The one on the right, LOL!
All-inclusive vacation and cruises – I do not get it?
I have never been a fan of all-inclusive vacations, and it is not only the extraordinary costs involved.
Let me see if I can frame it properly with my bad attitude on the topic:
- You head to the airport and have a few drinks at the airport lounge.
- Land in Puerto Vallarta and someone picks you up and shuffles you to an amazing resort.
- You mingle with other people from your own country and overeat buffet food.
- If you’re lucky, you can get a reservation for a steakhouse.
- You have to pay hundreds of dollars to do anything fun outside of the resort.
- Seven days later, you get back in the van and go back to the airport to go home.
I want to stress the amazing resort part as that is what people want to do on vacation, relax. I get that part 100%, you get pampered and get to lay around while gorging on amazing drinks and food.
What if you did things a little bit different so you actually experienced the country you are visiting:
- You head to the airport and have a few drinks at the airport lounge.
- You land in Puerto Vallarta and grab local transportation or a taxi to your Airbnb.
- I take the bus (50 cents) located outside the airport or Uber ($10) to get to the PV Malecon area.
- Unpack your bags at one of hundreds of Airbnb choices under $1000 a month.
- Head to my favorite local restaurant or food carts and grab a $2 taco and OXXO for $2 drinks.
- Wake-up each day with a plan to visit the local museums, points of interest, etc.
- One or two days, you buy a wristband to go sit at different resorts. (PV example in link).
Advantages:
- Amerce yourself in the local culture and live like a local.
- Try different restaurants including family food carts which are normally the best experience.
- Hit the local points of interest in PV including free things to do too.
- Take location transportation to the many surrounding towns to explore. (Bucerias/Neuvo Vallarta).
- Live like a local, they can do it for a few hundred dollars a month.
- Doing something crazy, grab a $50 6-hour redeye bus ride and head to Mazatlán for the day.
Sounds exhausting, I know but sitting around shuffling yourself from pool to food for seven days and seeing nothing? It just seems like a waste to me but again, each their own and I am here to share ideas.
My monthly travel budget for a month is about $2000 USD and it can be done for less around the world.
Approximate PV costs: $800 monthly rent, $300 groceries and alcohol (dirt cheap), $500 eating out, and another $400 miscellaneous. Rent would probably be the same for two weeks as there is normally a monthly discount at most Airbnb’s. If you have two people, the cost would be about $3000 total, again it is an estimate as everyone lives differently. I am just here to show that there are options out there.
Here is an example of the all-inclusive in PV, Mexico for example purposes only:
MARCH 3 – 10 – $3256 PER ADULT
MARCH 11 – 18 – direct $2898 PER ADULT
MARCH 19 – 26 – $2856 PER ADUT
MARCH 20 – 27 $2779 PER ADULT
I realize that you can find a seat sale for a lot less but made it extreme to prove my point.
If you had the time, you could stay in Mexico two two-plus months for a lot less money. Find a deal on a two-month condo lease for $500-$700 and use the $2500+ difference to live like a king and save a ton of money. Send me a WhatsApp or email from the homepage if you want more examples!
All-inclusive vacation – I do not get it?
I have never been a fan of all-inclusive vacations, and it is not only the extraordinary costs involved.
Let me see if I can frame it properly with my bad attitude on the topic:
- You head to the airport and have a few drinks at the airport lounge.
- Land in Puerto Vallarta and someone picks you up and shuffles you to an amazing resort.
- You mingle with other people from your own country and eat buffet food.
- If you’re lucky, you can get a reservation for a steakhouse.
- You must pay hundreds of dollars to do anything fun outside the resort.
- Seven days later, you get back in the van and go back to the airport to go home.
I want to stress the amazing resort part as that is what people want to do on vacation, relax. I get that part 100%, you get pampered and get to lay around while gorging on amazing drinks and food.
What if you did things a little bit differently so you experienced the country you are visiting:
- You head to the airport and have a few drinks at the airport lounge.
- You land in Puerto Vallarta and grab local transportation or a taxi to your Airbnb.
- I take the bus (50 cents) located outside the airport or Uber ($10) to get to the PV Malecon area.
- Unpack your bags at one of hundreds of Airbnb choices under $1000 a month.
- Head to my favorite local restaurant or food cart and grab a $2 taco and OXXO for $2 drinks.
- Wake up each day with a plan to visit the local museums, points of interest, etc.
- One or two days, you buy a wristband to go sit at different resorts. (PV example in link).
Advantages:
- Amerce yourself in the local culture and live like a local.
- Try different restaurants including family food carts which are normally the best experience.
- Hit the local points of interest in PV including free things to do too.
- Take location transportation to the many surrounding towns to explore. (Bucerias/Neuvo Vallarta).
- Live like a local, they can do it for a few hundred dollars a month.
- Doing something crazy, grab a $50 6-hour redeye bus ride and head to Mazatlán for the day.
Sounds exhausting, I know but sitting around shuffling yourself from pool to food for seven days and seeing nothing? It just seems like a waste to me but again, each their own and I am here to share ideas.
My monthly travel budget for a month is about $2000 USD and it can be done for less around the world.
