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How cheap can you really live? $500 USD a month!

My travel budget is USD 2000 a month and I have all the time in the world which will allow me to go to most places in the world.  I cannot help you with time but, I can sure help you with the money part. If you are willing to live the slow travel nomadic lifestyle full or even part-time to get away from the snow.  

You can amerce yourself into a new culture and be a legend in your mind too, LOL!  I also know it’s not for everyone but neither is the bullshit inflation in North America!

I was introduced to slow travel on YouTube and stumbled upon Dan’s website and YouTube channel and immediately became addicted.  How could someone travel so inexpensively and visit so many amazing places too? Seems impossible! Well, it is far from impossible!

The below video shows Dan interviewing someone who is living under USD 500 a month and loving life too.  It is not for me and might not be for you, but it is incredible!

If this is something that intrigues you, Dan has 900+ videos of how to retire abroad!

* I chatted with Dan, and he permitted me to share information from his site!  You will see it in other posts as well so you may as well go get the milk from the cow so bookmark him!

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Alice the camel has … go Alice go!!!

One of my goals in visiting the United Emirates was to ride a camel just like my favorite cartoon!

I did not get to ride a camel but did visit a camel farm on the outskirts of Abu Dabhi.  I was just like the movies; the camels in the Desert are for real, they were everywhere!

I never pay for an excursion anywhere in the world as it goes against my life-like aspirations. 

My Uber driver told me, you’re a dumbass and I will cut you a deal. Fair enough, I can be a dumbass trying to save money. He did cut me a deal for the day to find a camel farm. 

It was awesome as they are such interesting animals and my driver gave me a great tour explaining their importance locally.  We also visited a camel racing track where these guys will run 8 km with big money betting from the rich culture within the area.   

Those were to good days and if you think this is silly …

Bugs Bunny is smarter than most of us!

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Boat tour off Koh Phi Phi, Thailand!

I consider my six-week trip to Thailand in 2021 as being free!

It was my fifth anniversary working for PayPal and I was eligible for my four-week sabbatical.  I tacked on two weeks of vacation and also rented my AZ condo on Airbnb the entire time.  How sweet of a deal was that setup!

January 2021, Thailand was reopening for tourists after COVID-19.  There were so many strict rules, but as always 90% of the stuff we worry about never happens.

Bring a negative COVID test within 48 hours of departure. ✅

Buy travel insurance that covers COVID. ✅

Take a COVID test once arriving at the hotel in Bangkok. ✅

Locked down in a hotel until the test came back negative in 48 hours. ✅

I would be fed three amazing meals a day delivered to my door. ✅✅✅

Allowed to wander around the hotel grounds during lockdown. ✅

Pretty amazing time-out to take care of the 14-hour time difference and jet lag! 

Once I received a clear email from the Thai government, I was off to tour Bangkok for two days before leaving. I would be back on my way home to finish touring the city.  

I left for my island hoping for adventures in the following days: Koh Samui, Koh, Phagan, Koh Tao, Phuket, and the topic of this post, my absolute favorite island in Thailand, Koh Phi Phi Island!

Unsure whether or not to jump! Damn rights, that was a long way up for a big boy!  

Watch for the body, UGH that’s a long way up for a big boy, LOL!

This was an amazing boat ride I took to tour the islands around Koh Fi Fi. We snorkeled and visited several bays in the area including the famous Maya Bay where the movie “The Beach” was filmed.  Although it was closed for swimming due to preservation, it was beautiful!

Here are some professional pictures from Google:

Since there was no swimming allowed, you could see all sorts of fishing including sharks from land.  It made it that much better seeing it unspoiled by tourists IMO. I will be back to swim!

Here are some less glamourous shots I took but it looks just as amazing!

I am also not much for snorkeling as I am claustrophobic. I survived and did not drop my GoPro while hyperventilating due to kicking so much, LOL!  

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Facebook memories around the world!

Facebook memories will often share mashed-up travel memories which is why I created a section called travel memories.  I will paste the memories as they are shared, I want them all in one place and this is perfect. 

This is a great mashed-up memory that covers so many amazing posts around the world.

Puerto Vallarta, Lake Paddle/Hawes hiking trail amazing sunsets, camping with my rooftop tent, Kona/Honolulu, Rocky Point and Lima sunsets, Philippines ferry ride, Vienna, Austria walk, and the last one is the spectacular Dubai harbor.

Seeing them all together makes me realize how fun it is to share my amazing travels here!

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London, UK layover!

 

I was able to spend London on my way back home on a trip in the fall of 2024.  I had been to London a few times, but it was always a great experience. It felt a bit different without the Queen when I landed. I took the train from Gatwick to central London Picadilly tube station.

Here are some shots I took of typical London pubs which are on most corners:

After I got off the tube, I walked to London bridge which was neat to see again.  It is always a challenge to tourists in London as traffic flows the opposite direction.  You will see “look right” signs at cross walks and almost got hit my first time there.

I found a great hostel near the bus station that I was taking to Heathrow. I needed to leave early for the airport to catch my flight but made the most of it. An old friend was flying me home on her passes, I couldn’t mess up, or she would not fly my ass anywhere again.

Everything worked out awesome and the AA agent gave me a bulkhead seat with a ton of leg room.  That is something that never happens as I fly cheap ass discount airlines.

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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:

  1. You head to the airport and have a few drinks at the airport lounge.
  2. Land in Puerto Vallarta and someone picks you up and shuffles you to an amazing resort.
  3. You mingle with other people from your own country and overeat buffet food.
  4. If you’re lucky, you can get a reservation for a steakhouse.
  5. You have to pay hundreds of dollars to do anything fun outside of the resort.
  6. 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:

  1. You head to the airport and have a few drinks at the airport lounge.
  2. You land in Puerto Vallarta and grab local transportation or a taxi to your Airbnb.
  3. I take the bus (50 cents) located outside the airport or Uber ($10) to get to the PV Malecon area.
  4. Unpack your bags at one of hundreds of Airbnb choices under $1000 a month.
  5. Head to my favorite local restaurant or food carts and grab a $2 taco and OXXO for $2 drinks.
  6. Wake-up each day with a plan to visit the local museums, points of interest, etc.
  7. One or two days, you buy a wristband to go sit at different resorts. (PV example in link).

