You should really do an in depth video on what Housesitting entails, you've talked about it before, but like from start to finish, like Contact with the host, questions, your normal duties on a day to day basis, how you get around and how you leave at the end, etc.
We would agree. We had everything that we needed. We would even to the thermal baths next time we go. Hopefully it won't be overcrowded and 90 degrees outside. 😁
When my daughter went to Europe for 3 weeks after her 1st year of college, Budapest was her favorite place too. Looks like it needs to be on my bucket list now. Great video. Thanks.❤
We were there in May and loved it. Felt like we had to tippy toe around politics with the locals, especially about Ukraine, although I got the feeling most citizens don't agree with their gov't on that issue. Thanks for the video!
I am happy you like my hometown! :) About health care, if you are a tourist and something go wrong, you will be fine. If you live here the problem is with the health care system is one: it is not free, it is built in tax in our salary and it is mandarety to pay if you are an employee (it is quite a big chunk of my salary) the second problem is the hospitals are really beat up(there is a game even: is it chernobil or a Hungarian hospital?) , and there is a shortage of doctors and nurses (they not earn enough money and the left the country or the choose other career.) Becaouse they are overwhelmed usually they are grumpie and rude, it is hard to find a nice and conscientious doctor. Lot of the time you have to go to a private doctor for good care.
Budapest is for me the second best city to live in Europe (after Vienna). I might be biased because it's just a few hours drive from my city, but I loved every stay I had in Budapest and Vienna so far :) Nice video guys 🍻🍻
Following you two for some time now. Love your videos and advice. We're headed to Budapest for the fifth time next week. Can't wait to see where you're headed to next.
We enjoyed Budapest during early December. Yes, it was pretty frakin' cold, but that's what you need when visiting Christmas markets, which are everywhere in the city. Beautiful city. We'd happily go there again.
As far as health care, don’t forget, most European countries have universal health care. So the waiting times, etc usually apply to locals on the system. If you go in as a foreigner either paying cash(surprisingly affordable) or with private insurance, you can basically go to the front of the line since doctors and hospitals consider these "extra" money and gravy....
Hi guys, Thanks for another nice video. I am pleased you liked Budapest when I worked in Bratislava, I often went there on my days off and always had a good time. Enjoy your time at home with your family, and I look forward to the videos from Mexico. I am thinking of buying a Peak Design 3v for my backpack to hold my Canon M50 II. My question is, do I really need it, or should I use a DJI pocket c🎉amera or GoPro? . Kind regards, Mark
Hi, Mark. I didn't like my Peak Design to hold my camera. They work great for hiking and quick access but walking around a city I found it cumbersome. The DJI or GoPro take great video and we use our phones for pictures. Now, as you know, we are carry-on only, so we take that into account as well. Thanks, Mark!
Well you make it very easy to like Budapest, and I am very impressed with the lack of dollars with transportation. Walking everywhere is so impressive. This is on my list. The Home Sitting is a really good idea, and you likely get better quality than you would with vrbo or airbnb. Still viewers experiences may vary. It doesn't mean that you should explore it. Safe travels back home. Cheers
well, healthcare is a mixed bag, in Hungary healthcare is social based, so a portion of your income is deducted by default, to pay for that, now the system is underfunded and there are not enough doctors nurses and supporting staff, cos of the not so stellar wage, and worsening hours to do. thus appointment dates are usually around 2 months, until its found out what you have, then the times get normal for the stuff you have, but before you get there is not fast. on the other hand we also have private hospitals but they are not covered by the social based system, so you need to pay for that from your pocket, but the waiting times are way better.
We have added the sound so people will notice the pop ups. We get questions about a certain topic that we covered in the video even when we discuss it and have on-screen visuals. UA-cam is hard! 😁
@@BrianandCarrie I am surprised you added the sound with the popups and indexed (?)😱...you know you'll still get those questions. 🤦♂🤭 As for the sound effect, I didn't even notice it the first time through so I went back to listen again. Mine comes through as the soft "swish" I believe you intended. I figured it is likely device dependent so I tried it nine different ways...literally (different devices with & w/o headphones and different settings).The sound is harsher when driven harder, i.e. settings like bass, "Movie" (or similar) or even volume. So basically, is there anything you can do, other than not add it? 🤷♂
Hey Brian and Carrie, We are heading to Bellingham in August and was hoping you could recommend a couple of really good Mexican Restaurants to try. Love watching your videos. Thanks
Jalapeños is the most popular, but the best is Coa Mexican Eatery. You can also try El Suenito Brewing Company for some really good tamales! Thank you for watching!!