Approximate PV costs: $800 monthly rent, $300 groceries and alcohol (dirt cheap), $500 eating out and another $400 miscellaneous. Rent would probably be the same for two weeks as there is normally a monthly discount at most Airbnb’s. If you have two people, the cost would be about $3000 total, again it is an estimate as everyone lives differently. I am just here to show that there are options out there.
Here is an example of the all-inclusive in PV, Mexico for example purposes only:
MARCH 3 – 10 – $3256 PER ADULT
MARCH 11 – 18 – direct $2898 PER ADULT
MARCH 19 – 26 – $2856 PER ADUT
MARCH 20 – 27 $2779 PER ADULT
I realize that you can find a seat sale for a lot less but made it extreme to prove my point.
If you had the time, you could stay in Mexico two plus months for a lot less money. Find a deal on a two-month condo lease for $500-$700 and use the $2500+ difference to live like a king and save a ton of money. Send me a WhatsApp or email from the homepage if you want more examples!
Keeping up with the Jones’
I found an article that describes settling for something other than the best. Again, there is nothing wrong with living this way, I just call it keeping up with the Jones’ which is almost impossible! 🤑
- You can only afford the standard iPhone and not the Pro Max: How do people even live under these conditions? Why would you talk to someone with an older phone as they are broke!
- Your vacation cabin is single-story: And it doesn’t even have wifi.
- You’re forced to buy generic Dijon mustard instead of Grey Poupon: Now every time someone asks you to lower the window on your Rolls Royce to ask if you have any Grey Poupon you have to sadly say, “No, all I have is French’s,” and everyone will laugh at you.
- You have to watch Netflix with ad breaks: We thought this was America.
- You had to downgrade your Disneyland annual pass to the lowest tier: Now you can’t go on weekends and holidays, significantly reducing your quality of life.
- You can only afford the $7000 nosebleed seats for a Taylor Swift concert: Capitalist bourgeoisie oppression.
- You have to turn off ray-tracing on Cyberpunk 2077 because you can’t afford the new GeForce graphics card: The graphics aren’t as realistic now, because you’re poor.
- You can’t afford to go out to eat more than three times a week: This is what food insecurity looks like.
- When you do go out to eat, you still have to order from the value menu: $18 dollars for a combo meal is just too much for you.
- You can only afford a “Gold Star” Costco membership: Plebians of the world, unite.
- You can only afford a 2,500-square-foot house: You might as well be homeless.
- You can only afford to buy a Porsche on Black Friday: Pathetic.
- You can’t afford anything larger than a 55-inch TV: How could we allow such cruelty?
- Your gardener only mows and edges: He doesn’t even bother to sculpt your topiary.
- You couldn’t get the Full Self-Driving add-on for your new Cybertruck: Driving your car manually is for peasantry.
- You can’t afford to get extra whipped cream on your morning latte: No one should have to live like this.
- You can no longer afford the credits to offset your carbon emissions: The guilt is real.
Well, there you have it. If any of these are true of you, congratulations: you’re poor in a capitalist country.
There is hope, follow me here at NorthAmericanDarrell.com to break the travel and/or retirement cycle!
The American dream – dual citizenship!
Canada: Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out!
Meeting an awesome blogger in the Philippines!
Bohol, Philippines and Bohol are two of the best ranked islands in SE Asia! There has been no shortage of inspiration to start NorthAmericanDarrell.com over the years. Meeting Ben during my five-week trip to The Philippines is a perfect example.
Why rich Americans are also using Airbnb!
As part of my posts, I plan to share articles that meet the same agenda as NorthAmericanDarrell.com
The below professionally written article nails facts that Airbnb not only saves money, it also is a lot more comfortable.
Personally, I ensure my Airbnb has everything guests need including their favorite nightcap and a bottle of Baily’s to get their day started. If something goes wrong, I send a gift certificate to a local Mexican restaurant to compensate with a couple of Margaritas. I currently have all five-star reviews across the board which is great for repeat customers and advertising.
Below is an article that clearly explains the reason to choose Airbnb for your stay.
Michelle Mastro covers lifestyle, travel, architecture, and culture.
I usually avoid hotel chains, but staying at a Four Seasons completely changed my tune©Joey Hadden/Business Insider
- I stayed at the Four Seasons in Jackson Hole and felt like I was in a luxury mountain lodge.
- With 133 locations, the hotel chain ensures each site reflects its destination.
- Take a look around the luxury ski resort reminiscent of the American West.
When I stay in a hotel, I don’t want a bland room, or a lobby decorated like countless others across the country. I don’t want to feel like I could be anywhere in the world. I want my accommodation to reflect my destination.
That’s why I typically book boutique hotels with character, whether it’s a 1930s adobe inn in Arizona or the Versace Mansion towering over South Beach, Miami. But on a recent trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I decided to try a Four Seasons for the first time.
It’s not just any hotel chain. The 63-year-old company, with 133 locations worldwide, is known for its luxurious vibe. US News ranked the Jackson Hole location the best hotel in Wyoming. During my one-night stay, the lodge reminded me I was in Jackson Hole at every turn.
Kim Cole, the director of public relations for the Four Seasons, told Business Insider that while guests can expect the same high level of service across locations, each hotel is different. “There’s a sense of place at every Four Seasons,” she said. Each is designed to suit the destination — making every location unique.
