The Matrix of World Travel

The Dark Reason Behind the Seeming Safety of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

I have been caught by a massive sandstorm in the Syrian desert moments before the country, itself, blew up, got kicked out of Russia, forcing me to cross the Mongolian border on foot, and slept on the floor of the Amazon jungle ... am I bragging about my fearlessness/ stupidity?
No, I mention these stories to juxtapose the fact that I was frightened by the mere idea of traveling to Mexico.

My trepidation was a function of US media propaganda, which lead me to believe that within hours of arrival, my children would be kidnapped and held for ransom, and I, in all likelihood, would be unable to pay, as a result of having already been murdered.

So when our move to Costa Rica didn't work out for us, and finding our options increasingly constricted by the tyranny of the Coronatarians, I had little choice but to submit to my wife's demand that maybe, just, maybe, we at least, visit the country.
As it was I who declared that we remain in Puerto Vallarta, it's safe to say that my fears were quickly allayed.

Is crime being rare in PV a function of a dedicated, incorruptible police force intent on insuring law and order? Considering most officers augment their incomes by collecting traffic fines at the point of infraction ... that seems unlikely.
Is it the national guard/ Mexican Marines that ride around town automatic weapons in hand, manning a machine gun turret atop a military vehicle? It certainly doesn't hurt, but honestly, this is more a show of force than anything.

Mexican marines on patrol

So what gives? What accounts for the area's safety?
Answer: Engaging in violent criminal activity around Puerto Vallarta is incredibly risky. A few stories--

A man on a motorbike robs a Canadian at gunpoint in Bucerias; the identity of the criminal is ascertained, he's never heard from again.
A local businessman withdraws thousands of dollars from his account. Likely tipped off by a teller, a couple hoods crash into his car and, amidst the confusion, grab the money bag ... They're no longer with us.
My fix-it-man friend, a local here for 40 years, tells me shaking his head that someone had the audacity to mug a tourist outside a newly opened grocery store in Nuevo Vallarta. He's worried ... for the mugger.

Having lived here for two and a half years, the stories are so consistent, emanating from so many disparate sources, one eventually just accepts the narrative as fact.

By now you might have deduced who represents the sharp point of justice in South Central Mexico- the local drug cartel, whose initials are easy to ascertain, just not via me.

This is their territory; a paradise of tropical beaches and ocean, which they use to wash illicit profits by funneling them through Puerto Vallarta's thriving tourist industry, whether that be buying up shares in local resorts, or plowing billions into the construction of what will soon be the Mexican Disneyland (VidantaWorld) on the Jalisco/Nayarit border.

beaches of Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit

Violence and crime are simply not good for business:
1. It scares off the tourist dollars, which are a key ingredient of the laundry machine by which their dirty money emerges sparkling.
2. Given Puerto Vallarta's relative wealth, the "professionally directed" head of the Mexican government might be forced to turn back to the area to address the cries of anguish from the local populace.
3. And with so many American expats in the area, the worst possible outcome for the cartel is attracting what for them is the eye of Soron, the US government.

If you have any doubt of the cartels avid desire to avoid America's attention, in 2023, four US citizens, who by many accounts had previously engaged in suspect activities, were fired upon in the border city of Matamoros, killing 2 of them, the other two kidnapped.
Once they realized they were holding Americans, release of the survivors was swift, and the Gulf Cartel went beyond just the words of the apology they issued, they turned over five of their own men to the police.
Even with these acts of supplication, their leader was soon arrested by Mexican Marines, and the cartel was enormously weakened in the process.

And so, my original calculation that American kids living in Mexico would make lucrative targets for kidnappers, was completely incorrect. The fact is my children are strictly Hands Off.
And so am I ... provided I abide by the following set of rules.

1) You may know that someone is a narco, that's fine. But if you identify them publicly as such, they'll be identifying your body.
2) You absolutely do NOT compete by selling so much as marijuana. A friend had first hand knowledge of a Canadian and Mexican who were doing just that until they were abducted, the Mexican can be found in an unmarked hole somewhere in the mountains, and the Canadian was beaten for days, and is alive solely by virtue his foreign passport.
3) If you open a bar/ nightclub, expect to hand over most, if not of all, of your profits to the cartel.
4) Publicly criticizing the narcos is a big no-no. I was at my son's soccer practice speaking to a local who told me how his bar had been shaken down by the cartel, until he just decided to close down. Appalled, I openly criticized the extortion.
As I spoke, another Dad silently approached and whispered in my ear to hush, that it was both inadvisable and perilous to state such words aloud, and that there are prominent members of the organization whose children also attend our sons' school.
And of course my response was, silence.

