Cebu, Philippines – EXPAT home!?

02/16/2026

by Darrell Accommodations Buy me a beer Cebu City Philippines Travel bucket list

Trying to find a place to stay longer term is a challenge, to say the least. I realize more and more that I will have to settle, as nowhere is perfect.

I moved into a new area of town in Cebu today to change it up. The condo complex and area I stayed in the first time I visited and again for the last month had become mundane.

I needed a new routine and found it in my new pad, as it is in a different part of the city.

It is also a much nicer studio, and the building has a gym and a nicer pool as well. Plus, it is right across the street from a great mall.

I really think I am onto something longer term here!

I know I have said it before and I always “jump around”, but,

I am really feeling good about settling here and started making plans.

How amazing does that gym and pool look? It is super amazing!!

I may have finally found My Seasonal Home Base in paradise?!

Why Cebu is a perfect January–April Anchor for me!

After years of traveling, testing cities, chasing “maybe this is the one,” I’ve finally started to comprehend something: Cebu is my place — at least from January through the end of April.

And that realization feels like a massive win.

I just extended my lease through April 15th, 2026 — making it almost a three-month stay.

I’ve also booked the same condo for January–April 2027 four month stay.

That’s not a trial run anymore. That’s commitment.

And honestly? It feels right.

Why Cebu and the Philippines Work for me:

Cebu City is English-speaking
$450/month rent
Amazing studio in a great area
Perfect January–April cool weather window

For $450 a month, I get a clean, modern studio in a lively, walkable area. Good infrastructure. Solid WiFi. Cafés. Gyms. Grab rides. Amazing inexpensive bars and restaurants.

Everything I actually use is walking distance.

It’s also affordable without feeling like I’m sacrificing quality of life.

And more importantly, it feels stable.

That word matters more than I ever expected.

After years of constant movement, having a place I can return to — the same unit, same neighborhood, same rhythm — changes everything psychologically.

Cebu isn’t just cheap.

It’s comfortable.

A Launchpad to 200+ Islands

One of the biggest advantages of Cebu is its positioning within the Philippines.

From Cebu, I can take a $30 one-way flight, ferry, or bus to places like:

Panglao

Siquijor

El Nido

Coron

Bohol

There are over 200 habitable tropical islands in this country.

That means unlimited inexpensive road trips and island escapes — without giving up my base.

The difference now?

I’m not traveling to escape.

I’m traveling from home.

And then I come back.

Asia Is Still Within Reach

Cebu also puts me within striking distance of the rest of Asia.

For roughly $100+ one-way, I can be in:

Bangkok

Hanoi

Hong Kong

Kuala Lumpur

Bali

Tokyo

The key realization is this:

I loved those places.

I still love those places.

But I don’t need to live in all of them.

I can visit — and return to Cebu.

That subtle shift feels powerful.

The Real Win: A Seasonal Operating System

This isn’t just about rent or flights.

It’s about designing a year-round life rhythm.

May-December: Mesa, AZ / Rocky Point, Mexico

utilizing my AYCF (all you can fly) passes on Volaris and Frontier Airlines.

January–April: Cebu with road trips:

Warm weather.

Lower cost of living.

Living like a local.

Short adventure bursts when I want/need them.

Instead of constantly searching for “the perfect place,” I now have:

A predictable seasonal anchor

Lower decision fatigue

A familiar environment

The ability to build momentum year after year

Booking 2026 and 2027 isn’t just logistics.

It’s confidence.

After all the experimenting, all the flights, all the temporary apartments — I finally found a place that checks the boxes without draining me.

And at $450 a month?

That’s leverage.

Cebu isn’t just another stop.

It’s home — at least for this chapter of the year.

And that feels like a massive win.

Another major win in the Philippines is the personal care aspect.

I can get inexpensive over-the-counter care for minor issues and lean on my travel insurance for anything serious.

I have also found that weekly self-care is so important. The cost is affordable enough to have each of the following done at least once a week and more often if needed.

Massages

Spa time (Tokyo example below)

Face masks help the old man’s skin

Fat-burning shots

Vitamin IV to replenish the immune system

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Hong Kong #Freedom54 birthday fun!

02/13/2026

by Darrell Buy me a beer Slow travel Travels Stories

Getting to Hong Kong during this adventure was incredible. I honestly didn’t know what to expect—I assumed it might feel like Tokyo—but it turned out to be completely different.

Hong Kong has its own rhythm, its own intensity, its own personality. In some ways, it felt like a glimpse into what visiting mainland China might be like, just with its own unique twist of skyline, density, and nonstop motion.

One thing there definitely wasn’t a shortage of? Anime.

It was everywhere—shops, ads, displays—so naturally, I joined in on the action.

When a city leans into its vibe that hard, the only correct move is to lean with it.

That reel honestly felt pretty accurate—you really do have to compete for every square inch when there are that many people everywhere.

Even though it was crowded, it was still an unforgettable place to celebrate #Freedom54.

The energy, the motion, the sheer intensity of it all—it’s the kind of place that overwhelms you and impresses you at the same time.

Not peaceful.

Not quiet.

But it was an absolutely memorable once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The number of people in Hong Kong was high, and the overload was everywhere I went. The current population in 2026 is 7,378,602, according to Google.

With these 7.3 million residents in a 1,114-square-kilometre (430 sq. mi) territory, Hong Kong is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world behind Macau (a gambling Island off HK), Singapore, and Monaco.

One of the most surprising things for me was the outlying islands. I took the ferry from mainland Hong Kong to Hong Kong Island, which is even bigger and has more people.

It was an incredible visit—but I don’t feel the need to go back.

It’s one of those places that’s undeniably impressive, worth seeing, and packed with energy… but also a little too crowded.

It was the kind of destination you’re glad you experienced once, soaked in fully, and can now appreciate from a distance.

Some places become favorites.
Others become great memories.

This one’s a great memory.

Birthdays – getting older is tough!

02/03/2026

by Darrell Buy me a beer Cebu City Freedom 50 Personal History Siquijor/Dumaguete islands Snuffaluffagus Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories Your name here!

The number goes up, but at least the stories keep getting better.

This absolute GEM still makes me laugh, mostly because… not much has changed.

February is peak season in Arizona, so my Airbnb is rented every year.

Translation: I’m forced to travel.

As a result, I’ve spent the last few birthdays in some pretty incredible places—and this year is no exception.

(Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia)

This year’s birthday destination?

Hong Kong.
3 days, 2 nights; $225 USD RT flight, $50 a night pad!!

Aging is inevitable.
Dropping new pins is optional—but highly recommended around here!

Booking flights is like playing chess while most people are still playing checkers.

To bounce between Cebu and Hong Kong, I booked three one-way tickets instead of a single round-trip—and the math worked in my favor:

Cebu → Manila: $20

Manila → Hong Kong: $70

Hong Kong → Cebu: $135

Not glamorous. Not obvious to most.
But flexible, intentional, and cheaper than forcing a “normal” itinerary.

That’s the game:
Stop thinking in straight lines and start thinking strategically.

I tried to pick a destination that was actually high on my bucket list, and Hong Kong landed exactly where it should, near the top!

Bonus: it doubles as a visa run, since I have to leave the Philippines every 30 days. Inexpensive, efficient, and exciting—my favorite combo.

Winner winner—Peking chicken dinner.

Honestly, it’s been a pretty solid run so far, and I still have two more months to explore on this adventure.

Not bad for someone who claims to be grumpy and bored all the time.

01/15 – Tokyo, Japan

01/23 – Cebu, Philippines

02/10 – Hong Kong

02/19 – Siquijor, Philippines

02/29 – Siargao, Philippines

03/07 – Cebu lease expires → TBD

04/15- home to Mesa, AZ

Possible next moves before 04/15 (because why not):
Stay in Cebu, Seoul, Phuket, Bali, Da Nang…

We’ll see where boredom strikes next!

I really shouldn’t complain—this trip has been incredible so far.

Now, excuse me while I yell at the clouds due to my missed meds!

Welcome to #Freedom54! 🥳

And … Get off my lawn, damn kids!

02/01/2024 – Mandatory meeting!👋🏻

01/31/2026

by Darrell Autobiography Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Personal History Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories Work experience

Today, February 1st, 2026, marks two years that I have been “taking a run at retirement”. I refer to it that way, as I am not sure how it will all work out.

So far, so good, as I blog from Cebu, Philippines.

Three weeks after completing my 7th year with PayPal, I got a “mandatory meeting invite” on February 1st, 2024.

This was the second time; my career was also abruptly cut short after 18-years with Northern Telecom/Nortel/Ericsson.

Hindsight is always 20/20; both situations worked out for the best long term. 25 years was enough for me, and it was time to take a run at retirement!

All those years of hard work, strategizing, overthinking, and so many mistakes!

The travel dream was finally coming to fruition.

Aside from finances, which I blogged about HERE, health insurance is one of the biggest drivers for early retirement.

I found a great setup through trial and error for insurance, as I also blogged about HERE.

Again, so far so good!

Soon after getting laid off, I started planning NorthAmericanDarrell.com, and my YouTube channel, which you can check out by clicking HERE. Please consider following my channel!

I had always wanted to share my past, present, and future travel experiences.

A solo traveler, vlogger, YouTuber, Geoarbitrage with a dry sense of humor.

“Freedom 50” turned into a “Freedom 55” after the COVID market correction, and ultimately “Freedom 52” traveling lifestyle.

Just another example, life cannot always be planned.

“Freedom 54” is just around the corner!

Cheers to another year living the dream!

Cebu, Philippines – It’s HOT!♨️😎

01/25/2026

by Darrell AirBnb Asia Buy me a beer Cebu City Countries Freedom 50 Personal History Philippines Siquijor/Dumaguete islands Travel bucket list Travels Deals

Schawetty

I talk about “slow travel” all the time, but it’s not just a vibe—it’s a filter.

The right place has to check a lot of boxes. Otherwise, it’s just a stop, not a home base, and here is what Cebu offers:

Affordability is non-negotiable:

$450 a month for rent

Meals under $5 USD

Movies cost around $5

Cheap road trips:

Uber/Grab/local bus are super inexpensive

Flights around Asia for under $100 (often less)

Ferries to nearby islands for under $20

Convenience matters too:

My Cebu IT Park neighborhood is open 24/7/365.
Meals. Movies. Groceries. Coffee. Everything.

Cebu hits the numbers, life stops feeling like a meter is running.

It’s built for call-center workers who operate around the clock, which means I can live normally at any hour.

No planning my life around business hours.

That’s the slow-travel sweet spot:

Productive Day One.

One-hour chair massage — $5

Movie ticket — $5

Favorite Korean BBQ – $3

Favorite noodle spot – $2

Old food photos (food was gone, quickly!)

And the big win?

I locked in a long-term, optional lease, giving me the option to settle in the long term.

Slow travel isn’t just about wandering—it’s about setting up a life that checks as many boxes as possible.

Day one delivered.

It’s been less than two days, so I’m trying to keep my expectations in check—but I’ve already started laying the groundwork for what’s next.

Two road trips are on the board.
Siquijor ferry to rope swing adventure? Locked in.
And Hong Kong for my birthday? Flight booked

That’s the beauty of this place: you settle in, get comfortable, and still leave room for spontaneous trips.

Home base on one end. Adventure, on the other hand.

Everything is inexpensive, keeping the options wide open!

Living life to the fullest in the Philippines!

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Tokyo nights – hustle, bustle and neon lights!

01/21/2026

by Darrell Buy me a beer Countries Travels Stories

Neon Light Area – Tokyo

Tokyo’s neon-soaked Shinjuku district is the city’s beating heart of entertainment. Packed with glowing signs, towering billboards, and vibrant street scenes. It feels like stepping straight into a Bruce Lee movie!

The areas around Shinjuku Station and Kabukicho are especially famous, where every block is drenched in color and motion. These streets aren’t just visually striking—they’re a living expression of Tokyo’s nightlife and cultural energy.

Shinjuku isn’t just one of the places to see Tokyo’s neon lights.
It’s the BEST place.

As an admitted wuss (ironically from Canada) who hates the cold, this was the first time I actually went out into the wind and chill on purpose at night.

Totally worth it, but I don’t need to do that again.

The Tokyo Shinjuku entertainment district is on the same train line as my Airbnb, which means I can be dropped straight into neon chaos without overthinking it. One train, five stops, and suddenly I’m surrounded by lights, food, music, with Vegas like street energy.

It took me about 35 minutes station to station on the insane Japan rail system I blogged about HERE.

I arrived a couple of hours before dusk—perfect timing. I grabbed a $3 Starbucks and then followed it up with a massive $10 Hefeweizen, settling in to watch the city shift gears as the neon came to life.

For one of the busiest entertainment districts on the planet, it was surprisingly inexpensive—and the people-watching was next level. Tokyo doesn’t just light up at night; it transforms.

Seeing that progression in real time made the whole place feel alive in a way photos never quite capture.

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7-11 An Asian legend! Tokyo version!!🍥🍙

01/19/2026

by Darrell Asia Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Slow travel Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories

I was first introduced to 7-Eleven in Thailand, and ever since, it’s been a legendary five-star dining experience in my book.