When Mike Kelly set up his first few Airbnbs in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 2023, he figured it would be a successful move. It was meant to be an investment project for him and his daughter to work on together. But as more people moved away from bustling and expensive urban centers and landed in the Midwest, their hopes were quickly shattered.
The Fort Wayne housing market boomed. High demand for homes, coupled with the city’s low housing stock, has kept costs relatively high — a Redfin analysis of housing data found home prices were up 9.2% in October compared with last year. The hot housing market has translated into higher property taxes, which is throwing off the short-term-rental business model. “The houses we purchased to turn into Airbnbs have been assessed so much higher than what we put into them that we almost can’t afford to keep them,” Kelly said. “The return on equity wouldn’t be as high.”
Owners of short-term rentals across the country have faced a similar reality, sharing stories of declining revenues over the past few years as the market was flooded with new rentals. AirDNA, an analytics firm that tracks the short-term-rental market, found that revenue per rental decreased by nearly 2% in 2022 and by more than 8% in 2023 due to an overabundance of units available for rent. AirDNA forecast that revenues would move back into the green in 2024 as the market corrected. But as short-term-rental owners felt signs of an “Airbnbust,” some realized they needed to pivot.
On one end of the market, however, it’s a different picture. While overall demand for short-term rentals rose just 1.8% in 2023, according to AirDNA’s data, demand for stays priced at $1,000 or more increased by nearly 8%. For stays over $1,500, demand jumped 12.5%. In fact, demand for rentals costing over $1,000 a night has increased by 73% since 2019. While cheaper rentals are slowing down, luxury, niche, and themed stays are filling their place. Wealthy vacationers are increasingly going after luxe properties such as a secluded Malibu beach mansion or a modern cabin beset by pristine woods — like something off Cabin Porn. Meanwhile, Airbnb alternatives are jumping into the market to cater to the growing demand. A lust for luxury is propelling the short-term-rental market to new heights.
Over the past few years, more travelers have pushed back against the Airbnb model, complaining of outrageous cleaning fees, extensive cleanup requirements, and outright scams. As a result, some travelers have opted to stay in good old-fashioned hotels thanks to their consistent service.
These complaints, however, tend to focus on rentals on the low end of the market — the $200-a-night stay you might book to visit a family member or get out of town for a weekend. The luxury end of the rental market fills a different role. These spots boast plenty of hotellike amenities — such as contactless check-in, high-speed internet, bathroom toiletries, and coffee makers. Because of the high price point, luxury rentals also tend to standardize their cleaning services. Unlike a hotel room, though, a house or apartment comes with a lot more room to host guests, plus amenities such as a kitchen or private pool. When split between multiple guests for a night or weekend, some of the eye-popping price tags end up being surprisingly affordable.
Among high-income travelers, who made up an increasingly large share of vacationers this year, hotels are on the way out. Deloitte’s 2024 summer-travel report found a 17-point drop in people who earn over $200,000 opting to stay at full-service hotels compared with the summer before. While middle-income travelers moved toward budget accommodations like bed and breakfasts and RV rentals, high earners shifted toward private-home rentals.
One brand capitalizing on the growing demand is Wander. Launched in 2022, Wander owns all of its 200 properties, each beautifully designed with stunning landscaping. Its founder and CEO, John Andrew Entwistle, had the idea of making a vacation rental feel like a luxury hospitality brand after a disastrous ordeal renting a cabin in Colorado. “The whole experience felt broken, the type of thing all of us has had at a vacation rental one time or another: The place didn’t look like the photos. The beds were uncomfortable. The list goes on and on,” he said.
He wanted a rental home with heart and soul, where the building was designed around the landscape and high-speed internet flowed across the house. Wander rentals are often in remote spots to give guests a sense of privacy and quiet. The cleaning service is standardized so guests don’t have to worry about cleaning up after themselves, and customers can check in on their own through their smartphones. Every unit, which costs an average of $900 a night, also features sleek workstations for digital nomads.
Other travel brands have found similar success in the luxury market. There’s Mint House, a cross between a hotel and short-term rental that has 12 properties across 10 major US cities. Visitor experiences are personalized — for instance, guests can request that the refrigerator be stocked with their favorite groceries before they arrive — and there’s 24/7 customer care. The apartments, which can be studios or have multiple bedrooms, are priced similarly to hotels and feature bespoke furniture and decor, along with all the necessities of modern accommodations. To explain the brand’s success, Christian Lee, the CEO of Mint House, pointed to the company’s ability to provide consistent experiences. “Unlike other short-term listings that lack security and guest care and often require a guest to perform chores at checkout, all of our properties are professionally managed to ensure the utmost safety, security, and cleanliness,” he said.
The luxuriousness only goes up from there. Rental Escapes, a full-service luxury-villa-rental company founded in 2012, offers over 5,000 villas in more than 70 destinations worldwide. They start at $500 a night — though most go for tens of thousands. Amase Stays, a collection of $10 million rental estates founded this year, creates bespoke experiences for its top-of-the-line properties, with dedicated concierges who can arrange everything from private chefs and spa services to customized excursions.
Chris Lema, a business coach and product strategist, is a Wander superfan. “These are places that are architecturally beautiful, and the land that they sit on feels like a national park,” he said. He likes that the company provides attainable luxury — he’s stayed in 13 different Wander locations and hopes to “collect them all,” he said. He has even started planning trips around Wander rentals.