But now that my family has moved, yet again, I will speak my peace.
I state openly, that while I am no fan of the cartel and their profit centers, I also note, on behalf of most everyone living in the Puerto Vallarta, thank you for at least keeping the area safe. Like anything, in life, there are trade-offs to where and how we choose to live.

when the "wrong people" own the nightclub next to your expensive condo

Avoiding Deportation and Losing our Residency in National Airport, Mexico City

A trip to the opposite side of the globe is always a bit nerve wracking. What did I forget? Have I tied up the loose ends? Did I spell each name correctly, book the correct dates, the cost, the jet-lag.

Now add traveling with four young, often whiney children, who, Lord only knows how, have sprung up in your life over the last 6 years.
Plus, toss in that you're exiting a country where two of your kids have been, technically, residing illegally for years, and sit back as the reader and be entertained by the fireworks display.

We've taken a flight the previous day from a smaller hub to Mexico City, our early morning flight onwards forcing us to find overnight accommodations.
At 5:50 AM our ride shows up, by 6:20 we are at the airport. Our flight leaves at 9 AM, more than enough time right? Right??

Briefly pause with me as I stand at the airport entrance ---
I know I'm paying fines for my kids, as they've overstayed their visa by ... over 2 years.
Explanation; after moving 21 times over 6 different countries in 5 years; and finally arriving in Mexico and seeing what it offered, I stated:
"Wifey, we're scrapping the return tickets to Costa Rica. I'm not moving again. No way, uh-uh, no chance. I'm like Labrador Retriever who you've taken on a walk on far too hot a day, and for way too long, and found a patch of cool grass. I'm sitting down, and I'm not moving."

a photo of me discussing moving again with my wife

Now, dealing with Mexican immigration.
For us parents, it was easy enough to gain residency in the country, but two of our kids were born in Thailand, and, for various legal reasons, getting their birth certificates legalized in Mexico would require direct intervention from God himself, and even so, the magic eight ball would tell you: "outlook does not look good."

On the other hand, Mexican authorities are pretty darn chill about you overstaying, so long as you pay the fine; hey, it's a revenue generator, so I'm not expecting too much friction ...
Back to the airport ---

First stop- INM (Mexican immigration.) "Go upstairs and get your boarding passes."
Race up to Turkish Airlines, exchange documents, back down the stairs.

I hand them the boarding passes and their passports; "Birth certificates," they demand.
"What?"
"I need their birth certificates to tie them to you."
Our collective time, energy, and $10,000 in travel/ tickets is right now, circling the drain. I have a bunch of documents with me, but I'm not sure I have their American Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.
"I told you to bring them," helpfully chimes in my wife standing beside me, her arms crossed.

"I need their birth certificates," warns the immigration officer apparently sensing my apprehension.
Normally a cool customer, my hands start to shake as I reach into my bag and pull out the protected folder.
I search, I search, and I search ...
There they are! I pull out the blue hued papers. She goes to make copies.
Next to me is an Asian woman getting grilled. She's lost her Mexican residence card as she tries to present a digital copy instead; INM officers look upon her with disgust.
"How are you a resident of Mexico and speak not a word of Spanish?" they mockingly scold her.

I translate for her, although her English is almost non-existent as well. They are making her sign a paper acknowledging that the next time she enters Mexico, it will not be as a resident, but as a tourist, and depending on your country of origin, it isn't necessarily a simple process. I feel for her.

I'm handed several forms, and finally, after filling them out, some multiple times, I pay several hundred dollars in fines and am done. To be sure not suffer the same fate as this woman, I present them our 4 residence cards.
"No," I am told, "you present these to the INM desk after you go through security. It's very important," she warns me.
"What happens to people who don't?" I inquire gingerly.
"You can lose your residence (about $1,000 per person, and most of the day to get back) and have problems re-entering the country," she warns me.

Well, it took me waaayyyy too long, but we'll make our flight. I rush back upstairs to the ticket counter to get the rest of our boarding passes.
"The baby," she needs to pay the fine too, the staff at Turkish Airlines informs me, referring to our six-month-old.
"But I showed you her Mexican birth certificate, she's Mexican."
"But she's traveling on a US passport. Hurry, run downstairs. We won't load your bags onto the plane in case you don't make it."
Oh God.
HUSTLE downstairs, repeat the paperwork, pay the fine, race upstairs, show them the documentation.
"Here's her boarding pass. We're closing the desk now, we're glad you made it," smiles the helpful flight attendant.
PHEW.