Should you decide to make Europe your home check out the Netherlands. Your country has a great joint program with the Dutch. It's called DAFT. I am not an American but I live in the Netherlands and I love it.
Thanks for this useful breakdown. We'll be in Budapest in September and also keep an eye on what a 3 month stay might cost for places we'd like to go back to.
well, how i see it, if you want to live in Bp, you need to avoid tourist places, if you move to a less tourism focused part, the prices are more affordable, in terms of buying, renting, eating out, ect.
Hi guys, quick question about food poisoning and problems with stomach issues when you eat the food on your travels. How often have you had stomach pains and food poisoning and is there more of a problem in some countries or types of vendor (street food for example) than others? They say don't drink the local water, but it's often not possible as vegetables & fruits are often washed in it, then there's ice used in drinks - any thoughts there too? Thanks :)
I like Budapest very much. In fact, it is one of my favorite cities in Europe. There are spas everywhere. I have also traveled throughout the country both by train and renting a car. I would recommend Heviz. The thermal lake and spas are fantastic. I have one complaint. As Americans we can stay 3 months without a visa. Videos such as this should be careful on the use of the term long stay. For me, that means acquiring a visa. How difficult is that? These types of videos also need to discuss the politics of a country. While you may not be political, President Orban is. I would just caution anyone who may be considering retiring to this lovely yet troubled country.
As a Hungarian, I can only tell you, Orban, and his politics will not influence your life in Hungary. The country is not "troubled", rather stable. ( I Am not a big fan of his government)
@@andraskleistenes8586 I sure hope you can vote him out of office. I like everything else about your country. We settled in Vienna however, we often visit Hungary. As I mentioned earlier, beautiful country.
We would stay close to the historic areas by the river on the Pest side. We have two other videos on Budapest that may help you make a decision that works for you. Thank you for watching!! 😁
Any inner district is fine. 1,2, 5,6,7, inner 8, and 13 are all very nice. Even 11 and 3 are fine - you just hop on the metro for a couple miles and you'll be right in the center.
What do you mean you were 'gifted' the house sit ? Also how did you coordinate the dates of your planned trip to fit perfectly into the house sit - you mention you already had accom booked were able to house sit instead, which meant you would have already had your dates set with flights in and out of the country. How do you make house sit dates then fit into those travel dates after the fact ?
One of our viewers heard us mention we were going to Budapest and offered us their apartment while they are home in the States. We canceled our other accommodations.
I think most travelers are aware that ETIAS has once again been postponed. This time until March of 2025. However, are you aware of the new law called EES? It is goes into effect in October of 2024.
Have you had any push back as ‘tourists’? In many places Europe at the moment there are a number or anti tourist protests happening by locals who believe the lack of and high cost of accommodation is being caused by tourists/Airbnb etc .
@BoninBrighton as usual the media overblows every story. Sure, there are places like Venice, Barcelona Ibiza etc. Popular tourists destinations that are overrun with tourists thanks to package holidays, cruise ships and lazy travelers lack of imagination and planning that are getting blowback. But. Europe is huge, get off the beaten path, even staying in a nice sized town or suburban area outside the major tourist cities or sites and you'd be surprised at the welcome you get.
@@telluwide5553 it’s being reported to me by friends with properties in Spain/Portugal/France….just this week in Lanzarote problems of protests. Lots of this stuff isn’t being reported at all. It’s a valid concern for our retirement generation all fired up to travel (I’m an experienced traveller btw) and it’s a newish phenomenon I’ve not seen/heard before this year. Quite a few places are also now refusing the huge Cruise Ships.
@@BoninBrighton Good! It was only a matter of time. These protests are long overdue IMHO. Don't get me started on those floating polluting cesspools called cruise ships that do nothing for local small businesses except for a few trinket sellers. BTW I've lived, traveled and worked in Europe for 26 years. I was just in Greece, I hadn't noticed any, so they aren't everywhere. Besides, I usually stay away from these overrated, over touristed areas, perhaps you should start thinking about doing the same as well...
@@BoninBrighton My wife and I were just talking about this phenomenon yesterday. When we (retirement age people) were young, there were, what, maybe 500,000,000 people on the planet who "might" be able to have travelled to these places. Certainly fewer than 1 billion Now? It is a completely different ballgame. It's billions of people. Many Chinese, Indians, Brazilians, Russians, Indos, former Eastern-Bloc, Middle-Easterner's and so many others who had NO ability to consider international travel at scale, are now filling these places all year, and especially in the summer. Cruising is a gigantic business, who knows - could be 50X what it was 50 years ago. So, it's a numbers game, simple math.