People back home think of 7-11 as a place to buy gas, bad coffee, and regret. 🚽

In Asia? It’s a gourmet convenience store run by wizards. 🪄

Below is today’s lunch while listening to the Oilers game in Tokyo, Japan—$12.11 USD total, hot, fresh, and legitimately amazing. Just fresh local food, handed to you with a smile, and no tip required.

Where else can you eat well, watch hockey, and feel like you’re winning at life… from a convenience store?

Living life to the fullest—one sushi, ramen meal with a cold beer at a time.

They always say, “Don’t eat gas-station sushi.”
That advice was clearly written by someone who has never set foot in an Asian 7-11.

This stuff is better than most sit-down restaurants back home—and at about 25% of the price. Fresh rice, real fish, legit flavors. No price gouging. No regret.

I may or may not also carry a tube of wasabi in my pocket at all times.
Don’t judge me—you’re the one with tater tots in your cargo pants.

I might be wrong, but if you never tried it, I am guessing it might be you!

Milk and cookies before bed are for Santa.

North American Darrell finishes the night with 7-11 sushi, a cold beer, and the satisfaction of knowing that I absolutely won another travel day for pennies on the dollar.

Life is good, and 7-11 sushi makes it even better!

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Japanese bathhouse – Tokyo Airbnb

01/18/2026

by Darrell Accommodations AirBnb AirBnb recommendations Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Internet travel search tips Slow travel Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories

I blogged about my Tokyo accommodations in a blog that you can read by clicking HERE.

After just two nights in this Airbnb, I extended for another week—and I may stretch it to three. The deciding factor? An all-male, no-cackling, blissfully quiet Japanese bathhouse spa on the top floor… included in the $25-a-night price.

At that point, it stops being lodging and starts feeling like a life upgrade to feel better.

A hot soak to loosen everything that travel tightens. Cold plunge to wake the soul back up. Sauna room to melt what’s left. Repeat as needed. No chatter, no scrolling—just heat, silence, and reset.

It’s become bookends for my days: explore, wander, eat, blog… then soak it all away before sleep, and having this built into my stay feels absurdly luxurious. It’s not just a spa visit—it’s a lifestyle upgrade.

I was a little concerned about the water filtration at first—but the good news is they do a full deep clean every few days.

Crystal clear, spotless, and zero sketch factor.

Grossness thoughts officially averted, kinda!

The routine is downright magical:

Shower

Hot tub

Cold plunge

Sauna

Repeat

Finish in the common area, doing absolutely nothing with a cold beer and some tunes.

It’s simple. It’s quiet. It resets everything—body, mind, shitty attitude.

If I’ve said it once, Mom said it a thousand times:

Live life to the fullest!

Sometimes it means sitting still, realizing you hacked your own happiness.

Japan – February 2026! 🏯

01/12/2026

by Darrell Accommodations AirBnb Buy me a beer Countries Hostels Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories

Travel planning is such a fine line with me. Financially, I know I need to slow travel, BUT there is always so much to see and do everywhere I go do my best to balance it out.

I had already booked my flights and accommodations for the first month of my trip and planned to leave on January 30th.

Well, that changed as I left two weeks early!

January 15/16, 2026

Rocky Point to Phoenix to change over luggage.

Phoenix to Seattle

Seattle to Tokyo

January 16th – XX Tokyo

Northern Japan daytrips by bullet train.

Disneyland Japan

February 8th-22nd Kyoto/Osaka

Central Japan daytrips by bullet train.

Universal Japan

February 22nd-January 30th Okinawa

Living the Japanese island life!

March 1st – XX

Visit other islands in the Japanese Archipelago.

March XX – April 15th

Travel to Korea and finish the adventure in the Philippines.

The struggle is real when you’re trying to go with the flow and plan an itinerary. I’ve learned the hard way that you still need some outline—at least flights in and out—if you want things to make financial sense.

The problem? When travel days roll around, I’m always conflicted. I’m either ready to go, or I want to stay longer… and somehow, I’m ambivalent, either way and every time.

That’s the price of insanity; I guess, as there is never a middle ground with me.

Here is a 14-day itinerary that I will use as a guideline for my bullet train day trips.

WANT BIGGER FONT ON TRAIN TRAVEL IN JAPAN?

CLICK THE LINK BELOW LINK:

MORE BOOKING DETAILS ⬅️

Here are the USD prices plans, leaning towards the 7-day pass:

7-day trip: $322

14-day $513

21 days $642

Click HERE to read my blog on Japan train travel.

Japan offers a wide variety of experiences for me to see:

Cultural

Natural wonders

Culinary

Seasonal.

There is a lot to see, but I can plan “train days” to see some and below is a breakdown:

Cultural Experiences

Visit Historic Temples and Shrines: Explore iconic sites like Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine in Kyoto, known for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, and Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, the city’s oldest temple.

Participate in a Tea Ceremony: Experience the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, which emphasizes harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility.

Attend a Sumo Wrestling Match: Witness the unique sport of sumo, which is deeply rooted in Japanese culture, at one of the tournaments held throughout the year.

Natural Wonders
Cherry Blossom Viewing: Visit during spring to enjoy the breathtaking cherry blossoms (sakura) in parks and gardens, a quintessential Japanese experience.

Hike in National Parks: Explore Japan’s stunning landscapes, such as the Japanese Alps or the trails around Mount Fuji, which offer breathtaking views and a chance to connect with nature.

Culinary Adventures
Savor Authentic Japanese Cuisine: Indulge in local dishes like sushi, ramen, and okonomiyaki. Cities like Osaka and Fukuoka are famous for their street food.

Visit Nishiki Market: Experience the vibrant atmosphere of this traditional market in Kyoto, where you can sample various local delicacies and shop for unique souvenirs.

Unique Attractions
Ghibli Museum: Immerse yourself in the world of Studio Ghibli at this enchanting museum in Mitaka, Tokyo, dedicated to the beloved animated films.

Universal Studios Japan: Enjoy thrilling rides and attractions based on popular movies and franchises, making it a fun destination for families.

Seasonal Activities
Winter Sports: Experience world-class skiing in Hokkaido or Nagano during the winter months, along with relaxing in hot springs (onsen).

Summer Festivals: Participate in lively summer festivals featuring fireworks, traditional dances, and food stalls, showcasing Japan’s vibrant culture.

Japan is a destination that caters to a wide range of interests, ensuring that every traveler can find something memorable to experience. Whether you’re drawn to its rich history, stunning nature, or delicious food, Japan promises an unforgettable adventure.

DO YOUR HAPPY DANCE!

Japan bullet train – CANCELLED!

01/10/2026

by Darrell Buy me a beer Countries Freedom 50 Internet travel search tips Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories

There were definitely some zigs and zags in this plan …

I planned to leave for my Japan adventure on January 30th, 2026.

(I left on January 15th, pulling in the trip two weeks)

January 15th-23rd, Tokyo

(I left for Cebu, Philippines January 23rd as I blogged about HERE)

January 8th-22nd, Kyoto

January 22-January 30th, Okinawa

I plan to visit islands within the Japanese archipelago after that, but it’s still up in the air.

Since train travel in Japan is known to be the best in the world, I also plan to buy a pass.

(After Tokyo, the next destinations and train passes were posted indefinitely.)

A single train ride in Japan can easily run $100+ USD, which is exactly why the rail pass just makes sense. One long hop can cost as much as several days of unlimited travel.

A 7-day Japan Rail Pass is a power tool, not a casual purchase. Because the days have to be consecutive, it only really shines when you cluster your long-distance moves into a tight window.

The sweet spot looks something like this:

Base yourself in one city first (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto). Do your slow exploring on local transit

Then, “turn on” the pass and go into movement mode

For example, a 7-day run could cover something like:

Tokyo → Kyoto
Kyoto → Hiroshima
Hiroshima → Osaka
Osaka → Kanazawa
Kanazawa → Tokyo

Those individual legs can each be $80–$120+ on their own. Stack four or five of them inside one week, and the pass pays for itself fast.

I just need a solid plan before I pull the trigger.

Not a minute-by-minute itinerary—just a clear idea of:

where I’ll start

where I want to end

and which long hops you’ll make in between

Once that’s sketched out, choosing between a 7-day, 14-day, or no pass at all becomes pure math instead of guesswork.

Click HERE for more information on the pass options from the website:

In the meantime, below is a great summary:

Shinkansen: The Japanese bullet trains

Shinkansen bullet trains are the fastest way to discover Japan. Discover more about the high-speed trains and the 9 rail lines they cover.

Shinkansen bullet trains are the fastest and most convenient way of discovering Japan. The Japan Rail (JR) network is extensive, and the trains reach a top speed of 320 km/h (199 mph). This allows you to get to wherever you need in little time.

The nine Shinkansen lines take you in different directions around Japan. From Tokyo to the south runs the Tokaido Shinkansen line, connecting the capital with Osaka. The Sanyo Shinkansen line connects Osaka with Fukuoka and, from there, the Kyushu Shinkansen line runs through the island of Kyushu from north to south.

The other six lines either take you north or inland from Tokyo. These are the Akita, Hokkaido, Hokuriku, Joetsu, Tokoku, and Yamagata Shinkansen lines. The Hokkaido line takes you the furthest north, all the way to Hokkaido Island.

Using the Japan Rail Pass

The Japan Rail Pass gives you unlimited access to all Shinkansen high-speed trains.

The JR Pass also allows you to make seat reservations free of charge. You can make seat reservations at any JR Ticket Office or ticketing machine in any JR station.

A supplement is required for travel on the Nozomi and Mizuho express trains on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. This special complementary ticket can be bought at ticket machines or station counters in Japan, and it’s cheaper than riding a Nozomi or Mizuho train without the JR Pass.

The Hikari and Sakura bullet trains are the fastest trains you can board using the Japan Rail Pass without a supplement. They make just a few more stops than the Nozomi and Mizuho trains.

It’s worth noting that several of the JR Regional Passes also cover certain trips on Shinkansen bullet trains.

Types of bullet trains

On each of the Shinkansen lines,s there are fast trains, semi-fast trains, and local trains:

The fast trains only stop at the main stations

Semi-fast trains make a few more stops

Local trains stop at every station

For instance, on the Tokaido Shinkansen line (which links Tokyo to Osaka), the fast train makes 6 stops, the semi-fast train makes between 7 and 12 stops, and local trains stop at all 17.

Shinkansen lines

The Shinkansen railway network includes several lines that cover most of Japan and connect all the main cities.

Thanks to this great railway system, you can travel quickly and comfortably throughout the country without too much of a second thought.

Absolutely. No matter which pass I choose, Japan is one of those places where moving is part of the magic.

Whipping through the country on trains that feel like they’re gliding through the air, watching cities blur into mountains and coastlines, stepping off in places that feel completely different every few hours—that’s travel in its purest form.

Fast or slow, planned or improvised, Japan rewards curiosity.
And every stop is going to feel like a new world.

However, I plan it… It’s going to be awesome.

All aboard!

Travel insurance – don’t leave home without it!

01/06/2026

by Darrell Buy me a beer Countries Guest travel stories Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories

Insurance is probably one of the biggest scams in the world.

And the worst part?
You absolutely need it.

You pay for it, hoping you’ll never use it.
When you do need it, you fight to prove you deserve what you already paid for.
And if you don’t have it? One bad day can wreck years of progress.

It’s a necessary evil—designed not to help you, but to protect you just enough to stay in the game.

No one loves insurance.
But everyone learns the hard way why it exists.

That’s adulthood in a nutshell.

I’ve carried a pretty wide range of insurance policies:

Homeowners and rental insurance policies in Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona.
Policies for a Truck, Jeep, Cadillac, UTV, boat, and travel trailer, and a balloon (umbrella) policy in case any of the above didn’t fully cover a worst-case scenario

(All at the same fucking time!)

Paid health insurance through Healthcare.gov, along with expat travel insurance policies.

Individually, each policy made sense.
Collectively, it was a constant reminder of how expensive and complicated “having stuff” had become.

It wasn’t until I started simplifying my life that the insurance stack finally stopped growing—and the stress dropped right along with it. I was done keeping up with the Joneses as I blogged about HERE.

I was also done being an owner and landlord in GA, NC, AZ, with my own personal parking lot!

Downsizing to two policies (AZ condo on Airbnb and Jeep) and trying to eBike and scoot now.

For me, simplifying my life—fewer assets, fewer policies, fewer “what ifs”—did more to reduce stress than any insurance plan ever did. Less stuff didn’t just lower premiums; it lowered the background anxiety that comes with trying to insure everything you own.

OK – that sets up this blog, EXPAT travel insurance.

This is, by far, the easiest insurance policy I’ve ever dealt with, and it should be for you, too!

My agent sends me a link, I fill out the information, make the payment, and the policy lands in my inbox. No phone tag. No pressure. No nonsense.

Less than $5 USD a day!

(Enlarged for viewing purposes)

Plan:	Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Solutions Single Trip Platinum
First Name:	DARRELL
Last Name:	OLYNICK
Email:	NorthAmericanDarrell @gmail.com
Certificate:	XXXXXXXXXXX
Date of birth:	02/10/197X
Effective Date:	January 30, 2026
Termination Date:	April 30, 2026
Amount Charged:	$410.41
Medical Limit:	$1,000,000
Deductible:	$500

The policy above is already lined up for my February 2026 trip to Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.