I spin around, and realize ... I'm alone.
Where is my family? We need to get through security and board the plane! I start racing around the airport ... which way?? ... and then I spot them ... my wife has bought everyone Starbucks, they sit there, chatting nonchalantly, drinking their stupid, million dollar lattes, with one pinky out.
"What are you doing?! We need to go, NOW."
"Can we finish our drinks."
"We have to get on the plane."
"Relax, security isn't crowded."
I'm ready to pull my hair out, sometimes I cannot understand my wife's "logic." This is one of maybe a half-dozen times her dilly-dallying has almost cost us a flight; once in San Jose they had to unlock the security door to allow us on the plane because we waited in another section of the airport as the gate area was "too loud" for our baby, ... and we were incredibly lucky for their generosity in doing so that Christmas Day ...

image of my wife and I exchanging our wedding vows

"We need to get through security, and we need to go NOW."

Dismantle the stroller and it's accessories, load everything on the conveyor belt, and we have a lot, wait as it all slowly x-rayed, grab everything.
I have one goal, one thing on my mind-- getting to the gate.
"Let's go people," I state emphatically.
Slowly, we start to move. To the left I see an INM counter ... thank God I've already dealt with that, I tell myself, "Gate gate gate," I instruct my family as we hurry down the corridor.

the INM counter, Mexico City Airport

"Final boarding for Turkish Airlines flight 1070," echoes the voice over the megaphone as we arrive.
I'm handing over 8 tickets and 8 passports to the staff, when my wife interrupts, "Oh no, we left the stroller skateboard at security. Please please, run and go get it!"
"Okay, you board the plane, I'll be back."
"You'd better hurry," warns the flight attendant as my family starts their way onto the jet bridge.

I rush back to security, success, there is the stroller accessory.
"Prove it is yours," demands the security guard.
"We just went through, my wife just boarded the plane, believe me it's ours."
"I need proof."
"I'm telling you, I'm not stealing this."
After a minute of back and forth, they relent, apparently sensing my urgency. Carrying my wife's prize, I start to sprint back to the gate. Again, out of the corner of my eye I see the INM desk, I keep trucking towards the gate ... Five steps later I skid to a stop and spin around, my shoes leaving tire marks on the floor from hitting the brakes.
I have to show our residence cards!! Thank God my wife left the stroller piece or I'd be on the plane!
I rush to to the INM desk and present our four residence cards, the clerk shakes his head at me.
"They have to be present," he explains.
"What? They already boarded the plane!"
He shrugs his shoulders, uncaring and unmoved.
Sprint back to the gate.
"Just in time," smiles the flight attendant warily.
"I need my family!"
"What?"
"The INM official needs them physically there. We forgot to show our residency cards after security."
"Oh no. I'm very sorry, they've boarded the plane, we cannot de-board them."
"Please, we will lose our residencies. You know how hard and expensive that is to get back? I'm begging you."
"No, I will be fined 10,000 pesos." (about $600)
"I'll pay it," I reply calmly and confidently.
"No, I simply cannot. I will lose my job. It's illegal"

Now the crew chief is there, and after threats of us all being deported if I insist on getting my family off the plane, I keep searching for a way.
"You guys are all kind and bright," I state trying to align with them, "help me think of something."
They look at the crew chief, "How long until we lock the gate?" he asks.
"Everyone has boarded," answers the flight attendant, "except him."
The crew chief looks at me. He clearly doesn't dislike me. Although I have advocated my position passionately, I have so without being dismissive or rude. He makes a decision.
"Let's not waste any more time. Manuel, go with him, speak to INM."
Manuel, who has the air of someone you would love to hang out with, unless you're the owner of buffet, nods his head. "Let's go," he commands.
We start jogging down the terminal. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," I exclaim.
Poor Manuel is doing all he can to stay in motion, as we reach the INM desk he tells me to give me the passports and residency cards and to stand behind the pillar, out of sight.
I cross my fingers as he approaches the desk, explaining that everyone has already boarded, and could he have an exception as he works with the airline. The INM officer clocks his head back and forth, takes the residence cards and passports, STAMPS THEM, and hands them back to Manuel.

