Episode 138: Trading Silicon Valley for a Mooring in Montenegro
The Expat Chat
In this episode of the podcast, I explore the exciting experience of living and travelling on a boat. I talk to Tim Bull, who is exploring the Mediteranean from his mooring base in Montenegro. We discuss the typical day of a live-aboarder, the appeal of living on a boat, along with its challenges, and the vibrant community of live-boarders in Montenegro. We talk about how Tim has invested in a variety of assets, including an apartment in Athens and a hobby farm in Bulgaria. We also discuss the joys and pitfalls of owning one of those classics of communist manufacturing, a Lada car.
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Episode 137: Live in Turkey or Live in Malaysia? Ryand Runge of Snail Travels
The Expat Chat
In this episode, we explore full-time travel and settling down with Ryan Runge of Snail Travelers. Ryan and his wife Emily decided to leave the traditional American 9-5 lifestyle to pursue their dream of traveling the world. We follow their journey from Lima, Peru to Malaysia, Mexico, and finally, Turkey, where they choose to settle due to the kind people, beautiful waterfront, four seasons, and reasonable cost of living. We also discuss the differences in infrastructure between Malaysia and Turkey, where they have spent a good period of time living in including factors such as communication...
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Episode 136: How to Cruise For Six Months Every Year; Richard and Angelyn Burk
The Expat Chat
In this episode, we chat with Richard and Angelyn Burk who have been traveling the world for over two years. Inspired by their forever home, they decided to pursue traveling upon their retirement and took advantage of deals for cruises after the onset of COVID. We discuss cruising during and post-COVID, the protocols in place to keep passengers safe, and the flexibility of the cruise industry. We also explore the benefits of cruising, such as being able to explore a new place every day, taking advantage of on board amenities, and having all maintenance taken care of. Lastly, we provide tips...
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Episode 135 (From the Archives): How We Started With Fulltime Travel; Michael and Yvonne Bauche
The Expat Chat
Can you really sustain a lifestyle caring for other people’s houses and never have to go home again? Today’s guests are living proof of the fact. Michael and Yvonne Bauche gave up a comfortable but stress-inducing lifestyle in Vancouver Canada 3 years ago and they haven’t looked back. Their income is lower but so is their living costs giving them the opportunity to live a millionaire’s lifestyle on less than $C3000 per month all without having to eat into their savings. They’ve met interesting people and made new friends for life. They’ve housesat in many parts of Europe, Central...
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Episode 134: The Growth of Housesitting... and Living in France
The Expat Chat
In this episode, we explore the concept of long-term travel after Brexit with Ian Usher and Vanessa Anderson from Housesitting Magazine who provided us with the perspective of two people who relocated to France at the time of Brexit. We discuss how Brexit has changed how expats can live in Europe, the challenges of property renovation in another country, and the surge of house-sitting during the pandemic thanks to Vanessa’s unique insights as an employee of Trusted Housesitters. We also discuss the benefits of a free subscription to the House Sitting Magazine. You can get your free...
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Episode 133: How to Pivot Your Travel Plans on a Dime
The Expat Chat
Ever woken up not knowing where you will sleep tonight? For some travelers this level of unplanning isn't scary - in fact it gives them the freedom to turn on a dime as new opportunities arrive On this episode, we explored the idea of a slower lifestyle and last minute booking and how it has changed the lives of Jimmy and Sarah Johnson. We discussed the advice they would give someone considering this ethod of travel, and shared their own experiences and how the slower pace of life has been beneficial for them. We also shared the perception of their lifestyle from friends and family. From...
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Episode 132: Traveling in a Post Covid World; Jane Dempster-Smith
The Expat Chat
In this episode, I explore sustainable travel post-COVID with Jane Dempster Smith of Two Travel. We discuss the impact of COVID on travel, the theme of the TBX conference, and the changes in their own travel style. Jane also mentions the conference brings in hundreds of travel content creators and there were many new attendees this year. We also discuss adapting to multi-generational travel, their budget and travel bucket list, and their own Staycations Australia concept. Finally, we talk about the dangers of digital security, their travel blog which was hacked and the difficulties in trying...
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Episode 131: Traveling the Camino Alone; Leita Joy
The Expat Chat
In this episode I explored what it takes to prepare for a spiritual journey along the Camino pilgrimage in Spain. My guest Lisa Joy shared her own experience of traveling the Camino, including the year of preparation she did, which included research, physical and spiritual preparation, and talking to people who had already done the Camino. I also discussed the importance of solo female travel, the costs associated with the journey, and the hardships faced by the original pilgrims. Lastly, I discussed how the Camino journey has the potential to be life changing and encourages people to explore...
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Episode 130: How to Save $30000pa and Travel the World; Michael and Yvonne Bauche
The Expat Chat
In this episode, we discussed the ins and outs of house-sitting and how to find the right sit for yourself. We spoke with Michael andYvonne Bauche, who have done over 85 house-sitting sessions. They suggested that newbies should start with shorter, smaller sets in order to build up preferences. For those looking to travel extensively, they recommend a minimum of one month for a house-sitting session. We also discussed how to read into house-sitting profiles, how to create trust between the owner and house-sitter, and how to identify when the owner is looking for. Lastly, we looked at the...
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Episode 129: Traveling the World on Two Wheels; Brent Ruru
The Expat Chat
In this podcast episode, I explored the concept of adventurous travel on two wheels with Brent Ruru from Christchurch, New Zealand. He and his family have cycled the length of New Zealand, Cambodia, Spain, and Canada. During their journey in New Zealand, they raised over ten thousand dollars for a child cancer charity. They discussed the hospitality they enjoy everywhere and the benefits of global traveling. Finally, I discussed the Te Araroa trail in New Zealand and plans for future travels to Paris, France and Romania. This podcast episode highlighted the importance of trust and connections...
info_outlineBack in 2007 Ian Clavis was working in IT in London. The Liverpool native was becoming tired and bored with city life in England and when a friend suggested he could get a position teaching English in China Ian jumped at the chance.
7 years on Ian has made a home for himself in Chengdu, China a large city of over 10 million people near the border with Tibet where he has a Chinese wife and the recent addition of a young son.
I caught up with Ian to discuss life as an expat in China and were surprised to find a country that was far more lenient with foreigners than what I had expected.
If you’re interested in moving to China check out Ian’s blog at https://ianclavis.wordpress.com or you can listen to his podcast where he offers advice on living in China at https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/tic-china/id1048429938
What I learned from Ian:
- China is more relaxed with westerners than I had expected. Ian is pretty much free to do what he likes there and doesn’t encounter any issues with the authorities. Many people work in China without the appropriate visas but seem to encounter few problems – especially when working online. There are internet restrictions but like Josh Cahill Ian is able to work around that with a VPN.
- Recent changes to travel visas now mean that Australians and US citizens can effectively stay 10 years allowing for leaving the country every 90 days. A quick trip to Hong Kong and back is usually enough to satisfy these requirements.
- Health care is poor with a shortage of resources. Fortunately private health is good and very affordable. The recent birth of Ian’s son, including 12 months of follow up care only cost $US3000 in total.
- Care should be taken when purchasing property. If buying new most places come unfinished and the electrics would need to be redone. Expect to have to finish it off yourself as the standard and pride in workmanship sounds close to non-existent! That said foreigners are now able to buy properties and take out mortgages directly.