LINKS: findingGinaMarie.com/gear 👗 Judy's wool clothes (Wool&): link.findingginamarie.com/WomensWool 👕 Kevin's wool clothes (Wool& Prince): link.findingginamarie.com/MensWool 📩 Traveling Mailbox (Mail forwarding service to wherever we travel): travelingmailbox.com/?ref=1375 💳Earn 60,000 bonus points with Chase Sapphire Reserve: www.referyourchasecard.com/19k/WT5WYTRQ9Z We use the CIGNA Global Health Silver Plan. Happy to send you our policy details if you drop us an email. VIDEO REFERENCES: Surgery in Serbia: ua-cam.com/video/A2ps2BawyGw/v-deo.html Happy Nomads: ua-cam.com/video/_HtcrJLSR7g/v-deo.html Schengen 90/180 day (detailed): ua-cam.com/video/_zCmyNDJRSI/v-deo.html SHORT Schengen 90/180 day (1 minute): ua-cam.com/users/shorts3VhQ-jbMRAs?feature=share Schengen calculator we like: www.schengen90.app Packing Video: ua-cam.com/video/JT_tUoub4f0/v-deo.html ✅✅Repositioning Cruises: Check out 2GoRoam's video here (Neil has a great resource here!): ua-cam.com/video/7PzhdIpLWng/v-deo.htmlsi=nkg07u0eYMSn-qAM
I’m proud of you for traveling while you are healthy and don’t have Family to care for. Even if people don’t choose to get rid of every thing, they can still travel several times a year. We would choose one country at a time and stayed there for at least a week. We started that way before we retired. It was good we traveled then because my Husband had a stroke and then our Mom’s needed help. Now I travel alone because my Friends can’t afford to go or don’t want to travel. Don’t let that keep you home.
Hi @janiekcarney5482, Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. I'm sorry about your husband's health and the challenges of caring for elder parents. We did the same for my father, but it was before all our children had moved out. Good for you for not letting it stop you, but I can appreciate that travel looks much differently for you now. We didn't start traveling internationally until 2011. We wish we had done it when we were younger and prioritized it over other things, but the more we did it, the more we wanted to! Thanks for watching our videos! -Judy
Great video. Enjoyed hearing your answers to the questions and your tips. I've been wearing merino wool exclusively for more than a year. It's great! I was skeptical at first, and I've always hated wool because it's itchy, but these shirts (such as from Wool and Prince) aren't itchy at all. They are very comfortable and it's great to not have to wash them so often. I started eating only 2 meals a day not long after starting in this lifestyle, not so much for saving money but to keep myself from putting on the pounds from all the great food! Compression socks for long haul flights are important and seldom mentioned. Would love to see more Q&A videos like this from you every once and a while. Very informative! Safe travels!
We agree regarding the reasoning behind two meals. Additionally, we're lazy and don't want to (1) cook that much and (2) find or go to that many restaurants. It's true that you can get bored of eating out! And thanks for the endorsement regarding Wool& Prince. Kevin really prefers collared shirts because they protect his neck from the sun. He's found Wool& Prince's to be super breathable, comfortable (not scratchy at all), and even after some VERY hot days, he can air it out and it doesn't smell or feel grungy the next time he wears it. He also has their underwear and a t-shirt that he loves as well. Thanks for letting us know you'd like to see more of these videos. We'd love to do more if we have questions to cover! -Judy
@anniesshenanigans3815 We really think that the brand matters and also the weight of the fabric. This particular fabric from Wool& is incredibly soft and not scratchy at all. (I don't recommend the white because it's too thin/see-through, but otherwise, I love this fabric very much: shrsl.com/4cmnh. So far, of everything I own from Wool&, there is literally only one dress that's a tiny bit scratchy, and yet it's still super cozy. Happy to answer any questions since I've deep dived down the Wool& rabbit hole! -Judy
As always, good advice. Insurance is a must for travelers, even if you are young and healthy. Anyone could be impacted by an unanticipated health issue or even an accident. If it is necessary, the cost of being repatriated to your home country can be astronomical! Also, appreciated the tips on cooking in an Airbnb, including your article about Eating Like a Local!
Thanks so much Linda! And you are right about insurance. However, there are two types of insurance: health insurance and travel insurance. Our health insurance offers some money in the way of repatriation, but that's why you might also want supplemental travel insurance that is designed to offer repatriation. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie Absolutely true. Since we take multiple trips per year, we found it more cost effective to purchase a yearly travel insurance policy that covers travel and health.
@@lindab5789 Are you a US citizen? If so, we had a hard time finding a policy that could do both well. Would you mind sharing the name of your policy? Our global health policy renews in January and we're open to hearing about something better if it's out there. Feel free to drop us an email if you prefer. -Judy
Thank you so much for watching, subscribing, and leaving us this very encouraging comment! We are so glad to have you on this journey with us, Marion! -Judy
That's awesome! We earn a little money if you use our link in the description (it doesn't cost anything for you). But we'd been using them quite happily for a good amount of time before we ever decided to affiliate with them and only because we've been impressed with how well their system works. They have been so easy to work with. -Judy
Really good Q&A video! Loved your answers. They were very helpful. And thank you so much for answering so many of mine. I am notorious for asking lots of questions as a trustee so par for the course for me. 😂 I also loved the questions from other folks who thought of things I hadn’t asked.
We loved your questions, Rebecca. Please always keep them coming! If we weren't specific enough or if you need additional context, let us know. Also, we have a few videos we're working on based on your questions we didn't answer! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie I was referring to an en-suite bathroom. We actually stayed in a very nice hostel in one of the nicest hutongs in Beijing a few blocks from Tiananmen Square which was wonderful. My husband and I had a private room with an en-suite and my son stayed in the dorm (and then used our shower). It was wonderful! Even had a nice restaurant attached to it with a bar that you could request ice for your drinks (which was not common). The place was clean, surprisingly quiet, and just delightful. It also cost us the equivalent of about $26 per night for our private room with en-suite bathroom. Your answer though was really good and made sense. I think the hostel we stayed in was pretty unique and special as I’ve never found another one that quite rises to that level, although some have come close.
@@GlobetrotterGranny Thank you so much for clarifying! It does really depend where you are staying. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the Airbnb we were in in Ho Chi Minh City, but it was only $22.51 per night. One hotel where we stayed in Kyoto had terrible wi-fi and we ended up working in the lobby. It wasn't ideal, but it was a nice change of scenery, which I'd guess you'd get in a hostel using the shared space. Ours was fairly deserted during the day, but that may not always be the case. We have looked at hostels periodically, but we've yet to find one that sounds as ideal as what you are mentioning, especially at such a low price. Thank you again for asking the question! -Judy
16:52 awesome tip talking photos of receipts. Now that you had the private tour in Morocco in the desert 🏜, has changed your views on group tours? Looking forward to hearing about your plans for 2025.😊
Hi @livingworkingoutsidebox, No, it really hasn't changed our views on group tours, but maybe we should have qualified that better. We like to book small group tours when we are booking tours of an overview of a city or a bike ride or going through a museum. In those instances, you aren't going to have an appreciably different experience. I guess you could if you have a very specific thing you want to get out of those experiences, but for us we are looking to get an overview of a place in just a few hours. For us on those occasions, meeting people can be a fun part of the experience, and the extra expense isn't worth it. We can go on three group tours for the price of one private tour. But in the case of a multi-day trip where we were very clear on some types of experiences we wanted to have-avoiding unnecessary vendors and a focus on meeting locals-it was very worthwhile. And in the case of the Sahara Desert, a lot of those group tours use big tour buses, which often are not our jam. In fact, we try to avoid those when we can. Taking photos of receipts saves us so much when we are trying to reconcile and categorize some of our receipts! We are glad you found this tip helpful! We have our 2025 planned out through the beginning of June and hope to finalize the rest of the year before 2024 wraps up! We'll be moving around South America a few weeks at a time (which isn't what we typically prefer, but we have reasons we'll talk about in upcoming videos) through mid February. We do share our detailed plans with our Gelato Members if at some point that and any of our other behind-the-scene perks are interesting to you. -Judy 🍨 Learn about our Gelato Membership's Exclusive Perks: findingginamarie.com/join
Love, love, love your videos! ❤️ Thank you for answering my question about insurance. I agree that train travel is the superior form of transportation. So comfortable and the least stressful. I can't wait to be in Iitaly full-time to take advantage of travelling by train. Lastly, I can also confirm that the Chase Sapphire card is fantastic. I have had mine for 8 years and have purchased many airline tickets with it. I pay for everything with my Chase, so I wind up with lots of points. Looking forward to the next Q&A!