"You did it!" I announce joyfully.
"I did it," he smiles at me, handing me back my prized possessions. "Let's go."
As we race back, I pull 500 pesos of thankfulness out of my pocket and thrust it towards him. He refuses, perhaps the money would cheapen a gesture of goodwill.
We make it back to the gate.
"Did you succeed?" asks the crew chief.
"We did."
"Get on the plane, we have to go."
They scan my ticket, I walk on the jetway, where I find my family, maybe they were going to throw them off if I wasn't successful? I'm not sure, and weeks later, don't want to ask.
"Oh my God, where were you?!" exclaims my wife.
I laugh.
"Let's get to our seats," I respond, "I've got a story to tell you."

Discussion Questions:
1. Was wifey stopping for coffee at Starbucks an act of insurrection? Explain why or why not.

2. Would it be fun to travel with Rich ... you know, for the stories if nothing else.

Costa Rica-- the Positives and Negatives of Living There + Why We Chose to Leave

Our previous host country (Thailand) went into full Covid fear mode; mandating a PCR test at 38 weeks of pregnancy. Should an unlucky to-be mother test positive, an immediate forced C-section would be performed, and afterwards both baby and mother would be quarantined; but not together, in separate rooms, and Mommy would not touch her baby, nor would the baby be fed her milk, for 14 days.

Even assuming a 1% risk, we deemed it waaayyyy too high, so at 32 weeks pregnant, we hopped on a plane to Costa Rica.

Having moved far too much for my liking in the 5 years, we really wanted to make it work there, especially since, as parents to a baby born on Costa Rican soil, we would be given the right to apply for permanent resident status, and our baby would automatically be granted Tico (the local slang word for Costa Rican) citizenship.

So, with that, let's go over the positives and negatives of living in Costa Rica, and why we ultimately ended up leaving.

Positives

The weather- I spent most of my life in California, between the Bay Area, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles, and the climate in the central valley of the Costa Rica, puts the Golden State to shame. It is perfect, year round. 64-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
It’s more hot and humid in the beach areas, but the climate here in general is unbeatable.

waterfall in the distance amidst the emerald forest

Nature— one of the last places on the planet with actual wildlife in its forests.
In Asian countries, like Laos, much of the animal life has been hunted out of existence- the jungles sit silent, and neutered.

The opposite is the case here. Just looking for housing in a wealthy gated community along the coast in Guanacaste, I encountered a Howler monkey walking the golf course, who decided I was a little too close and bared his teeth at me to back away, a coati-mundi (South American version of a raccoon,) and two different species of snakes as well.
If you want to interact with the planet as it once was, you won’t find much better than Costa Rica.

video: Howler monkey warns me on the golf course to put my mask on

video: venomous coral snake eats a competing snake on the forest floor near Arenal volcano

Beauty- the country is gorgeous, particularly the area around Uvita, near the Panama border, where the rainforest descends down the mountains to meet the sea. The emerald hues, and many waterfalls make it a paradise to behold.

video: sliding down the jungle waterfall in Uvita

Negatives

Expensive- My friend, who is Filipina but living in Costa Rica, described the country as the most expensive on earth, and she’s lived in Norway.
“There is no way Costa Rica is more expensive than Oslo,” I gently corrected her, “Or Bermuda,” —

“No, it is,” she rightfully interrupted, “Because in Norway I got paid far more, and even though things cost more, I could still save.”
And I stood corrected, understanding her paradigm completely.

video: Costa Rica- the world's most expensive country

Costa Ricans earn very little, and staples like cars, gasoline, and food (both groceries and restaurants) cost more than in the US. And again, the prices in relation to the median salary makes survival here very difficult for the average Tico.
It also means that the money I worked so diligently to save, has a burn rate much higher than I am comfortable with.

Food-- The country wins the world bronze for least tasty food, (Colombia- gold, Myanmar- silver.) It's not particularly healthy either.

The Roads— Costa Rican roads are notoriously bad, aside of the main highway connecting San Jose to the beaches, where they have toll booths every ten miles or so to extract more out of the underpaid Ticos, driving here means constantly keeping your head on a swivel to avoid the potholes that dream of destroying your car’s suspension.

Government corruption— Even in Los Laureles, the wealthiest area of the capitol city, potholes are plentiful. And should the government, by some miracle, authorize repairs, like everything in Costa Rica, they’ll take at least twice as long as they would in the United States.