I’ve probably purchased five long-term travel insurance policies over the years and—knock on wood—never had to use one. But at less than five dollars a day, the peace of mind is a complete no-brainer for me.

Again, it should also be mandatory for anyone traveling internationally.

Travel is unpredictable. Accidents happen. Bodies do weird things. Stuff happens when you ask someone to hold your beer.

Having coverage doesn’t mean you expect problems—it means you’re prepared if they show up.

If you’re planning a trip and want a quote, reach out to my agent.
And tell him NorthAmerican Darrell sent you—because I’m apparently hard to forget.

FREE QUOTE HERE!

Click HERE to email Brett for more information!

My Mexican life – everyday, something new! 👀

01/03/2026

by Darrell Accommodations Buy me a beer Countries Mexico Personal History Rocky Point Travels Stories

Why I Stay Here

I stay in Rocky Point because life here constantly reminds me that the world doesn’t have to run the way everyone was taught it should. It is a different lifestyle, and I see things differently here. The baseline is not the newest iPhone or iPad; it is the smile on their faces when they ask to wash your car for $5.

After more than seven years of $150 a month rent, it’s not just the low cost of living or the ocean views—though those help. It’s the lifestyle that the local people live. Things move a little slower as there is always tomorrow (mañana) as the workers say, when you need help. Locals interact more with the tourists. And every so often, something completely unexpected happens—like horses casually sharing the road with traffic—and you’re reminded that not everything needs to be optimized, scheduled, or stressed over, which is what I normally do.

I don’t stay here because it’s perfect. I stay because it works—for me, right now. And that’s the whole point of slow travel: choosing places that fit your life instead of forcing your life to fit one place forever.

Like the Grinch, the don’t-give-a-shit energy is strong here, which is exactly why Rocky Point works so well for me as a part-time home.

You see things around town that would absolutely short-circuit people elsewhere. Yesterday, I passed an SUV cruising down the road with no doors, no side windows, no windshield, and no back window—just vibes and optimism.

Other things happen right out in the open, too. Nothing dramatic, nothing hidden. Life just unfolds in broad daylight, casually, like someone stopping to buy bubble gum. It’s not chaos—it’s indifference. And oddly enough, that creates its own kind of calm knowing if you leave them alone, youre fine!

That’s what I’ve fallen in love with here. A slower pace. Fewer rules that matter. Less pretending. Rocky Point doesn’t try to impress you—it just is. And for me, that’s more than enough.

My favorite food and drink choices tend to change as I travel, but somehow, I always circle back to Mexican food.

It just wins—every time.

In Rocky Point, there are so many great local spots that it’s easy to fall into a routine without getting bored. I’ve got my go-to places for breakfast burritos, plus a rotating cast of other favorites that keep pulling me back.

Simple, cheap, fresh, and done right—the kind of food that quietly ruins you for everywhere else.

(Favorites below )

The best tortilla soup of my life.
Hands down. No debate.

Deep flavor, perfect heat, crispy tortilla strips with the avocados, cheese and creme doing their thing—
Muy bueno!! 🌶️🥣

There’s fresh… and then there’s straight off the press fresh..

Peak tortilla experience!

I always dreamed of moving to Mexico. For a long time, even the idea of having a part-time home here felt completely unfathomable.

And yet—somehow—I’m pulling it off.

This wasn’t a lottery win or some grand master plan. It was a series of choices, timing, and learning how to live differently. Slower. Smarter. On my own terms.

Now I get to live la vida loca, at least part of the year—and honestly, it still doesn’t feel real most days.

Vietnam slow travel like Bourdain!

01/01/2026

by Darrell Autobiography Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Slow travel Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories

I spent a month traveling slowly through Hanoi, Vietnam, with a brief stop in Malaysia and Indonesia along the way.

I started the journey on November 17th, 2025, carrying with me the influence of Anthony Bourdain—his insistence on slowing down, eating where locals eat, and staying far away from anything that felt packaged or performative.

Anthony Bourdain loved Vietnam because it hit everything he cared about at once:
cheap plastic stools, perfect food, zero pretension, and a country that doesn’t apologize for being itself.

Vietnam showed him that:

Great food doesn’t need luxury — just balance, patience, and obsession (hello, phở broth simmered for days).

Street food is democracy — everyone eats together, shoulder to shoulder.

History lives at the table — wars, survival, pride, and resilience all show up in a bowl of noodles.

Hanoi, especially, felt like home to him: chaotic but calm, blunt but generous. He once said Vietnam changed his life, and it wasn’t poetic exaggeration — it reset how he understood food, travel, and humility.

In short:
Vietnam wasn’t a destination to Bourdain — it was proof that the world makes sense if you sit down, shut up, and eat what locals eat.

This is exactly how I like to travel, as he adds so much truth in his stories.

What I found personally during my time spent all over in Vietnam in 2025 echoed everything he preached. The best meals on plastic stools, the richest conversations in unplanned moments, and the most meaningful experiences far from the tourist traps. It wasn’t about checking boxes or chasing luxury—it was about paying attention. It was one of those trips that reminds you why you travel in the first place.

One for the Anthony Bourdain books but first was the long ass travel day!

I left my home base in Rocky Point, Mexico, pointed myself halfway across the world, and landed in Hanoi. I rented an Airbnb for 30 days—not to rush through highlights, but to live slowly, observe, and settle into the rhythm of the city the way Anthony Bourdain always encouraged.

Hanoi wasn’t a stop on a checklist. It was a place to wake up early, start with a great walk, amazing coffee and/or tea, and let the days unfold without forcing meaning or accomplishment onto them.

Anthony Bourdain had this quiet belief that home wasn’t a fixed place—it was something you could build anywhere by paying attention. In Hanoi, I really understood that logic, and it hit me in the feels, big time!

My condo sat beside a man-made lake with miles of walkways, and each morning I fell into a rhythm: long walks as the neighborhood woke up, Vietnamese coffee strong enough to slow time, and—on game days—listening to the Oilers from halfway across the world.

Nothing about it felt temporary or borrowed; it just screamed this is what you have been looking for.

That was the lesson Tony kept trying to teach: when you slow down, eat simply, and let life happen around you, even the most unfamiliar place can start to feel like home.

From my experience, there are exactly two kinds of Vietnamese people: chain smokers, and those who walk and exercise tirelessly, as if it’s a second full-time job. There’s no in-between.

My days in Hanoi followed that rhythm—long walks around the lake, endless steps on quiet paths, and daily coffee stops that felt less like breaks and more like rituals. Watching life unfold from a plastic chair with a strong Vietnamese egg coffee became one of the highlights of the trip.

Amazing all around, and without a doubt, a place I’ll stay again.

I had every intention of staying in the Hanoi area the entire time. That was the plan. Then I checked flights—because that’s usually where good plans go to die—and remembered Anthony Bourdain’s unofficial rule:

When the door opens, you walk through it.

So I said yes.

I found myself on an unplanned road trip through Malaysia and Bali, crossing off two massive bucket-list items not because it was efficient or sensible—but because the inexpensive opportunity was there.

That was always Tony’s point. The best trips don’t come from sticking to the plan—they come from having the nerve to abandon it. He has basically reached legend status for me at this point!

Keeping my rent under $300 back at my home base in the eco park in Hanoi was the quiet enabler of all this. That single number is what turned the road trip from a cautious “should I?” into a very relaxed “why not?”.

When your biggest monthly expense isn’t chasing you down, spontaneity stops feeling reckless and starts feeling practical. Flights become opportunities. Detours make sense. And saying yes—like Tony always preached—suddenly costs a lot less.

Malaysia – short but sweet visit! 🏭

12/28/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Internet travel search tips Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories

I was fortunate enough to have visited Kuala Lumpur for a few days in December 2025. It was a pretty big bucket list to check off, as I have always wanted to visit. I spend three days whipping around on the double-checker tour bus, making stops along the way.

I’ve wanted to visit for years, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

I spent three days ripping around the city on the double-decker hop-on, hop-off tour bus, jumping off whenever something caught my eye. Skyscrapers, temples, markets, street food, neighborhoods I couldn’t pronounce—full-on tourist mode, unapologetically activated.

And yes… pubs were involved.
Because cultural immersion is about balance. 🍻

From my home base in Hanoi, the Asia road trip continued to Bali—and the craziest part? Three flights for $190 USD total.

Asia travel math just hits different.

One thing that really stood out while taking public transportation from the airport was the presence of women-only train cars. It was the first time I’d encountered that setup since visiting the UAE in 2024.

I actually learned this lesson the hard way—I boarded a women-only car by mistake. Totally unintentional, despite the signs being very clear once you actually slow down and look. Someone kindly pointed it out, and I stepped a few feet into the next car. No drama, just a reminder that different cultures operate with different norms.

Moments like that are part of why I travel. They force awareness. You don’t have to fully understand or agree with every custom to respect that it exists and learn from it.

Malaysia was fascinating from a cultural and architectural standpoint, and I’m genuinely glad I went. The city is impressive, the infrastructure is solid, and the experience checked a long-standing bucket list item for me.

That said, it’s probably a one-and-done destination for me—and that’s okay. Not every place has to be a repeat visit to be worth experiencing.

Here are some more pictures of the architecture, which was the reason I visited. Malaysia. Malaysia is home to one of the largest congregations of skyscrapers in the world. The country ranks fourth in the global list

The Burj Khalifa^[a] (known as the Burj Dubai before its inauguration) is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, it is the world’s tallest structure, with a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding the antenna, but including a 242.6 m spire)^[2] of 828 m (2,717 ft). It has also been the tallest building in the world since its topping out in 2009,

That surpassed Taipei 101, which had held the record for a half-decade.

Another cool admission is that I visited Taipei, Taiwan, with work in the early 2000s. It was my first trip to Asia, and I did not go back for over 20 years. They were still building Taipei 101, but I clearly remember going there. There was a mall, movie theater, and restaurants that were completed.

Before Dubai rewrote the record books, Taipei 101 was the building everyone talked about. Formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, it stands 508 meters (1,667 feet) tall and held the title of the world’s tallest building for several years.

One of its standout features was its high-speed elevators, built by Toshiba. At the time of completion, they were the fastest in the world—rocketing passengers from the 5th to the 89th floor in just 37 seconds, hitting speeds of 60.6 km/h (37.7 mph). You don’t ride those elevators—you launch.

Bali, Indonesia – It’s worth the hype!

12/28/2025

by Darrell All you can fly Buy me a beer Countries Freedom 50 Internet travel search tips Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories Vietnam

Traveling in Asia hits differently for me. I get bored easily—dangerously easily—and staying in one place too long starts to feel like a personal failure. Asia fixes that, which is a way that is hard to explain other than the fact that you can road trip within Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia … for well under a $100 one way.

I currently have a condo in Mesa, AZ, a studio in Rocky Point, Mexico, and three all-you-can-fly passes with three different airlines. I am always on the go, which is somewhere between amazing and loneliness.

I’m not saying I have commitment issues… but if movement were a sport, I’d be on a performance-enhancing medication watch list.

You get the idea. I’m fine. Totally fine. Probably.

That was my December 2025 Asia road trip, operating out of my month-long home base in Hanoi and bouncing over to Kuala Lumpur, then finishing strong in Bali.

Three flights.
Three countries.
$190 USD total.

Read that again—slowly.

This is exactly why Asia hits differently. Flights are cheap, distances are short, and changing plans doesn’t require a spreadsheet or a minor panic attack. One minute you’re eating street food in Hanoi, the next you’re city-hopping in Malaysia, and before you know it, you’re barefoot in Bali, wondering how this all costs less than a mediocre dinner back home.

This isn’t luxury travel—it’s smart movement, maximum flexibility, and letting geography work in your favor.

And yes… this is how the spiral continues.

These road trips definitely weren’t kind to the slow-travel budget—but that’s the trade. When your home base costs under $300 USD a month, you earn the right to occasionally blow the spreadsheet. The cheap, stable housing absorbs the volatility, which makes splurging on experiences feel intentional instead of reckless.

In my case, this trip was less about optimization and more about momentum—I was actively checking off bucket-list items. And when you’re in that mode, strict budget purity matters less than actually doing the thing while you’re there.

The key is that the foundation was solid. Low rent created room to say yes.

I don’t optimize for luxury. I optimize for optionality.
Build the base cheaply, then spend the difference on travel experiences.

Christmas 2025 – You’re a mean one …

12/26/2025

by Darrell All you can fly Autobiography Buy me a beer Countries Dual Citizenship North American Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Stories United States

Christmas time is for kids, since I do not have any minions, it is not my favorite holiday.

We all have regrets, but again, we all have to play the cards we dealt ourselves!

It’s not meant as pity, pride, or judgment—just a sincere look at my life, told with a level of honesty most people rarely allow.

Thinking about having a family—and then creating a fake one on ChatGPT—hits a special kind of loneliness during the holidays, with just enough imaginary alimony and child support to keep it extremely real.

