Jekyll2020-01-01T03:42:58+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/feed.xmlWhere The Hell Are Tomer And Michelle?Follow Tomer and Michelle on their digital nomad journeyTomer & MichelleSustainable Travel After an Amazing Year2019-12-31T00:00:00+00:002019-12-31T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/sustainable-travel-after-an-amazing-year<p>The end of the year is a good time to take stock of your impact. Have you improved yourself? Have you done well by others around you?
As a digital nomad it’s important to ask more: What has your impact been on the planet? On the countries you touched?</p>
<p>With great travel comes great responsibility!</p>
<p>Tomer and I decided we wanted to look for a way to balance our amazing experiences and any negative environmental impact they have had. To do so, we used this nifty site called <a href="https://www.cooleffect.org/"><strong>Cool Effect</strong></a>.
They make it pretty easy to calculate.</p>
<p>24 flights avg 4.5 hours.</p>
<p>$76.83 = 9.37 Tonnes carbon. (1 Tonne carbon offset= $8.20)</p>
<p>Do this for 2 people = 18.67 Tonnes carbon, therefore $153.60</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.cooleffect.org/"><strong>Cool Effect</strong></a> group supports several different projects that offset carbon emissions, many with a positive cultural and environmental impact by providing work in poorer areas. We are happy to pay our share.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cooleffect.org/content/project/seeing-the-forest-for-the-trees"><img src="/assets/img/mexico-forest.jpg" alt="Seeing the Forest for the Trees Project in Mexico" title="Seeing the Forest for the Trees Project in Mexico" /></a></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.cooleffect.org/content/project/seeing-the-forest-for-the-trees">Seeing the Forest for the Trees Project in Mexico</a></em></p>
<p>While visiting South Africa we booked an amazing excursion sea kayaking with penguins at <a href="https://www.sharkwarrior.com/summary/"><strong>The Shark Warrior Adventure Center</strong></a>. They are a non profit environmental organisation and all of their profits go directly back into conservation and environmental education projects such as SWIM LIKE A SHARK project, which teaches disadvantaged children to swim. Our excursion was fantastic and very educational. It was just Tomer and I, two guides, and lots of adorable penguins. Our lead guide was incredibly well versed in all things environmental. We learned about seaweed farming and how it can pull more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than any tree can. Because of climate change penguin fishing areas keep getting farther and farther away from their colonies, and these little guys swimming under our kayaks were returning from a 50 mile swim. We were very happy with our experience and were happy to donate additional funds so that this organisation can continue to do great things for South Africa. Also did you know penguins look like ducks when they are swimming?? 🐧</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/michelle_tomer_penguins.jpg" alt="Tomer and I with Penguins!" title="Tomer and I with Penguins!" /></p>
<p><em>Tomer and I with Penguins!</em></p>
<p>We are also actively looking for charities in countries whose economy we had the upper hand on this year. We find ourselves walking past homeless people and we realise we can’t hand out money constantly, it’s just not sustainable. Instead, we have found some charities to donate to this year. Here are a few charities we are happy to contribute to:</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/where-we-work/asia/india"><strong>Save the Children - India</strong></a> group targets many ways to help Indian children, from giving medical care, education, or orphan care, to giving families farm animals such as chickens or goats. We chose to help India because out of everywhere we went we found India to be the most devastating. The poverty there is heart-breaking and constant, and children asking for food is what hit us the hardest. Everywhere you look, you see people laying in the streets dehydrated and hungry, and women with babies begging. I had an amazing time in India but no part of me was unaffected by the way children were living. I kept looking and thinking, why aren’t you in school, how is this still possible in 2019?</p>
<p><a href="https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/where-we-work/asia/india"><img src="/assets/img/save-the-children-india.jpg" alt="Save the Children - India" title="Save the Children - India" /></a></p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/where-we-work/asia/india">Save the Children - India</a></em></p>