To boot, there is a high rate of taxation, and the government offers little in return except an ever expanding bureaucracy, and a government health care system that is spurned by the wealthy in favor of private providers.
100% of the Ticos I spoke with on the subject affirmed the story of massive corruption, they only differed in the level of visible frustration outwardly expressed on the topic.
To add injury to insult, none of the taxes go towards paying for a military, which the country has successfully eschewed since 1948, meaning a greater percentage of revenue collected is able to find its way into the pockets of government bureaucrats.

Covidiots— In December 2021, outside the national airport, I was nearly arrested for not wearing a mask. I was, once again, OUTSIDE.

Inside, when leaving the country by way of SJO, my mask was below my nose, the police gave me an incredibly stern warning, and their anger was palpable.

True, outside of the capitol things are a lot more lax, and most people dislike the mandates, but nearly everyone complies, often for fear of being fined.

video: a store owner scared of being fined, chases my business away

Also, in terms of our decision to leave, it definitely did not help that the school we were sending our 4 year old to, banned us from attending the end of the semester party that was, again, an outside event, after determining we were not vaccinated.

Leadership — Until the election of April 2022, the ruling party had the same blueprint for the country as the incredibly successful socialist paradise of Venezuela, and its President was a disciple of Klaus Schwab’s World Economic Forum.

The Vaccine— the government has been trying to mandate the vaccine for 5 year olds and up, and rumors (unconfirmed at this moment) are they are making it a mandatory Annual vaccine for everyone. We know the vaccine doesn’t even prevent transmission …
What happened to "my body, my choice?"
No, this is Communism in action, where a centralized power believes they know what is best for everyone.
Also, who is to say that Pfizer didn’t pay a massive bribe to a couple well placed government officials? Imagine a yearly revenue stream from millions of people. The amount needed to bribe, pales in comparison.

It’s a Giant pain in the Ass — The bureaucracy of Costa Rica is slow, expensive, and deadly. Examples:
In order to purchase a 2005 Honda with 178,000 miles on it, it cost nearly $700 in taxes and lawyer fees. That prices rises dramatically with newer cars, adding substantial friction and expense to the process.

Applying for permanent residence, the number of documents needed is startling. We spent thousands of dollars, and, partly due to our extensive travels, we were unable to procure all the necessary paperwork.
Want to stock up on food en masse and live outside the capitol- good luck. The Pricesmart (Costco like warehouse ) are few and far between, and the prices there aren’t even good.
A 13% sales/VAT tax is applied to nearly everything (and who knows the import taxes,) and because Costa Rica is a small, hard to get to country, it simply costs more to ship and distribute within, but gosh darn it, if you value efficiency, this country is not for you.

The beauty of Costa Rica is the nature. It’s gorgeous and wild. There are large amounts of water as rainfall is plentiful, and the climate of the central valley is positively unbeatable.

Unfortunately, even as nature lovers, the negatives outweighed the positives, especially because we refuse to subject our children to the Covid vax, the government seems so eager to impose on everyone, and well, for us Costa Rica is an amazing country to visit, but I’ll chose to live in a more efficient country with greater personal liberty.

video: rainfall of the central Valley

Mexican Taxi Angrily Rejects My Cash- Sends it Flying

-- Puerta Vallarta, Mexico

Taxis, hard to find this area of town. Gotta meet my wife a mile down the road. Decide to walk.
Right then a cab pulls to a stop. Knows exactly where I am going, I get in.
Friendly banter, seems nice enough. Two minutes later we arrive.

"How much do I owe you?"
"80 pesos."

It's not a lot of money, but for such a short ride ... I'm familiar with the general taxi fares, the normal price should be half.

"80 pesos? Demasiado (too much)"
"How much will you give me?"
"50."

Now he gets mad. Gritting his teeth, "Okay, I'll give you the ride for free."
"No, no, not for free."
"Get out of my car!"
"What?"
"Get out of my car!"
"Here is 70, okay?"

He won't take it. I place it on the front seat next to him. His anger is palpable. I'm glad he's not carrying a gun.
"CIERRA LA PUERTA!" (close the door)

I follow his orders. The taxi begins to pull away, I turn and begin to walk away. Out of the corner of my eye, something flutters through the air.
An old woman sitting on the corner alerts me further.
"Sir, sir, moneda."
Still levitating off the ground, perhaps in a vortex of anger, are the 50 and 20 peso bills. I watch as gravity overtakes them, and look in dismay at the mess created.
I walk over, pick them up, nod at the elderly lady who eyes me wearily, and continue on to my destination.

video: the story as I remember it, without rereading before relating to camera

The Whale's Tail + the Emerald Coast- Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica

A patch of dark sand separates the rolling waves of the Pacific and the soaring rainforest above, rising into the clouds above on back the coastal mountains.