“I thought this is where Airbnb was going to go with its business model,” he said. “If you go to Airbnb’s website now, they have these different categories like ‘amazing views’ or ‘lakefront.’ But none of these rentals push forward on the issue of experience. There’s the Luxe category — but it’s not the same thing.”
In Airbnb’s Luxe category, homes might cost anywhere between $200 and hundreds of thousands of dollars a night. When the category launched in 2019, an Airbnb press release said the homes would have to pass a slate of design and experience criteria, including higher standards for cleanliness and amenities like towels and toiletries. Unlike at other Airbnb properties, a company representative has to walk through Luxe properties to verify them. Despite that, Lema hasn’t been impressed.
“They seem to rank Luxe based on the niceness of the residence,” Lema said, “but that isn’t really the point of what that kind of experience should be.”
An Airbnb spokesperson said, “We’re proud to be the only travel platform that offers stays for nearly any desired travel experience.” They added: “We’re also proud of the growth of our Luxe category supply and look forward to expanding the offering.”
So far, Wander’s model is working out. It launched with only three locations, and two years later, it has 200 houses and an average occupancy rate of 80%, Entwistle said. By the beginning of 2025, Entwistle hopes to launch locations in Mexico and Canada.
Back in Fort Wayne, Kelly ended up pivoting his Airbnb business to cater to this demand for luxury. “We focus on four-bedroom-plus homes where groups can gather for weddings or reunions,” he said. Houses with pools and hot tubs are especially desirable, he’s found. Kelly has also amassed a thriving collection of themed Airbnbs. He designed one house to look like the childhood home of the fictional character Fawn Liebowitz from the cult classic film “Animal House.” He’s working on another rental themed around Indiana University sports teams.
“At the end of the day, the ‘luxury’ houses are more affordable than staying in multiple hotel rooms,” he said. Plus, offering something unique, like a theme, helps homes stand out from the crowd. With the new focus, Kelly’s Airbnbs are rarely empty, he said.
Travelers are increasingly wising up to the fact that time — and where, how, and with whom you spend it — is the greatest luxury.
Part of the shifting demand stems from people viewing luxury rentals as a destination unto themselves — if the place you’re staying is cool enough, you don’t need to get out much. Others are drawn to them as a means to get away from the hubbub. “In today’s globalized world, travel destinations have become more and more homogenous and tourist-burdened,” Spencer Bailey, the editor of the new book “Design: The Leading Hotels of the World,” said. “People are seeking out distinctive experiences away from the crowds and searching for a certain sense of intimacy, craft, and care.” It’s not just about top-rate service, intricate design, or even a Michelin-starred restaurant. “It’s about being in nature, engaging in local culture, and creating discrete, felt experiences that encourage quietness and slowness, not an Instagram moment,” Bailey says.
A private rental is often more secluded, meaning travelers can prioritize spending more time alone with their loved ones. “Travelers are increasingly wising up to the fact that time — and where, how, and with whom you spend it — is the greatest luxury,” he said. Michelle Steinhardt, the founder of the luxury travel blog The Trav Nav, wrote about her recent stay at a secluded beachfront property rental in Punta Mita, Mexico: “Even though we were only a few minutes from the local town, our party felt like everyone else was miles away.”
Increasingly, getting away from home isn’t enough. We also want to get away from other people. For those who can afford it — or have enough friends — luxury-travel companies are more than happy to accommodate.
Michelle Mastro covers lifestyle, travel, architecture, and culture.
Buy me a beer or don’t! Cheers!! 🍻
Snuffy really never bought me a beer and you don’t have too either.
I set up this feature for folks who choose to support my adventures by purchasing me a $5 beer. I will accept one donation or recurring monthly beers but no higher amount than USD 5.
If you choose to buy me a beer, your name can be added or a fake name if we can get in trouble, how we met, and a fun story of our choosing will be added “Your name here” under the buy me a beer menu. Drinking alone can be a problem, but they don’t know that snuffaluffagus is always there, LOL.
I just think it is a fun way to generate a little beer money and reminisce once or even every month if you’re a baller, LOL. I might even send you some fancy “Follow my travels” stickers that I am going to stick during my travels. It keeps me in your thoughts, beer for me! 🙌

If you’re interested, click on the homepage to take the Magic carpet ride. The Gmail icon will send me an email with the story, the PayPal, Venmo or Patreon icons will send the donation and click reoccurring will send it every month, baller.
Please also send me a WhatsApp by clicking that icon to give me a heads up, I do not want to miss your email and story. Even if you don’t donate, I would love to chat travel with you via WhatsApp icon!
Cheers!
Darrell
Why create a website, they have social media!
The simple answer is that people spend too much money on travel IMO, and I want to try to help through experience. I put my boots (flip flops) on the ground and tell you what I saw, and you can take it from there if you choose. I have my Gmail and WhatsApp contact icons on the home page if you have a question and the best part is that it is free unless you decide to buy me a beer. What a deal, right!?
As a boomer, trying to relearn or in most case learn new technology, I ask myself this question every single update WTF but, at the end of some travel days, I really enjoy posting. I took several banking classes over the last seven years but nothing technical. I didn’t need to understand how things worked like my 18-year career in Telecommunications.
