This month’s newsletter comes to you from the remote beach of Why Nam in the Gulf of Thailand. We’re staying in a little bohemian community that has sprung up around the legendary full moon parties of Koh Phangan. Gillian’s here for the free-spirited music and dance scene; I signed up for the quiet beaches, vegan food, and yoga at sunrise.
This is easily the most rustic stage of our month-long journey through Thailand; we’re living in an actual shack on a cliff overlooking the ocean. There’s no air conditioning; the toilet flushes by way of a bucket; and insects and geckos have free run of the place. But, for the adventurous traveler looking for a true off-the-beaten-path experience, we feel that there’s no better beach in Thailand.
If you want to follow the adventure in real time, join us over on Instagram.
Saying goodbye to a special chapter
October also marks the closing of our four-year adventure recap. Starting all the way back in spring, I’ve been sharing an inside view of what our nomadic life was actually like during all those years. Our Instagram feed might create the impression that travel is all peak moments—a scenic lookout over Lisbon, cruising the Danube in Budapest, sunrise in Colombia’s Cocora Valley—but that’s just a small part of the story.
The reality for us included avoiding pickpockets in Medellin, getting rained out in Vienna, and having to re-book all our plans over and over again. Some experiences were minor annoyances, like becoming overwhelmed by the daily influx of cruise ship tourists when we lived in Lisbon for a month.
Others caused a full-blown case of travel burnout, such as being denied boarding a flight in Santa Marta, Colombia and then hunkering down in an Airbnb for three days while we anxiously tried to secure another flight out for us and two dogs.
The final instalment is now ready for you on our blog. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I’ve had reliving all the memories of this incredible but intense chapter of our lives.
Plan your own freedom years
If you’re thinking of planning your next chapter, join us at the virtual Canadian Financial Summit from October 23 to 26. It’s an exciting lineup of 40+ speakers, including financial planning heavyweights, journalists, and bloggers. For our part, we’ll be talking about the financial benefits that came from a career overseas and the economics of setting up a home base in Canada.
Click here to get your free ticket.
See you on the road,
Stephanie & Gillian
Beautiful photos! I've enjoyed virtually accompanying you on your travels.