The vibrant hues of the emerald green jungle are nurtured by near daily rains, water managed to be absorbed as it leaps down cliffs, hurrying to be reunited with its source.

me going down the waterfall "slide" of Uvita, Costa Rica

It's one of few areas on the planet where the forests are truly alive. Monkeys, sloths, deer, jaguars, toucans, abound. On the downside so do snakes.
If you're a nature love, you've found your paradise.

There isn't much here infrastructure wise, and what exists caters almost exclusively to tourists, be they surfers or nature lovers.

That's not likely to change much; developers' dreams of building a larger town in this seaside paradise are dashed on the steep hills which hem in the two, on occasion three, lane highway running down the coast to the Panamanian border.

If you are okay with a slow paced existence, it could be a great place to move to, albeit pricey.
There is, however, one requirement for living here -- a 4x4 vehicle. Aside of the highway, and the road up to San Ysidro, a mountain town of 40,000 people, the roads are best, "difficult," to traverse.

We are on our way to check out a 271 acre property, including a ten thousand square foot mansion, with a huge pool, two smaller guest houses, a 5 acre coffee plantation, fruit trees (albeit with monkeys and toucans snatching much of your produce) all 100% powered by hydro-electricity, harnessing the currents from one of the the three waterfalls on the property.
The price- $2.4 million, which might get you a 3 bedroom house on the West Side of Los Angeles.
It's only twenty minutes off the main road, but our car's dashboard warning lights blink wildly going over the uneven, rocky terrain, forcing us to exit and get into our realtor's truck to complete the journey.

I ask whether there is helipad on the premises, "Yes," comes the answer. (see below video) Ultimately the current implausibility of the daily commute to school made our decision for us.

video: "location, location, location"- a rule of real estate that might be nearing its end

Aside of the nature, the one tourist attraction that exists here is a geographical oddity, a sandbar jutting out into the Pacific known as the Whale's Tail.
The area surrounding is designated a natural park; pay a few bucks to enter and walk a couple km on the beach out to the end of the tail.
Sit there, take in the silence and the calm waters lapping up towards you during low tide. Rest your mind, gaze at the beauty around you, feel heaven now. Meander back before the tides rise, and the sea reclaims Monstro.

the Whale's Tail- of Uvita, Costa Rica

Pura Vida in San Jose, Costa Rica- a Look, Taste, + Feel of the Central Valley

Breathe in deeply, and fill your lungs with the pristine, 72 degree Fahrenheit air. If peace had a smell and taste, this would be it; "Pura Vida" it's called by locals.

Lush, green, cloud shrouded hills rise from Costa Rica's central valley.

the mountains of Central Valley

Climbing the mountain it quickly dons on me that driving here is, challenging. Even in the "Beverly Hills" of the country, street lights are sporadic, leaving far too many opportunities for the numerous potholes hiding in the shadows to snatch your wheels.
The roads often narrow, making for tense moments as cars literally slide by each another, occasionally trading paint. Angle your vehicle a little too much towards the mountain to avoid oncoming traffic and risk falling into the drainage ditch built to siphon away the daily tropical downpours, which come unfailingly at 3 PM daily, during what Ticos consider their "winter."

a Costa Rican afternoon shower

The vibrant emerald colors radiating from the plants are straight from the Garden of Eden. Bright butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds forage for pollen and nectar, while fallen leaves magically float across the ground, as leaf-cutter ants work around the clock to turn nature's debris into fuel for their colony. Harmony.

leaf cutter ants moving their fuel

emerald green colors of Costa Rica

The locals are friendly and inviting, though I'm warned by the person I'm doing business with,"The Tico is always late." I quickly calculate I'd be better off doing an extra ten minutes of work at home. I still beat them to the meeting. Can't fault them for honesty.

While there is a genuine feeling of tranquility and safety here, it stumbles badly when juxtaposed against the visually noticeable barb wire and electrical fencing protecting all houses. This is not the two foot high white-picket fences of suburbia America.

I ask an expat who has lived here for years about my observation.
"It's just the style of housing in Latin America, the beauty of the house is all within."
I roll my eyes. No one would add to the expense of building while concurrently diminishing the curb appeal of their property; without reason.