<p>The <a href="https://foodforwardsa.org/donate-2/"><strong>Food Forward South Africa</strong></a> group works with local food producers, farmers, and wholesalers to redistribute to those in need. So many of which are black and still suffering from the historical oppression of aparthide. I personally found myself in tears every time I left the supermarket and saw young boys begging for food. They don’t ask for money or candies/sweets - they just want food. You could see how tired and hungry they all were. I walked out of the supermarket with snacks and as many fresh fruits as I could find handing them out to all of them. When we were leaving and had some leftover tinned foods we made sure to give it to them. Like all charity, it’s a tiny drop in the bucket, that’s why donating to sustainable charities which can start to fix the problems, not just the symptoms, is so important.</p>
<p>We are humbled by our experiences this past year, and even though we’ve given back we know we can never do enough. But we’re going to keep trying. Happy sustainable travels and happy New Year’s!</p>Michelle McKennaThe end of the year is a good time to take stock of your impact. Have you improved yourself? Have you done well by others around you? As a digital nomad it’s important to ask more: What has your impact been on the planet? On the countries you touched?Staying Healthy While on the Road2019-12-29T00:00:00+00:002019-12-29T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/staying-healthy-while-on-the-road<h1 id="staying-healthy-while-on-the-road">Staying Healthy <span class="on-road">While on the Road</span></h1>
<p>The challenge of healthy nomading is that finding ourselves in a completely new environment every 30 days makes keeping to any routine with diet, exercise, etc is almost impossible. This, in addition to us trying to take full advantage of new opportunities, experiences, and fantastic foods that surround us, make it tricky to have a single plan in place that we can stick to consistently.</p>
<p><span class="on-road">Since Michelle and I view our travels as a lifestyle and not an extended vacation,</span> it was important for us to try to stay healthy in all aspects. <span class="on-road">We even ended up being healthier than we were back home in some cases. </span></p>
<h2 id="nutritionally">Nutritionally</h2>
<p>I’m a big believer in the phrase ‘You are what you consume’ - (I know the phrase is ‘you are what you eat’, but I prefer consume as it’s more representative of what makes people. In my mind this also includes any drinking, substances, media, books, etc, not simply food). The first facet of staying healthy for us was going to be looking into what we put into our bodies. We have experimented in the past with different diets for weekly cadences in order to expand our food diversity, but we wanted to go deeper here. We wanted to understand how certain foods affect us, and how they can be used to our advantage.</p>
<p>Both Michelle and I signed up for 10 sessions with a nutritionist through <a href="https://www.onpoint-nutrition.com/">OnPoint Nutrition</a>. This is a remote nutritionist who speaks to you either once or twice per week, can help you set nutrition goals, and, most importantly, keeps you accountable. This program helped us understand what we consume and we tracked all of our meals for the entire duration of our sessions. This was extremely helpful for us in the long term to stay healthy.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/tuna_nicoise_salad.jpg" alt="Tuna Nicoise Salad in Tel Aviv (not pictured: me not eating the crossaint and bread ;)" title="Tuna Nicoise Salad in Tel Aviv (not pictured: me not eating the crossaint and bread ;)" /></p>
<p><em>Tuna Nicoise Salad in Tel Aviv (not pictured: me not eating the crossaint and bread ;)</em></p>
<p><span class="on-road">Specifically for us, since we’re on the road and have no real constants in our lives with respect to foods available to us,</span> we put forward a plan to try and at least be consistent and thoughtful about our meals. The biggest part of this for us is breakfast. We try to keep consistent with a breakfast of eggs and vegetables wherever we are. <span class="on-road">(Of course, we can also mix this up a bit, for example, adding a baguette between the two of us when we were in France 🥖 or hummus when we were in Isarel 😋.)</span> This breakfast sets us on a good path for the day, spares us carbs for later in the day, and already gets in a serving of vegetables! 🥦</p>
<p>We also try to cook as much as possible at home. Ok, well, Michelle cooks at home. This is good for our stomachs, as well as our wallets. It is quite tempting to simply eat out all the time when you’re constantly surrounded by <span class="on-road">new and</span> delicious foods, but we try to keep our intake to what we know as much as possible.</p>
<p>Michelle is allergic to nuts and has several different food restrictions that make all of this even harder. I have become an expert ‘nut tester’ for those many moments where we can’t communicate with the server or cooks.</p>
<h3 id="pro-tips">Pro Tips</h3>
<ul>
<li>Try and avoid carbs for breakfast. It’s best to ‘save’ them for later in the day.</li>
<li>Think of 1 alcoholic drink as 1 carb serving. That might help put your weekends into perspective ;)</li>
<li>Go out of your way to eat as much fruit as you can. This was very difficult for me as eating 3 servings of fruit per day was something I’ve never really done on a consistent basis.</li>
<li>If you overeat, overeat veggies!</li>
