We try to pack as light as possible. But there's no way we're leaving Alexa behind. So when we live abroad, we bring our Amazon Echo with us. But wait!, you say. The Echo is US-only. And besides, the Echo Dot is much better for travel because it's much smaller and lighter. So why on Earth would we bring our Amazon Echo while traveling the globe? The reasons are these. First, the US-only restriction is easily overcome by associating the Echo with a US city in the same time zone as your current location. While in Mexico, for example, we used the Alexa app to tell Amazon we were based in Houston, Texas. When you want local information, you need only specify: “Alexa: What's the weather today in Cancun, Mexico.” Second, while the Echo Dot is smaller, its built-in sound is inadequate (and really designed to be connected to other home speaker systems). By bringing a full Amazon Echo, we get really good sound, but in a small package. It's a great way to fill your home with music without carrying anything larger than a bottle of wine. Third, you may be surprised to learn that music works abroad. Even Pandora! In other words, both the Echo and Pandora are supposed to be US-only. But while abroad, you can use your Echo to listen to your Pandora stations. That's why I recommend that all nomads bring an Amazon Echo while living abroad.
My office today: I'm on a boat!
On a Cozumel shore.
Playa del Carmen has shockingly good food
You'd think a place like Playa del Carman would have lousy food, because bad food seems to accompany tourist towns. But it's trivially easy to find super great food there. This is from my favorite Playa restaurant, which is called La Perla. (Click on the pic for more photos.)
Crazy paint job, but this studio was great
We had a problem with an AirBnB, so Amira found another one on AirBnB in Playa del Carmen. As you can see, the place is small and the paint on the wall crazy. But this apartment was centrally located, had a comfortable bed, great shower and everything we needed for the night.
My office today: on top of the Ixmoja pyramid at Coba in Mexico
A view that borders on vision.
Roadside Mexican fruit is best Mexican fruit
This pineapple was particularly delicious!
I bought this mask in Valladolid, Mexico
How beautiful is that? (The maker is holding it.) (Click on the photo to see the rest.)
My office today: the Ixmoja pyramid at Coba in Mexico
You know you've made it when your office has a view.
Here's the view from up there! https://goo.gl/photos/S3kGtBUsBWjb6H2x6
My office today: Tulum
MyOfficeToday
My office today: the beach at Tulum
MyOfficeToday #Tulum #Mexico
My Nomad wife
I'm always stunned at where she's willing to go, and what she's willing to do to get there. I couldn't do it, and wouldn't do it, without her.
Took this picture at Tulum yesterday, after she somehow managed to get us exclusive access to the beach and site. Don't know how she does it.
(Story coming soon.)
My office today: El Castillo at Tulum in Mexico
MyOfficeToday #Mexico #Tulum
Just taking a break
At Cozumel.
My office today: a Cozumel beach!
No content.
Do your homework for amazing deals on AirBNB
Amira spends a lot of time slogging through potential places to rent on AirBnB, and it always pays off. This very cool, well-appointed apartment in Cozumel is costing us about $20 per night.
Markets like this are rare in Cancun
The reason is that ginormous supermarkets are all over the place and have vastly better selection.
A long, hot walk through Cancun
Amira and I walked 9.2 miles yesterday, and it was 90 degrees out. It wasn't too bad. We found shade wherever we could and took it pretty slow. Walking around a city is by far the best way to get familiar with a place. And it's great exercise, too.
My office today: the beach in Cancun
Work, work, work.
The simple trick for overcoming AirBnB’s biggest flaw
When people go on vacation, they might specifically know where they’d like to go. “Let’s go to Italy!”
As a nomad, I’m less particular about where, exactly, because I intend to live everywhere eventually. The real question is: when? Living nomadically affords the delicious luxury of opportunism. Rather than going to that one-and-only place, maybe I’ll look for extreme deals. Maybe I want to live in a treehouse. Maybe I want to live in an ancient farmhouse. Unfortunately, AirBnB blocks you from easily finding the location of your dreams. Read the rest of this post on Medium.
Cuban transportation 13 (a continuing series)
Everyone knows that horses are used by a huge number of Cuban farmers. But they even use horses in the cities, in this case to haul trash in Trinidad.