Whatever crime exists is undoubtably exacerbated by the sky high prices which rival the US and Europe, with the exception of automobiles, where Costa Rican rates nearly double American by way of heavy taxation.

The good natured man behind the desk at the rental agency tells me the car I've chosen goes for more than double his monthly salary, making it impossible for him to afford the less than extravagant product he's paid to peddle.

"The money is all robbed by the politicians," he informs me.

"It's the same throughout most of the world," I sigh, "even more so in Latin America."

Looking through the glove compartment, I remove and unfold an ancient, paper map of Costa Rica. It's like the world atlas that they give children to draw on at Denny's. Outside the capitol, there are maybe two roads cutting through the rainforests of the country.

But that's what expats here are bargaining for, a simple life, with emerald colors, perfect weather, gorgeous beaches, cloud forests, and friendly souls. Breathe it in, it's called "pura vida."

Triple Your Spending Power- Go Have an Adventure in a Cheaper Country. The Financial Arbitrage of Living Abroad

Video: triple Your Spending Power- Go Have an Adventure in a Cheaper Country. The Financial Arbitrage of Living Abroad (video 14 min with text below. Channel is about FREEDOM- politically, of though and speech, and financially)

Look, this station is all about Freedom- of speech, of thought, of finances and ability to act on our dreams.
I want to speak briefly about breaking free of the Matrix like rat race the West generally is.

We go to work to support our, not even lavish, just expensive lifestyles. If you live in a major Western city, you are paying a ton in rent, going out to eat costs a fortune with all the taxes, regulations, salaries that they have to pay for, and if you live in the USA- health insurance.
Most people are just working to live. Work, eat, watch TV, grow older; repeat.

Then you say to yourself, I'm going to take my two weeks vacation, and go somewhere amazing, and have the time of my life.
And you do, you buy that plane ticket probably to coincide with a holiday when tickets are most expensive, you go to Hawaii, or some other resort area, have fun, come back, and get right back on the hamster wheel so you can do it again next year.

I'm sure you know people that live in constant materialistic competition. Who can get the promotion, the most desirable mate, the slightly bigger house, the fancy car.
Let me blow that paradigm up!

What if I told you, take a fricking year long vacation or make that tropical paradise your home, and live a far better, more relaxed life. Leave the rat race and experience something new.
Look, everybody can tell you the benefits of travel. It forces you out of your comfort zone. It opens minds, helps you grow, gives you new experiences. And it absolutely does if you don't stay at some all inclusive resort and drink for a week straight.

How am I equipped to talk about this: I saved most everything I earned in my twenties. started to travel, and have explored 60 countries around the world on every continent. I've also lived abroad, in the Czech Republic and Thailand.
So let me tell you, you DON'T NEED TO LIVE THE WESTERN PARADIGM.

Let's say you make a $60,000 a year. That's a decent living, nothing to sneeze at right. But in most major cities you're just getting by.
Now what if I told you I'm going to tell you, you don't have to make any more, but I'm going to help you be able to spend like you make $180,000 a year?
Warren Buffett defines investing as consuming less today so you can consume more in the future. That's kind of what we're doing here but instead of waiting a decade to triple your spending power, we are doing that almost instantaneously.

How? Basically it's a form of financial arbitrage. You earn that 60k in the USA or Europe, and you spend it where your money can get you the same buying power as earning several multiples of that amount in the west.

The US dollar still has tremendous strength, which frankly is highly questionable in my mind giving how much we are printing and borrowing, but that's another discussion, so let's say you started saving every dime you could.
Is it inconceivable to save $2,000 a month after taxes if you make $5,000 a month? It's doable I think, you just have to cut back on dinner out, Starbucks, a few other things.
You bank it, after a year you have $24,000 saved.
Now you get the hell out of Dodge.
You take advantage of the fact that money will buy you way more abroad.

Why is this available?
Simply because you were lucky to have born into a wealthy country while the majority of the world wasn't. It's not white privilege, it's American privilege. You have the world's reserve currency, you have wealth creation from companies like Ford, General Motors, Microsoft, and Google.
What is a middle class salary in America allows you to live like a king elsewhere. So save your money, and arbitrage where it spends like you made way more.

That said, these places are getting more expensive. With globalization and reduced barriers, with companies moving overseas, these areas are becoming wealthier, and the people move rapidly out of poverty and into the middle class. That's a good thing.
If you were lucky enough to be born in the West, hell, take advantage of it. This opportunity will not last forever as levels of wealth around the world are equalizing more quickly than ever.

