Flexibility.
I do believe that is the #1 trait of successful and happy nomads.
At this point, I should have already explored close to a dozen countries. However, as we all know, the pandemic tossed the cards in the air and we are all scrambling to play 52-card pickup. My 3 month stay in Belize has turned into 15 months. And after much thought, I've decided to move along after my lease expires at the end of September.
Where will I go?
I have no clue.
I have a friend who would love to travel with me across Asia. Yet, most of those countries have stoped all foreign visitors or if you can get into a country, you'll be required to quarantine upon arrival for 5 to 21 days, in a government approved hotel. That's a hard pass for me. I love my alone time but I am not interested in staying put in a small hotel room with no ability to stretch my legs or get fresh air.
Parts of Europe, UAE, and Africa are open to tourism. I've been wanting to put off Europe for a while though, but as much as I want to go, navigating the Schengen Zone is a pain for US passport holders when it pertains to long term travels. Maybe I'll continue to look around South and Central America. Colombia has been going through political unrest in parts of the country, so that's not appealing at the moment. Panama has areas of modern cities mixed with smaller villages too, so that could be a nice country to explore, and see both developed and underdeveloped communities. Costa Rica has been allowing visitors but they require you to pay for their health insurance that covers Covid related illness and quarantine measures, so that adds an extra cost to budget in. I would love to enjoy Caribbean islands but not during hurricane season which doesn't end until late November, and my plans to move along start at the beginning of October.
This is where flexibility is a huge factor. Today, I have no idea where I'm going but I do know I want to move along, see different places, and have new experiences. Keeping an eye on several countries and staying up to date with those who are accepting foreign tourists, is all I can do at this point. By early September, I'll make my final decisions and book another one-way plane ticket and go from there. Just call it, flexibility at its finest!
Pictures of April & May 2021: Fishing, waterfalls, bbq on a private island, cashew and coconut cooking class, and attending a yoga retreat.
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