Thank you so much for submitting your question, Dawn. We loved answering it. If there continue to be enough questions, we'd be happy to do these more frequently. Yes, Italy really has the market on effective, affordable trains. They make it so easy to get around, especially since we don't rent cars while we're traveling. Thanks also for the validation about the Chase Sapphire card. I had only heard about it from coworkers in passing when we were all at a restaurant and four or five people all put their cards in for payment and they all were the same card. Obviously I had to know what was so special. Well, there's a lot! Thanks so much for watching. We are so glad to have you as part of our community! -Judy
A cashmere sweater with a light windbreaker works WONDERS in cold weather. It’s a simple/VERY packable setup that’s worth its weight in gold. Also you can wear one without the other thereby making for three different levels of warmth. And if you shop around you can find a cashmere sweater for like $150. Don’t go to Nordstroms etc. They charge ridiculous amounts for one.
We wear merino wool, which I think has the same or similar attributes, and you are right about how warm you can be in it! But we've not tried it with a windbreaker. What a great tip, especially since we'll be heading to a few places for a short period of time and it may be chillier than we'd like. Thanks for the great suggestion! -Judy
Thank you for sharing. Even for someone who's not full time travelling yet. It's a perfect reminder to watch what you buy and stress less about what you want to aquire because change is constant and at some point the stress and effort over some acquisition may not be worth it.
Completely agree, Julie! It was soul-sucking when we took stock of how much we had accumulated before downsizing. So much money on stuff that we bought "just because we could." What a waste when we could have been making a lifetime of memories through traveling. And we are seeing first hand how little we even need to be happy when we are carrying and own only a backpack and carry-on apiece! Safe travels! -Judy 🎥 Our 5 Travel Secrets for Retirement as Full-Time Travelers: ua-cam.com/video/Oc4tZ4M1v0w/v-deo.html 🎥 8 Critical Questions for Downsizing: ua-cam.com/video/oqYfZ98r7R8/v-deo.html ✅ Downsizing Prep Worksheet: findingginamarie.com/request-downsizing-prep-worksheet
Very good video and thank you for answering my questions. I guess the conclusion is going "home" is expensive no matter what, at least for those of us that consider California as home.
Unfortunately, Natasha, that's correct. We haven't found a cheaper/easier way except to offset those visits with cheaper countries. But we also don't want to skip seeing family because it's inconvenient. However, if there's a way for them to visit you, that's a win/win! Before heading to Japan, we originally tried to schedule 5 days in two cities and 4 days in a third city, and it was not good. My mother ended up catching COVID, so we didn't end up visiting her and extended our stay with our son in San Francisco, which was nice. We decided that shortening our time in each city was not a good workaround. We could see how exhausting that was going to be for us. The ultimate fast travel, which we really do not like to do! -Judy
How awesome! We have two videos from Greece we hope you enjoy. Definitely see Meteora if you can! We had Albania on our list of places to visit this year, but it didn't work out. We'd love to know what you think! Episodes from Greece: ua-cam.com/play/PLNT98lWfwdF0EvAnWdYy22GE_jpCp5J9c.html
@@FindingGinaMarie I will definitely let you know how Albania is! I’m planning to move there for a year in the next 3-5 years. They have a year long tourist visa for Americans, so it’s easier than Schengen hopping. Plus it’s so close to Greece and I love it there as well.
@@MMP1116 I'm sure you know this, but Greece is part of Schengen, so your clock will run while you're there, but you can stay there the full 90 days (give yourself a few days' buffer though!) if you are planning for extended breaks from Albania. -Judy
Hi! Judy & Kevin, Wow! Excellent video! You covered so many important topics!! Liked your money saving tips! Agree, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is awesome! We especially like the ability to transfer the points to our Hyatt rewards. Thank you so much!! Marion & Jan 😁👍🏼
We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed this video! We had the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and had been traveling for at least six months before we realized we could take advantage of the lounge feature. It was harder to use for domestic trips before we traveled full time, so I underestimated how useful it would be internationally. We just used a good number of points for our flight to South America. We took a cheaper/longer trip so we'd still have some in reserve. The Hyatt shift is a good use of points. We don't often take advantage of it because we stay a month in a place and that is too expensive for Hyatts! We want you to know how much we enjoy having you along with us and how much we appreciate hearing about you and your travels and having your support. It means more than you know! -Judy
One of the wins of full-time global travel is that there are a lot of places to visit that are so much cheaper than living in the US. For the cost of a visa, many places will allow you to stay for three to six months or more at an unbelievably cheaper rate than you could live in the US. We're glad to hear that these tips are helpful! -Judy
Nice tips to make a minimum cost travel . If passible I start with the smallest city in my plan where airline tickets usually less expensive, from there I rent a car to do my long malty locations tour … the end of the trip usually will be the bif city where I don’t need the rental car any more.. I do walk or use the underground if there is one. So rent a car only for driving out of big cities... you both basically covered all tips I think of for traveling. Best travel 🧳 💐
Thanks so much for watching and for sharing how you travel, Muhammad. We don't rent a car when we travel for a variety of reasons, but more power to you for doing it. We also don't do a lot of traveling across a country but choose to stay in one city for the bulk of our time and really do a deep dive into it. It does mean that we miss out on things, but as full-time travelers, we hope we have a lot more time ahead of us to come back to a country and explore more of its cities and towns. Safe travels! -Judy
Yep, what a painful lesson to learn. Hot and super humid. But we learn so much from our mistakes! If misery loves company, here are our top 5 most painful lessons! Thanks for watching! -Judy 🎥 Top 5 Biggest Travel Mistakes: ua-cam.com/video/GnIQKrEupoU/v-deo.html
We have been wearing Merino wool from Wool& (Judy) and Wool& Prince (Kevin) for months. They aren't scratchy in the least. I'd almost say there's somewhat of a silky feel to it, especially the lighter wool that I've been wearing in summer. We hesitated for a long time because I just couldn't believe they (1) would hold up to so much consistent wear and (2) that they'd keep us cool in summer, but we have been so pleased. I started buying them when we were in France and I've worn nothing else. I've been so happy with my clothes that Kevin has given them a try and is a convert as well. I don't know how well other brands do, but I've been buying from Wool& specifically and exclusively because they have an arm of their company that also ships to the EU (although I've purchased them from both). We should have a link in the description if at some point you want to give them a try. One heavier wool dress initially felt a tiny bit scratchy in comparison, but actually it's been the most cozy. I definitely didn't think I'd fall for it so hard, but because it has antimicrobial properties and doesn't smell, I don't have to wash it as often, and that's a huge plus for us. -Judy
@@claudiahansen4938It's silly, but I am obsessed with them! I'm probably carrying around more clothes right now than I need, but I really have been so happy and comfortable in them. The downside is that they are a small company and sell out quickly. We need to do a video on everything that we're carrying right now since our packs look a lot different than when we first started traveling. -Judy
ok.. Everyone loves those including my husband. We have been nomads for nearly two years and he does wear them, although he did find them a bit too warm in tropical (hot and humid) climates. I do not like regular wool but I wanted tried Merino wool. It is definitely different but I didn't like the feeling on my skin, I really wanted to like it. All I am saying is buy a single item of good quality and see. Sadly, I did not agree with me.