Where Should you Go?
Well, of course that depends greatly on your interests, but your best bets are either Latin America or South East Asia, or maybe a former Eastern Bloc country. You can live pretty decently in either of these for $1,000 a month in these places. At $2,000 a month you're living very well.

Personally, I love SE Asia. I have lived in Thailand for maybe three years total of my life, my latest stint lasting 15 months so far. It's safer than Latin America, and the Eastern Bloc still suffers from the Hangover of Communism. Plus it's cold. Not only the weather, but the people as well, though I hear they are slowly warming up.
On the other hand, Prague is the most stunning city in the world architecturally.
But that's my personal preference.

So What Exactly will my Savings get Me?

My friend Nick who founded a business that he did very well in in Los Angeles, I guess credits me with inspiring his travels. Today he lives on the beach in a spacious two bedroom, 3 bath condo, with gorgeous views of the beach, with pools, a movie theater, sauna, steam, and massage room, 24/7 security and underground parking for $840 a month rent. The food is organic, and great he reports, he's all in for $1,200.
What would that cost in an American city for that condo on a beach that outside of Florida isn't going to be as nice, with organic food? I'm going to say that's costing you at least 3-4k in total to live like that.

If you live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I lived for 6 months, you could get by on less if you tried, and Vietnam is even cheaper, though Thai people are generally friendlier.
Look, I lived 7 months in Chiang Mai, Thailand and went out to a great local restaurant. You can get really tasty meals for $1 if you try. At $5 you're eating a ton of food. Of course you can go more expensive, but it's not necessary.
I've also lived down in Southern Thailand where the beaches are amongst the most gorgeous in the world. If you live in a heavily touristed area the prices can be higher, but you can still live very well, and Thai food and people is delectable, and the people incredibly friendly.

You can live in the coffee region of Colombia, which is too high in altitude for mosquitoes and absolutely gorgeous, or go to Pablo Escobar's old town of Medellin and learn to dance salsa. The prices might even be cheaper there. Medellin has amazing weather, it's referred to as the city of eternal spring.

Additional Savings
As for health care, if you're going to be abroad for a year, dump the insurance. You can cover yourself. To share with you a a little story, my daughter was born in Northern Thailand, and had to go in for emergency surgery, recovering after three weeks straight in the NICU. The total bill in America for the surgery, medicine, care, likely might have totalled 100k. Oh, and the hospital, we were lucky, was great. We could have easily lost her. In fact, I spoke at length to the amazing pediatrician that helped save her life, who worked for 30 years to stock the hospital, train people and doctors, get equipment. She would have certainly perished if this had happened at an earlier date.
This is an example of the benefits of technology and the rising tide of humanity.
If you're spending a year abroad as an American, you get to dump your insurance and save money there too.
Not to mention, if you make some money overseas, you won't pay US state tax on that money since you aren't living there.

So, you take that $24,000 and go live abroad for a year. Leave the rat race and consumer culture behind. Even if you don't get a job that keeps you there (like teaching English,) make no money and come back at the appointed time, you still experienced a new culture, saw new places, and were able to take a year long vacation, not 2 weeks.

Traveling via Air in Thailand; During the Time of Corona

With so many people stuck at home due to the Chinese Corona Virus, brought to you courtesy of their totalitarian government which lied and suppressed information that could have given the world greater time to prepare as well as their countrymen to suppress virus initially, you might be wonder what it is like to travel during this time.

I can safely (an interesting word choice perhaps) tell you that it was the easiest and best experience I have ever had. The airports and planes were nearly empty. Last minute (12 hours before) tickets for 5 people, including an infant were $125.

You can see below just how empty the airports were. You waltz up to the counter, through security, and onto the plane.
Bangkok's main airport, which would take over an hour to get to in the morning in the city's infamous traffic, took twenty-five minutes with zero delays.
This might not be the safest time to travel, if the mainstream media is finally right about the "wolf" they've been invoking and calling for the last several years, but it certainly was the most pleasant and easiest travel experience I have Ever had.

Still, take precautions and know our trip was necessary for visa and passport services ...

I've just been approached by *gulp* Chinese security ... "I'm sorry I recant all I said about your wonderful country, and especially your government. Yes, I agree, Xi does not look Exactly like Winnie-the-Pooh. I'm sorry, I swear, it won't happen again.

Now excuse me as I turn away and *COUGH COUGH COUGH*