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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: November 2nd, 2023

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  • Most people think that travel involves spending a large amount of money in a short period of time. They work all year to spend a large sume in a week. Hence, they can’t imagine how someone can afford two weeks, or three, let alone 52 weeks traveling.

    I spend a month what many people spend in a weekend getaway. And in 6 months in Europe what they spend on a 10 day Europe vacation.

    That’s why they can’t understand someone traveling a nomad way. Spending the same or less or maybe just a tiny bit more than loving in the same place.

    With an equivalent salary, my observation is that people tend to spend less in some things so they can spend more in others. From no mortgage/no car to less physical possessions.

    Even the big spender nomads, making the same in a single place, would have a larger house or a more expensive car or more clothes, etc.



  • City design is paid with taxes, changes to increase walkability are paid with taxes, public transit, which is fundamental for walkability are funded through taxes.

    I live in Montreal. In recent years there have been substantial expenditures to reduce dependency on the car to the point where having a car makes things harder if you move within the city.

    • Created dedicated bike lanes reducing car lanes and sometimes street parking spots.
    • Add paid parking. Not expensive enough to break the bank if you need to use it but enough to make you think twice if you want to spend $6 or take the metro.
    • Making some streets pedestrian in the summer.
    • Creating the REM (metropolitan express network) : which include dedicated bus lanes, suburban light rail, bicycle “highways”, etc.

    All that is expensive but necessary.



  • Live and learn.

    I knew that for US people it is frequently hard to impossible to live without a car.

    Thats such an interesting and valid reason to go live elsewhere.

    Just a side bar. The walkability and public transportation are paid with taxes. So, many DNs who don’t pay local taxes are leeching from the resources paid by the local population.

    I know it is not every person’s fault, but those of you who complain of taxes (and this sub is full of tax discussions) are part of the problem.



  • One time I was leaving the hostel in Guangdong, China to go to India. As I was leaving, one of the guys I met there asks me “what kind of visa did you get?” 😳😲 I would have loved to see my picachu face.

    I ran back in, extended one night, called the airline to reschedule (paid a penalty) and went online to get my visa. Paid for the urgent one.

    The blunder costed me about $300 in total, had an extra night in Guangdong and one less day in Kolkata.

    It happens :)