People asked me, why don’t you get back into Telecom. The answer is simple, I am a 3G guy living in a 5G world of internet. All I needed to do confirm my career was coming to an end was to study for my CCNA certification. To this day, I still do not properly understand IP addresses which is the absolute basics of understanding the internet. Damn kids, get off my lawn!
Secondly, people judging my social media posts had become extremely old:
- Why do you need to post everything?
- I shake my head every time I read one of your posts!
- Why does everything need to be political?
- I don’t post everything that happens in my life.
- People have responsibilities and cannot travel like you.
- People will never travel like you is my absolute favorite!
As you will start to understand or may already know me, I love to travel, find and share good deals. Now you need to visit NorthAmericanDarrell.com if you’re interested instead of Social Media posts. I plan to still use social media to direct people to posts but the choice will be theirs to click the link.
Another reason for creating NorthAmericanDarrell.com is a lot of my work and personal travels have been solo. I have things that I have always wanted to share with people, and it does not matter if you’re friends, family or complete strangers. Some posts my save you money and others are posts that I think may give you an edge in your travels if you choose. Again, you get to decide to visit so quit your bitching on grammar and spellcheck as well.
In closing, one of the last things my mom said to me was, “Live Life to the fullest” and she would often add “If they don’t like it, they can kiss my ass”. It would drive me and my sisters crazy, but little did we know, she was absolutely right, and we all say it now.
I even got a tattoo “Live life to the fullest” on my leg and I can promise you that a “you can kiss my ass” tattoo will happen someday too. I miss you everyday Mom, I will do the best I can to show people on this website to “Live life to the fullest” and if they don’t like it, they can kiss my ass!
Welcome to NorthAmericanDarrell.com
Education/Work experience:
1986-1989 – High School – Archbishop O’leary
2003-2005 – Post Secondary – Telecommunications Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
1996-2014 – Northern Telcom/Nortel/Ericsson
2017-2024 – PayPal/Venmo
2024 – Solo slow traveler, vlogger & geoarbitriage at NorthAmericanDarrell.com
Europass! Amtrak’s and CNs big Brother!!
Until I visited Europe in the middle of 2024, I had no clue how amazing and popular train travel is within Europe. I probably still do not have a grasp on it as I have only been to two train stations in Vienna, Austria. The central train station in Vienna, Austria Wien Hauptbahnhof (click blue link) was as big or even bigger than a lot of the Airports in Canada and the United States. There were several levels, entrances, and train companies (local/international) and I got lost more than once.
I purchased a Europass for 25% off to use for a trip scheduled for March 2024. The pass that I chose was $380 USD for ten days that can be used over a two-month period. This was perfect as that is less than $40 for a full day of train travel depending on which routes I choose.
I created a dream trip at the top of the post which shows the routes I would take if possible. It will be impossible to take all of those routes but if I can even reach half of them, it would be spectacular.
Below is some of the research I did to create this dream train router:
Train rides to consider:
https://www.eurail.com/en/plan-your-trip/trip-ideas/suggested-itineraries/one-month-europe-alternative-tour
The best of Italy
stop location Milan, Rome, Florence, Naples and
Discover the Mediterranean
stop location Barcelona, Nice, Genoa, Rome
Portugal and Spain
stop location Porto, Faro, Cadiz, Granada
France north to south
stop location Versailles, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon
Journey to the Adriatic
Villa Opicina – Rijeka
a direct, regional train has been operating from Villa Opicina in Italy to Rijeka in Croatia, cutting through the southwestern corner of Slovenia along the way.
Chase the sun in Cornwall
Exeter – Penzance
England might not seem like the most obvious place to catch some offseason warmth – but Cornwall is one of the sunniest regions in the United Kingdom, enjoying a mild climate well into the autumn.
The quiet side of Italy’s coastline
Bari – Lecce
The stretch of Italian coastline from Bari to Lecce may not be as famous as Cinque Terre or Amalfi, but if you look closely, you’ll find plenty of pristine beaches, dramatic cliffsides and ancient towns to explore
Explore Portugal’s southern coast
Lagos – Vila Real de Santo António
Portugal’s southern coastline is a summer hotspot for travelers across the world. But our favorite time to visit is after August, when crowds disperse but temperatures stay comfortable enough to swim.
Slow down in seaside towns
Perpignan – Girona
Many travelers opt for high-speed rail when crossing from France into Spain. But, in doing so, they miss a spectacularly scenic railway line that stretches along the dramatic Mediterranean coast and winds through the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Discover a wild Baltic island
Greifswald – Świnoujście
Embark on an island adventure when you travel from Greifswald, in northern Germany, to Świnoujście, in Poland’s far northwestern corner.
An Andalusian adventure
Seville – Cádiz
Wandering through Seville is an experience to be savored, especially after summer, when temperatures drop to 24 and 25 degrees Celsius. With history around every turn and mouth-watering cuisine, it’s a perfect place to begin a Eurail adventure though southern Spain.
Cities recommended to train by train:
Ghent, Belgium Rotterdam, the Netherlands Leipzig, Germany Warsaw, Poland Budapest, Hungary Belgrade, Serbia Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina Zagreb, Croatia Bologna, Italy Lyon, France
Wizz airlines all you can fly!