How much work was the house sit? My daughter did a lot of pet sitting to pay for trips during high school. I would be open to making this an option for future travel. Thanks!
This one wasn't really a house sit where we were doing much of anything. Typically you will have a pet to watch, but we've found this adds to our experience instead of taking away. You can check out the sits available for free here:trustedhousesitters.pxf.io/c/3563316/1555723/18144
You used to be able to get an apartment for that downtown. For just a room then the next is just a hostel bed for 900$. I think if your going to pay money you are better off in Vienna. There is better air quality and stuff. You might pay a bit more but your getting better quality that is worth a lot more. If your staying in a building with rocks falling down onto the street it should atleast be cheap and $600 is not. The chepest one what with like a 2* rating? Don't even think about it. Go on couch surfing or something.
Perhaps I just had a intuition this wouldn’t be somewhere you guys would want to stay long term so not sure this video was intended for me but that said I still listened to many points out of interest as I’ll soon be visiting.
I visited Budapest in May this year. I like the city a lot. traveling around is easy and there are many attractions to explore. Unfortunately for me there are so many smokers around I would not be able to live in that city due to my asthma. But I really enjoyed the beautiful city.
It is good! Much like what you would find in the Balkens with German mixed in. There also a lot of Thia restaurants, if you would like to mix it up a bit. 😊
I am also a content creator. I was just curious what is the tax rate charged on your UA-cam channel? I am not an American and I know different countries charge different rates.
@@BrianandCarrie it really is. If you're still there, most grocery stores have a chocolate called Turo Rudi. Curd and chocolate. I've never seen it anywhere else. So so yum.
Just be aware . While Budapest is a lovely city the train stations Kelenfold is overrun with beggars and thieves. My friend got his backpack stolen ( money , passport etc ) while boarding train to Vienna . The police does nothing . Also some areas near parliament quiet late evenings . Not sure how safe .
I've never had any problems at Kelenfold; and I live part time in Budapest. Perhaps it was a bad time, but I was there about five times this past spring and had no issues.
hungarian healthcare is in a very very bad state, Budapest is the heart of the country and even there are HUGE problems and many prestige hospitals just shut down departments and this summer many operation rooms AC failed pushing the waiting list even further into the future. Outside of Budapest it is a survivors game, outside of like 3 cities where there are healthcare universities.
, I think you misunderstood the question. You brought up long term stays. I would also be interested in the possibility of a long term stay. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a D Visa.
There is no misunderstanding. We haven't done any research on the D Visa in Hungary. In the past, we have provided visa information just to have requirements change and the information we provide becomes outdated. It is best to do research at the time you need a visa for the country of your choice.
@@BrianandCarrie, it is just confusing because you folks keep saying long term stay while meaning only 3 months. In most countries to stay 1 year requires a D Visa. In Portugal it is called D7.
Correct and those requirements change frequently. If we give you all the requirements for a D visa today and you watch this video a year from now the information may be outdated. We actually did a video on Portugal 2 years ago. The Golden Visa has changed since then.
@@BrianandCarrie Since I'm based in Krakow now, it's one of the long weekend places on my list, along with Vienna. So let me know when you want to come to Krakow for an apartment/cat sit ;) and YES I am in a fab location.
Compared to what Stacie? You mean, the great things happening every minute of every day where most of us live now in our Western legacy brand countries? Perhaps you hadn't noticed the Hamas rallies choking major cities, censorship and cancelling, attacks by school and other institutions on kid's health and wellbeing, woke irrationality of every kind by the media, corporate elites and the government? I'm no apologist for authoritarians but I'm also no simp for people who ignore what happening right in front of them.
It sounds like a wonderful city. I would be hesitant to stay there long term due to the politics of their leader. Currently they are in the middle of the Ukraine/Russia conflict, and their major oil pipeline has been closed in response. Too much tension for me. Short term? Once their neighbors stop fighting I would.
@@juz3r1 If people actually voted that would be great, only 2 million out of 8 mil voted. Due to there super majority system many people no longer feel much hope in being able to change things.
He thankfully is not allowing illegal migration! People don’t talk and get into politic there so best you don’t go, your attitude would not be welcomed.
, one of the primary points of the EU is the correct pronunciation open borders. Also without the Schengen Zone, we would have to apply for individual visas.