That’s part of why, most days, I am grateful for my life, as this is how it was supposed to work out.

Not because family is bad or wrong—but because forcing a life that didn’t fit would cost me more than it gave back. Freedom mattered more to me than appearances. Movement mattered more than checking boxes that society forces you to check whether you want them or not.

I didn’t have a good father, and the fear of becoming anything like him was always front and center. He bailed on my mom and me in the worst possible way, and that kind of exit leaves a mark whether you want it to or not.

For a long time, that experience quietly shaped my decisions.

That awareness didn’t fix everything, but it ultimately changed my thought process. And sometimes, that’s enough to start choosing differently—on purpose.

Chasing a different dream became my outlet, my structure, and, honestly, my mission. I have lived life in many different cities, having a lot of conversations and many life experiences with people who saw life differently. It became pretty obvious that the way most people lived life was not the only option.

It was not the same generational life, over and over.

Go to College

Get married

Buy a house and have kids

Work until you’re 67+

Enjoy maybe five to ten years of retirement while your body starts to fail you.

I didn’t opt out of life—I opted into my version of it.

Less scripted.
Less predictable.
More honest with who I am

I’m learning to be good with that, and people who judge my alternative lifestyle should, too.

The Grinch that hated winter in Canada!

The cold.

The snow.

The shoveling.

Driving on a skating rink.

The heating bills should feel normal.

Extreme taxes at every angle.

(carbon taxes?!)

The lies people told themselves, “It was normal not to feel your face going outside.

While Family and friends in Canada scraped windshields, living a great Family life!

The Grinch did the math.

Sunshine was cheaper elsewhere.

A lot of money could also be made elsewhere.

So, while others layered sweaters, he booked a one-way ticket south.

He turned in his snow boots for flip-flops.

He drank iced coffee in December.

They said he “You missed the reason for the season,” and called him a sellout!

The Grinch said, “I optimized my life,” in my own way!

He didn’t steal Christmas.
He *Geoarbitraged it!

*Geoarbitrage is the practice of living in a location with a lower cost of living while maintaining the same income, allowing individuals to save and invest more effectively. This concept is often associated with the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, where individuals leverage geographic differences to maximize their financial resources.

Click to read more on my Geoarbitrage goals

“Geoarbitrage – retire sooner “

Hanoi, Vietnam – water puppet show!

12/24/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Personal History Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Stories Vietnam

One of the coolest tourist traps in Hanoi is the traditional water puppet show—and I snagged front-row seats for about $12 USD. Absolute steal, especially since I could see all the behind-the-scenes chaos too. Turns out it’s mostly smoke, mirrors, and very committed puppeteers.

The traditional water puppet show in Hanoi—especially at the famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre—has been running continuously every single day since it opened in 1969, making it one of the rare shows in Asia to perform water puppetry 365 days a year without a break.

The traditional water puppet show in Hanoi has been running every single day since 1969.

That’s over 55 years of zero sick days, no holidays, and puppeteers and other artists who absolutely do not mess around.

Vietnam – slow travel life at its finest!☕🧘🏻

12/24/2025

by Darrell Accommodations AirBnb AirBnb recommendations Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Slow travel Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories Vietnam

I’ve been dreaming about Vietnam ever since I watched Anthony Bourdain on Parts Unknown. Vietnam felt like one of Tony’s true loves—the kind of place he didn’t just visit, but listened to. He chased meals down side streets, sat on plastic stools, and showed that the best moments were always far from the tourist traps. Watching him there made travel feel quieter, more honest—less about seeing things, and more about understanding them. Vietnam wasn’t a backdrop for Tony; it was a reminder of how travel is supposed to feel.

Anthony Bourdain lived a life that blended food, travel, honesty, and deep contradiction—one that resonated because he never pretended to have it all figured out. Like me, I just go with the flow while traveling to a new place.

In 2025, I rented a condo for over two months in Vietnam—not as an experiment, but as confirmation. Five weeks in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), followed by a month in Hanoi. I wasn’t glued to either place; I took road trips, disappeared for stretches, did what I wanted. But I always came back to my own place. A real home base. Which, it turns out, changes everything.

This was slow travel exactly as I’d imagined it: living in the city instead of orbiting it. Falling into routines. Becoming a regular. Building friendships. Having days that felt both normal and quietly exceptional. Life didn’t pause for travel—travel became life.

At this point, I’m not pitching a dream or romanticizing a theory. I ran the play. It worked. And now it’s very hard to take seriously any version of life that costs more and delivers less.

Both apartments were under $400 USD per month, which quietly solves a lot of problems. With a stable, inexpensive home base, I could take road trips without uprooting my entire life. Most of my belongings stayed put, luggage stayed minimal, and travel stayed efficient instead of exhausting. I made side trips over Vietnam at the beginning of 2025 while taking my show on the road to Malaysia and Indonesia at the end of the year.

This is the underrated advantage of slow travel: logistics scale down while freedom scales up. Low rent means less financial pressure, fewer bags, and more optionality. When your housing costs are that low, movement becomes modular—you leave, explore, come back, repeat—without ever feeling like you’re starting over.

I made some side trips across Vietnam in early 2025 (Nah Trang, Da Nang, Vung Tau, Hue, and Phu Quoc). I then fully committed to the chaos and took my show to Malaysia and Indonesia later in the year kocking out two massive bucket lists.

It’s not a hack. It’s just better planning. And once you’ve lived this way, it’s hard to take expensive inconvenience seriously ever again, which is why it will be a massive part of my future travel items in Kuala Lumpur and Bali.

If you made it this far by chance and want to learn more about my slow travel plans.

You can read my blog on the topic by clicking

HERE

In the end, slow travel keeps the costs low and the adventures high—and that’s the whole point around here.

The quest for the best Pho … 😋🍜🤤

12/23/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Dual Citizenship Personal History Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories

I do sometimes wonder how I’m not at least moderately famous with gems like this. Then I immediately remember (and genuinely don’t care anymore) that these blogs may never get read. And honestly? That realization was freeing.

Once I got past feeling like a total failure and a loser, everything else went downhill—in the best possible way. No pressure. No audience chasing. Just writing because I actually enjoy it. Even if this all ends up being an autobiography for myself, I’m good with that.

Phew.
That one came straight from the therapist’s chair.

Anyway… back to Pho

I remember when people used to pretend to like sushi, pho, dim sum, and whatever else was trendy at the time. They’d make sure you knew they were going, had gone, or had just returned from eating “the best ever,” while clearly forcing enthusiasm.

Well… look at me now.

That’s me.
I love pho.
I love sushi.

Turns out trying things for yourself beats talking about them from the sidelines. Funny how that works.

FOFO, indeed

Other than Google, there’s a foolproof way to spot a great place to eat: look at the line—and more importantly, who’s in it.

This one was packed. And not with tourists holding cameras and guidebooks—this line was full of Asians, which is always a very good sign. A quick Google check confirmed what my instincts already knew: this spot was serving some of the best pho in the Hanoi Old Quarter.

Turns out it wasn’t just “one of the best.”

It was #1 on the list.

Rich broth, perfectly cooked noodles, tender meat, zero nonsense. The kind of bowl that makes you slow down halfway through because you don’t want it to end.

I’ll talk about #2—aka Obama Bun cha version of Pho (and yes, it absolutely nailed it too). But this one?

Pho 10 was undoubtedly the benchmark.

Sometimes the line tells you everything you need to know.

I’ll talk about #2—aka Obama Bun cha version of Pho (and yes, it absolutely nailed it too). But this one?

I’ll talk more about #2—aka the Obama Bún Chả version of pho—later in the blog (and yes, it absolutely nailed it too). But this place deserves its own moment.

The visit gave rise to the now-iconic “Combo Obama”, which includes:

Bún Chả (grilled pork with noodles and herbs)

Crab spring rolls

A local Hanoi beer

Simple. Perfect. Universal.

This spot became famous after Barack Obama shared dinner here in 2014 with Anthony Bourdain, during an episode of Parts Unknown. Obama was president at the time, Bourdain was doing what he did best—using food as a bridge between cultures.

Plastic stools.
Cold beer.
No security theater.
No ego.

Just two people eating great food in Hanoi, proving once again that the fastest way to connect across cultures isn’t politics—it’s dinner.

The food lives up to the story.
The story lives up to the moment.

Some meals are famous because they’re good.
Others are famous because they mean something.

This one managed to be both.

Honestly, visiting this restaurant wasn’t about Barack Obama for me—it was about Anthony Bourdain.

Vietnamese food—and pho in particular—was something Bourdain genuinely loved. He talked often about Vietnam as a place that shaped him, not just as a cook but as a traveler. What always stuck with me was how far he was willing to go for food: wandering down side streets, eating at hole-in-the-wall spots, and staying out until absurd hours just to find something real. The ironic part is that once he found something real, it turned into a tourist trap.

That mindset influenced how I travel. I’ve always tried to do the same—skip the polished places, follow instincts, watch where locals eat, and say yes to places that don’t look impressive on the outside.

So sitting there, eating Vietnamese food in Hanoi, felt less like a tourist stop and more like paying quiet respect to someone who showed a lot of us how to travel differently—through curiosity, humility, and a love of good food.

For me, that’s what made the place special. I try to live life the way he did, as he was such an absolute travel legend.

Here was my experience eating the “Bourdain” combo!

Only a few things make me happier than finding these kinds of places that fuel more travel.

Hanoi, Vietnam – train street!🚆

12/23/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Stories

If you’ve watched even a handful of travel videos, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen Train Street in Hanoi.

The concept is beautifully unhinged.

Feed people beer.
Sell them questionable souvenirs.
Pack everyone into a narrow alley.
Then send a full-size train blasting through at close range like it’s part of the entertainment.

Every few minutes, café owners calmly tell everyone to pull their knees in, lift their drinks, and trust the process. The train whizzes by, missing people by inches, and everyone cheers like they didn’t just flirt with death for Instagram content.

It’s equal parts:

terrifying

fascinating

absurd

and somehow very organized chaos

You leave thinking, “That was amazing… and I absolutely should not still be alive.”

My assistant (ChatGPT ) can be a bit dramatic at times—but I can promise you this: when that train comes through within inches of you, it absolutely feels like a near-miss incident.

Standing on Train Street in Hanoi, your brain knows you’re technically “safe,” but your body does not agree. The ground vibrates, the wind hits you, and suddenly that narrow track—already looking a little suspect—has a full-size train ripping through it at well over 50 mph, depending on route.

Your heart rate spikes.
Conversations stop.
Beers are clutched like emotional support animals.

It’s loud, fast, uncomfortable, and wildly memorable. No video really captures how intense it feels in person. For a split second, every instinct you have says, “This is a bad idea.”

And then it’s gone.

Adrenaline fades.
Everyone laughs.
Phones come back out.

Was it dramatic? Yes.
Was it a dangerous feeling? Absolutely.
Was it unforgettable? 100%.

That’s Hanoi train street- it was so awesome,

Here are three angels as I went back for more training:

Someone put their phone on the tracks, and they were nice enough to share the video with me!

I can honestly say this was way cooler than I expected, even after seeing it a hundred times on TV and YouTube.

Some things only make sense when you show up.

You can watch the videos, read boring blogs like this one, and scroll forever—but none of it compares.

Standing there, feeling the sheer force of that train ripping by with a beer in your hand and phone filming in the other.

Life doesn’t reward spectators. It rewards participation.

Get off the couch. Book the trip. Go see it for yourself.

I would love to motivate and save you some money if needed – send me a PM

A little bit of monkey business …🐒

12/23/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Costa Rica Quepos Travel bucket list

… just a back rub…

They say monkeys are basically people.

Case closed.

Please don’t make me explain this again

🫣.

I spent a fun few hours wandering around the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud, which was equal parts entertaining and mildly threatening.

I’ve had the chance to see different species of monkeys in Thailand. The Philippines and Costa Rica, as well, and I can confidently say this is a global truth:

They’re all kind of assholes.

The rules are posted everywhere posted in the park:

1. Don’t bother them while they’re eating.

2. Don’t look them in the eye.

What they don’t explain is what happens if you do both.

Spoiler alert:
They absolutely explain it to you themselves.

Still, it’s an incredible experience—just keep your snacks hidden, your sunglasses tight, and your confidence low.

Click play – Exhibit EH

The monkeys run that park, and they know it.

The cool part is how organized it all is. The staff actually knows the different monkey groups—their neighborhoods, their territories, and which troop belongs where inside the park.

It’s not chaos; it’s a full-on monkey city with zoning laws and unwritten rules.

Watching them interact, I’m pretty sure these monkeys use gang signals, have beef with rival crews, and settle disputes with intense staring contests.

And honestly?
I wouldn’t be shocked if they listen to Snoop Dogg, too.

Same confidence.
Same “this is my block” energy.
Zero respect for personal space.

You’re just a visitor in their neighborhood—and they make sure you never forget it.

For additional clarification, please refer back to Exhibit EH.

Here’s a little throwback to some other fun with monkeys in Costa Rica.

Part of The NorthAmerican Darrell Project—and easily one of the most unsettling wildlife experiences I’ve ever had.