Sorry I'm asking a year later. How far in advance do you plan the trips?, Do you plan everything at once or as you go? Thanks in advance. Keep up the channel, looking forward to start slow traveling soon
Hi @luisvaldes4492, This is too funny. We literally are working on an episode right this moment for this Saturday that will talk about how far in advance we plan our travel and we'll walk you through how we planned all our 2024 travel. We hope this is helpful to you. We'll be discussing what factors go into our plans, which should help you think about how you can do your own planning. If you have specific questions, we'd love to hear them and will try to incorporate answers into this video. -Judy
Your videos are so helpful and wonderful! Would you suggest setting up base in Spello (as it is truly beautiful) or Assisi if you had a car and you were to spend 6 days in Umbria? Spello seems to be nicer than Assisi but it may be limited in the restaurants/cafe experience.
Hi Estela, thank you so much for the compliment and for watching! I'd say it would depend on what you are looking for from your home base. We think that Spello is more community spirited and has varying activities. Assisi is full of churches. It's bigger than Spello, but we think you can find plenty of places in Spello to eat and explore. There's a lovely walk you can do that we missed. Assisi is possibly very slightly better if you were taking the train because it's maybe slightly more central. But if you are driving anyway, that may be less of a factor. Spello truly is magical.Whichever you choose, we'd love to hear about your experience afterwards! -Judy P.S. We'll actually be in Italy a few more times this year in both the spring and fall, so we hope you will follow along! 🎥 Italy video series: ua-cam.com/play/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk.html
I really enjoy following along with your adventures! I haven’t seen them all and my question is: how are you financing your life of full time travel? Thank you! I’ve learned a lot 😊
Hi Giana, Thanks so much for watching! We are being very strategic with our spending and using our 401(k) and other investments, and we are supplementing those funds with our UA-cam channel, affiliate links, and our Patreon-style support we call Gelato Levels (go to findingGinaMarie.com/join and watch our video). Kevin may take early social security benefits as well. We have a video about what we think is an under-discussed topic: health versus wealth (linked below). By selling everything we own, we have no rent, our consumerism is way down, and yet we are having amazing experiences. We balance expensive countries with cheaper ones and slow travel, which reduces our travel costs and allows us to have deeper experiences in a country. We probably should have worked longer and saved more before retiring, but we decided that staying in our jobs that required long hours and living in our expensive apartment in San Francisco wasn't a sustainable path because we could not afford to retire in San Francisco. Through our website, blogging, and video editing and production we felt that if we needed additional income at some point, we could leverage these new skills. Kevin worked at Apple as an engineer and I worked as an executive assistant for a cybersecurity startup. Both of us had parents who died young (Kevin's father was 60 and my mother was 56). We didn't want to get to retirement and have health issues or worse and decided it made sense to prioritize our health over more time working. It may not be the best idea for everyone, but it is working really well for us. Finally, I am working on my dual citizenship with Italy and we both are open to living in a cheaper country than the US when we finally are ready to slow down and travel less (but that's not in the foreseeable future). -Judy 🎥 Health versus Wealth: ua-cam.com/video/6avQGFbXa2I/v-deo.html 🎥 A Pause to share an emotional moment: ua-cam.com/video/YiEFHz1WWHI/v-deo.html
@@FindingGinaMarie thank you for your thoughtful reply! Yes very under discussed indeed! I’m moving to Italy in the fall which is how I found your channel. Transitioning from a very stressful career in healthcare to…??? not sure what. However my mother also died young- 52 and I decided the fear of the unknown and how I’m going to make money should not continue to stop me from following my dream. I’ve got to believe that I’ll figure out a way and it’s time to act on the voice inside telling me to do this!
That is EXACTLY how we felt, Giana! I'm sorry to hear about your mother. That is way too young. We have always trusted the universe to take care of us and it has always worked out. What we are doing is unconventional, but we think if we follow our hearts and keep open minds, everything will work out. My job also was extremely stressful and the type of role required me to be available 24/7. I realized it was not worth the days, months, and years of my life that I had given up for it. I think your thinking is absolutely correct. We felt that our future selves would have different options that our current selves did and it wasn't in our best interest to try to think through all the scenarios with our limited knowledge of what the future might hold. We're happy to answer any and all questions you might have. And we're jealous that you are moving to Italy. My dual citizenship process is time consuming, but we are staying positive and appreciating world travel, which wasn't actually even part of our original plan! Things are continuing to evolve and we are excited to see how the future unfolds! We wish you all the best! -Judy
Hi Eliza, We haven't really talked about this very much. We have a budget, but we aren't budget travelers per se. But there's been a lot of demand for this information, so we'll be sharing more about this. We know there are people who spend a lot less than us per month but also a lot more, and we would never suggest that our viewers need to match our budget in order to travel full time. We try to share prices at the end of our travel videos to give a sense of average prices for accommodations and food in the places we visit. -Judy
If I traveled like you are, I would want to spend one month in that country. Then I can do day trips but still have a home base. I would think it would be better to find one place to rent for a whole month.
Hi @janiekcarney5482, We really do like to spend a month in one place whenever possible. It's so much more affordable because we get discounts for long stays, and when we're doing an overnight trip or a day trip, it is very nice not to deal with our bags. In those cases, light backpacks are perfect. Sometimes it means that we don't see other parts of a country, and while we could deep dive into a country and feel like we explored it efficiently and think we can check it off our list, the reality is that some places just beg for us to return to explore more. Also, there are other parts of the world we want to see, so even when it's conceivable and practical to spend a year exploring different parts of one country, we want to move on and have a variety of different experiences in that amount of time. -Judy
Hi Michelle, We wrote an article about this. You can read it here: findingginamarie.com/articles/dealing-with-prescriptions-as-full-time-travelers Thanks for watching! -Judy
Hello again, well ... That is not the brand that we have so we may give it another try. It is probably best if Chris buys one and then I wear it for a while to see how it feels before l jump into it. :)
Great plan. Ideally do it with one of the t-shirts. Again, the men's shirts come in multiple weights/fabric combos, but Kevin wears the 78/22 type (that's its style name). Fabric: 160gsm, 78% merino/22% nylon. Here's a link to the shirt I am referencing: shrsl.com/4cire That will give you the closest approximation to the dresses I enjoy wearing. I have gone deep into the rabbit hole, so you are welcome to ask any questions you have before purchasing anything! -Judy
If I am not wrong, i believe that ur daughter visited you a few times while you were doing slow travel, which is really nice :) If we are staying 1 month in an AirBnB, and if our daughter visited us (and stayed in our AirBnB) for 1-2 weeks, do we have to pay extra 3rd pax charges to the AirBnB host ? Because the original reservation would be based on 2 pax ….. I understand that prices for 3 pax reservation may be higher …. Just wondering only :)
Hi Mike, yes, our daughter met up with us in Lisbon before we were full-time travelers and considering expat life in Portugal. She's also met up with us in Japan and Italy. In those situations, we've gotten an Airbnb for three people since there was very little overlap with our extra days. However, if it were a long stay, I'd reach out to the Airbnb host in advance and let them know that although I was booking for a month, one extra person would be joining for X number of days and ask them if they could prorate that portion of the stay. I wouldn't add an additional guest without the Airbnb knowing about it, but they typically do charge more based on the number of people who join, so I definitely wouldn't want a long stay to reflect more people than necessary. Airbnb has a process that allows the host to offer you a price different than what the platform designates and you can then book using that link. You're still booking on the platform and have all of the Airbnb protections by doing it that way. Hope this is helpful! -Judy
Is there a credit or debit card that when expired can be sent out to where you are? Uk seems very backward with this!!! I ll be hostelking which for an asthmatic is a challenge as dorm never on ground floor, you can make meals however. One tip.probiotics kept me healthy ie no stomach issues,.
