | 4yr 4 years ago | 8 comments

Hey guys, I am planning to start a Digital Nomad community in my country (Dominican Republic), so I would like to know all the things I need to do to make it work as well as possible.

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Can you recommend a digital nomad accountant?

by @jaemin_yi | 4yr 4 years ago | 8 comments

I know this is probably a long shot, but I wanted to ask my fellow entrepreneurial nomads…can anyone recommend an accountant? Someone who’s affordable, communicative, comfortable working with remote clients, and really knows their shit!

Preferably one familiar with California tax law, but I’m open to any suggestions. If anyone’s happy with their current accountant (unlike me), I’d love to hear about them. Thanks guys!

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Are there any coworking spaces on Thailand's islands? Ideally on Ko Samui or Ko Phangan?

in Ko Samui, Thailand by @rich | 5yr 4 years ago | 9 comments

Hi to all Nomads living on Ko Samui or Ko Phangan!

Are there any good coworking spaces on the islands of Thailand? (I only found one in Ko Lanta, but nothing on the Eastern islands like Ko Samui or Ko Phangan where I would like to stay.)
If not, what are the best internet cafes to work comfortably and quietly?
How fast and how reliable is the internet connection?

Thanks so much!

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What's the best way to store SIM cards?

by @kathrynoh | 5yr 4 years ago | 11 comments

Is there any kind of gadget out there that people use for storing SIM cards when you move around different countries? They seem like something that would be so easy to lose or damage. Plus also having to keep track of them. I can imagine after a bit of travel, rummaging through my bag trying to find the right card for the country I’m in!

Is it even worth holding onto them or do you just get a new one if you return to the same country?

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What is the best VPN for South East Asia?

by @basicallydan | 5yr 4 years ago | 37 comments

I’m going to be in various parts of South East Asia for 5 months (Japan, Korea, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Indonesia) and I have decided based on much reading that I need to get a VPN set up for myself. Rather than using my own server, I’d like to set up with a paid service which will have various places around the work to connect through which are reliable and appropriate for what I’m doing (e.g. banking, chatting, emailing watching streaming TV from home, or Netflix).

I’m sure there are plenty of recommendations out there.

Thanks

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What sites do you use to find Coworking spaces?

by @richlitt | 5yr 4 years ago | 5 comments

I have an issue where I recently had no plans for a week or two, and I wanted to work from a beautiful and good coworking space. However, I didn’t know which cities had the best coworking spaces, and ended up going back to a city I know has one (Ubud, in Bali).

Where do you find your coworking spaces?

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Have you used a Skype psychologist when traveling?

by @mikhail_dickey | 5yr 5 years ago | 6 comments

Have you tried to use skype/viber services of psychotherapist/coach when you’re travelling?

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Which Indonesian visa is the most hassle-free for staying there for 6-12 months?

in Indonesia by @david | 5yr 5 years ago | 6 comments

Which Indonesian visa is the most hassle-free for staying there for 6-12 months? By hassle free I mean reasonably easy to obtain, not too expensive, and ideally without frequent renewals. I will arrive in Bali in April 2015.

The visas that come to mind are:

1 year business visa (but the first stay can only be 60 days, any following stay as long as I want?)
Half-year sosial visa (but I have to renew monthly and cannot leave for a few days without an exit/re-entry permit?)
Tourist visa which I convert into a sosial visa (probably it’s cheaper and more hassle-free to do the sosial right away before arrival?)

Which did you try, and which were easiest? Do I need a local invitation, and what is the easiest way to get one without getting into obligations?

Would anyone be so nice and invite me for a business visa? If yes please PM me, we can talk of course before you agree to help me out on this one.

What I want to do in Indonesia (starting in Bali) is surfing, looking into starting an online business, or ‘looking into investment opportunities’ (if arriving on a business visa).

By the way, I have an EU passport.

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Should we go to Bali or southern Thailand?

in Thailand by @danielgenser | 5yr 5 years ago | 22 comments

Greetings! This is my first post here. My wife and I are in our 30’s, and I’m a UX Designer by trade. We will soon be putting our stuff in storage, moving out of our house, and hitting the road. I work remotely, so my job situation is fine for traveling for the time being.

We are planning our first stop. For our first stop, we are looking to go somewhere for a couple months to decompress (had some stressful personal events of late that we need time to deal with), do some studying, and reading – ideally in a beautiful, warm, healthy, relatively inexpensive place.

One major thing is that I have Type 1 Diabetes and have an insulin pump. While I’ll be loading up on pump supplies and insulin before I leave, it would be nice to be somewhere that has some medical facilities or access to pharmaceuticals.

The two main places we’re considering for our first stop (March/April 2015) are Bali or south Thailand (been looking at Ko Lanta, Ko Samui, etc). Which of the two would you recommend? I’m especially interested in solid Internet service, as my job depends on it, as I’m sure you all can appreciate.