This is the latest pass I purchased for USD 550 and my favorite by a long shot. Wizz is a discount airline based in Budapest, Hungary that flies to 52 different countries within Europe, UK, Ireland, Iceland, and the Middle East including the Maldives. The obvious hitch here is that you need to get to one of those countries to start using the pass which can be difficult depending on the time of year. I have only used the pass a handful of times for that reason, but it has easily paid itself off with one of the five flights I have already taken. I was able to find a flight from Los Angeles to London Gatwick for $109 on Norse Airlines (click link) which within itself is amazing! I was also able to fly home using a buddy pass which was amazing too!
I am headed back to Europe to use the pass again in March 2024 for 42 days. Keep an eye out for updates as my bucket list for that trip is plentiful and will include the Euro pass train ticket (click link) I bought too.
Below is a summary and link from the Wizz website (click link):
Wizz Air offers an “all you can fly” pass for an annual fee of $55012. This pass provides unlimited one-way and round-trip flights to any of Wizz Air’s international destinations, including routes throughout Europe, parts of North Africa, the Middle East, and the Maldives1. Passengers can book flights 72 hours before departure, choosing from available routes at the time3.
Here are the places I have been on the Wizz AYCF pass including two I had to cancel due to illness:
London
Varna, Bulgaria
Budapest, Hungary
Vienna, Austria
Abu Dhabi/Dubai, UAE
Maldives – cancelled
Barcelona, Spain – cancelled
GoWild! The Frontier all you can fly pass!!
This is the first all-you-can-fly (AYCF) pass I bought back in 2023 and paid USD 499. I was working four days a week including weekends which was perfect as there we a lot more empty seats during the week for me.
Frontier did not know what they were getting into, so they started the price very high. They ran early bird specials at lower prices and gradually raised the price will all passes renewing at $2000. They then started selling Summer and Winter passes for cheaper and eventually dropped the price to $299
Below is a summary and more can be found in this link: GoWild! All You Can Fly Pass™ | Frontier Airlines
The Frontier GoWild! Pass is an annual pass offered by Frontier Airlines. It costs $599 for the first year and is valid for travel between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025. There is also a Summer GoWild! Pass priced at $499 for travel between May 1, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2024, and a limited-time offer for the Fall & Winter GoWild! Pass at $299 per year1. The pass provides unlimited flights, but booking for domestic flights is only available the day prior (10 days prior for international flights). Passholders are still responsible for taxes, fees, and add-ons
This is the least favorite of the three AYCF passes (Frontier, Volaris and Wizz) simply because it does not offer the best destinations. I plan to keep renewing it at $299 as it helps me get to around the United States perfectly and I have had decent luck finding open seats when needed.
Below are the destinations that I have visited with the pass so far:
Los Angeles three times
Baltimore
Las Vegas twice
San Diego twice
Dominican Republic
Virgin Islands
Denver
Who is NorthAmerican Darrell
A legend in my mind is the best way to describe it, I just think differently than most people!
I was born in Edmonton, Alberta Canada, and raised in the early eighties when life was simple. We rode our bikes and played outside, and we did not have the internet like kids today.
Canada was the only thing I knew until my first vacation to Southern California and Mexico in my early teens. My first memory of travel was falling asleep under the Christmas tree with the paper airline ticket after reading it 100s of times. Yes, they used to have paper carbon copies of your actual legs of an airplane return trip, wild! Just like now, I would tell anyone who cared about my travels (most didn’t and still don’t) that I was going to California and Acapulco, Mexico (some things never change, LOL)!
We drove all around Southern California into Las Vegas and then flew to Acapulco with those initial memories engrained in my mind forever. I fell in love with traveling to America and Mexico!
Unimaginable at the time, I would later in life live in Southern California, Las Vegas, and now Mexico.
Looking back, I had a plan, and no matter what happened along the way, I would selfishly follow that plan whether I knew it at the time of my decisions. The makings of a solo traveler!
After graduating high school in Edmonton and trying a few things, my first break happened. I wanted to work with satellites for some unknown reason, so I enrolled in Telecommunications at the Northern Alberta Insitute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton. It would take me three years to complete my two-year Telecommunications associate’s diploma. I was not the most dedicated student, to say the least, plus my favorite bar was just across the field, Ezzies.
The week before graduating from NAIT in December 1995, I would interview with Canada’s largest Company, Northern Telecom. Looking back, it was a miracle as I was in the bottom half of my class. I aced the interview, and it was the biggest break in my life! I was going to make $13.80 an hour from the part-time $5.50 I was making in 2005, life was good!!
I needed to relocate to Calgary and started on January 4th, 1996. Within a couple of years, I was traveling back and forth to our Richardson, TX head office which is a suburb in Northern Dallas. It seemed that I was going there every month making contacts while falling in love with the American dream. I would board a plane in freezing Calgary and three hours later, I was wearing shorts! How awesome was that!!
After traveling back and forth, I met someone, she was a flight attendant which again was another sign of things to come. Eventually, I was offered a job in Richardson, TX, given a work visa and traveling full time.