If you’ve never heard a howler monkey before, imagine:

a demon

trapped in a jungle

screaming through a broken megaphone

I woke up convinced something terrible was happening outside, so I went for a pre-dawn walk. Turns out it was just monkeys… aggressively announcing their presence to the entire rainforest.

Spooky.
Loud.
Unforgettable

Manuel Antonio National Park – Quepos, Costa Rica

I’ve visited Manuel Antonio National Park in Quepos, Costa Rica, a couple of times.

Manuel Antonio is beautiful. Jungle trails, beaches, sloths, monkeys everywhere. What they don’t emphasize enough is that the animals there are professional thieves.

No food out.
Backpack zipped.
Situational awareness is high.

That’s when I realized Manuel Antonio isn’t a park—you’re just walking through their neighborhood. The monkeys aren’t cute mascots; they are just trying to steal the show from the sloths we came to see. They’re organized, confident, and clearly working in teams. One distracts, one steals, one watches for tourists making bad decisions like watching them eat or looking them in the eye

Just another fun Costa Rica lesson learned:
You are not the main character in Manuel Antonio.

Bali, Indonesia! Amazing! 😎

12/22/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories

I’d been in Hanoi for about two weeks and needed a break. It’s an incredible city, but the traffic, pollution, and constant chaos will wear on anyone eventually.

The good news? I was surrounded by amazing places—and getting to them was ridiculously cheap.

As usual, I shifted into bucket-list mode. Malaysia and Indonesia were basically within spitting distance, with one-way flights hovering around $45–$90,

At that point, the decision was easy. I booked three flights under $200 USD:

~$45-Hanoi, Vietnam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

~$55-Kuala Lumpur to Denpasar, Indonesia (Bali)

~$90-Bali to Hanoi, Vietnam

I took off on an EPIC ten-day road trip—proof that adventure doesn’t have to be expensive.

Cost
Every time I visit Asia, my brain starts asking extremely reasonable questions like: Why do I live anywhere else? Two to three months of slow travel doesn’t feel aspirational anymore—it feels inevitable. The math works. The lifestyle works. At this point, I’m just pretending this isn’t already decided.

Proximity for adventure

When boredom hits, you simply leave. A casual monthly escape to Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, or Indonesia usually costs under $50 each way. Food and housing stay the same, so the only real variable is how often you decide to disappear. Routine, but make it optional. Stability, but with an exit plan.

The boxes are checked:

The prices are undeniable.

The proximity to adventure.

Every trip to Asia makes “normal life” feel like a bookkeeping error.

There’s a reason Bali is the Aussies’ playground—and every bar at 10 a.m. confirms it!

It’s wild how distorted prices have become in some places. In Bali, a $20 hair cut makes you a “Big Boss.”

A normal haircut was well under $10, and leaving a $10 tip felt huge there—probably made his day or even week. It beats getting the sideways look for leaving less than a 20% TIP in North America.

577098853_1365129098676837_626196983573301260_n

Careful what you wish for …

12/21/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Freedom 50 My Airbnb Slow travel Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories Vietnam

Careful what you wish for… it starts with ‘just one trip’ and ends with no fixed address,

No shoes, no shirt, and no problem! Right?!

(Got drunk, lost my shoes, probably should wear a shirt, and clearly still have some problems)

I just wing it now, though!

Since taking a run at retirement in February 2024, everything has been going as planned—and I’m choosing to believe this streak will continue.

The stock market 💹

Airbnb rentals 💰

Bucket list travel 🌍

I always dreamed of the traveling life. Planning helps—but trying is the only thing that actually counts.

The stock market

Relying on the stock market to go up forever is wishful thinking at best. I’ve learned to go with the flow and accept that corrections aren’t disasters—they’re just part of the ride.

Personally, hiring a great financial advisor makes sense. We shouldn’t YouTube our way to self-diagnose serious medical issues, so pretending we’re all finance experts seems… optimistic

Airbnb rentals 💰

Having a side hustle to support retirement is always a plus. I managed to turn my AZ condo into exactly that, and it’s been a game-changer for my roaming lifestyle. I don’t love the word “lucky,” but I’ll happily admit this decision was very fortunate.

I’ve had amazing guests so far and genuinely enjoy making sure they have a great stay while they’re in Arizona. After crashing in more than a hundred Airbnbs around the world, I’ve learned a lot about what works, what doesn’t, and what makes you think, “Wow, this host actually gets it.”

My latest low key, amazing guest!

I try to bring those little things I appreciated as a guest into my own place—basically paying it forward, one comfy stay at a time, so I can keep paying for planes, trains, and questionable travel decisions.

Renting my own full-time Airbnb in Rocky Point, Mexico, has been an absolute lifesaver. I can escape to Mexico on a whim as it is only a four-hour drive—and my rent costs less than my monthly Arizona homeowners’ fees.

Bucket list travel

Without the above two falling into place, this might not be possible. I have used patience and whittled down my panic attacks of going back to work to twice a day to make it all work out.

Since taking a serious run at retirement, it’s almost embarrassing how many travel bucket-list items I’ve absolutely obliterated over the last two years. Honestly, I’ve lost count. That’s why I hope you read my blogs—sharing these experiences is the whole reason I spend so much time writing.

Progress is progress

If my stories help even one person take a leap of faith, then it’s worth it.

There’s never a perfect time to do anything in life.

You just dance like no one is watching… panic attacks and all.

Tokyo, Japan – $12 on points Feb 1st, 2026!

12/20/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Internet travel search tips Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories

A few years ago, during a perfectly innocent fishing trip to Hawaii, I applied for a Hawaiian Airlines Mastercard.

Somehow, this resulted in 70,000 points.

Those points have been burning a hole in my pocket ever since—quietly judging me every time I checked my balance.

Until now.

I officially booked a trip to Tokyo, Japan, departing February 1st, 2026—paid entirely with points. Turns out, the long game does pay off.

Especially when it ends in Tokyo.

That’s right—$11.20 to get from Phoenix to Tokyo using points.

Eleven dollars.

And twenty cents.

I haven’t finalized my return flight yet—because commitment is overrated and flexibility feels very on-brand. Plus, Korea is just around the corner and on the bucket list.

The plan is to stay two and a half months, since my Airbnb is locked in until April 15th.

If you’re curious how a fishing trip turned into a trans-Pacific flight for the price of a vending machine snack, you can read more about the Hawaiian Airlines credit card on my blog by clicking:

HERE.⬅️⬅️

You can read my long-winded Kona fishing blog.

No refunds. Never getting that time back by clicking

HERE

Why Japan Tops the Travel Charts

Japan is often ranked the number one travel destination because it’s a magical mix of tradition, technology, and sheer wow factor. You can go from serene ancient temples and cherry blossom gardens to bustling neon-lit cities and bullet trains in a matter of minutes.

Add to that world-class food, from Michelin-starred sushi to street-side takoyaki, ultra-clean streets, incredibly polite locals, and a culture that balances the ultra-modern with centuries-old customs—and it’s easy to see why travelers can’t get enough.

Plus, every season brings something spectacular: spring for cherry blossoms, autumn for fiery leaves, winter for skiing, and summer for festivals that make your Instagram explode. Japan isn’t just a trip—it’s a full-on sensory adventure.

11/17/25 Hanoi ~24-hours of travel!

11/15/2025

by Darrell Accommodations AirBnb Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Travel bucket list Travels Stories

I started 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and I’ll be ending the year in Hanoi — and honestly, I could 100% get used to visiting Vietnam. The energy, the food, the landscapes, the coffee culture… it’s way too easy to fall in love with.

But first… I have to survive this 24-hour travel gauntlet:

9:30 AM

4-hour shuttle from Rocky Point, Mexico → Phoenix Airport

3:30 PM / 5:15 PM

1.5-hour Phoenix → Los Angeles flight
(Yes… I booked two refundable options because I don’t trust the universe. )

10:00 PM

15-hour long-haul from Los Angeles → Guangzhou, China

3 hours from Guangzhou, China to Hanoi, Vietnam

Bonus insanity:

Approximately 8 more hours of layovers, airport wandering, questionable terminal coffee, and whatever chaos China Southern or the universe continues to throw at me.

Mission accomplished!

25 most visited Countries *21 completed!🌎

11/10/2025

by Darrell AirBnb All you can fly Buy me a beer Countries Freedom 50 Internet travel search tips Personal History Travels Stories

“I hope that giddy ‘new place’ feeling never goes away. At this point, I’ve only got 4 of the top 25 most visited countries left to catch… but who’s counting?”

Completed:

1-France, Paris twice, and leaving was the best part!

2 Spain, Madrid and Barcelona!

3-USA, So much fun, so many places lived and visited!

4-China, Guangzhou airport counts, right?

5-Italy, Venice, Rome, Naples, and Milan

6-Turkey, Istanbul, and the Princes’ Islands.

7-Mexico, so many Coronas and a bit of tequila everywhere!

9-Germany, Oktoberfest in Munich

10-UK, London pubs several times

12-Austria, Vienna

13-Greece, Athens

14-Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

15-Portugal, Algarves, and coastal train adventure

16-Russia, Moscow airport counts, right?

18-Canada, born to leave the cold!

19-Poland, Warsaw

21-Vietnam, HCMC, Phu Quoc, and Hanoi, among other places.

And 25-Hungary. Budapest

Remaining:

11 – *Japan (February 2026, #1 tourist spot finally happening)

17 – Hong Kong (still there, still expensive- CHINA!)

20 – *Netherlands (flat but impressive, 2026 Europass 🤞🏻)

22 – India (interest level: zero, zilch – nada!)

23 – *South Korea (March 2026, scheduled obsession)

24 – *Croatia (Europass vibes plans for 2026 🤞🏻)

“My retirement often seems that it is on life support but keeps whispering one more flight.”

It’s just my opinion! Travel man! 🙌🏻

10/27/2025

by Darrell Accommodations Buy me a beer Countries Freedom 50 Hostels Internet travel search tips Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories

When I talk about travel, I’m simply sharing my own experiences and opinions. Everyone travels differently, so what works for me may not work for you.

I tend to travel a lot and try to save money, so my perspective is probably skewed.

The reality is that most people don’t want to skimp on their vacations.

There are two very different types of travelers.

Many travelers return to work so they can earn more money to fund future trips. I take a different approach. I save money while traveling so I don’t have to go back to work.

Someday, you may find yourself in a similar situation—please consider reading this blog with that perspective in mind. It’s just my opinion man, relax!

I also don’t have anyone else who has to suffer because of my budget travel choices—and that’s a pretty big advantage.

If I stay in a hostel, I’m the only one listening to a stranger’s world-class snoring performance. If I book a non-direct flight, I’m the only one pacing the terminal during a five-hour layover, questioning my life choices.

These decisions work for me—but I fully understand why they might be a hard no for someone else.

If nothing else, we can agree on this: travel as much as you can while you’ve still got enough piss and vinegar to haul yourself onto that next flight. Waiting on compression socks and flip-flops is not a good vibe.

- “Never give up. Live life to the fullest—without regret.”

Legend in my own mind – A Mocumentary!

10/26/2025

by Darrell Accommodations Autobiography Buy me a beer Countries Personal History Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories

Another reason I started this website was to help me navigate the absolute chaos that is early retirement. At least twice a week, I’m convinced market fluctuations are about to force me into a very tastefully decorated dumpster.

2025 was my first full year taking a serious swing at retirement—emphasis on swing.

Even with the site’s modest traffic (hi Sis! ), I’ve genuinely loved writing.

Which means it might be time for my next fun travel project?!

And speaking of big ideas… here’s my first book proposal from a ghostwriting company:

“North American Darrell – A Legend in my own mind”

A traveler’s mocumentary …

Project Vision:

Darrell, your story is more than travel.
It’s about freedom, the kind that comes from defying convention, exploring the world solo, and
mastering the art of geoarbitrage. You’ve already built a digital footprint that thousands of
people dream of, through your website, vlogs, and life experiences.

What’s missing now is the next chapter:
Transforming North American Darrell into a published brand, a professional, inspiring book
and digital identity that cements your journey as a living example of how to live smarter, freer,
and bolder.
This isn’t just a book project. It’s a brand evolution, from traveler to author, from storyteller
to inspiration.

Our Understanding of Your Vision
You’re not looking to “just publish a book.”
You want something that:
• Reflects your authentic voice and humor, not ghostwritten into something artificial.
• Organizes your blog posts and memories into a cohesive travel autobiography.
• Establishes your legacy and builds on the momentum of NorthAmericanDarrell.com
and your YouTube channel.
• Generates passive income and brand credibility, creating new opportunities for
collaborations, sponsorships, and future travel projects.

What We’ll Do for You

1. Structural Blueprint (Book Framework Development)
We’ll organize your content into a professional book structure tailored to your style:
• Categorize posts into themes: Travel Adventures, Life Reflections, Humor, Turning
Points and Modern Freedom
• Group your stories into chapters for maximum reader engagement
• Suggest transitions and hooks that keep readers turning pages
• Deliver a fully editable outline and story placement plan you can keep for future use
projects
Result: A clear, publish-ready roadmap of your book that preserves your voice.