Hungary has many refugees from Ukraine, but not from the middle east or Africa. Since Ukraine is similar culturally, it has not been a huge problem other than driving up prices a bit. Hungary is very big on maintaining national identity and gives out subsidies for having multiple children. Like many countries in Europe, they are experiencing a decline in population.
What a difference house sitting can make in the budget. 😮💰🪙 Are you finding one country has better tasting beer over others? 🤔 Adventurous beer mixes you might want to try.... Diesel = Coke & Beer Bananenweizen = Banana Juice & Wheat Beer Radler = Beer & Lemonade or Lemonade/Lime Soda.. 😊 🍺 cheers 🍻
Germany has arguably the best beer in the world. Radlers are very common, Banaenweizen I've never heard of but makes sense, the Diesel sounds disgusting and makes no sense! 🤣
You should really do an in depth video on what Housesitting entails, you've talked about it before, but like from start to finish, like Contact with the host, questions, your normal duties on a day to day basis, how you get around and how you leave at the end, etc.
Great idea! We will add something like that to our list. Thank you!
Cheers!! 🍻
I agree!!! Would love to know more about your housesitting experience.
I could tell you enjoyed Budapest by the number of videos and posts. I can’t wait to get back to Hungary and enjoy. ❤
Thank you for mentioning those who have mobility issues. For us older nomads that can be important.
Thank you for watching!!! ❤️
This sounds like a place we would want to visit a few times per year or even just move to. Walking, 4 seasons, etc... what a win!!!
We would agree. We had everything that we needed. We would even to the thermal baths next time we go. Hopefully it won't be overcrowded and 90 degrees outside. 😁
When my daughter went to Europe for 3 weeks after her 1st year of college, Budapest was her favorite place too. Looks like it needs to be on my bucket list now. Great video. Thanks.❤
Thank you for watching, Jackie! ❤️
We were there in May and loved it. Felt like we had to tippy toe around politics with the locals, especially about Ukraine, although I got the feeling most citizens don't agree with their gov't on that issue. Thanks for the video!
A favorite place of ours. Enjoyed the video very much! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for watching, Stacie! ❤️
I am happy you like my hometown! :)
About health care, if you are a tourist and something go wrong, you will be fine. If you live here the problem is with the health care system is one: it is not free, it is built in tax in our salary and it is mandarety to pay if you are an employee (it is quite a big chunk of my salary) the second problem is the hospitals are really beat up(there is a game even: is it chernobil or a Hungarian hospital?) , and there is a shortage of doctors and nurses (they not earn enough money and the left the country or the choose other career.) Becaouse they are overwhelmed usually they are grumpie and rude, it is hard to find a nice and conscientious doctor. Lot of the time you have to go to a private doctor for good care.
Thank you for adding this to the channel! We loved your city and everything Budapest had to offer!! ❤️
Thanks, Brian & Carrie. We love Budapest.
Thak you for watching! ❤️
Budapest is for me the second best city to live in Europe (after Vienna). I might be biased because it's just a few hours drive from my city, but I loved every stay I had in Budapest and Vienna so far :) Nice video guys 🍻🍻
Thanks, Radu! Always nice to hear from you!!
Agree Radu…Vienna is our favorite especially since we speak the language.
Following you two for some time now. Love your videos and advice. We're headed to Budapest for the fifth time next week. Can't wait to see where you're headed to next.
You will have a great time, Steve! We are heading to Mexico September 1st. Looking forward to the cuisine! 😁 Safe travels!
We enjoyed Budapest during early December. Yes, it was pretty frakin' cold, but that's what you need when visiting Christmas markets, which are everywhere in the city. Beautiful city. We'd happily go there again.
As far as health care, don’t forget, most European countries have universal health care. So the waiting times, etc usually apply to locals on the system. If you go in as a foreigner either paying cash(surprisingly affordable) or with private insurance, you can basically go to the front of the line since doctors and hospitals consider these "extra" money and gravy....
Good point! Thank you for adding this to the channel! It is surprisingly affordable outside the US!
Thank you for all the details in this budget video.
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching 😊
Great info - Budapest is on my list for next year. Where do you list your accommodation recommendations?
We know longer list our accommodations. We have run into problems in the past doing so. 😔
Love Budapest!!
You two are hilarious! Awesome video! Can't wait to visit Budapest! Thanks!
Thank you, John!! 😊
Great video guys. We will have to look into adding Budapest to our future trips.
Thank you, Eliza!