Work would have me crisscrossing the United States and eventually internationally. My girlfriend would follow me and also fly me anywhere I wanted, whenever I wanted. Holy shit, my dreams were happening! I still thank her to this day when I ask for free flights, LOL. Thankfully, she has a great life raising twin boys along the way!
Little did I know but these events would severely warp my crazy traveling mind into what it is today. A travel junky that cannot stay put, and always looking for a deal. I was turning into NorthAmerican Darrell!
My next break was getting a job was PayPal after 18 years at my first job out of college. The job fell in line with my strong beliefs in managing money so I could eventually travel. It was a great company but a shitty call center job, but it showed some money management skills.
I would get yelled at via email, chat, or on the phone by people being broke-ass douchebags not being able to manage their money. I could have also easily moved up and might still be employed, but I just didn’t have the piss and vinegar needed. I had health insurance and investments in place and was burning time for the #Freedom50ish traveling dream. To this day, I get pissed off when people use CAPS in a chat or text.
Fast forward, I was laid off for the second time by a greedy corporation. Northern Telecom after 18 years in 2014 and now PayPal 7 years in 2024, 25+ years of service gone after both cleaned house.
Life started to hit me like a ton of bricks, and it showed. I was living in a messed-up America where politics were eating me alive. I felt it didn’t matter who I voted for in 2000 or 2024 to fix it either. Thankfully, I was satisfied with the outcome of the 2024 election.
Here I am in 2024, unemployed, 52, single AF. I was somewhat financially stable and able to travel whenever and where I wanted, again. I started looking back on previous decisions in life.
Almost everyone had kids, and grandkids, worked 9-5, took their one-week all-inclusive vacation, and spent the summers at the lake. They were living the life we were taught to live by generations. You’re supposed to get married, have 2.5 kids, live in a house with a white picket fence, pay a mortgage, be in debt, retire, and then die.
Statistically, if you’re a man, you die when you’re 73 if I am lucky to make it that far. That gives some people 5-10 years of retirement depending on their health after working their whole life. I watched it happen over and over in my Telecom career while losing so many family members at a young age as well.
Should I have kept my houses in Edmonton, Atlanta, and Charlotte where I had some stability? Instead, I settled into my, small, turnkey, mortgage fee condo that I Airbnb in AZ.
My first 2400-square-foot Edmonton house that I designed and built did not have a mortgage. I was able to pay cash from my work travels. I would have been set with no mortgage surrounded by my friends and family living like a normal person. I didn’t even use one of the four bathrooms FFS!
Who is their right mind to move on from that situation?

I could have also settled in other amazing cities that I worked in long term (Calgary, Dallas, Southern California). What about all the other shorter stops along the way (Las Vegas, Austin, San Antonio, Mexico City, Acapulco, Brazil)? I had corporate condos for months at a time, met some women, and friends, and had a good job opportunity to possibly settle down. I kept on trucking down the road.
Should I have gotten married to a woman that I let slip away? This is how most of my friends, family, and co-workers along the way played life, like generations before them.
There were so many amazing situations in their way and still think about all of them from time to time. I am slowly convincing myself, that as we get older life is a mirage, and see it the way we want.
I have always wanted to blog about my travel years of work and personal travel. This is the second attempt so here we go, again!
Welcome to NorthAmericanDarrell.com LFG!
What is Geoarbitrage? A Beginner’s Guide
What is geoarbitrage? I’ve tried to explain it to family and friends, but I struggle to explain the concept. I am guessing it is probably because you can’t explain something to people who don’t want to understand. It is not a part of their overall plan so why should they care, fair? Why should they be different than everyone else if they are happy? My thought is that they may not don’t know any other which is why I started this website. Some people may want something different if they knew it was possible. I can promise you, it is possible if you put your mind to it just like everything else.
Personal connections, cultural inspiration, and practicality away from home all while saving money! Waking up every day to prices you have not seen in decades and perfect weather. Yes, please!
Short of handing them a copy of The Four Hour Workweek – there’s no getting through to some people. I have experienced that life is too short to work, pay bills, retire, and die no matter what happens in between. Again, my life is just “different” but yours can be different too as the sky is the limit!! ✈️
The Basics of Geoarbitrage
In the United States and Canada, we associate cheap with having little value. If it’s too cheap, it’s too good to be true mentality. While we all love a good deal, anything too cheap is generally not worth it or there is a catch. This is a common occurrence around the world, or is it?
Yet, what’s cheap to someone earning in a hard currency, like US or Canadian Dollars, is quite different from what’s cheap for someone earning in a soft currency – like Mexican Pesos for example purposes.
I remember being baffled when my Ukrainian Family balked when I told them how much I was paying for my hotel room when I visited. I felt like I was getting an incredible deal for one night. They thought I was getting ripped off and could live the whole month with that money. We were both really confused!
An Example of Geoarbitrage
Examples are the easiest way to understand exactly what is geo arbitrage. You probably drink coffee. I know I do every morning, two cups. You’ve also probably been to Starbucks, once a year for me.
Maybe you frequented a few coffee shops like Timmys, Second Cup, or the many pop culture internet cafes opening in North America. Often, a decent coffee costs $3-7 USD, a breakfast pastry is $3-4 USD which is fairly standard pricing post-COVID.