2. Editorial Collaboration & Story Enhancement
We’ll guide you chapter by chapter:
• Edit and enhance your existing drafts for clarity, humor, and pacing
• Strengthen dialogue and narrative flow without changing your tone
• Provide professional feedback and suggestions to make your stories resonate with a
wide audience
Result: Your words shine, professionally polished, but still 100% you

3. Professional Formatting & Book Design
• Format for eBook & Paperback (Amazon KDP, Ingram Spark)
• Design a bold, minimalist cover inspired by your travel photography
• Interior layout optimized for short-story pacing, section variety, and readability
Result: A premium, reader-friendly book that looks as great as it reads.

4. Publishing & Branding Setup
• Distribution across Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and other platforms if
required
• Category selection, keywords, and optimization to maximize discoverability
Result: Your book reaches readers globally, with professional presentation and discoverability.

5. Optional Add-On: Pre-Marketing & Website Optimization
To amplify your book launch, we recommend a pre-marketing and brand optimization
package:

• Website Upgrade: Ensure NorthAmericanDarrell.com is polished, visually attractive,
mobile-friendly, and optimized for your book launch
• Pre-Launch Marketing: Build anticipation with a teaser campaign using your blog
posts, travel clips, and email list
• Social Media Strategy: Align your book promotion with your social channels for
organic reach and engagement
• Email Campaigns & Lead Capture: Collect leads from your audience for pre-orders
and newsletter sign-ups
• Launch Momentum: Create a strategy to drive early reviews, engagement, and initial
book sales

Benefits:
• Position your book as a professional, must-read travel memoir
• Turn existing followers into early readers and brand advocates
• Increase visibility and traction for a higher-impact launch
• Future-proof your online brand for subsequent books, courses, or media opportunities.

I’ve always wanted to write an autobiography once I had a website—clearly the natural next step.

Making it a mocumentary seems wiser. Less pressure, more jokes.

A mockumentary is a type of film, TV show, or video that mimics the style of a documentary and is often comedic. It looks like a serious documentary—with interviews, “real” footage, and narration—but the events, characters, or situations are made up, exaggerated, or absurd for humor or satire.

Key features:

Basically, it’s a fake documentary that makes you laugh, sometimes by tricking you into thinking it’s not real.

You can’t finish a dream

unless you start dreaming it first.

Stay tuned… or don’t. I’ll be here either way.

Green card, Citizenship & travel visas🛂

10/21/2025

by Darrell Arizona Buy me a beer Countries Dual Citizenship Georgia North Carolina Travel bucket list Travels Stories United States

I’ve been dealing with travel visas for over 25 years—long enough to know this topic is wildly misunderstood by anyone who’s never actually lived it.

You can’t just let people casually wander into a country…
unless, apparently, you’re shopping for votes.

Like it or not, visas are 100% necessary.
Not glamorous.
Not fun.
Necessary.

My travel saga started in the late 1990s, flying for work between Calgary, Canada and Dallas, Texas.

I regularly traveled from our manufacturing plant in Calgary to our U.S. headquarters in Dallas. And every trip began exactly the same way:
Me, arriving at the Calgary airport—already sweating—fully aware that my real journey was about to begin… with U.S. Immigration.

The script never changed.

Agent: Purpose of travel?
Me: Meetings.
Agent: How long?
Me: One week.
Agent: That’s a long meeting.
Me: We have meetings all week.
Agent: Go sit in our office.

Me (internally): Yes sir. Thank you sir. I respect the process and my fragile freedom.

Then came the waiting.

The agents would let me slowly marinate in anxiety—right up until five minutes before boarding.

Agent: You’re free to go.
Me: Immediately sprinting to the gate like I’d just been released from a minimum-security prison.

Every.
Single.
Time.

🏃🏻‍➡️✈️

Eventually, I graduated to actual work visas.
Real ones.
Laminated.
Official.
Very fancy.

I would calmly present my current visa to the immigration officer, exactly as instructed.

[“DO NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS.”]

The office rules were very clear:
Show the visa.
Say nothing.

Apparently, immigration officers are highly trained professionals whose primary job is to trick you into saying one wrong word, realize you have the wrong visa, and deny you entry—
purely by accident.
On your part.

This never happened to me.
I suspect it’s because they eventually recognized me.

“Oh. It’s this guy again.”

Somewhere along the way, I stopped being “potential international threat” and became “frequent flyer with anxiety.”

Eventually, I moved to the United States full-time, which—shockingly—required an entirely different visa.

I will forever clutch my citizenship like it’s a winning lottery ticket.

Ten years and dozens of visas later, I finally received my United States Permanent Resident card—
the government’s way of saying, “Fine. You can stay.”

“TEN YEARS LATER”

Another ten years passed, and—six months after my green card expired on January 13, 2019—I officially became a U.S. citizen on July 3, 2019.

Yes, there was a brief but thrilling period where I existed in pure bureaucratic limbo:
No longer green-card valid, not yet American enough.

USA Immigration has always loved a good cliffhanger.

Then, just in time for Independence Day sales, fireworks, and historically poor life choices…

I became a U.S. citizen.

Sworn in by DJT himself.

Roll credits. 🇺🇸🎆

My entire immigration journey took roughly 20 years.

Two decades of forms, fees, interviews, fingerprints, photos—and the low-grade terror of checking the mailbox.

So yes, I tend to notice immigration policy.

Between 2020 and 2024, under a Democratic administration, millions of migrants were allowed into the U.S. with what appeared to be minimal vetting. Many arrived with criminal records, some unvaccinated, and many had their expenses covered.

At the exact same time, Americans were required to get vaccinated while enduring shutdowns that hit them financially.

That contrast did not go unnoticed.

The current Republican administration, by contrast, treats border security as non-negotiable. Their 2025 immigration policies can best be summarized as FAFO—and they are the strongest I’ve seen.

And just for context—so this doesn’t sound like vibes-only commentary—I’ve also held travel visas for:

Thailand (three of them), Cambodia, and Vietnam (two).

Turns out, when you’ve played immigration on hard mode across multiple countries, you develop opinions.

Earned ones.

Cambodia Immigration — departing Vietnam

No computers.
No scanners.
No backup system.

Just pens, paper, and deeply suspicious vibes.

Everything was done by hand.
Every passport.
Every stamp.
Every long, silent glance that felt like a background check conducted telepathically.

The process took hours—not because anything was wrong, but because time itself had chosen to opt out.
The heat was oppressive.
The fans were decorative.
The concept of “boarding time” was aspirational.

This was immigration in its purest form:

slow, deliberate, and completely immune to deadlines.

And watching it all unfold, I realized something oddly comforting—

no matter the country,
no matter the technology,
no matter the system…

immigration always finds a way to remind you who’s really in charge.

These Asian visas are extremely strict.

As in: follow the rules… or enjoy a complimentary tour of the prison system.

There’s no confusion about the process.

No gray area.
No “I didn’t know.”

You follow the entry requirements, or there are consequences.

And somehow—miraculously—when you follow the immigration process wherever you go, you avoid those consequences entirely.

Seems 100% fair to me.

Legal immigration history:

It didn’t start with some fancy red carpet—it started when governments realized people moving freely could get… complicated. Back in the 19th century, countries like the U.S., Canada, and Australia were basically like, “Sure, come on in… as long as you check a box or two.”

Then came the U.S. Immigration Act of 1882, which basically said, “Not everyone’s invited to the party.” Fast forward to the early 1900s: Ellis Island became the ultimate checkpoint, where millions of hopeful immigrants faced the judgment of border agents, health inspections, and that ever-important first glimpse of America.

By the mid-20th century, things got organized: work visas, student visas, green cards… a whole bureaucratic buffet. Today, legal immigration is basically a government-approved, multi-step obstacle course—and yes, you can survive it, but only if you brought your paperwork, patience, and maybe a stiff drink.

Hanoi, Vietnam – Nov.17/25🍜🫖

10/13/2025

by Darrell AirBnb Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Internet travel search tips Slow travel Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories

There’s a balance I’m always chasing when I travel—but I wish I understood it better, so I’d stop booking flights. I know I need to begin with lower-cost, slower journeys, and once again, Vietnam felt like the perfect calibration.

I landed in Hanoi, Vietnam on November 17th, 2025—because apparently I like good decisions.

~$572 for the flight and ~$263 for an entire month’s rent (yes, a month).

I skipped Northern Vietnam earlier in 2025, so this trip was basically my “fine, I’ll do it properly this time” trip. 🪣📃

Anytime I find a cheap flight, I’ve learned to check the accommodations before I start emotionally packing.

I knew it would be budget-friendly, but I didn’t expect a full-on resort situation—pool, gym, and a games room with a river view… all for “are we sure this is real?” prices.

The history of Hanoi: A City That Refuses to Sit Still

Hanoi has been around for over 1,000 years, which basically means it has more history than most people have Instagram posts. It started as a sleepy riverside settlement until Emperor Lý Thái Tổ decided in 1010 to move the capital there and call it Thăng Long—“Rising Dragon”—because why settle for boring when you can be mythical?

Fast forward a few centuries, and Hanoi became a cultural, educational, and political hotspot, surviving invasions, occupations, and a fair share of bureaucratic headaches. The French showed up in the late 1800s, built boulevards, colonial buildings, and cafés where you can still sip coffee pretending you’re in Paris.

After a mid-20th century revolution and reunification, Hanoi officially became the capital of Vietnam, a city where ancient temples, motorbike chaos, and modern skyscrapers collide. Basically, it’s a city that refuses to sit still—and you’ll love every chaotic, delicious, history-packed second of it.

Venice, Italy – The Grand Canal🛶🍷👍🏻

10/10/2025

by Darrell Accommodations Buy me a beer Europe Freedom 50 Hostels Italy Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Stories Wizz - AYCF!

I somehow managed to miss Venice the last time I was in Italy, so this time I overcorrected—with a casual 14+ hours on a train to make sure it happened.

To be fair, the journey was actually pretty incredible. We cut through a different part of Switzerland on the way to Milan, which would’ve been great if Milan hadn’t been in full Fashion Week mode. After about five minutes of that chaos, I was very happy to hop on the short train ride to Venice.

After that marathon travel day, my first Venice memory was asking someone in the train station, “Where’s the Grand Canal?” He pointed to my left and said, “You mean that one?”

Turns out the Venice Santa Lucia train station is literally sitting on the canal. Subtle city, Venice. Very subtle.

One of the things that completely blew my mind about Venice is that the water is the road. No streets—just canals. Water taxis, delivery boats, construction barges… and yes, I even watched a casket float by with the family following along as part of a funeral.

It’s strangely beautiful and slightly surreal, and somehow all of it works. Watching everyone calmly navigate canal “traffic” like it’s rush hour on Main Street was one of the coolest parts of being there.

Pretty much everyone was lounging by the waterfront with a wine in hand, and of course, we all drowned in spritzers like it was a civic duty.

I enjoyed them so much that I stocked up when I got home—because nothing screams “this isn’t Venice” like sipping a sad spritzer in Arizona while staring at a cactus.

It’s not the Grand Canal, but it’s still pretty glorious during a Jay’s playoff game.

Mix some SodaStream soda water with your favorite alcohol flavoring (Aperol, Aperix, or Rosé—because why not), toss in white wine, fruit, and orange slices, and boom: Venice vibes at home. Bonus: it costs less than a dollar instead of €5–8+ per sad spritzer by the canal.

Here are a few more GEMs from my Venice adventure—because someone has to show off while I sip my homegrown “canal.” that hauls waste water in AZ.

Want more Grand Canal vibes (without the €8 spritzers)? Check out my videos on YouTube—watch canals, gondolas, and chaos unfold from the comfort of your own home.

www.YouTube.com/@NorthAmericanDarrell

Don’t forget to hit subscribe and dive into over 1,500 travel videos—because apparently, watching me roam the globe is considered quality entertainment.

Venice’s history began in the 5th century.

Refugees decided building a city on stilts in a swampy lagoon was a brilliant idea. By the Middle Ages, it became a maritime superpower, raking in riches while everyone else was figuring out taxes. Centuries later, it joined Italy, and today it’s a tourist mecca of canals, gondolas, and carnival chaos. Basically, it’s a city that floats, dazzles, and occasionally smells like history, depending on which alley waterway you visit.

Portugal – the beauty of the Algarves! 😍

10/09/2025

by Darrell Accommodations All you can fly Autobiography Buy me a beer Europe Hostels Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories Wizz - AYCF!

My September 2025 European vacation began in Faro, Portugal, following a travel day that felt like it had its own time zone.

Uber from home to the airport!

light from Phoenix to LA

8-hour layover in LA

10-hour flight to London

3-hour London layover

2-hour flight to Faro, Portugal.

It was miserable. I even had loud, dry heaves when we touched down in London. I almost made it… But nope. We had a “go around” because apparently, someone else’s plane hadn’t moved off the runway yet. That was the end of me for the day. 📢🤮🙋🏻‍♂️

I really should cut people some slack when they say they don’t want to travel like me—clearly, they have better judgment but sitting at home is not an option.

The first week in Portugal was pure exhaustion—jet lag hit hard, and I barely had time to remember what day it was before I was off on the next adventure.