Advantages:

  1. Amerce yourself in the local culture and live like a local.
  2. Try different restaurants including family food carts which are normally the best experience.
  3. Hit the local points of interest in PV including free things to do too.
  4. Take location transportation to the many surrounding towns to explore. (Bucerias/Neuvo Vallarta).
  5. Live like a local, they can do it for a few hundred dollars a month.
  6. 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!

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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:

  1. You head to the airport and have a few drinks at the airport lounge.
  2. Land in Puerto Vallarta and someone picks you up and shuffles you to an amazing resort.
  3. You mingle with other people from your own country and eat buffet food.
  4. If you’re lucky, you can get a reservation for a steakhouse.
  5. You must pay hundreds of dollars to do anything fun outside the resort.
  6. 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:

  1. You head to the airport and have a few drinks at the airport lounge.
  2. You land in Puerto Vallarta and grab local transportation or a taxi to your Airbnb.
  3. I take the bus (50 cents) located outside the airport or Uber ($10) to get to the PV Malecon area.
  4. Unpack your bags at one of hundreds of Airbnb choices under $1000 a month.
  5. Head to my favorite local restaurant or food cart and grab a $2 taco and OXXO for $2 drinks.
  6. Wake up each day with a plan to visit the local museums, points of interest, etc.
  7. One or two days, you buy a wristband to go sit at different resorts. (PV example in link).

Advantages:

  1. Amerce yourself in the local culture and live like a local.
  2. Try different restaurants including family food carts which are normally the best experience.
  3. Hit the local points of interest in PV including free things to do too.
  4. Take location transportation to the many surrounding towns to explore. (Bucerias/Neuvo Vallarta).
  5. Live like a local, they can do it for a few hundred dollars a month.
  6. 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!

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Travel bank fees, I hate them!

Imagine this concept! Bank fees are levied by financial institutions for various services and transactions to access your own money while they earn interest on it:
ATM fees 💸
Monthly maintenance fees unless you keep $10K earning shitty interest. 💸
Wire transfer fees 💸
Foreign transaction fees💸

According to a bankrate.com survey, more than 25% of Americans with checking accounts are paying an average of $24 per month in banking fees. I can promise you I pay a lot more traveling and it pisses me off to no end as you cannot beat them, or can you? 

Send me a WhatsApp or an email from the homepage and let me know what you do to try!

 

Here is an example of how the bank screws me when traveling. It costs $5 for not using a Wells Fargo bank machine even though it is impossible as they do not exist outside America. The ATM owner can also charge you anywhere from $3-$10 depending on the location. That is $15 before I see any of my damn money.

Then, there is a foreign exchange rate fee where the bank hedges your money to make even more money. I have paid as much as $22 to access my own money at times which is unbelievable.  You always get f#cked in the ATM drive-thru, LOL!

There are ways to combat this bullshit, take out more money at once and risk getting robbed? I never like to carry cash for that reason and have backup credit/bank cards as needed for emergencies.

Recently, I have found a decent solution to this problem. It is not perfect, but it is working so far, banking with Charles Schwab in the United States. They will never charge you a fee to access your money and they will also reimburse you for any ATM fees you experience in your travels. The downside is that it can take two business days to move your money from your bank to Schwab which can burn you in an emergency.  

Win some, lose some but for fuck sake (FFS), it is my money!

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Deep sea fishing in Kona, Hawaii

Meeting my first mate Sue and her husband Steve at Planet Fitness during my first week in Kona in the fall of 2022 was such an amazing sequence of events. I was there for two months, and it could not have started any better.  I found fishing buddies and they were good at it too!

It would make my fishing dreams come the following week catching a 350lb+ marlin pictured above getting weighed at the harbor. I remember it like it happened yesterday and it was the largest fish caught on Captain Toms’s boat Honu Hua “at the time”.  

They broke my heart in the Summer of 2024 with a 550lb+ marlin giving me reason to keep going back.  Look at the size of that marlin!!

Back to my fish story! Sue picked me up at crack ass so we could leave the docks at 6 AM. I walked up to the boat and Sue introduced me to Captain Tom, Aunt Tootsie, and Uncle Bobby.

(Uncle/Aunt is a Hawaiian term of respect when introducing someone older than you). 

The first thing I said was that it was a dream to catch a marlin and watch it jump while reeling it in and holy shit, did I ever!  The first thing I remember reeling her in is seeing her jump, I said to the crew, look at that Marlin jump way over there and the unanimous reply was; 

“That’s your fish dumbass, REEL”.

It took me about 90 minutes to reel her in and we have some great videos below. I was not handing off the rod and had to crank with two hands at times.  We laughed a lot as the marlin made it to the boat and took off a few times with me yelling at her the whole time.  

First things first, I caught a Mahi Mahi right off the hop in the first video!  So awesome tasting too! After that, all hell broke loose with my marlin madness!  Enjoy!!

What a fricken’ beauty marlin and Captain Tom!  Reach out to fish if you are in Kona!  Tell him NorthAmerican Darrell sent you as he will share some of our fun timesm guaranteed!  

We went to Captain Toms and smoked her in an old shack behind his house making the best tasting fish jerky!  It was marinated for days and hung on hooks four hours!!

Here are some videos and pictures from another trip with other awesome peeps! The laughs and cruising are almost as fun as the catch, every single trip. We landed a double marlin, two on hook at the same time which was total mayhem for about 15 minutes!!  

I was able to reel mine in, but we lost the other one. Rookies, LOL!

If your planning on being in Kona and would like to meet Captain Tom and first mate Sue for an amazing and cost effective fishing experience, send me an email or a WhatsApp message from the homepage, I can work out the logistics. Hell yeah!! 

I catch myself saying that the marlin was 350lbs, busted!  338 is the official weight and saved that paper too!