Hi Bunny, I believe that any credit card company will overnight a card to you if you are traveling and your card is lost or stolen. I have a unique card that I keep in my backpack in my Airbnb so that if something happens to us both, we have a spare card that wasn't on our person. I'm not sure if I'd do that in a hostel, though. BUT we've been traveling in places that cost under $30 per night that are not hostels, so those aren't always the cheapest or best deals. We think probiotics are a great idea. -Judy
That's true! LOL. But even when that isn't the case, @janiekcarney5482, we are extroverted introverts and really need downtime away from people at times. And when we're in the US for only a few days and may still need to respond to comments or post a video to our channel, it's nice to not feel like we are merely being unsociable with family or friends. Also, fast travel is a hectic time where we are under more strain than normal to try to see everyone, deal with family dynamics, or worry about being an inconvenience to others, so being able to step away helps to reduce some of that tension, even if some of it is only in our minds and our family members don't actually feel inconvenienced. We did end up staying with my brother this year for a couple of days in Arizona, but I know he was eagerly looking forward to showing off his home and being a host to us, so it made it significantly easier than other situations. -Judy
Hi Eliza, Yes, we each have a credit card with Chase Sapphire Rewards that connects to Priority Plus lounges. It's been a great perk to not have to buy food or beverages at the airport! -Judy
Hi Renata, Sure thing. Below is a link to a blank version of our travel planning spreadsheet. It's practically our bible, with all the detail we track in one convenient place. Hopefully it will be helpful for you in planning your travel, too! -Judy 🆓 FREE Travel Planning Spreadsheet: findingginamarie.com/request-planner
Kevin, as an Apple guy, what would you recommend for accessing the Internet in Japan? I'll be bringing my iPhone and iPad when I go there in 3 months, and it seems like getting a VPN is recommended. My iPhone is unlocked. Bonus question: What's your favorite Japanese whiskey? Thank you.
Thanks for asking! We use both NordVPN and ExpressVPN, the latter because it was the only one that worked in Egypt, but NordVPN is less expensive. I think Japan is a safe country to access the internet without a VPN, but we often need VPNs for viewing U.S. television content. We also don't buy eSIMs when we travel because T-Mobile has international data passes that are often a similar price to buying eSIMs for data. We also don't have to fiddle with a different phone number using the T-Mobile passes and they give us free international calls, which we use to contact family on a regular basis. As for my favorite Japanese whisky, that's a hard question. I think the Nikka and Yamazaki expressions top my list, but I'm always open to other opinions. Which ones do you enjoy? You can watch my playlist of Japanese whisky reviews to learn more (ua-cam.com/play/PLT0oYlZCayccDWqXI0GOKUXlbWofUA2ml.html). Cheers! - Kevin
Thank you for the tips! I'm likely to get NordVPN because I'm also going to China on that trip. Regarding Japanese whiskey, I have never tried any but am aware of their reputation. I will use your Whiskey Riffs playlist as an introduction! @@FindingGinaMarie
@@ScottNewland-i4y We urge you to use extreme caution in China with your devices. As someone with a cybersecurity background, we never brought tech into China because it always was at a high risk of being contaminated. When someone went to China, they brought a burner phone and a laptop and both went into a safe afterwards because there was a huge concern about devices carrying viruses. This was across three separate companies, so it wasn't one place being especially paranoid. TIPS: Disable all unnecessary network protocols (such as WiFi, Bluetooth or infrared). Backup everything in advance in case your system is lost, stolen, seized or destroyed. Don't use any smart cards or USB format PKI hard tokens. Do not access any sensitive accounts and make sure ALL your passwords are strong. Ideally, you'll leave your laptop at home or get a cheap one for basic internet browsing. Use your VPN always. "The Chinese government monitors everything its users do online. If you're caught using blocked websites your internet connection could be cut off for weeks at a time. In the past, the government has cracked down repeatedly on VPN companies and has ruled unauthorized connections as illegal." Needless to say, we don't have a visit to China in our travel plans based on all these concerns. Best of luck, Scott, and safe travels! -Judy
Hey guys, I so enjoy your videos. It seems we’re on the exact opposite sides of the world all the time. I just returned from 2 months in Japan, 6 weeks in Vietnam, 2 weeks in Cambodia and finished with 2 weeks in Bangkok. I did a 3 week home leave to kiss my cat and grandchildren and now I’m back in Vienna for Christmas markets and opera season. BUT and a big BUT, I stopped for a week in Italy and darn if I didn’t buy a little apartment just 20 minutes outside of Termoli on the Adriatic coast. 🎉😂. I had been looking for a little apartment for over 3 years and this one ticked all the boxes save one on my exhaustive lists of wants. I just may be pursuing residency at some later date. Keep your fingers crossed for me that accept my offer and the sale goes through. It is after all Italy and people change their minds , often at the last moment.
Hi Cherie, Thank you so much for watching! Yes, we are almost going in reverse of each other! We spent 42 days in Japan, 30 days in Vietnam, are heading to Cambodia for a month and then a month in Thailand! You should join our free La Famiglia forum (findingGinaMarie.com/join) so that you can post pictures of Vienna and also talk more with us about your new home! CONGRATULATIONS! We are crossing our fingers and toes here for you! We'll be back in Italy in 2024, but probably not until June. So very happy for you! -Judy
She is, but we are super grateful! Q&A is a perk for all our Gelato members, but we also offered anyone in our La Famiglia forum to ask questions and for whatever reason, a lot of people were shy (or didn't want to share their names)! But if you have questions, we'd love to hear them! -Judy
I found that when I travel if I really need something, I will either go to a dollar store or a thrift store... get it cheap and then leave it behind when I move on.
That's a good plan, Annie. We do the same with liquids at times. It's cheaper than having too many and having to check our bags. (e.g., nail polish remover, bug spray, etc.). -Judy
Hi Himadri, I think that people do spend a lot of money in the US. There's a consumerism focus, people are keeping up with the Joneses, commercials are everywhere encouraging you to buy more and spend more. But Americans work a lot. It's baked into our society, too. We don't typically get a lot of vacation time, and I think there is a mindset of live to work versus work to live. I don't necessarily understand what you're saying about spending dollars so casually that others have problems with it. If you mean that America should appreciate the value of their dollars, I agree with that somewhat. But I think because the dollar is stronger for Americans while traveling, there's nothing wrong with them spending money overseas. Speaking for ourselves, Kevin and I wish we had saved more and spent less. We didn't realize how much stuff we had until we had to get rid of it all, and we gave away things for pennies on the dollar. We've never given money too much power over our lives and we think we tend to be fairly generous. But we were willing to prioritize earning money over other things (me more than Kevin perhaps) until we realized that we were exchanging days and months and years of our lives for our jobs and that our priorities were out of whack. We do see people with so much money that they are wasting it on consumerism when it could be doing so much more for the world and the greater good. But I also think that happens everywhere there's wealth, not just in the US. Thanks for watching and for giving us something to think about! -Judy
LINKS:
findingGinaMarie.com/gear
👗 Judy's wool clothes (Wool&): link.findingginamarie.com/WomensWool
👕 Kevin's wool clothes (Wool& Prince): link.findingginamarie.com/MensWool
📩 Traveling Mailbox (Mail forwarding service to wherever we travel): travelingmailbox.com/?ref=1375
💳Earn 60,000 bonus points with Chase Sapphire Reserve: www.referyourchasecard.com/19k/WT5WYTRQ9Z
We use the CIGNA Global Health Silver Plan. Happy to send you our policy details if you drop us an email.