Totally worth it—Spain and Portugal were both at the top of my bucket list. I’ve barely scratched the surface of either, but who cares?

Dropping pins does not need full coverage.

I had a great time in Faro and Lagos, just hanging out by the water and soaking it all in. But Porto—hands down—stole the show. It had been at the top of my bucket list for ages, and it did not disappoint. I also made sure to take in the short bus rides and longer train journeys along the coast, which were spectacular, pretending to be a local.

The city is split by the Douro River, and there are six famous bridges to cross at various points. The crown jewel is the Dom Luís Bridge—a stunning double-deck metal arch that links Porto with Vila Nova de Gaia. Honestly, I couldn’t stop taking pictures; it’s one of those “blink and you’ll miss it” moments that you also want to document from every possible angle.

I spent a solid two days in Porto walking over 20,000 steps each day—up and down the river, soaking in the stunning architecture. The buildings lining the water are even more jaw-dropping in person. There’s also a gondola that gives you a sky-high view, but the line was so long I decided my legs had already earned a vacation of their own.

Want more Portugal chaos, cobblestones, and coastal views? Check out my YouTube channel for all the videos—no jet lag required.

www,YouTube.com/@NorthAmericanDarrell

Hit subscribe to dive into the full 1,500+ travel video catalog—because why stop at one continent when you can live vicariously through all of them?

Portugal’s history: Small Country, Big Ambitions

Portugal started getting serious in the 12th century, when Afonso I declared, “I’m king now,” and voilà—Portugal was officially a thing. Not content with being a tiny corner of Europe, the Portuguese set sail during the Age of Exploration, sending legends like Vasco da Gama around Africa to India and basically telling the world, “We’ll take it from here.”

They built an empire stretching across Asia, Africa, and Brazil—riches, spices, and cultural chaos included—while most Europeans were still figuring out how to map their own backyard. Today, Portugal is chill, gorgeous, and full of history: sun-soaked beaches, pastel-colored streets, port wine, and the occasional reminder that this tiny country once ruled the seas.

Prague, Czech – beer is served half full?!🤔

10/09/2025

by Darrell Autobiography Buy me a beer Freedom 50 Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals

As September 19th, 2025 crept closer, I was happily settled in Warsaw—but quietly plotting Munich for the first weekend of Oktoberfest. With my Eurail pass, booking the trip was almost absurdly easy:

Warsaw to Prague, then a short hop into Munich.

Portugal. Poland. Iceland. And now Prague.

Everything was lining up so cleanly. Routes connected. Dates made sense. Just a perfectly unfolding chain of cities—one rail segment at a time.

The Czech Republic has always intrigued me—between its legendary international hockey and, of course, its world-class beer, how could it not? I only spent a couple of days in Prague, but every minute landed. The city feels effortlessly historic without being frozen in time, the beer is somehow even better than advertised, and there’s a rhythm to the place that invites you to slow down and look around.

It was one of those stops that proves you don’t need weeks somewhere for it to leave a mark. Sometimes a place shows you exactly what it is right away—and Prague did that beautifully.

There’s something undeniably awesome about streetcars sharing the road with everyday traffic. I first saw it in Vienna and thought, “Okay, that’s pretty neat.” But Prague? Prague turns it into an art form.

You’ve got ancient, rattling trams rubbing elbows with sleek, modern ones—both weaving through cars, bikes, and pedestrians like they’re operating inside some chaotic, high-speed safe zone. Everyone somehow knows where everything else is going. No hesitation. No drama. Just motion.

The beer in Prague is something else entirely. They pour it with half the glass—sometimes more—foam. There’s even a style called Mlíko where about 75% of what you’re holding is foam… and you pay full price for the privilege.

I ended up in a lively debate with a bartender about it. He swore it “tastes better that way.” I countered with my very scientific position: 90% of a beer lives in the top 10% of the glass—and yes, we are both professionals. We laughed. The foam probably laughed. And I still drank it.

Because when in Prague, you surrender to the professionals. 🍻

The city itself—and especially the riverside—was incredible. I can only imagine how stunning it must be in winter… though, to be honest, I’d probably never make it outside in that kind of cold.

So instead, here are a few pictures and videos—so you can admire Prague from a warm, safe spot, just as nature intended.

Want more Czech Republic adventures—and proof that I walked way too much? Head over to my YouTube channel for videos, chaos, and maybe a beer or two:

www.YouTube.com/@NorthAmericanDarrell

There are over 1,600 travel videos from around the globe—enough to make your couch feel like first class.
Apparently, my wandering now qualifies as educational content.

Prague history: The City That Time Forgot… and Then Perfected

Prague started way back in the 9th century as a collection of hilltop settlements around what’s now Prague Castle—basically, medieval real estate with a view. By the Middle Ages, it became the capital of Bohemia and a cultural powerhouse, where kings built castles, churches, and universities while everyone else was still figuring out plumbing.

Under Charles IV, the city got fancy: the oldest university in Central Europe, bridges, cathedrals… Prague basically said, “We do grandeur better.” Fast forward a few centuries, and the city survived wars, empires, and communism, only to emerge in 1989 via the Velvet Revolution as a stunning, slightly magical city where Gothic spires, cobblestone streets, and craft beer coexist in perfect harmony.

Warsaw, Poland – Just like Ukraine!

10/08/2025

by Darrell All you can fly Buy me a beer Europe Freedom 50 Hostels Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories

I have to say, Warsaw ended up being one of my favorite stops on the entire trip. There were no flashy tourist traps or overproduced experiences—just a calm, lived-in city with an easy rhythm and, most importantly, incredible food.

Everywhere you turned, people were speaking Polish (and Ukrainian), and pierogies weren’t just a menu item—they were practically a food group. Warm, simple, comforting food done right.

In a quiet, unexpected way, it reminded me of my mom in Heaven. The kind of comfort you don’t plan for, but recognize immediately when it shows up.

I spent three days in Warsaw before launching into a 48-hour Iceland whirlwind using my Wizz Air Pass—essentially a masterclass in how much jet lag one human can endure in two days.

Booking the flights there and back at the same time made me feel like a travel genius… or someone who should probably be supervised, but no one wanted the job.

Coming back to Warsaw was pure relief. Slow walks, nonstop eating in Old Town, and convincing myself that aggressively shoving pierogies into my face absolutely counts toward my 10,000 daily steps. Balance is important.

Want more Warsaw adventures, pierogies, and wandering chaos? Check out my YouTube channel for all the videos—no passport required.

www.NorthAmericanDarrell.com

Smash that subscribe button and step into the beautifully chaotic universe of 1,600+ travel videos—with more questionable decisions added weekly.

Watch me:

Wander the globe with zero chill

Battle jet lag like a caffeinated (possibly drunken) superhero

Make deeply questionable food choices

And survive airports that appear to actively hate humanity

All from the comfort and safety of your couch…
While you roast me.

Just real travel, bad ideas, and solid stories.

—all from the safety of your couch while making fun of me!

Warsaw history: The Phoenix City

Warsaw started out in the 13th century as a sleepy riverside settlement, minding its own business along the Vistula. By the 16th century, it said, “Move over Kraków, I’m the capital now,” and quickly became Poland’s political and cultural hub.

Over the centuries, foreign powers—Russia, Prussia, Austria—kept trying to boss Warsaw around, and the city responded with uprisings, rebellions, and general stubbornness.

Then came World War II, when almost everything got flattened… but Warsaw didn’t just sulk. It rose from the rubble, rebuilt its Old Town brick by brick, and now stands as a gleaming, slightly sarcastic symbol of resilience: “You can’t break me, folks, nice try.”

Reykjavík, Iceland – Hot springs! ♨️

10/08/2025

by Darrell All you can fly Autobiography Buy me a beer Europe Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories Wizz - AYCF!

I didn’t end up using my Wizz Air All You Can Fly pass as much as I originally planned.

After experiencing European train travel, I found myself preferring it. Trains were smoother, more comfortable, and often more enjoyable overall, which made short-haul flights feel less appealing by comparison.

That said, I still managed to squeeze in a 48-hour trip from Warsaw to Reykjavík, finally checking Iceland off my bucket list.

That journey wrapped up my 23rd, 24th, and final flights on the €499 pass.

Looking back, it was a busy, sometimes chaotic stretch of travel—but also a reminder of how fortunate I am to keep moving, exploring, and learning what styles of travel work best for me.

A big part of using an AYCF pass is always having your next destination locked in. If you don’t, you risk getting stranded somewhere, staring at a snack bar and wondering if your life has quietly turned into a low-budget travel documentary. Since Iceland can only be reached by plane, that mattered. Thankfully, I booked my return flight at the same time as my departure, guaranteeing I’d make it back to the mainland. Score one for planning—or possibly luck.

I didn’t do much while I was there. I mostly walked around Reykjavík and visited two hot springs, which was exactly the point of the trip. Ironically, there was a public pool and hot spring complex right next to my hostel. After weeks away from my usual spa routine, it felt incredible. I rotated between three temperature-controlled pools, cold plunges, saunas, and steam rooms like a professional relaxation athlete.

I enjoyed it so much that I went back again the next morning before heading to the Blue Lagoon.

While soaking, I met a traveler from Seoul, a professional writer who was going through a rough patch. I got him laughing by telling him I spend hours writing things that almost nobody reads. He even offered to show me around when I visit Seoul in March—which perfectly sums up why I travel in the first place: strangers, shared moments, and unexpected laughs.

No cameras were allowed at the hot springs, which honestly felt like a gift. The attendant said phones distract from relaxation—and she was probably right. She also likely saved me from posting a thousand blurry photos of me pretending to be interesting.

Sometimes the best travel moments are the ones that don’t end up on camera at all.

Below are just a few snapshots and short videos from the Blue Lagoon—because words don’t quite do justice to soaking in steaming geothermal water while convincingly pretending you’re a sophisticated spa-goer.

If you want more, check out my YouTube channel for the full adventure (and all the bubbles I responsibly chose not to photograph):

NorthAmericanDarrell – YouTube

And yes—feel free to smash that subscribe button like it just stole your passport.

Iceland’s Hot Springs: Nature’s Hot Tub Since Forever

Icelanders didn’t waste time—they landed in the 9th century and thought, “Why chop wood when we can just soak?” And so began the country’s love affair with geothermal hot springs, perfect for bathing, cooking, and gossiping about Viking drama.

By the Middle Ages, these steamy pools were community centers, where locals scrubbed, plotted, and probably swapped embarrassing stories. Fast forward to today, and Iceland has turned those natural hot tubs into luxury spas like the Blue Lagoon, proving that even a volcanic island can serve up relaxation, selfies, and a little Icelandic sass.

Switzerland – Amazing!🚂⛰️

10/08/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Europe Personal History Travel bucket list Travels Deals Travels Stories

Heading into my month-long European adventure, taking the train through the Swiss Alps was right at the top of my must-do list.

I hopped on in Munich on day one of three and made my way to the stunning mountainside town of Chur. I scored a hostel that used to be the town jail—steel doors everywhere, and I couldn’t help but wonder what stories those walls would tell. Mostly, I imagined about that one or maybe two times I spent in the slammer AKA the drunk tank! 😆

Day two was pure magic as I boarded the Bernina Express in Chur. The train snaked through the Swiss Alps like a caffeinated serpent, eventually dropping me off in Milan, Italy. From there, I hopped on a quick train to Venice for the next two nights—more on that in another blog.

Behold—the most famous leg of the trip: the Bernina Express! Stunning views, dizzying mountains, and just enough adrenaline to make you question why you didn’t just stay home with Netflix.

Behold—the most famous leg of the trip: the Bernina Express! Stunning views, dizzying mountains, and just enough adrenaline to make you question why you didn’t just stay home with Netflix.www.youtube.com/@NorthAmericanDarrell

Consider subscribing as there are over 1500 travel videos and more added every week.

Some of the train tables had maps of the train routes in Switzerland. It was enjoyable to follow instead of constantly looking at my phone, which I probably would have done anyway. Here are some more videos, keeping in mind there are a lot more on my YouTube channel.

www.YouTube.com/@NorthAmericanDarrell

I only stayed one night in Switzerland between train days. There were many small towns along the way that were beautiful, but Chur was highly recommended. The Hostel was an old jail that I read about, and really neat to experience. All the doors were metal with heavy locks, and I wish those walls could talk.

Here is a walk around the amazing city of Chur, Switzerland, where I spent the night in jail. 😆

Swiss Railways: Trains, Mountains, and Obsessive Precision

Switzerland decided in the mid-1800s that it wasn’t going to let a few Alps get in the way of progress. The first line opened in 1847 between Zürich and Baden, and soon engineers were drilling tunnels, building bridges, and basically showing the mountains who was boss.

By the early 20th century, Swiss trains were punctual, efficient, and amazingly scenic, carrying passengers and freight across the country with clockwork precision. Today, the railways aren’t just transportation—they’re a national flex: ride a train, admire a glacier, and know that the Swiss probably have a spreadsheet tracking your exact arrival time.

