A weekly newsletter with four quick bites, edited by Tim Leffel, author of A Better Life for Half the Price and The World’s Cheapest Destinations. See past editions here, where your like-minded friends can subscribe and join you.

Restricted Movement in Bali and Nepal

This has not been a great month for independent travelers who like to find their own path. Traffic-choked Bali announced it will stop foreign visitors from renting motorbikes and Nepal announced that it will no longer allow independent hikers to get trekking permits. Both outlined some good justifications for the decisions, but the latter seems like overkill considering how easy it is to hike the Annapurna Circuit or ABC route without a guide or group. I’m betting on some exceptions or a softening once local businesses complain loudly enough.

Shop Local for… Adapters

If you’re on a round-the-world journey to multiple continents, you need some kind of multi-plug adapter for different countries. If you’re going to one region on vacation or to live, however, you probably just need a simple small adapter to convert from your home plug to the local sockets. You can order these in advance online, but I’ve found it far cheaper to just buy one or more on arrival. I bought one today in Sofia, Bulgaria for $3 and have paid even less in Thailand, Argentina, and Brazil. Check electronics shops or hardware stores, but the best prices are at street stalls and in the local markets, which gives you another reason to go visit them.

European Ski Bargains

As this ski season wraps up soon, here’s one truth that’s news to most Americans: It’s far cheaper to ski in Europe than in the USA. So much less, in fact, that you could probably cover the cost of your airfare and meals with the difference. (Plus those meals will be a lot better.) I mentioned Switzerland last week, a surprising value compared to the best-known Rocky Mountains options, but the “bargain” resorts in the USA are often priced at a level that’s the maximum on the other side of the ocean. Check out this article to see the cheapest ski resorts in Europe.

Finding Balance

Working remotely, especially for yourself, has plenty of challenges related to stress, boundaries, balance, and health. One of the people involved with Nomadico is Claudia Dawson, a devotee of self-improvement and life balance advice/tools. Reco•mind•o: Mindful Recomendos for Life and Work is now available as a downloadable PDF with clickable links for $2.99. It’s a collection of her personal tips distilled from more than 300 issues of Recomendo, our sister newsletter. It is packed with resources and invisible tools to improve the inner and outer aspects of life. The full-color paperback is still available on Amazon if you prefer a book you can hold.

03/30/23