VIDEO REFERENCES:
Surgery in Serbia: ua-cam.com/video/A2ps2BawyGw/v-deo.html
Happy Nomads: ua-cam.com/video/_HtcrJLSR7g/v-deo.html
Schengen 90/180 day (detailed): ua-cam.com/video/_zCmyNDJRSI/v-deo.html
SHORT Schengen 90/180 day (1 minute): ua-cam.com/users/shorts3VhQ-jbMRAs?feature=share
Schengen calculator we like: www.schengen90.app
Packing Video: ua-cam.com/video/JT_tUoub4f0/v-deo.html
✅✅Repositioning Cruises: Check out 2GoRoam's video here (Neil has a great resource here!): ua-cam.com/video/7PzhdIpLWng/v-deo.htmlsi=nkg07u0eYMSn-qAM
I’m proud of you for traveling while you are healthy and don’t have Family to care for. Even if people don’t choose to get rid of every thing, they can still travel several times a year. We would choose one country at a time and stayed there for at least a week. We started that way before we retired. It was good we traveled then because my Husband had a stroke and then our Mom’s needed help. Now I travel alone because my Friends can’t afford to go or don’t want to travel. Don’t let that keep you home.
Hi @janiekcarney5482, Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. I'm sorry about your husband's health and the challenges of caring for elder parents. We did the same for my father, but it was before all our children had moved out. Good for you for not letting it stop you, but I can appreciate that travel looks much differently for you now. We didn't start traveling internationally until 2011. We wish we had done it when we were younger and prioritized it over other things, but the more we did it, the more we wanted to! Thanks for watching our videos! -Judy
Great video. Enjoyed hearing your answers to the questions and your tips. I've been wearing merino wool exclusively for more than a year. It's great! I was skeptical at first, and I've always hated wool because it's itchy, but these shirts (such as from Wool and Prince) aren't itchy at all. They are very comfortable and it's great to not have to wash them so often. I started eating only 2 meals a day not long after starting in this lifestyle, not so much for saving money but to keep myself from putting on the pounds from all the great food! Compression socks for long haul flights are important and seldom mentioned. Would love to see more Q&A videos like this from you every once and a while. Very informative! Safe travels!
We agree regarding the reasoning behind two meals. Additionally, we're lazy and don't want to (1) cook that much and (2) find or go to that many restaurants. It's true that you can get bored of eating out!
And thanks for the endorsement regarding Wool& Prince. Kevin really prefers collared shirts because they protect his neck from the sun. He's found Wool& Prince's to be super breathable, comfortable (not scratchy at all), and even after some VERY hot days, he can air it out and it doesn't smell or feel grungy the next time he wears it. He also has their underwear and a t-shirt that he loves as well.
Thanks for letting us know you'd like to see more of these videos. We'd love to do more if we have questions to cover! -Judy
I bought a tshirt made from Merino wool. Like it but it's still itchy to me.. so I guess I have really sensitive skin...
@anniesshenanigans3815 We really think that the brand matters and also the weight of the fabric. This particular fabric from Wool& is incredibly soft and not scratchy at all. (I don't recommend the white because it's too thin/see-through, but otherwise, I love this fabric very much: shrsl.com/4cmnh. So far, of everything I own from Wool&, there is literally only one dress that's a tiny bit scratchy, and yet it's still super cozy. Happy to answer any questions since I've deep dived down the Wool& rabbit hole! -Judy
As always, good advice. Insurance is a must for travelers, even if you are young and healthy. Anyone could be impacted by an unanticipated health issue or even an accident. If it is necessary, the cost of being repatriated to your home country can be astronomical!
Also, appreciated the tips on cooking in an Airbnb, including your article about Eating Like a Local!
Thanks so much Linda! And you are right about insurance. However, there are two types of insurance: health insurance and travel insurance. Our health insurance offers some money in the way of repatriation, but that's why you might also want supplemental travel insurance that is designed to offer repatriation. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie Absolutely true. Since we take multiple trips per year, we found it more cost effective to purchase a yearly travel insurance policy that covers travel and health.
@@lindab5789 Are you a US citizen? If so, we had a hard time finding a policy that could do both well. Would you mind sharing the name of your policy? Our global health policy renews in January and we're open to hearing about something better if it's out there. Feel free to drop us an email if you prefer. -Judy
Interesting! Two countries where bus transport works well. Chile, and Turkey.
Thanks for watching, Claudia, and for the recommendations! We haven't been to either country yet, so this is helpful to know! -Judy
Great tips!! We are new subscribers & really appreciate your honesty about your travel journey.
Thank you so much for watching, subscribing, and leaving us this very encouraging comment! We are so glad to have you on this journey with us, Marion! -Judy
Loved the tip about Traveling Mailbox! Thank you!
That's awesome! We earn a little money if you use our link in the description (it doesn't cost anything for you). But we'd been using them quite happily for a good amount of time before we ever decided to affiliate with them and only because we've been impressed with how well their system works. They have been so easy to work with. -Judy
Here's our link!
📩 Traveling Mailbox (Mail forwarding service to wherever we travel): travelingmailbox.com/?ref=1375
Really good Q&A video! Loved your answers. They were very helpful. And thank you so much for answering so many of mine. I am notorious for asking lots of questions as a trustee so par for the course for me. 😂 I also loved the questions from other folks who thought of things I hadn’t asked.
We loved your questions, Rebecca. Please always keep them coming! If we weren't specific enough or if you need additional context, let us know. Also, we have a few videos we're working on based on your questions we didn't answer! -Judy
By the way, @globetrotterGranny, were you referring to an en-suite room at hostels or a shared bathroom?
@@FindingGinaMarie very cool! Look forward to those videos!
@@FindingGinaMarie I was referring to an en-suite bathroom. We actually stayed in a very nice hostel in one of the nicest hutongs in Beijing a few blocks from Tiananmen Square which was wonderful. My husband and I had a private room with an en-suite and my son stayed in the dorm (and then used our shower). It was wonderful! Even had a nice restaurant attached to it with a bar that you could request ice for your drinks (which was not common). The place was clean, surprisingly quiet, and just delightful. It also cost us the equivalent of about $26 per night for our private room with en-suite bathroom. Your answer though was really good and made sense. I think the hostel we stayed in was pretty unique and special as I’ve never found another one that quite rises to that level, although some have come close.
@@GlobetrotterGranny Thank you so much for clarifying! It does really depend where you are staying. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the Airbnb we were in in Ho Chi Minh City, but it was only $22.51 per night. One hotel where we stayed in Kyoto had terrible wi-fi and we ended up working in the lobby. It wasn't ideal, but it was a nice change of scenery, which I'd guess you'd get in a hostel using the shared space. Ours was fairly deserted during the day, but that may not always be the case. We have looked at hostels periodically, but we've yet to find one that sounds as ideal as what you are mentioning, especially at such a low price. Thank you again for asking the question! -Judy
16:52 awesome tip talking photos of receipts.
Now that you had the private tour in Morocco in the desert 🏜, has changed your views on group tours?
Looking forward to hearing about your plans for 2025.😊
Hi @livingworkingoutsidebox, No, it really hasn't changed our views on group tours, but maybe we should have qualified that better. We like to book small group tours when we are booking tours of an overview of a city or a bike ride or going through a museum. In those instances, you aren't going to have an appreciably different experience. I guess you could if you have a very specific thing you want to get out of those experiences, but for us we are looking to get an overview of a place in just a few hours. For us on those occasions, meeting people can be a fun part of the experience, and the extra expense isn't worth it. We can go on three group tours for the price of one private tour. But in the case of a multi-day trip where we were very clear on some types of experiences we wanted to have-avoiding unnecessary vendors and a focus on meeting locals-it was very worthwhile. And in the case of the Sahara Desert, a lot of those group tours use big tour buses, which often are not our jam. In fact, we try to avoid those when we can.
Taking photos of receipts saves us so much when we are trying to reconcile and categorize some of our receipts! We are glad you found this tip helpful!
We have our 2025 planned out through the beginning of June and hope to finalize the rest of the year before 2024 wraps up! We'll be moving around South America a few weeks at a time (which isn't what we typically prefer, but we have reasons we'll talk about in upcoming videos) through mid February. We do share our detailed plans with our Gelato Members if at some point that and any of our other behind-the-scene perks are interesting to you. -Judy
🍨 Learn about our Gelato Membership's Exclusive Perks: findingginamarie.com/join
Love, love, love your videos! ❤️ Thank you for answering my question about insurance. I agree that train travel is the superior form of transportation. So comfortable and the least stressful. I can't wait to be in Iitaly full-time to take advantage of travelling by train. Lastly, I can also confirm that the Chase Sapphire card is fantastic. I have had mine for 8 years and have purchased many airline tickets with it. I pay for everything with my Chase, so I wind up with lots of points. Looking forward to the next Q&A!