Hi guys, Thanks for another nice video. I am pleased you liked Budapest when I worked in Bratislava, I often went there on my days off and always had a good time. Enjoy your time at home with your family, and I look forward to the videos from Mexico. I am thinking of buying a Peak Design 3v for my backpack to hold my Canon M50 II. My question is, do I really need it, or should I use a DJI pocket c🎉amera or GoPro? . Kind regards, Mark
Hi, Mark. I didn't like my Peak Design to hold my camera. They work great for hiking and quick access but walking around a city I found it cumbersome. The DJI or GoPro take great video and we use our phones for pictures. Now, as you know, we are carry-on only, so we take that into account as well. Thanks, Mark!
Thanks! That helped, I will use the DJI pocket and not carry my camera when I am out and about.😊
Like the Lacoste shirt 😊
Well you make it very easy to like Budapest, and I am very impressed with the lack of dollars with transportation. Walking everywhere is so impressive. This is on my list. The Home Sitting is a really good idea, and you likely get better quality than you would with vrbo or airbnb. Still viewers experiences may vary. It doesn't mean that you should explore it. Safe travels back home. Cheers
I think I could easily work Budapest into a side trip if I pursued my circling the Adriatic retirement fantasy.
You could and you should, Doug!! 😁
well, healthcare is a mixed bag, in Hungary healthcare is social based, so a portion of your income is deducted by default, to pay for that, now the system is underfunded and there are not enough doctors nurses and supporting staff, cos of the not so stellar wage, and worsening hours to do. thus appointment dates are usually around 2 months, until its found out what you have, then the times get normal for the stuff you have, but before you get there is not fast.
on the other hand we also have private hospitals but they are not covered by the social based system, so you need to pay for that from your pocket, but the waiting times are way better.
Another wonderful video-trip🙏😎🦋💐
Glad you enjoyed it
Good video, but the sound effect on the pop-up titles was very annoying.
Thanks, Betty.
@@BrianandCarrieI had earbuds in and it was very bass heavy. I was also extremely annoyed by it. Just FYI for video improvement.
We have added the sound so people will notice the pop ups. We get questions about a certain topic that we covered in the video even when we discuss it and have on-screen visuals. UA-cam is hard! 😁
@@BrianandCarrie indeed it is.
@@BrianandCarrie I am surprised you added the sound with the popups and indexed (?)😱...you know you'll still get those questions. 🤦♂🤭 As for the sound effect, I didn't even notice it the first time through so I went back to listen again. Mine comes through as the soft "swish" I believe you intended. I figured it is likely device dependent so I tried it nine different ways...literally (different devices with & w/o headphones and different settings).The sound is harsher when driven harder, i.e. settings like bass, "Movie" (or similar) or even volume. So basically, is there anything you can do, other than not add it? 🤷♂
Hey Brian and Carrie, We are heading to Bellingham in August and was hoping you could recommend a couple of really good Mexican Restaurants to try. Love watching your videos. Thanks
Jalapeños is the most popular, but the best is Coa Mexican Eatery. You can also try El Suenito Brewing Company for some really good tamales! Thank you for watching!!
@@BrianandCarrie Thanks so much!
Should you decide to make Europe your home check out the Netherlands. Your country has a great joint program with the Dutch. It's called DAFT. I am not an American but I live in the Netherlands and I love it.
Thank you for the tip!! ❤️
I think it’s very easy to live in Portugal. Within Hungary and Portugal, which one would you choose? You’ve basically lived in both countries.
We still really like Portugal. 😊
I liked Budapest for the same reasons you stated. However, I found the people rude so that makes me hesitate to give it a full recommendation.
We found the people to be very welcoming. 🤔
Thanks for this useful breakdown. We'll be in Budapest in September and also keep an eye on what a 3 month stay might cost for places we'd like to go back to.
You'll have a great time! Thank you for watching and safe travels!!
@@BrianandCarrie we're looking forward to it, currently in Sarajevo, making our way through the Balkans before Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary
Sounds awesome!! We enjoyed Sarajevo and don't miss Brasov in Romania.
@@BrianandCarrie Thanks for the recommendation Carrie ( or Brian :) )
Brian...😊
well, how i see it, if you want to live in Bp, you need to avoid tourist places, if you move to a less tourism focused part, the prices are more affordable, in terms of buying, renting, eating out, ect.