The picture of Captain Tom pointing to the hole in his shirt was my marlin nearly taking him out, so close!  That is his favorite fishing shirt and wore it the next two times we went out for a good laugh.

On the right you will see Tom and his families process to smoke the marlin and package the marlin.  I cannot remember how much pound they sell if for but took a couple pounds home as is so amazing!

I love this fishing story and will tell it again and again … that 37lb marlin, fought like a bitch, LOL!

Cabo, San Lucas

One of the biggest photo opportunities in Mexico is the arches in Cabo, Mexico.  I took a boat tour to get a closer look from different angles.  It was pretty incredible to see up close especially on the day I went as it was very windy, and the water was crashing making the arches look even better.  You could tell it was a tourist trap as every two steps you were asked to visit arches, go fishing, and other vices that are made readily available in Mexico.

I only stayed a few days as there was not much else that interested me. Cabo is known for its sport fishing, arches, and Sammy Haggar’s Cabo Wabo cantina.  I was able to cover all three in one day during my short visit.  I found a great Airbnb that was within walking distance to the Cabo San Lucas marina which is where all the action is in town. 

The marina had some of the nicest yachts I have ever seen.  The one below had a helicopter pad.  I never did see the helicopter take off, but it was pretty cool to see.  I tried to find out who owned and it was flying a Russian flag.  

I put my GoPro under water as part of the boat ride as the Captain through bread out to attract the colorful fish.  Pretty cool!

Siquijor and Dumaguete Islands

This road trip was my favorite of the five weeks I spent in the Philippines. It was a four-hour ferry ride with one stop to drop off and pick up passengers.  If you read my post of an amazing ferry ride meeting Ben, this was the same trip. 

Each picture tells an amazing story in my mind!

Benny picked me up in his tuk-tuk at the port to take me to my A-frame Airbnb which was spectacular.  We stopped for a roadside beer and hung out with a local family on the way. I was within walking distance from the $3 crepe breakfast picture and the amazing beach where the coconut picture was taken.  

Siquijor Island and Cambuguhay Falls where the rope swing picture was taken and some of the nicest Islands I have ever visited, I will go back.  It had a lot of EXPATs from all over the world and locals who made me feel right at home.  

I ended the night watching Aussiethe the Rules Football Championship.

Facebook made up this mashup, so it is a bit out of order and includes Dumaguete Island which is another amazing island I visited on the island hop.  

Everything was smoking there, LOL!

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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! 🤑

  1. 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!
  2. Your vacation cabin is single-story: And it doesn’t even have wifi.
  3. 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.
  4. You have to watch Netflix with ad breaks: We thought this was America.
  5. 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.
  6. You can only afford the $7000 nosebleed seats for a Taylor Swift concert: Capitalist bourgeoisie oppression.
  7. 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.
  8. You can’t afford to go out to eat more than three times a week: This is what food insecurity looks like.
  9. 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.
  10. You can only afford a “Gold Star” Costco membership: Plebians of the world, unite.
  11. You can only afford a 2,500-square-foot house: You might as well be homeless.
  12. You can only afford to buy a Porsche on Black Friday: Pathetic.
  13. You can’t afford anything larger than a 55-inch TV: How could we allow such cruelty?
  14. Your gardener only mows and edges: He doesn’t even bother to sculpt your topiary.
  15. You couldn’t get the Full Self-Driving add-on for your new Cybertruck: Driving your car manually is for peasantry.
  16. You can’t afford to get extra whipped cream on your morning latte: No one should have to live like this.
  17. 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!

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Finding a hostel strategy!

To be honest, I have always been scared to stay in a Hostel until 2023! The fact that you “normally” only sleep is such a waste of money to drop a shit ton of money on a fancy hotel IMO.

I have been intimidated to share a room with people a lot younger than me. To my defense, every single time I have stayed at a hostel in the United States, Mexico, Austria, Costa Rica, and Hawaii there has been at least one person older than me. I have even visited with couples older than me who rent a room in the hostel instead of a dorm room with bunk beds.

Advantages of staying in a hostel:

Cost – they are a fraction of the cost of a hotel and nearly half the price of an Airbnb in most cases.

Convenience – If you are adventurous, you are going to meet like-minded people who are there to help. They will have been there already and know the lay of the land. The staff also normally guests two free accommodations and/or work experience which is a win-win.

Options – Most hostels will have options for every traveler for privacy (private rooms) or cost. (multi-bed rooms in different sizes (more beds/bunkbeds are generally cheaper), all women dorms, number of guests in each dorm (limits Noice, air-conditioning and not air-conditioning) for comfort or budget.

Food and drink – almost every hostel has free breakfast (pancakes), good cheap food, and cheap drinks.

I start my hostel search on Airbnb or Hostelword:

Airbnb – I put a ridiculously cheap price in the search to start and work my way up. Once I start finding properties, I will look at reviews of other guests. That will give me a hint if I want to continue to look at that property, move on to the next, or raise the price in my search.

Hostelworld – this is the best website if you only want to spend a set amount of money in a larger city. Example (London, UK,). There are a ton of reviews to cut right down to your budget and room type too. London has many hostels to choose from along with most other European cities.

Below are hostels that I have stayed at and only had one bad experience and needed to leave:

Studio Jaco, CR – I have stayed here twice and will again for an entire month someday. There is an amazing Room2board hostel which is also a surf school. The studio’s rooms are twice as much but you will not find a cheaper place to eat and drink in Jaco. I hung out here for the pool, cheap food/drinks, and sports. The owner is from Philly, and we would watch hockey games together.

Studio and dorm Vienna, Austria – I downgraded myself to a dorm as I stayed a couple more days.

Dorm London, UK – I had an overnight and just needed a place to keep my bags, shower, and nap. The hostel with 15 minutes from Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the tube, the train station to the airport, and most importantly, there is a 24-hour pub in the basement.

Dorm Kona, Hawaii – this is an awesome dorm room right on the main street and across from the ocean. I stay here when I go fishing in Kona as it is a perfect location and run by an amazing Ukrainian woman, Viktoria. Tell her that Ukrainian Darrell sent you as she normally gives me a free upgrade.