Thank you so much for submitting your question, Dawn. We loved answering it. If there continue to be enough questions, we'd be happy to do these more frequently. Yes, Italy really has the market on effective, affordable trains. They make it so easy to get around, especially since we don't rent cars while we're traveling. Thanks also for the validation about the Chase Sapphire card. I had only heard about it from coworkers in passing when we were all at a restaurant and four or five people all put their cards in for payment and they all were the same card. Obviously I had to know what was so special. Well, there's a lot! Thanks so much for watching. We are so glad to have you as part of our community! -Judy
A cashmere sweater with a light windbreaker works WONDERS in cold weather. It’s a simple/VERY packable setup that’s worth its weight in gold. Also you can wear one without the other thereby making for three different levels of warmth. And if you shop around you can find a cashmere sweater for like $150. Don’t go to Nordstroms etc. They charge ridiculous amounts for one.
We wear merino wool, which I think has the same or similar attributes, and you are right about how warm you can be in it! But we've not tried it with a windbreaker. What a great tip, especially since we'll be heading to a few places for a short period of time and it may be chillier than we'd like. Thanks for the great suggestion! -Judy
@ Ya merino is perfect also :)
Thank you for sharing. Even for someone who's not full time travelling yet. It's a perfect reminder to watch what you buy and stress less about what you want to aquire because change is constant and at some point the stress and effort over some acquisition may not be worth it.
Completely agree, Julie! It was soul-sucking when we took stock of how much we had accumulated before downsizing. So much money on stuff that we bought "just because we could." What a waste when we could have been making a lifetime of memories through traveling. And we are seeing first hand how little we even need to be happy when we are carrying and own only a backpack and carry-on apiece! Safe travels! -Judy
🎥 Our 5 Travel Secrets for Retirement as Full-Time Travelers: ua-cam.com/video/Oc4tZ4M1v0w/v-deo.html
🎥 8 Critical Questions for Downsizing: ua-cam.com/video/oqYfZ98r7R8/v-deo.html
✅ Downsizing Prep Worksheet: findingginamarie.com/request-downsizing-prep-worksheet
Very good video and thank you for answering my questions. I guess the conclusion is going "home" is expensive no matter what, at least for those of us that consider California as home.
Unfortunately, Natasha, that's correct. We haven't found a cheaper/easier way except to offset those visits with cheaper countries. But we also don't want to skip seeing family because it's inconvenient. However, if there's a way for them to visit you, that's a win/win! Before heading to Japan, we originally tried to schedule 5 days in two cities and 4 days in a third city, and it was not good. My mother ended up catching COVID, so we didn't end up visiting her and extended our stay with our son in San Francisco, which was nice. We decided that shortening our time in each city was not a good workaround. We could see how exhausting that was going to be for us. The ultimate fast travel, which we really do not like to do! -Judy
You guys are great! Travel on!
Thank you so much! We hope this first Q&A was helpful! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie it was! I’m off to Turkey, Greece and Albania for 5 weeks so I’m checking out more of your videos.
How awesome! We have two videos from Greece we hope you enjoy. Definitely see Meteora if you can! We had Albania on our list of places to visit this year, but it didn't work out. We'd love to know what you think!
Episodes from Greece: ua-cam.com/play/PLNT98lWfwdF0EvAnWdYy22GE_jpCp5J9c.html
@@FindingGinaMarie I will definitely let you know how Albania is! I’m planning to move there for a year in the next 3-5 years. They have a year long tourist visa for Americans, so it’s easier than Schengen hopping. Plus it’s so close to Greece and I love it there as well.
@@MMP1116 I'm sure you know this, but Greece is part of Schengen, so your clock will run while you're there, but you can stay there the full 90 days (give yourself a few days' buffer though!) if you are planning for extended breaks from Albania. -Judy
Hi! Judy & Kevin,
Wow! Excellent video! You covered so many important topics!! Liked your money saving tips! Agree, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is awesome! We especially like the ability to transfer the points to our Hyatt rewards. Thank you so much!!
Marion & Jan 😁👍🏼
We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed this video! We had the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and had been traveling for at least six months before we realized we could take advantage of the lounge feature. It was harder to use for domestic trips before we traveled full time, so I underestimated how useful it would be internationally. We just used a good number of points for our flight to South America. We took a cheaper/longer trip so we'd still have some in reserve. The Hyatt shift is a good use of points. We don't often take advantage of it because we stay a month in a place and that is too expensive for Hyatts! We want you to know how much we enjoy having you along with us and how much we appreciate hearing about you and your travels and having your support. It means more than you know! -Judy
Love the down to earth tips as I ll be a poor bpacker inc retirement later on. ❤
One of the wins of full-time global travel is that there are a lot of places to visit that are so much cheaper than living in the US. For the cost of a visa, many places will allow you to stay for three to six months or more at an unbelievably cheaper rate than you could live in the US. We're glad to hear that these tips are helpful! -Judy
Nice tips to make a minimum cost travel . If passible I start with the smallest city in my plan where airline tickets usually less expensive, from there I rent a car to do my long malty locations tour … the end of the trip usually will be the bif city where I don’t need the rental car any more.. I do walk or use the underground if there is one.
So rent a car only for driving out of big cities...
you both basically covered all tips I think of for traveling.
Best travel 🧳 💐
Thanks so much for watching and for sharing how you travel, Muhammad. We don't rent a car when we travel for a variety of reasons, but more power to you for doing it. We also don't do a lot of traveling across a country but choose to stay in one city for the bulk of our time and really do a deep dive into it. It does mean that we miss out on things, but as full-time travelers, we hope we have a lot more time ahead of us to come back to a country and explore more of its cities and towns. Safe travels! -Judy
Japan in July is like a greenhouse! Wish I was more aware of this before my visit.
Yep, what a painful lesson to learn. Hot and super humid. But we learn so much from our mistakes! If misery loves company, here are our top 5 most painful lessons! Thanks for watching! -Judy
🎥 Top 5 Biggest Travel Mistakes: ua-cam.com/video/GnIQKrEupoU/v-deo.html
I've never tried those Merino wool shirts, worrying they might feel scratchy.
We have been wearing Merino wool from Wool& (Judy) and Wool& Prince (Kevin) for months. They aren't scratchy in the least. I'd almost say there's somewhat of a silky feel to it, especially the lighter wool that I've been wearing in summer. We hesitated for a long time because I just couldn't believe they (1) would hold up to so much consistent wear and (2) that they'd keep us cool in summer, but we have been so pleased. I started buying them when we were in France and I've worn nothing else. I've been so happy with my clothes that Kevin has given them a try and is a convert as well. I don't know how well other brands do, but I've been buying from Wool& specifically and exclusively because they have an arm of their company that also ships to the EU (although I've purchased them from both). We should have a link in the description if at some point you want to give them a try. One heavier wool dress initially felt a tiny bit scratchy in comparison, but actually it's been the most cozy. I definitely didn't think I'd fall for it so hard, but because it has antimicrobial properties and doesn't smell, I don't have to wash it as often, and that's a huge plus for us. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie wow, that is a great endorsement. Will check them out! Thank you.
@@claudiahansen4938It's silly, but I am obsessed with them! I'm probably carrying around more clothes right now than I need, but I really have been so happy and comfortable in them. The downside is that they are a small company and sell out quickly. We need to do a video on everything that we're carrying right now since our packs look a lot different than when we first started traveling. -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie yes please!! I would watch that for sure.
ok.. Everyone loves those including my husband. We have been nomads for nearly two years and he does wear them, although he did find them a bit too warm in tropical (hot and humid) climates. I do not like regular wool but I wanted tried Merino wool. It is definitely different but I didn't like the feeling on my skin, I really wanted to like it. All I am saying is buy a single item of good quality and see. Sadly, I did not agree with me.