Hi guys, quick question about food poisoning and problems with stomach issues when you eat the food on your travels. How often have you had stomach pains and food poisoning and is there more of a problem in some countries or types of vendor (street food for example) than others? They say don't drink the local water, but it's often not possible as vegetables & fruits are often washed in it, then there's ice used in drinks - any thoughts there too? Thanks :)
We have never had any issues that you mention, we do use Larq water bottles to filter water. Knock on wood, we will be in Mexico this fall! 😁
I like Budapest very much. In fact, it is one of my favorite cities in Europe. There are spas everywhere. I have also traveled throughout the country both by train and renting a car. I would recommend Heviz. The thermal lake and spas are fantastic. I have one complaint. As Americans we can stay 3 months without a visa. Videos such as this should be careful on the use of the term long stay. For me, that means acquiring a visa. How difficult is that? These types of videos also need to discuss the politics of a country. While you may not be political, President Orban is. I would just caution anyone who may be considering retiring to this lovely yet troubled country.
So true about Hungary. It's a beautiful but troubled country.
As a Hungarian, I can only tell you, Orban, and his politics will not influence your life in Hungary. The country is not "troubled", rather stable. ( I Am not a big fan of his government)
@@andraskleistenes8586 I sure hope you can vote him out of office. I like everything else about your country. We settled in Vienna however, we often visit Hungary. As I mentioned earlier, beautiful country.
At some point you should be able to tell us your top 3 cities you consider living long time . Look forward to that video.
Great idea!! Thank you!! 😁
Love your videos. In Budapest, is there a particular district(s) that you would recommend to stay in?
We would stay close to the historic areas by the river on the Pest side. We have two other videos on Budapest that may help you make a decision that works for you. Thank you for watching!! 😁
Any inner district is fine. 1,2, 5,6,7, inner 8, and 13 are all very nice. Even 11 and 3 are fine - you just hop on the metro for a couple miles and you'll be right in the center.
What do you mean you were 'gifted' the house sit ?
Also how did you coordinate the dates of your planned trip to fit perfectly into the house sit - you mention you already had accom booked were able to house sit instead, which meant you would have already had your dates set with flights in and out of the country. How do you make house sit dates then fit into those travel dates after the fact ?
One of our viewers heard us mention we were going to Budapest and offered us their apartment while they are home in the States. We canceled our other accommodations.
Do you have any concerns about the political situation in Hungary?
We do not. People have been very kind and welcoming.
@@BrianandCarrie The people may be nice, but the government is moving away from Europe and to autocracy.
I think most travelers are aware that ETIAS has once again been postponed. This time until March of 2025. However, are you aware of the new law called EES? It is goes into effect in October of 2024.
Do you use a mic when creating videos? Can you recommend one?
We do, we use the DJI mics. There just under our shirts.
@@BrianandCarrie Thank you!
Here is a link to our website. You can find the link to the DJI mics under resources-camera gear. www.brianandcarrietravels.com/
Have you had any push back as ‘tourists’? In many places Europe at the moment there are a number or anti tourist protests happening by locals who believe the lack of and high cost of accommodation is being caused by tourists/Airbnb etc .
We have not had any problems with that at all.
@BoninBrighton as usual the media overblows every story. Sure, there are places like Venice, Barcelona Ibiza etc. Popular tourists destinations that are overrun with tourists thanks to package holidays, cruise ships and lazy travelers lack of imagination and planning that are getting blowback.
But. Europe is huge, get off the beaten path, even staying in a nice sized town or suburban area outside the major tourist cities or sites and you'd be surprised at the welcome you get.
@@telluwide5553 it’s being reported to me by friends with properties in Spain/Portugal/France….just this week in Lanzarote problems of protests. Lots of this stuff isn’t being reported at all. It’s a valid concern for our retirement generation all fired up to travel (I’m an experienced traveller btw) and it’s a newish phenomenon I’ve not seen/heard before this year. Quite a few places are also now refusing the huge Cruise Ships.
@@BoninBrighton Good! It was only a matter of time. These protests are long overdue IMHO.
Don't get me started on those floating polluting cesspools called cruise ships that do nothing for local small businesses except for a few trinket sellers.
BTW I've lived, traveled and worked in Europe for 26 years. I was just in Greece, I hadn't noticed any, so they aren't everywhere.
Besides, I usually stay away from these overrated, over touristed areas, perhaps you should start thinking about doing the same as well...
@@BoninBrighton My wife and I were just talking about this phenomenon yesterday. When we (retirement age people) were young, there were, what, maybe 500,000,000 people on the planet who "might" be able to have travelled to these places. Certainly fewer than 1 billion Now? It is a completely different ballgame. It's billions of people. Many Chinese, Indians, Brazilians, Russians, Indos, former Eastern-Bloc, Middle-Easterner's and so many others who had NO ability to consider international travel at scale, are now filling these places all year, and especially in the summer. Cruising is a gigantic business, who knows - could be 50X what it was 50 years ago. So, it's a numbers game, simple math.