Mad Monkey Nacpan, beach, Palawan Philippines – This was the nicest hostel that I have ever stayed at. It is right on the beach and the food, drink, and staff are amazing. The biggest problem for me was the weekend as they partied from 11 AM to 3 AM and I had to bail.

Several hostel chains have locations all around the world including Mad Monkey. If you don’t mind rolling the dice on landing in the middle of a party, they sell 30-, 60- and 90-day accommodations passes. The pass takes the nightly rate down to $7 for a dorm and you can upgrade to an a-frame bungalow studio if available which is what I stayed in while visiting Palawan, Philippines. They have locations all over Asia which can make for an adventurous and inexpensive trip within Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Indonesia. There are 18 properties to choose from on the pass so you can keep moving if you do not like your location.

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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.

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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 rentalsAirDNA, 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.

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65+ Airbnb stays and growing fast!

I spend 90% of my stays at Airbnb properties and about 10% at hostels. I have been having some great luck with renting studio rooms within a hostel so that is one of the first things I check in a new city.

For the purpose of this post, let’s look at the Airbnb’s keeping in mind, I only had to leave one bad review. I had travelled all night, and I was promised my room would be ready in Puerto Vallarta. I asked him why it was not ready, and he told me to go hang out at the pool as things change.  I would be mortified if that happened with my Airbnb guests! 

Running your own Airbnb is basically like running a business.  You need to ensure your guests are happy and if there is an issue, it needs to be addressed ASAP.  I had an issue with maid service once. I refunded the cleaning fee and bought them a gift certificate for lunch. I ended up getting a good review which is always my goal.

Below are some of the properties that I have stayed at over the years:

(I had a hell of a time trying to make these screen shots look better so gave up for now).

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Dropping pins, one adventure at a time!

Determining my next adventure is 75% based on cost, 20% dropping a new pin and 5% alcohol to pull the trigger. I know, you don’t need to drink to have a good time but it sure the helps me get off the fence!  

I hope some of you get inspired by my blogs and get off that fence too!

I have a world map on my condo wall in AZ that has pins dropped for all of the places in the world that I have visited. 

Some I have visited for work, pleasure or even layovers like in the case of Moscow, Russia. My Moscow visit was on the way back from the Ukraine and it was not comfortable to say the least. Although, I did dig the woman in their fuzzy hats was my distinct memory, LOL.  Like Ukraine, I was fortunate to visit before the war.  What a terrible situation!

 

Since there are 248 countries in the world, I will do my best to list them:

North American: Canada, United States, Mexico.

Central America: Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Costa Rica, St. Croix USVI, Jamaica and Bermuda. 

South America: Peru, Chile, Argentia, Uruguay and Brazil.

Europe+: France, Hungary, Austria (7-10 more Countries soon)

Ireland/UK (Scotland coming soon) 

Asia: Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan. (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos soon)

Middle east: United Emirates.

Africa and Antarctica: Nada

* I will add to this list on my next trip: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and 7-10 European countries.

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

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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

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Airline compensation – know the laws!

Within the United States, Delta, United, American, JetBlue, Southwest, and All U.S. Airlines Now Offer Automatic Refunds for Travelers Under DOT’s New Policy. Similar policies are on European airlines as well.

The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) latest refund rule is officially here, bringing air travelers across the U.S.—on airlines like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Allegiant Air, and Sun Country Airlines—some much-needed protections. This new rule ensures you’ll get your money back if your flight is canceled or significantly delayed, and extends to mishandled baggage and service failures on board.

Here’s what travelers flying with these airlines need to know about how the new rule works—and how it’s set to improve your travel experience.

Automatic Refunds for Cancellations and Major Delays

If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed, you’re now automatically entitled to a refund. For domestic flights, a delay of more than three hours qualifies, while international flights need a delay of over six hours. No extra steps are required, whether you’re flying American, Delta, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian, Allegiant, or Sun Country—the refund is processed automatically.

Under the DOT’s rule, airlines are obligated to issue refunds directly to your original form of payment. They must follow a strict timeline: seven days for credit card transactions and 20 days for other payment methods. This new approach eliminates the wait and the need to chase down refunds.

Canceled Flights: Clear-Cut Refunds

If Southwest, Delta, JetBlue, United, Alaska, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian, Allegiant, Sun Country, or any other U.S. airline cancels your flight and you choose not to take the airline’s alternative flight options, you’re entitled to a full refund for the unused portion of your ticket. The DOT’s rules guarantee that airlines honor this commitment, so passengers aren’t stuck paying for a trip they didn’t complete. Keep in mind that the refund only applies to the remaining portion of your journey, not any segments you may have completed before the cancellation.

Refunds Now Cover Major Delays and “Significant Changes”

In the past, it was unclear what counted as a “significant delay” for refund eligibility. Now, the DOT has removed the guesswork. With American Airlines, Delta, United, Southwest, Alaska, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian, Allegiant, Sun Country, or any other U.S. carrier, if a domestic flight is delayed by more than three hours or an international flight by more than six, you qualify for a refund.

The DOT also recognizes situations where flights change in ways that disrupt your travel. This could include changes like switching departure or arrival airports, adding extra connections, or even downgrading a passenger’s seat class. These “significantly changed” flights are now covered under the refund policy, ensuring that airlines are responsible for major adjustments to your itinerary.

Getting Your Money Back for Mishandled Baggage

Lost or delayed baggage is a frustration no one wants to deal with, and the DOT’s rules now add more protection. If your checked bag doesn’t reach its destination within 12 hours on American Airlines, Delta, United, JetBlue, Alaska, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian, Allegiant, or Sun Country domestic flights (or 15-30 hours for international trips depending on flight length), you’re entitled to a refund of any checked bag fees you paid. This change holds airlines accountable for timely baggage delivery, so you’re not left paying for a service you didn’t fully receive.