I had a favorite coffee shop in Lima, Peru next to my Airbnb in Mira Flores (click links) which is the nicest area of Lima. I went for my walk which you can do comfortably year-round in Lima. I’d start with a mocha and treat every morning as I am not normally a big breakfast person. I’d walk for 2-3 hours to get my 10K daily steps in to start the day along with hundreds of others. Then I’d order my fancy coffee and a treat which could be anything from carrot cake to a cheese bun.
Guess what my bill was every day without tip (~10% in Lima) for a fairly fancy mocha, a small breakfast treat, and often times a fresh-pressed, organic juice. Less than $5 USD depending on the treat!
If you were to purchase the same items at a Starbucks or similar style coffee shop in the United States or Canada, I’d estimate the bill would come out to $14 USD give or take a few dollars. $4 for the mocha, $3 for the breakfast pastry, $6 for the fresh juice, and then taxes and a 20-25% tip as that’s how baristas roll. That’s Paying one-third the price for the exact same goods. You can also have an ocean view and not wear a heavy jacket, or long johns after warming up your car for 30 minutes!
Visiting Lima twice, I never did my laundry or shaved my mug. My weekly laundry was less than two dollars with overnight service folded and ready for the drawer. I had a local barber which I find in every low-cost city that gave me a hot shave and a trim for less than $4 a visit (FOUR USD). Those prices hardly cover the laundry pod or shaving cartridge FFS which allows you to make the worker’s day with a good tip. Win-Win!! (click link).
Taking Geoarbitrage to the Extreme as that is what I do!
I have experienced that the most popular locations for individuals with USD, Euros, Pounds, or whatever currency is strong at the moment to take advantage of geo arbitrage in Asia, Eastern Europe, Central America, and many others listed on the Country’s menu. Many living the lifestyle only live in these areas full or even part-time for Family reasons and a lot of them do it on social security or their CPP, hell yeah!!
Imagine this…
You have a brand-new studio apartment furnished with every amenity you desire is found in your stunning studio: air conditioning, a full kitchen, hot water, and often a great balcony view for your morning coffee or evening nightcap if you choose.
Outside your front steps, your community features a stunning resort-style pool to help endure the hot days. You wake up and walk to the gym ten minutes from your pad. Free weights, machine weights, pool, sauna, steam room – the works as the gym is like a resort, too.
You stop off at a restaurant after the gym to grab a big, garden-fresh salad prepared right in front of you and a freshly squeezed juice that wasn’t shipped two months ago and full of pesticides that cost $25+.
Lunch is downed while you work or take care of whatever else needs to be done even if it is nothing. You walk home to drop off your laptop and then walk to a North American-style or local restaurant for dinner.
After dinner, you meet up with some EXPATs or local friends for drinks at a bar within walking distance of your pad. Depending on the bar, a local or even fancy beer can cost less than a couple of dollars.
Then it’s off to sleep. No alarm clock set. You wake up the next day. Rinse and repeat. You never think about money, and you buy what you want – when you want to. You legitimately can’t overspend your budget. It’s damn near impossible in most of these places as long as you’re not a drunken sailor which again, is another story.
How expensive is this lifestyle?
In a place like Thailand, Vietnam, Peru, Columbia, Philippines (see my list of Countries) you can live like this, like a king, for $1,000 – $1500 USD a month! Many have done it for $700-800 a month if you want to eat and drink your coffee at home and live outside the city. There’s no need to budget or pinch pennies when you can live for less than $1,500 USD a month. That may even be less than your pension for a social security check if you are retired or have a seasonal job back home to go back to half the year.
Another example…
For $500 a month with a 6–12-month lease (slow travel), you can easily rent an apartment in parts of Asia that has a swimming pool, and a gym with top-notch equipment and machines. That leaves $1000+ spending money!
How much for the equivalent in Canada and the USA for this retirement plan? Imagine, you can spend half of your time in your home country and half of your time be a Geoarbitrage. The choice can be all yours!!
A really cool dude that rarely goes out!
Snuffy really never bought me a beer and you don’t have to either.
Cheers!
Darrell
Best Countries to visit!

When I thought about creating a website, I wanted it to have a few basic things:
Document past travel ✅Current travel blogging ✅Cost effective travel ideas ✅ Inspire to travel ✅
I am probably in the top percentile of people my age who use social media. It was a fad that never really went away for me until now. I would constantly post my travels which most people do as well. It just got to a point where I was just tired of the bullshit that came along with posting.
Starting NorthAmericanDarrell.com was always the answer but it was never a reality until January 2024.
The learning curve has been massive for me but I have enjoyed it so that is all that matters. I have broken down my places visited into Continents, Countries, and cities with a few exceptions like “Islands”.
Now that the structure of the site is developed, I can just blog as memories come across my mind.
The below list shows the best Countries to visit; I have been to the following:
1-Thailand, 7-Peru, 10-UAE, 11-France, 12-UK and 14-USA.
My current trip as of January 2024 should take me to:
2-Greece, 3-Indonesia, 4- Portugal, 8-Italy, 13-Bora Bora and, 15-Spain.
That should make it 12 of 15! Big dreamer – let’s see how it plays out!
Missing but achievable except the last one as I have zero interest in going to India!
5-Sri Lanka, 6-South Africa and 9-India.
What is slow travel?
Traveling slow, LOL!