Sorry I'm asking a year later.
How far in advance do you plan the trips?, Do you plan everything at once or as you go? Thanks in advance.
Keep up the channel, looking forward to start slow traveling soon
Hi @luisvaldes4492, This is too funny. We literally are working on an episode right this moment for this Saturday that will talk about how far in advance we plan our travel and we'll walk you through how we planned all our 2024 travel. We hope this is helpful to you. We'll be discussing what factors go into our plans, which should help you think about how you can do your own planning. If you have specific questions, we'd love to hear them and will try to incorporate answers into this video. -Judy
Your videos are so helpful and wonderful! Would you suggest setting up base in Spello (as it is truly beautiful) or Assisi if you had a car and you were to spend 6 days in Umbria? Spello seems to be nicer than Assisi but it may be limited in the restaurants/cafe experience.
Hi Estela, thank you so much for the compliment and for watching! I'd say it would depend on what you are looking for from your home base. We think that Spello is more community spirited and has varying activities. Assisi is full of churches. It's bigger than Spello, but we think you can find plenty of places in Spello to eat and explore. There's a lovely walk you can do that we missed. Assisi is possibly very slightly better if you were taking the train because it's maybe slightly more central. But if you are driving anyway, that may be less of a factor. Spello truly is magical.Whichever you choose, we'd love to hear about your experience afterwards! -Judy
P.S. We'll actually be in Italy a few more times this year in both the spring and fall, so we hope you will follow along!
🎥 Italy video series: ua-cam.com/play/PLNT98lWfwdF1Tj_VCjUNQTJBMtKpkz5Sk.html
I really enjoy following along with your adventures! I haven’t seen them all and my question is: how are you financing your life of full time travel? Thank you! I’ve learned a lot 😊
Hi Giana, Thanks so much for watching! We are being very strategic with our spending and using our 401(k) and other investments, and we are supplementing those funds with our UA-cam channel, affiliate links, and our Patreon-style support we call Gelato Levels (go to findingGinaMarie.com/join and watch our video). Kevin may take early social security benefits as well. We have a video about what we think is an under-discussed topic: health versus wealth (linked below). By selling everything we own, we have no rent, our consumerism is way down, and yet we are having amazing experiences. We balance expensive countries with cheaper ones and slow travel, which reduces our travel costs and allows us to have deeper experiences in a country.
We probably should have worked longer and saved more before retiring, but we decided that staying in our jobs that required long hours and living in our expensive apartment in San Francisco wasn't a sustainable path because we could not afford to retire in San Francisco. Through our website, blogging, and video editing and production we felt that if we needed additional income at some point, we could leverage these new skills.
Kevin worked at Apple as an engineer and I worked as an executive assistant for a cybersecurity startup. Both of us had parents who died young (Kevin's father was 60 and my mother was 56). We didn't want to get to retirement and have health issues or worse and decided it made sense to prioritize our health over more time working. It may not be the best idea for everyone, but it is working really well for us. Finally, I am working on my dual citizenship with Italy and we both are open to living in a cheaper country than the US when we finally are ready to slow down and travel less (but that's not in the foreseeable future). -Judy
🎥 Health versus Wealth: ua-cam.com/video/6avQGFbXa2I/v-deo.html
🎥 A Pause to share an emotional moment: ua-cam.com/video/YiEFHz1WWHI/v-deo.html
@@FindingGinaMarie thank you for your thoughtful reply! Yes very under discussed indeed! I’m moving to Italy in the fall which is how I found your channel. Transitioning from a very stressful career in healthcare to…??? not sure what. However my mother also died young- 52 and I decided the fear of the unknown and how I’m going to make money should not continue to stop me from following my dream. I’ve got to believe that I’ll figure out a way and it’s time to act on the voice inside telling me to do this!
That is EXACTLY how we felt, Giana! I'm sorry to hear about your mother. That is way too young. We have always trusted the universe to take care of us and it has always worked out. What we are doing is unconventional, but we think if we follow our hearts and keep open minds, everything will work out. My job also was extremely stressful and the type of role required me to be available 24/7. I realized it was not worth the days, months, and years of my life that I had given up for it. I think your thinking is absolutely correct. We felt that our future selves would have different options that our current selves did and it wasn't in our best interest to try to think through all the scenarios with our limited knowledge of what the future might hold. We're happy to answer any and all questions you might have. And we're jealous that you are moving to Italy. My dual citizenship process is time consuming, but we are staying positive and appreciating world travel, which wasn't actually even part of our original plan! Things are continuing to evolve and we are excited to see how the future unfolds! We wish you all the best! -Judy
Maybe I have missed it, in the previous videos, but do you have a set monthly budget? Or an estimate you try to stay with in.
Hi Eliza, We haven't really talked about this very much. We have a budget, but we aren't budget travelers per se. But there's been a lot of demand for this information, so we'll be sharing more about this. We know there are people who spend a lot less than us per month but also a lot more, and we would never suggest that our viewers need to match our budget in order to travel full time. We try to share prices at the end of our travel videos to give a sense of average prices for accommodations and food in the places we visit. -Judy
If I traveled like you are, I would want to spend one month in that country. Then I can do day trips but still have a home base. I would think it would be better to find one place to rent for a whole month.
Hi @janiekcarney5482, We really do like to spend a month in one place whenever possible. It's so much more affordable because we get discounts for long stays, and when we're doing an overnight trip or a day trip, it is very nice not to deal with our bags. In those cases, light backpacks are perfect. Sometimes it means that we don't see other parts of a country, and while we could deep dive into a country and feel like we explored it efficiently and think we can check it off our list, the reality is that some places just beg for us to return to explore more. Also, there are other parts of the world we want to see, so even when it's conceivable and practical to spend a year exploring different parts of one country, we want to move on and have a variety of different experiences in that amount of time. -Judy
Thanks for tips
Thank you so much, Tati, for watching and for taking the time to leave us a note! -Judy
I was wondering if you know how you would get a prescription medication you regularly take reilled while traveling?
Hi Michelle, We wrote an article about this. You can read it here: findingginamarie.com/articles/dealing-with-prescriptions-as-full-time-travelers
Thanks for watching! -Judy
Thank you!
Hello again, well ... That is not the brand that we have so we may give it another try. It is probably best if Chris buys one and then I wear it for a while to see how it feels before l jump into it. :)
Great plan. Ideally do it with one of the t-shirts. Again, the men's shirts come in multiple weights/fabric combos, but Kevin wears the 78/22 type (that's its style name). Fabric: 160gsm, 78% merino/22% nylon. Here's a link to the shirt I am referencing: shrsl.com/4cire
That will give you the closest approximation to the dresses I enjoy wearing. I have gone deep into the rabbit hole, so you are welcome to ask any questions you have before purchasing anything! -Judy
If I am not wrong, i believe that ur daughter visited you a few times while you were doing slow travel, which is really nice :)
If we are staying 1 month in an AirBnB, and if our daughter visited us (and stayed in our AirBnB) for 1-2 weeks, do we have to pay extra 3rd pax charges to the AirBnB host ?
Because the original reservation would be based on 2 pax ….. I understand that prices for 3 pax reservation may be higher ….
Just wondering only :)
Hi Mike, yes, our daughter met up with us in Lisbon before we were full-time travelers and considering expat life in Portugal. She's also met up with us in Japan and Italy. In those situations, we've gotten an Airbnb for three people since there was very little overlap with our extra days. However, if it were a long stay, I'd reach out to the Airbnb host in advance and let them know that although I was booking for a month, one extra person would be joining for X number of days and ask them if they could prorate that portion of the stay. I wouldn't add an additional guest without the Airbnb knowing about it, but they typically do charge more based on the number of people who join, so I definitely wouldn't want a long stay to reflect more people than necessary.