Refunds for Unavailable In-Flight Services

In-flight services like Wi-Fi, seat selection, or entertainment can make flights on carriers like Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska, Spirit, Frontier, Hawaiian, Allegiant, and Sun Country more enjoyable. Now, if you paid for these services but they didn’t work, you’re entitled to a refund. This requirement means airlines must refund fees for any in-flight service that was unavailable or non-functional, ensuring you get value for what you pay for.

Future Protection for Medical and Government Restrictions

Starting in May, passengers flying with U.S. airlines who are restricted from travel due to government mandates or a medical diagnosis of a serious communicable disease will also receive a credit. This airline credit will remain valid for five years, though airlines may ask for documentation. This rule offers future protection for those unable to travel due to health or regulatory reasons, adding an extra layer of peace of mind.

Within the European Union Here are the laws (<–click official link) and bagged a few hundred dollars on my last trip knowing the laws!

EU air passenger rights apply:

  • If your flight is within the EU and is operated either by an EU or a non-EU airline
  • If your flight arrives in the EU from outside the EU and is operated by an EU airline
  • If your flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline
  • If you have not already received benefits (compensation, re-routing, assistance from the airline) for flight-related problems for this journey under the relevant law of a non-EU country.

EU means the 27 EU countries, including Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, Saint Barthélemy, Saint-Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands, but not the Faeroe Islands. EU rules also apply to flights to and from IcelandNorway, and Switzerland.

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Saving money booking one-way tickets!

Maybe fly home from a different city and save money?

I use this strategy to check if it is cheaper to book two one-way trips instead of a round trip every time I book a flight. It works!!

Example:

You’re flying from Phoenix to Dallas.

(Keep in mind Dallas has two airports to save even more money).

Check the one-way flights each way instead of round trip. Maybe you want to visit Austin or San Antonio and fly home from there?

This theory also allows you to take advantage of using different airlines each way too as round-trip travel booking normally uses the same airline.

Keep in mind some airlines have better baggage rules too which may also change the overall cost of your flight. Greedy bastards!

The below article from Clark Howard clearly explains a few other reasons too! 🙌

Booking air travel can be tricky these days. The airline industry continues to push fares higher and higher while passengers look for ways to keep them grounded.

Money expert Clark Howard says if you’re flying domestic (this doesn’t necessarily apply for international flights), a new strategy for airline customers to save big for 2025 is to avoid the traditional practice of shopping for round-trip itineraries.

One-way flights often offer a cheaper opportunity to fly to where you need to go, Clark says.

And it all starts with the click of a button: When you visit a search site like Google Flights or Kayak and you choose one airline in the search results, it will automatically show you the return flights for that airline as well.

“But often the fare may be cheapest one way on American or cheapest the other way on Southwest. Or maybe cheapest on United one way and JetBlue the other, and on and on and on,” 

Here are two reasons why shopping for one-way flights is now the way to go:

Reason #1: Airlines Are Hiding Their Best Domestic Fares on One-Way Itineraries

“When you buy a fare one way or shop one way, you’re going to see lower prices than if you look roundtrip,” Clark says. Of course, this might not always be the case every single time due to seasonal sales and whatnot, but the point is that you should be checking one-way fares just as you would normally check round trips.

You don’t have to be a tech whiz to research the latest fares online, but it pays, especially in this current airline environment, to have a basic understanding of how to search for cheap fares on the web.

“This doesn’t necessarily apply outside the United States, because a lot of fares outside the U.S. are set where round-trip tickets are cheaper than two one ways,” Clark says. “In Europe, sometimes it is cheaper, but I digress on that.”

So, searching for one-way plane tickets is how you help your wallet. Our guide on how to save money on Google Flights is a great place to start.

Reason #2: Flight Modifications Could Now Cost You Big

Another reason why you might want to check out one-way fares is that there’s a new refund rule that airlines have interpreted to the disadvantage of passengers, Clark says.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s recently enacted law that forces airlines to refund passengers pronto for significantly changed or canceled flights has resulted in an unforeseen consequence for deal-savvy customers.

“If an airline has a big schedule change on one of your flights, the airline will refund your whole ticket and say, ‘We’re sorry, we had this big schedule change.’ You’ve got to start over,” Clark says. “So what happens when they do that and you had a great fare? You’ve now lost it,” 

Looking for the Best Deal? Search Different Airlines

Not only do you want to shop for one-way tickets arriving to and departing from your destination but you want to look at several different airlines.

“When you shop, it’s going to take you a little bit longer, but the savings can be enormous if you’re a free agent,” Clark says. “If you’re not captive to one particular airline [and] you’re looking for the best deals, you’ll want to do your fares one way.”

Although budget airlines typically showed the cheapest flights, I saw fares from other airlines as well, along with the type of aircraft, which is another Google Flights feature that can help determine your choice.

 

 

 

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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 small

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):

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

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Volaris all you can fly (AYCF) annual pass

The Volaris Pass is my favorite because, well, it’s Mexico and who doesn’t love Mexico? This is the second AYCF pass (Frontier, Volaris, and Wizz) that I purchased. I am guessing that I was one of the first to buy the pass as I waited until one minute after midnight on the first day it went on sale to take advantage of the half-price promotion. I paid 3999 pesos which is approximately $200 today. The regular price is now listed in American dollars for $499. The best part is that the renewal gets me the promotional price.

TIPs from the Volaris website: Volaris Annual Pass and https://youtu.be/nPVBNEWbAoo

  • Volaris Annual Pass includes all our domestic and international routes. Seats are based on availability.
  • INVEX credit card benefits do not apply to flights booked with Annual Pass.
  • For domestic destinations, you can book your flight from 24 hours before departure.
  • For international destinations, you can book your flight 3 days before departure.
  • The earlier in the day you search for your next flight, the more likely you are to find available seats.
  • Explore our wide variety of destinations! Being flexible and searching for flights for different routes will make it easier to find availability.
  • You can use the Volaris Annual Pass to book flights on any date of the year. You only have to follow the booking restrictions for domestic and international destinations.
  • Your flights do not include carry-on or checked baggage, only one personal item.
  • You can only book one-way direct flights without connections.
  • You must book all your flights through www.annualpass.volaris.com
  • Your flights do not earn Spin Premia points.
  • Seats to fly with the Volaris Annual Pass are subject to availability on each route.
  • Volaris Annual Pass is personal and non-transferable.
  • The Volaris Annual Pass holder must be at least 18 years old.
  • You must cover the TUA and taxes on every flight booked with the Volaris Annual Pass.
  • When booking a flight, the charge can only be paid by credit or debit card.
  • Volaris Annual Pass is automatically renewed every year. You can cancel it directly from your profile. The fees for periods already paid, even if they have not been used, are non-refundable.
  • See terms and conditions here.