How much work was the house sit? My daughter did a lot of pet sitting to pay for trips during high school. I would be open to making this an option for future travel. Thanks!
This one wasn't really a house sit where we were doing much of anything. Typically you will have a pet to watch, but we've found this adds to our experience instead of taking away. You can check out the sits available for free here:trustedhousesitters.pxf.io/c/3563316/1555723/18144
Just to confirm, please. This was a housesit you found on TrustedHouseSitters? How far in advance did you book it? Thanks!
Just checked airbnb for a room in Budapest for the month of May 2025, cheapest (least expensive😊) was $632/month😢
That's not bad considering the cost of living expenses are inexpensive.
@@BrianandCarrieyes, all in, I could probably still come in under $1200-1400/month, so very reasonable, all things considered😊👍
That's very cheap!
You used to be able to get an apartment for that downtown. For just a room then the next is just a hostel bed for 900$. I think if your going to pay money you are better off in Vienna. There is better air quality and stuff. You might pay a bit more but your getting better quality that is worth a lot more. If your staying in a building with rocks falling down onto the street it should atleast be cheap and $600 is not. The chepest one what with like a 2* rating? Don't even think about it. Go on couch surfing or something.
The government is insane. Nevertheless the women are great and the bar scene was the best. Budapest is a lovely city with tremendous thermal spas.
Prague vs Budapest? You prefer Budapest?
Yes, we loved Budapest, especially for a longer term option.
Perhaps I just had a intuition this wouldn’t be somewhere you guys would want to stay long term so not sure this video was intended for me but that said I still listened to many points out of interest as I’ll soon be visiting.
Actually, we would love to go back and for a three month stay. We loved our time in Budapest!
I got confused by the living term. I enjoy your videos, excited to see Budapest with the help of your videos.
So Brian, what don't you like about that one grocery store? I'm curious.
Narrow aisles and crowded. It was a budget grocery store, so I didn't get everything I was looking for. 😔
@@BrianandCarrie Sounds like Lidl to me. I like Spar much more - unless it's the opposite.
Thank you. :)
Thank you, David!!
you have a list of "could we live here" places?
We have monthly cost of living videos and a few on our top travel choices. Here is one to get you started. 😊 ua-cam.com/video/YGxMw4R5xpI/v-deo.html
I visited Budapest in May this year. I like the city a lot. traveling around is easy and there are many attractions to explore. Unfortunately for me there are so many smokers around I would not be able to live in that city due to my asthma. But I really enjoyed the beautiful city.
If you stop your safety wing what health ins. Do you have at home?
Here is our recent video on health insurance.
ua-cam.com/video/m4_itDDudCw/v-deo.html
Hi! Can you tell us what Brian's global insurance is too please? Thanks!! :)
I use Cigna Global!
@@BrianandCarrie Thank you!!! :)
What about the food, besides groceries?
It is good! Much like what you would find in the Balkens with German mixed in. There also a lot of Thia restaurants, if you would like to mix it up a bit. 😊
@@BrianandCarrie Good to know and thanks for an interesting video!
I am also a content creator. I was just curious what is the tax rate charged on your UA-cam channel? I am not an American and I know different countries charge different rates.
It is all based on how much you make. It is difficult to say.
What about the language? Do they mostly speak just Hungarian? Can you get by with English?
Most speak English so you won't have any problems.
When you say $1147 do you mean each or for both of you? Because if it's $1147 for the month for both of you that is insanely cheap!!!
Like we mentioned in the video we did a house sit so rent was free. This price includes us as a couple. 😁
Have you tried the cherry beer?
Yes!! It is fantastic!!
@@BrianandCarrie it really is. If you're still there, most grocery stores have a chocolate called Turo Rudi. Curd and chocolate. I've never seen it anywhere else. So so yum.
We have arrived back in the US and preparing for our Mexico adventure in a few weeks.
Just curious about taxes. You are mobile so you don't pay taxes to any foreign country. What are you taxed by the US on your UA-cam channel?
We pay our US taxes just as we normally would.
Budapest is nice, but do visit Leipzig in Germany for a month.
Someone told me back in the communist era that East Germany was way cheaper than Hungary. Hungary was the expensive country.
Just be aware . While Budapest is a lovely city the train stations Kelenfold is overrun with beggars and thieves. My friend got his backpack stolen ( money , passport etc ) while boarding train to Vienna . The police does nothing . Also some areas near parliament quiet late evenings . Not sure how safe .