Airbnb has a process that allows the host to offer you a price different than what the platform designates and you can then book using that link. You're still booking on the platform and have all of the Airbnb protections by doing it that way. Hope this is helpful! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie oh yes, good idea, thanks !
Is there a credit or debit card that when expired can be sent out to where you are? Uk seems very backward with this!!! I ll be hostelking which for an asthmatic is a challenge as dorm never on ground floor, you can make meals however. One tip.probiotics kept me healthy ie no stomach issues,.
Hi Bunny, I believe that any credit card company will overnight a card to you if you are traveling and your card is lost or stolen. I have a unique card that I keep in my backpack in my Airbnb so that if something happens to us both, we have a spare card that wasn't on our person. I'm not sure if I'd do that in a hostel, though. BUT we've been traveling in places that cost under $30 per night that are not hostels, so those aren't always the cheapest or best deals. We think probiotics are a great idea. -Judy
Most people don’t want to stay in a spare bedroom that full of their stuff. You are trying to get away from clutter.
That's true! LOL. But even when that isn't the case, @janiekcarney5482, we are extroverted introverts and really need downtime away from people at times. And when we're in the US for only a few days and may still need to respond to comments or post a video to our channel, it's nice to not feel like we are merely being unsociable with family or friends. Also, fast travel is a hectic time where we are under more strain than normal to try to see everyone, deal with family dynamics, or worry about being an inconvenience to others, so being able to step away helps to reduce some of that tension, even if some of it is only in our minds and our family members don't actually feel inconvenienced. We did end up staying with my brother this year for a couple of days in Arizona, but I know he was eagerly looking forward to showing off his home and being a host to us, so it made it significantly easier than other situations. -Judy
Do you have a credit card that gives you lounge access in airports?
Hi Eliza, Yes, we each have a credit card with Chase Sapphire Rewards that connects to Priority Plus lounges. It's been a great perk to not have to buy food or beverages at the airport! -Judy
Can you share your spreadsheet with us, please
Hi Renata, Sure thing. Below is a link to a blank version of our travel planning spreadsheet. It's practically our bible, with all the detail we track in one convenient place. Hopefully it will be helpful for you in planning your travel, too! -Judy
🆓 FREE Travel Planning Spreadsheet: findingginamarie.com/request-planner
Kevin, as an Apple guy, what would you recommend for accessing the Internet in Japan? I'll be bringing my iPhone and iPad when I go there in 3 months, and it seems like getting a VPN is recommended. My iPhone is unlocked. Bonus question: What's your favorite Japanese whiskey? Thank you.
Thanks for asking! We use both NordVPN and ExpressVPN, the latter because it was the only one that worked in Egypt, but NordVPN is less expensive. I think Japan is a safe country to access the internet without a VPN, but we often need VPNs for viewing U.S. television content.
We also don't buy eSIMs when we travel because T-Mobile has international data passes that are often a similar price to buying eSIMs for data. We also don't have to fiddle with a different phone number using the T-Mobile passes and they give us free international calls, which we use to contact family on a regular basis.
As for my favorite Japanese whisky, that's a hard question. I think the Nikka and Yamazaki expressions top my list, but I'm always open to other opinions. Which ones do you enjoy? You can watch my playlist of Japanese whisky reviews to learn more (ua-cam.com/play/PLT0oYlZCayccDWqXI0GOKUXlbWofUA2ml.html). Cheers! - Kevin
Thank you for the tips! I'm likely to get NordVPN because I'm also going to China on that trip. Regarding Japanese whiskey, I have never tried any but am aware of their reputation. I will use your Whiskey Riffs playlist as an introduction! @@FindingGinaMarie
@@ScottNewland-i4y We urge you to use extreme caution in China with your devices. As someone with a cybersecurity background, we never brought tech into China because it always was at a high risk of being contaminated. When someone went to China, they brought a burner phone and a laptop and both went into a safe afterwards because there was a huge concern about devices carrying viruses. This was across three separate companies, so it wasn't one place being especially paranoid.
TIPS: Disable all unnecessary network protocols (such as WiFi, Bluetooth or infrared). Backup everything in advance in case your system is lost, stolen, seized or destroyed. Don't use any smart cards or USB format PKI hard tokens. Do not access any sensitive accounts and make sure ALL your passwords are strong. Ideally, you'll leave your laptop at home or get a cheap one for basic internet browsing. Use your VPN always. "The Chinese government monitors everything its users do online. If you're caught using blocked websites your internet connection could be cut off for weeks at a time. In the past, the government has cracked down repeatedly on VPN companies and has ruled unauthorized connections as illegal."
Needless to say, we don't have a visit to China in our travel plans based on all these concerns. Best of luck, Scott, and safe travels! -Judy
Hey guys, I so enjoy your videos. It seems we’re on the exact opposite sides of the world all the time. I just returned from 2 months in Japan, 6 weeks in Vietnam, 2 weeks in Cambodia and finished with 2 weeks in Bangkok. I did a 3 week home leave to kiss my cat and grandchildren and now I’m back in Vienna for Christmas markets and opera season. BUT and a big BUT, I stopped for a week in Italy and darn if I didn’t buy a little apartment just 20 minutes outside of Termoli on the Adriatic coast. 🎉😂. I had been looking for a little apartment for over 3 years and this one ticked all the boxes save one on my exhaustive lists of wants. I just may be pursuing residency at some later date. Keep your fingers crossed for me that accept my offer and the sale goes through. It is after all Italy and people change their minds , often at the last moment.
Hi Cherie, Thank you so much for watching! Yes, we are almost going in reverse of each other! We spent 42 days in Japan, 30 days in Vietnam, are heading to Cambodia for a month and then a month in Thailand!
You should join our free La Famiglia forum (findingGinaMarie.com/join) so that you can post pictures of Vienna and also talk more with us about your new home! CONGRATULATIONS! We are crossing our fingers and toes here for you! We'll be back in Italy in 2024, but probably not until June. So very happy for you! -Judy
I new fan
Hi @loveRP_Penasco, Thank you so much for watching! We are delighted and honored to have you join us! -Judy
Rebecca W is a very curious person!
She is, but we are super grateful! Q&A is a perk for all our Gelato members, but we also offered anyone in our La Famiglia forum to ask questions and for whatever reason, a lot of people were shy (or didn't want to share their names)! But if you have questions, we'd love to hear them! -Judy
I found that when I travel if I really need something, I will either go to a dollar store or a thrift store... get it cheap and then leave it behind when I move on.
That's a good plan, Annie. We do the same with liquids at times. It's cheaper than having too many and having to check our bags. (e.g., nail polish remover, bug spray, etc.). -Judy
People say Americans spend so much dollars so casually that others have problems . What you think?
Hi Himadri, I think that people do spend a lot of money in the US. There's a consumerism focus, people are keeping up with the Joneses, commercials are everywhere encouraging you to buy more and spend more. But Americans work a lot. It's baked into our society, too. We don't typically get a lot of vacation time, and I think there is a mindset of live to work versus work to live.
I don't necessarily understand what you're saying about spending dollars so casually that others have problems with it. If you mean that America should appreciate the value of their dollars, I agree with that somewhat. But I think because the dollar is stronger for Americans while traveling, there's nothing wrong with them spending money overseas. Speaking for ourselves, Kevin and I wish we had saved more and spent less. We didn't realize how much stuff we had until we had to get rid of it all, and we gave away things for pennies on the dollar. We've never given money too much power over our lives and we think we tend to be fairly generous. But we were willing to prioritize earning money over other things (me more than Kevin perhaps) until we realized that we were exchanging days and months and years of our lives for our jobs and that our priorities were out of whack. We do see people with so much money that they are wasting it on consumerism when it could be doing so much more for the world and the greater good. But I also think that happens everywhere there's wealth, not just in the US.
Thanks for watching and for giving us something to think about! -Judy
Great job
@@himadriroychaudhuri9834 Thank you so much! -Judy