Here are the places I have been on the Volaris pass:

Lima, Peru twice

Mexico City

Guadalajara

Cancun

Puerto Vallarta

San Jose, Costa Rica twice

Guatemala twice

frontier

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

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

RP2

2024 Rocky Point Rally

As the Rocky Point bike rally wraps up, my landlord makes all her guests menudo, tacos, and coffee to prepare for the long ride home. Some guests came from as far as 19 hours away in Mexico for the rally. What an amazing experience!

Screenshot 2024-06-01 083940

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!!

Screenshot 2024-02-19 092607

Kona Hawaii – the Island life!

Imagine, flying from the West Coast to Hawaii for around USD 100, I have done it three times.

I also got a Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard that would give me four $5.60 trips (17,500 points) after my first purchase. PRO TIP: Use points to get there and buy the trip home returning is often 30,000 points.

I would also meet some awesome friends who ended up making it an amazing local experience. We would go deep sea fishing and catch my dream marlin which was over 350 pounds. The captain invited us to their home to smoke the marlin which was an incredible experience. The best way I can describe it is fish jerky with the same texture as beef jerky and a hint of spicy marinade. We would fish three times during my first two-month stay and return twice more to fish after that. I will write a separate post on the fishing trips and plan to return every fall as long as they take me. Tom is also available so let me know if you would like to meet him to plan an incredible trip for as low as USD 100 per person quad occupancy.

I was working four days a week, so I had three days off. I would walk to the gym on most days, shower there, and spend my day around downtown Kona trolley which is a free shuttle around town.

This would introduce me to Kona, and I have now been there four times. Once at Auschwitz Airbnb (description below), once at another Airbnb where an earthquake woke me up, and twice at the Kona Beach hostel run by a Ukrainian lady who would always upgrade me for free. This is now my go-to when visiting to fish! Let me know if you would like an introduction – Thanks Victoria!

Back in late 2022 and early 2023, I worked remotely in Hawaii for four months which was awesome. It was a little stressful as there was a three-hour time difference between Hawaii and Phoenix and my company had no clue I was in Hawaii.

I spend the first two months in Kona staying at a concentration camp Airbnb. Seriously, I have never experienced such a strict stay in my life, but I was stuck so made the most of it as long as I could.

This is not an exaggeration, the couple hated each other, and it showed every day. Here are the 25 rules that could change at any given moment depending on their moods.

House manual 😈👿
No smoking
Not suitable for pets
No showering before 6 am or after 9 pm
No parties or events
Children (0-12 years) are considered on a case-by-case basis
Check-in is after 3 PM
No sports equipment allowed in the house (you couldn’t store your bike, surfboard, or fishing gear)
We have indoor cats – please do not let them outdoors. They may go into our guest rooms if you leave the door to your room open. The cats stunk the house up as the carpet was probably 20 years old.


Terms of the Agreement:
We maintain a pest-free home. We can perform an inspection of your room with you when you arrive or shortly thereafter to confirm the condition of the room and indoor environs. If you discover insect pests in your room, specifically bedbugs, at any point in your stay, it will be your responsibility to pay for extermination and the replacement of any items damaged due to the infestation and extermination activities. Thank you for assuring us that your luggage and other belongings are pest-free when you bring them into our home.

    1. Tropical Ohana Hale is a small quiet adult retreat property. We welcome families with children 18 years and older. Younger children will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

    1. Tropical Ohana Hale has the right to inspect the room you occupy without prior notice at any time to enforce the terms of this agreement. Should you violate any of the terms of this agreement, the rental period will be terminated immediately. Guest(s) waive all rights to due process if they fail to vacate the premises upon termination of the rental period. Guest (s) shall vacate the premises at the expiration date and time of the reservation.

    1. You agree to maintain the premises as you received them when you began your stay in a tidy, clean, free of strong perfume or other odors, and ready-to-rent condition. You agree to use the premises carefully and lawfully. You will leave the premises in an undamaged condition, defined by Tropical Ohana Hale as being immediately habitable by the next guest(s) except for a bed & bath linen change and trash can content disposal. Guest(s) shall pay for maintenance and repairs should the premises be left in a lesser condition. You agree that Tropical Ohana Hale shall deduct costs of maintenance and/or repair services before refunding the security deposit if guest(s) cause damage to the premises or its furnishings.

    1. You agree to pay for any damage done to the premises over and above normal wear and tear.

    1. No animals or pets of any kind will be brought on the premises.

    1. You will have no more than 2 (two) persons in each room. An exception may be made for infants on a case-by-case basis. Only persons identified in this agreement are included in your party.

    1. You agree to act in a civilized manner and be good neighbors respecting the rights of the surrounding guests and residents. You agree to not create noise or disturbances that disturb or annoy the surrounding guests and residents. Creating a disturbance of the above nature shall be grounds for immediate termination of this agreement and guest(s) shall then immediately vacate the premises. Quiet Hours are from 10 PM -7 AM. Common areas, except the shared bath and accessing the filtered water faucet in the kitchen, are not available for use by guests during Quiet Hours. Use a headset to watch movies, and play video games, no telephone conversation during this time.

    1. There is no smoking, or burning of incense or candles, inside the premises, or on the property.

    1. Tropical Ohana Hale shall provide bath and beach towels, bed linens, shampoo, and conditioner. Other personal hygiene amenities may be available. Please ask for anything you might need.