I've never had any problems at Kelenfold; and I live part time in Budapest. Perhaps it was a bad time, but I was there about five times this past spring and had no issues.
Always best to be aware wherever you travel.
hungarian healthcare is in a very very bad state, Budapest is the heart of the country and even there are HUGE problems and many prestige hospitals just shut down departments and this summer many operation rooms AC failed pushing the waiting list even further into the future. Outside of Budapest it is a survivors game, outside of like 3 cities where there are healthcare universities.
How difficult is it to get a D Visa in Hungary?
We didn't need a D Visa so haven't done any research.
, I think you misunderstood the question. You brought up long term stays. I would also be interested in the possibility of a long term stay. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a D Visa.
There is no misunderstanding. We haven't done any research on the D Visa in Hungary. In the past, we have provided visa information just to have requirements change and the information we provide becomes outdated. It is best to do research at the time you need a visa for the country of your choice.
@@BrianandCarrie, it is just confusing because you folks keep saying long term stay while meaning only 3 months. In most countries to stay 1 year requires a D Visa. In Portugal it is called D7.
Correct and those requirements change frequently. If we give you all the requirements for a D visa today and you watch this video a year from now the information may be outdated. We actually did a video on Portugal 2 years ago. The Golden Visa has changed since then.
I do want to visit, but I guess if you're just visiting you don't notice the authoritarianism?? 🤷
Politics does not come into play. You will love Hungary!
@@BrianandCarrie Since I'm based in Krakow now, it's one of the long weekend places on my list, along with Vienna. So let me know when you want to come to Krakow for an apartment/cat sit ;) and YES I am in a fab location.
And it's modern 😅
Compared to what Stacie? You mean, the great things happening every minute of every day where most of us live now in our Western legacy brand countries? Perhaps you hadn't noticed the Hamas rallies choking major cities, censorship and cancelling, attacks by school and other institutions on kid's health and wellbeing, woke irrationality of every kind by the media, corporate elites and the government? I'm no apologist for authoritarians but I'm also no simp for people who ignore what happening right in front of them.
, the political situation of a country does come into play should you decide to settle there.
Where are the pets? No guest appearances
We didn't have any pets! Just a house sit! 😁
It sounds like a wonderful city. I would be hesitant to stay there long term due to the politics of their leader. Currently they are in the middle of the Ukraine/Russia conflict, and their major oil pipeline has been closed in response. Too much tension for me. Short term? Once their neighbors stop fighting I would.
As an expat, you will feel nothing of the influence of the war in Hungary.
If Mr. (I want to be a dictator) Orban was not in the scene Hungry would be amazing.
We didn't notice any politics. Just welcoming, friendly people.
Why a dictator? There are democratic elections and because he always decides what the people want, that's why they elect him again and again!
@@juz3r1 If people actually voted that would be great, only 2 million out of 8 mil voted. Due to there super majority system many people no longer feel much hope in being able to change things.
He thankfully is not allowing illegal migration! People don’t talk and get into politic there so best you don’t go, your attitude would not be welcomed.
@juz3r1 Lol the elections are as “democratic” as Putin’s are
What is the real story on all of the illegals/asylum seekers. Is it really noticeable or not as advertised
We didn't notice anything.
Living here. I don't really notice. Its all propaganda. 😬
They aren’t opening their borders which is good and I support. But the EU is fining them sadly over this border issue.
, one of the primary points of the EU is the correct pronunciation open borders. Also without the Schengen Zone, we would have to apply for individual visas.
Hungary has many refugees from Ukraine, but not from the middle east or Africa. Since Ukraine is similar culturally, it has not been a huge problem other than driving up prices a bit. Hungary is very big on maintaining national identity and gives out subsidies for having multiple children. Like many countries in Europe, they are experiencing a decline in population.
What a difference house sitting can make in the budget. 😮💰🪙
Are you finding one country has better tasting beer over others? 🤔
Adventurous beer mixes you might want to try....
Diesel = Coke & Beer
Bananenweizen = Banana Juice & Wheat Beer
Radler = Beer & Lemonade or Lemonade/Lime Soda..
😊 🍺 cheers 🍻
Germany has arguably the best beer in the world. Radlers are very common, Banaenweizen I've never heard of but makes sense, the Diesel sounds disgusting and makes no sense! 🤣
@@BrianandCarrie You have just offended 18 million Dutch people, but that's totally fine, I prefer German beer too 🤣😆
I said "arguably" ! 🤣😁
I've heard the bananenweizen is great in Cologne. We're going to try it this year.