Sept. 2025-Europe bucket list✈️🚅

08/23/2025

by Darrell All you can fly Buy me a beer Europe Lviv Spain Travel bucket list Travel memories Travels Deals Travels Stories Ukraine Wizz - AYCF!

I wrapped up my month-long European adventure in September 2025, and it felt like the right moment to take stock.

Once I got home, I updated the list with a fresh perspective, fewer expectations, and a little more honesty about what actually matters on the road.

Turns out, it worked out great.

Some boxes got checked.
Some stayed open.
And a few new ones appeared that weren’t even on the list to begin with.

Spontaneity is kind of the adventure, isn’t it?

The best part is realizing that no bucket list is crazy—as long as you’re willing to work toward it, tolerate the criticism, and put in the effort… all while actually enjoying the process.

And the criticism? That’s the funny part.

When people critique your life choices, it’s worth asking:
Is this really about you…
Or is it about them?

Because people living their own lives rarely have time to criticize yours.

If they criticize, tell them to take a look in the mirror, as there is something wrong with them.

Let’s review the September 2025 European adventure, now that the dust (and jet lag) has settled:

Fly from Phoenix to London on September 1st, and return from London to Phoenix on September 28th via Los Angeles

Nailed it.

Use my Wizz Air all-you-can-fly pass and a 7-day Europass

Worked exactly as planned (which still surprises me)

Get stuck in airports and/or train stations with no seat availability and “make the best of it

Shockingly… this never happened. Europe chose kindness

Another adventure of a lifetime!

Final score:
Plans made
Plans survived
Memories upgraded

Will do it again in the fall of 2026—zero contingency planning, and more trains.

The Europass cost $350 for seven days, which breaks down to about $50 per full 24-hour day.

For the flexibility it offered—multiple trains, zero stress about individual tickets, and the freedom to change plans on the fly—it was money well spent.

Here is my updated hit/miss bucket list updated:

Portugal (Faro, Lisbon, and Porto)

Coast of Spain (I have been to Madrid and Barcelona)

Octoberfest in Munich, Germany

Ride the train through the Swiss Alps

Poland

Prague

Take a short bus ride into Lviv, Ukraine

Southern Italy (I purposely missed a flight to Sicily)

I went to Venice instead

The coast of Croatia train tour into Eastern Europe

Iceland (Wizz flies into Reykjavik)

The Baltics (Hopefully Germany plus more)

Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and

Sweden. (I had a flight booked to Stockholm but decided against it)

(I consider the plus more buckets in the fall of 2026 trip below):

Here’s an update on my Wizz Air All-You-Can-Fly (AYCF) pass, based on three separate trips to Europe over 12 months—

It 100% delivered on the spontaneous hype.

November 2024:

London, UK

Varna, Bulgaria

Budapest, Hungary

Vienna, Austria

Abu Dhabi/Dubai, UAE

London, UK (second time)

March 2024

London, UK

Barcelona, Spain

Madrid, Spain

Naples, Italy

Rome, Italy

Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Athens, Greece

September 2025:

London, UK

Faro, Portugal (took train to Lisbon and Porto)

Warsaw, Poland

Reykjavik, Iceland

(Cancelled flights to Stockholm and Sicily)

Here are the train routes I took on the Europass:

Faro, Italy to Porto, Italy via Lisbon

Warsaw, Poland to Prague, Czeck

Prague, Czeck to Munich, Germany

Munich, Germany to Chur, Switzerland

Chur, Switzerland to Lucia, Switzerland

Lucia. Switzerland to Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich, Switzerland to Strasbourg, France

(Switzerland trip over two days including the famous Bernia Express)

Bernina Express | Switzerland Travel Centre

Strasbourg, France – Paris, France

Paris, France – London, England (Chunnel)

Previous European trains taken:

Madrid to Barcelona return on high-speed train

Naples, Italy to Rome, Italy

Paris, France – London, England (Chunnel)

Some ferries were included in the Europass that I never used:

Ferries in Europe | Eurail.com

Bucket Lists: Adulting with a To-Do List of Awesome

People make bucket lists because “someday” is never specific enough—and staring at the same couch for 40 years eventually loses its charm. A bucket list is basically a socially acceptable way to chase your wildest ideas without anyone demanding a permission slip.

It’s equal parts motivation and bragging rights. Whether you’re skydiving, eating gelato in Rome, or learning to surf, you get to cross it off, post the proof, and casually say, “Yeah… I did that.”

Bottom line: bucket lists exist to remind you that life is short, the world is huge, and your comfort zone is wildly overrated.

Hitting the reset button, again …

08/06/2025

by Darrell Asia Buy me a beer Europe Freedom 50 London Mexico North American Philippines Thailand Travel bucket list

Freedom is great… but it turns out accountability pairs nicely with vegetables.

Traveling solo and being single is a great way to learn just how little supervision I actually need—and how badly I sometimes need it anyway.

Balanced meals become a suggestion, vegetables go missing in action, and there’s no one around to question why dinner is beer with a side of “I’ll fix this tomorrow.”

The upside is total freedom. The downside is realizing I am not, in fact, the responsible adult I thought I was, and carbs are my enemy!

I’ve been both versions of that guy more times than I can count. I buckle down, lose the weight, feel great… then get comfortable and slowly put it back on—sometimes a little, sometimes impressively.

Every time, I confidently declare, “This time will be different.”

And look—I know the track record. I’m fully aware of the evidence.

But still… THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT.

THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT!

There’s a saying: “You can’t outwork a bad diet.”
For me, that couldn’t be more true.

I’ve walked, run, hiked, biked, paddleboarded…
Paid for gym memberships most of my adult life when I wasn’t traveling…
Bought treadmills, steppers, rowing machines, weights…

I’ve also thrown away—or quietly watched expire—more supplements than I will ever admit to owning.

Thousands of dollars.
Endless effort.
All expertly undone by travel, convenience, beer, and the magical thinking that calories don’t count when you’re moving.

I didn’t lack discipline.
I lacked consistency… and apparently vegetables.

And yet—here I am again, staring down the same cycle, saying it with full confidence and zero shame:

THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT.

(History suggests otherwise.
Optimism insists otherwise.
We ride at dawn.)

In the summer of 2025, I finally put myself in a timeout and decided to combine everything I’d learned over the years—plus one major change.

I quit drinking and traveling.

Well… I switched to non-alcoholic beer and still went to Mexico—but that version doesn’t sound nearly as dramatic, so we’re going with the first one.

Still, the intent was real. Fewer excuses. Fewer resets. More structure. Turns out removing just one bad habit makes all the other “this time will be different” promises slightly less fictional.

Progress, not perfection. Even if I had to negotiate the terms.

Check out the non-alcoholic beer blog by clicking HERE!

(I review and list all of the best NA beers; take a look if you would like to see them.)

Here was my daily schedule for almost three months:

Wake up at sunrise and blog and YouTube until 9 AM.

One homemade latte to kind of break my fast.

Stationary bike and row for one hour at home.

Spend 2-3 hours at the gym/spa.

Get home, make a protein shake, and take my supplements.

Eat my only meal between 3 PM and 5 PM as part of intermittent fasting.

Drink non-alcoholic beer in the evening and watch a ball game a few times a week.

I did have a few couch days, but kept track of my gym progress diligently, which is key for me!

(I followed the above to a “T” on gym days shown below)

No-alchohol beer – He likes it!🥳

07/13/2025

by Darrell Buy me a beer Travel memories Travels Stories

Disclaimer: This is NOT the final answer, but it has become a clear option for IPA consumption for me! IPAs are my favorite and can have up to 8% alcohol, which can put me in the shitter, quickly!

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is trying the local beer. There are microbreweries in every city, so I can try them during my visits and have done so over the years. Honestly, I never really considered NA beer until trying them and realizing how good they are and better yet, how they don’t make me feel.

I get the same feeling of drinking a beer while watching the game, with no hangovers or questionable decisions. Talk about a win-win-win!

I have tried quite a few NA IPAs, and I will share my thoughts in this post in hopes that you give them a chance. One of the first IPAs on my market that I remember is Lagunitas.

These have put me under the table more times than I would like to admit, and I quit drinking them years ago.

It wasn’t hard to dig up an old Lagunitas picture, I did ding all, including my liver (LOL). The Lagunitas India Pale Ale (6.2% alc): 190 calories per 12 fl oz 🤪

The next picture was the first time I tried a similar NA version, and what an amazing surprise. Here is the description from their website, and you can find more information by clicking here:

“With the rising need for more near-beer, and with Hazys taking over beer fridges, our clever brewers did the math and put the two and two together and gave you .05% and 60 calories. Enter Hazy IPNA, a flavorfully juicy non-alc option that’s packed with passionfruit flavor. It’s bright and hoppy like our IPNA, only this time we went crazy hazy and tropically hoppy. It’s everything you want in a refreshingly satisfying IPA…It has all of the juicy flavor, all of the haze, and none of the compromise.”

I have tried other brands and find myself at Total Wine package store looking for new ones, Google and here is a “Top 10” and “Top 12” I found to during my research to try to keep this momentum.

The next on my list of favorites is Guinness NA. I have also had a few of the original, including tasting them right from the Brewery in Dublin, Ireland, where I acquired the unique taste. This NA tastes almost the same, and it was a staple for me during the Edmonton Oilers’ run during the hockey playoffs in 2025.

The secret to keeping this trend going is finding different flavors in the fridge to avoid a beer run.

My first serious attempt was spending ~$80, which is basically the same price as regular beer. 😐

The winners in this order were Guinness, which I already mentioned, Partake IPA, Sober Carpenter IPA, Athletic IPA, and then the far right Athletic, which was ok with a lime but watered down version of beer. It did taste great with Clamato, which was a win to keep around.

This is when I knew I was onto something awesome! I then started researching the best IPAs and found Go Brewing, and they delivered right to my front door for FREE. Below is $96 in NA beer with 20% off promo, which worked out to under $2 a beer. They had the best rating on IPAs, but unfortunately, they were not as good as Lagunitas, but glad I ordered them as I now have a legitimate favorite.

I have had some people congratulate me on switching to NA beer, while others ask, “What’s the Point?”.

Well, after taking a break from real beer, here is how it helped me so far:

1. I have been to the gym/spa almost every day for the last two months.

(Steam, sauna, cold plunge, hot tub on repeat for 2-3 hours)

2. I set up my cardio at home and work out every morning before the gym.

3. I have not had a hangover for the last two months.

(I haven’t been back to Mexico since, but I have already packed a NA cooler). 😐

4. The best of all, I feel fantastic, and people are starting to notice my weight loss.

Admittedly, I have always been a fad person my whole life, and this may be no different.

I have lost/gained many times over the years, which is something that does not stick long term. It has to be a lifestyle change, and a routine takes a lot longer than two months to show 100% commitment. The first thing I mentioned in this blog is that it is not a replacement but an alternative that has been working for me.

Another good reason is to let you know that I am headed to Mexico soon and Oktoberfest in two months, which will be a good test of this fad. A German friend told me that they do sell NA beer in Munich and there is a NA tequila that I will take to Mexico in my cooler of hope, but I will have real beer there in moderation.

Other than Margaritas and the odd Bloody Mary/Caesar, I do not drink alcohol, but you can see that there are NA options, including Ritual and Free Spirits brands. Ritual is the number 1 seller of “Mocktail” replacements, as they use it in bars, from my understanding. Here is a YouTube video I found, and making a mocktail margarita:

If this is something that has piqued your interest, I found another company that creates fancy Mocktails. Some are even premade as testers and their website can be found here:

I will update my blog after Mexico and Oktoberfest, as I often do with my blogs.

Here are the NA beers I have tried with links, and I will also continue to update.

Sierra Nevada Brewing

Bero

Penn’s best (Less than half price compared to others – $3.99 six pack – most others $10+)

Heinieken 0.0

Tecate 0.0 Mexican cerveza

What is your favorite NA feel-good beer so I can add it to my list?

Buy me a beer or don’t! Cheers!! 🍻

12/21/2024

by Darrell Buy me a beer

I set this up for folks who choose to support my adventures by purchasing a $5 beer. I will accept one donation or recurring monthly donations, but no higher amount than USD $5.

Venmo, PayPal, or Patreon links on the homepage!

Cheers!

Darrell

A Launchpad to 200+ Islands

Asia Is Still Within Reach

The Real Win: A Seasonal Operating System

01/15 – Tokyo, Japan

01/23 – Cebu, Philippines

02/10 – Hong Kong

02/19 – Siquijor, Philippines

02/29 – Siargao, Philippines

03/07 – Cebu lease expires → TBD

Shinkansen: The Japanese bullet trains

Using the Japan Rail Pass

Types of bullet trains

Shinkansen lines

Why I Stay Here

Manuel Antonio National Park – Quepos, Costa Rica

I started 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and I’ll be ending the year in Hanoi — and honestly, I could 100% get used to visiting Vietnam. The energy, the food, the landscapes, the coffee culture… it’s way too easy to fall in love with.

9:30 AM

4-hour shuttle from Rocky Point, Mexico → Phoenix Airport

3:30 PM / 5:15 PM

10:00 PM

Bonus insanity:

My Airbnb in Mesa, AZ. BOOK IT!!