    1. Your party shall hereby indemnify and hold harmless Tropical Ohana Hale against any claims of personal injury or property damage or loss arising from the use of the premises regardless of the nature of the accident, injury, or loss. Guest(s) expressly recognize that any insurance for property damage or loss that Tropical Ohana Hale may maintain on the property does not cover the personal property of guest(s).

    1. Guest(s) agree to pay all reasonable costs, attorney’s fees, and expenses that shall be made or incurred by the owner enforcing this agreement.

    1. Guest(s) expressly acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is for transient occupancy of the Property, and that guest(s) do not intend to make the property a residence or household.

    1. There shall be no refunds because of weather conditions.

    1. There shall be no refunds due to work, family emergencies, or other commitments.

    1. You agree not to bring or explode fireworks and other hazardous materials in or around the property.

    1. You agree to use the property for legal purposes only and other use, such as but not limited to, illegal drug use, abuse of any person, harboring fugitives, etc., shall cause termination of this agreement with no refund of payments made.

    1. The property has one fire extinguisher in the kitchen. The fire extinguisher was fully charged at last inspection. It is the duty of the guest(s) to inform host(s) immediately should use of the fire extinguisher be required.

    1. Guest(s) are responsible for their security while in the property; lock doors and windows accordingly.

    1. Valuables left behind by guest(s) will be held for the guest(s) and every reasonable effort will be made to contact guest(s) to make arrangements for their return. Guest(s) are responsible for all costs associated with returning items left behind. Any item unclaimed for 2 months or more shall become the property of Tropical Ohana Hale. Tropical Ohana Hale shall not be held liable for the condition of said items.

    1. High-speed wireless internet is provided as a convenience only and is not integral to the agreement. No refund of the nightly rate shall be given for outages, content, lack of content, speed, access problems, lack of knowledge of use, or personal preferences regarding internet service.

    1. Guest(s) will be provided with 1 (one) parking space.

    1. In the event that a pet or person(s) not previously agreed upon as part of your party are found on the premises during your stay, Tropical Ohana Hale has the right to ask you to leave the premises immediately. You forfeit any remaining nights on your reservation.

    1. Laundry: We launder bed and bath linens on a bi-weekly basis. If you would like these washed more frequently, we will perform laundry services for you at our per load cost. Our bed and bath linens are only to be washed in our home laundry. We can also wash personal laundry for you. The cost is $15 per load. There are laundromats in town if you prefer to wash your personal laundry yourself. We realize that accidents do happen from time to time. If our linens get stained we will replace them and send you the receipt so you are able to cover the cost of the replacement and any operational costs we incur in doing so.

    1. Cooking: if you will be cooking in our kitchen, we will review the use of our equipment with you prior to use. Please let us know if you plan to cook. Rather than washing the dishes by hand, please scrape your food waste into the garage garbage can and rinse your dishes and leave them on the counter on the right side of the sink. We will run dishes and eating utensils through the dishwasher. We use the greywater collected in the pitcher for watering our plants.

    1. Eating and food: please refrain from eating in your room. Stray bits of food attract the many creatures who live in the surrounding jungle. You do not want to meet one of these creatures in the middle of the night in your room. If you have food waste, please dispose of it in the garbage can in the garage. We will show it to you.
      We are vigilant in the kitchen to eliminate food waste and the surfaces in that environment lend themselves to that.
      Please do not remove kitchen hardware of any kind (dishes, silverware, glasses, etc.) from our home.
      Thank you

I would end up leaving a week early after ripping them a new asshole. The last straw was Adolph barging into my room asking me why I did not clean the shower drain. I calming asked him what the maid fee was for as the house smelled like cat piss. He later apologized and kissed my ass, but I had enough and flew to Honolulu the next day. I would spend the next two months after Christmas living in Honolulu and I wanted to check out the next Airbnb which was a perfect situation. I would stay there two more times after this two-month adventure but that’s another post.

That story shows you that Airbnb can also be a stressful situation but back to my Kona experience.

I would also ride the bus around the island visiting Hilo and other small towns. The local trolley is one of the best free features as it goes from end to end of Kona making stops at all of my soon to be favorites:

Kona Brewery – we all have tasted it, but I was getting it right from the tit! (top right awesomeness)

O’la seltzer Brewery – they used all of the island flavors to create seltzer magic!

Willies hot chicken – the absolute best chicken fingers and live music on the island.

Two Step diving – Just like the name, there two steps into the water and you were snorkeling paradise.

Foodland poke bar – I would get the absolute best poke lunch and dinner for under USD 10. (bottom left)

Quinns almost by the sea – This was where I found the absolute best one, the absolute best tasting fish. (top middle)

Harbor House restaurant – this is where in the marina where we would often go after fishing.

 

The absolute best part is the fishing with Captain Tom and first mate Sue who have their own post for making my fishing dreams come true. I landed an over 338-pound marlin along with ono, mahi mahi and even a shark. 

 

There was also an active volcano that lit up the sky while I was there for two months.  Above was the closest we could get for some pictures and too bad it was a cloudy day.  The night drive home was spectacular though!

I also visited the Volcano National Park to view it closer before the eruption.  You can see the earthquake that caused the eruption messed up all the roads in the park.  You could see also see it across the island at night from my Airbnb.

Screenshot 2024-10-17 185833

Jaco/Quepos/Manuel Antonio Park, Costa Rica

I have traveled to Costa Rica three times, I will keep going back too! If sometimes tells you to go f*ck off, this is the place to go. Don’t forget to update your social media so they know you listened and make sure you tell them to kiss your ass too, LOL!

The first time I traveled to Costa Rica was to Tamarindo and then twice to Jaco on my Volaris, all fly pass. Both cities were amazing for different reasons. 

The closest airport to Tamarindo is Liberia which is about 30 minutes and Tamarindo is accessible by bus. In my opinion, Tamarindo is more of a party town with more nightlife but there is nothing wrong with visiting. 

Jaco is about a two-hour bus ride from the San Jose airport, and it was a lot more my style. It is slower-paced, and I found a lot more to do in the area including Manuel Antonio National Park. The park is located near Quepos, and it can be reached by local bus from Jaco in about an hour. In Quepos and especially the park, you will find tons of moneys and with a keen eye or a tour guide, sloths. Both monkeys and sloths are synonymous when someone brings up Costa Rica along with the breathtaking beaches and rain forests.  Both monkeys and sloths are mysterious creatures in many different ways. Monkeys in my opinion as little assholes, I have experienced it in Thailand and Costa Rica. They will steal right from your hand, throw their shit at you and howl like crazy giving you the creeps at night. I have seen it all happen which can be maddening if they get your phone, wallet, sunglasses, or nail you with a deuce.  The howling monkeys were next to my Airbnb in Tamarindo which was wild.

Believe it or not, Costa Rica is not that expensive if you do it right. I have stayed in the La Hacienda in Jaco twice and this sweet Airbnb in Tamarindo that had an amazing patio with a hammock. I rented a room in both places for about $35 USD a night, but you can get a hostel bed for under $20 a night in Jaco. It is a short walk from the bus stop that drops you from San Jose and the bus that takes you to Manuel Antonio Park via Quepos

I also have had the absolute best hamburger in my life at Ridiculous Burgers and the most amazing Coconut flavored beer and wings at Puddlefish brewery both times I have visited. You’re missing out if you do not hit all of these places in Jaco! 

The below is the hostel, so amazing to catch the Oiler game from the pool too!

Top Islands in Asia!

I have been to 4 of 10:

1-Samui, 6-Palawan, 7- Phuket and 8-Cebu.

I missed out on 3-Borocay and 10-Siagaro while in the Philippines.

(It just gives me more reason to visit there again).

I will visit 5-Phu Quoc while in Vietnam in January!

2-Lankawi, 4-Sri Lanka, and 9-Bali all on the radar!

adicting

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.

Street Food! Vietnam #1!

One of the best things about traveling is street food and trying the local beer!

I don’t care if you are in your hometown, Province/State trying a new food truck or traveling internationally eating from a food cart pulled by a donkey. They are all amazing, so try them at least once.

Mexico street tacos are where it all started for me and, still try new ones to this day and also have my favorites in many cities. I have only been to three on the above list: Mexico City, Bangkok, and New Orleans, and can remember meals like it was yesterday!

Below is a list of destinations that make my mouth water. 😋😋

Mexico City has many vendors selling anything from: Tacos, burritos, Tamales, sweet corn, Quesadillas, and sweets. I have a favorite restaurant in so many Mexican cities that I visit when in each town.

Bangkok along with the rest of Thailand was so awesome too! You could get anything from frog legs, chicken feet, snake, cow tongue, brain, and tofu. 🤮 My go-to was always Pad Thai, coconut soup, Tom kha gai, Tom yum, Tom XYZ (forgot), and of course spicy noodles with chicken.

New Orleans Cajun food is spectacular! Jumbo red beans and rice, Jambalaya, Po’boys, and crawfish (you’re supposed to remove the vein and head—nope). I ate them all by mistake. 😆

This brings us to Vietnam, number 5 on the above list! 

The food street food has been spectacular, I have already found my favorites but try at least one new place every day so far keeping in mind most street food meals are a few dollars.

I found a coffee shop my first morning and I have been going back every day since and today is day five. The owner knows that I love the iced coffee and tea and refills them as needed for the same price, 87 cents! Yesterday, I sat there for three hours and listened to the hockey game and surfed the internet and my bill was under a dollar if you can imagine.

If you know Vietnam food, you know Pho is one of the best things since sliced bread!  It was the first thing I wanted when l arrived and found the absolute perfect spot.  Today, I chatted with the owners who educated me on other dishes and where to find them in our neighborhood.  Their Pho was 2 for 2 and tough not to go there every day, no promises.  Here is Huang and his family Pho master piece:

I did have two other decent variations but will not be cheating my Pho-king Family:

I did not try the below but took a picture of some dude’s lunch like an obsessed Pho’ierdo:

Last but certainly not least, I have had the best Bahn Mi sandwiches and spring rolls, but they were in my belly before I thought to take a picture.  I had a nice recovery today ordering more while visiting the Ben Nghe Street food court

 

This place does not mess around as you can see from the above YouTube and pictures I took!

 

I could have pasted more low-quality screenshots, but I think you get the idea, it was badass! 

I settled for three items a la carte: Fresh and deep-fried spring rolls, a couple of pork skewers, and a couple of local Tiger beers including a $1.50 ice-cold draft! 👌

 

Vietnamese food has overtaken Thai and Mexican as my favorite food other than Ukrainian which by default is #1!

solana

My Airbnb in Mesa, AZ

Welcome to Mesa, AZ, home of Cactus League baseball and beautiful weather.

The heated large pool, hot tub, and neighborhood are perfect for snowbirds. Make sure you check out the weekly 10% and monthly 20% discounts.

The condo Click the link to view Airbnb.

Gated community living at its finest with two pools (main pool heated), a hot tub, and a business center with a common area for printing or playing pool.

Check out the website for the exact location and more information on the property: wwwsolanaluxuryrentalscom

Perfect for working from home!
– Ergonomic sit/stand desk
– Ergonomic desk chair.
– High-speed internet.
– Laser printer, shredder, and water cooler in the office area.

Guest access

    • One covered parking spot.

    • Additional uncovered parking for guests.

    • Keyless entry to complex and condo.

Other things to note

Walking:
Safeway/Fry’s/Sprouts grocery 5 minutes
Walmart 15 minutes
Restaurants/bars 5 minutes
Canal for walking/biking 5 minutes.

Driving:
Sky Harbor airport: 30 minutes
Mesa Gateway Airport: 15 minutes
ASU main campus: 30 minutes
Cardinals football: 1 hour+
Suns/Mercury basketball: 30 minutes
Valley light rail station: 15 minutes
Downtown Scottsdale: 30 minutes
Mountain hiking/biking: Hawes’s trail is 20 minutes.

I pride myself on a five-star rating!  Here are some recent guest comments:

A happy guest is a potential repeat guest!