<li>Portion size carries a lot of weight (literally). Sometimes when eating out, Michelle and I will split an appetizer and an entree if we’re not very hungry.</li>
<li>Have an easy and healthy snack ready to go for most situations. For me, this is peanuts (which I can never have enough of..). Other good alternatives are Greek yogurt (not always easy for ‘on the go’, but easy for at home munching) or a piece of fruit. Ideally your go-to snack doesn’t contain carbs.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Current Status: Healthiest I’ve been eating since I left the nest.</strong></p>
<h2 id="physically">Physically</h2>
<p>The next obvious stop on our staying healthy as nomads tour is staying physically fit. This was definitely easier said than done as we didn’t have much of a routine in place <span class="on-road">even before we left on our trip</span>.</p>
<p>The most important word in the previous paragraph is routine. What I’ve found is that it’s much easier to do even a small workout every day or every 2 days, than 1 larger workout once a week. Getting in the habit will help give you compound results when it comes to staying fit.</p>
<p><span class="on-road">Again, a nomad’s main issue here is that we don’t have many constants between where we’re staying and traveling to. </span></p>
<p>When affordable, we seek out Airbnb’s and accomodations with a gym and/or pool in the apartment building - that’s a win! When we do have that, we try to take advantage of that as much as possible. I’m not much of a pool guy, but Michelle likes going for a short swim after a workout to cool down 🏊♀️ so I go and keep her company.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/tomer_michelle_pool_in_phucket.jpg" alt="Michelle and I in the pool in Phucket" title="Michelle and I in the pool in Phucket" /></p>
<p><em>Michelle and I in the pool in Phucket</em></p>
<p>In some places we stay at, we actually look for a nearby gym membership. If the price is reasonable, it’s not too far away, and has the equipment we need, we sign up! The good thing about paying for a gym membership is it motivates you to go everyday since you get more bang (or muscle 💪) for your buck.</p>
<p>If the weather is good <span class="on-road">where we’re staying and the lay of the land is pretty simple</span>, Michelle and I opt for jogging. This is a bit more difficult to do everyday, but you get in more of a sweat. We started small, especially me, as I was never a jogger. But you can slowly build up, become more comfortable, and start running longer distances.</p>
<p>And finally, the real secret to us staying physically fit on the road is the last scenario: simply working out at home. This has the smallest barrier to entry, and done right, you can still get great workouts into your daily routine. The secret waepon for us was the <a href="(https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/nike-plus/training-app)">Nike Training Club app</a>. They have a myriad of varied workouts for different muscle groups or fitness level. There are plenty of no equipment/body weight work outs available, perfect for the aspiring healthy nomad who doesn’t have the luggage space for a 10 pound dumbell. When I do a Nike Training workout, I try to do a 15-20 minute full body workout, followed by a 6-12 minute core workout. This leaves me sweating and feeling good about the rest of my day!</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/nike_training_club_app.jpg" alt="Nike Training Club app" title="Nike Training Club app" /></p>
<p><em>Nike Training Club app</em></p>
<p>You can be doubly productive during your workout and listen to a news podcast, audiobook, or something similar. Michelle listens to <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/the-rachel-maddow-show-podcasts">Rachel Madow</a>, while I listen to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/column/the-daily">NYT Daily</a>. Just make sure it’s not too funny, or you might lose your step on the treadmil. The more distracting what you’re listening to, the better! You’re just trying to get your routine going.</p>
<h3 id="pro-tips-1">Pro Tips</h3>
<ul>
<li>Download the <a href="https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/nike-plus/training-app">Nike Training Club app</a>.</li>
<li>Try to find a routine, in whatever way you can get it to fit your day-to-day. Early riser? Get it done before work so it’s smooth sailing. Like staying up late watching TV? Try a workout during one of your go-to shows that you can quote from memory.</li>
<li>Skip as few days as possible, even if you’re just doing a few minutes of activity. The more days you are able to set aside time for yourself to work out, the easier it will be in the future.</li>
<li>Find the workouts that work for you. Runner? Great, bring it on. Do something that you can somewhat enjoy to make it easier to do rather than coming up with excuses why you shouldn’t.</li>
<li>Be sure to diversify your wokrout every so often so you don’t get too comfortable with one workout and neglect other muscles in your body.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Current Status: Most physically fit I’ve been consistently for the duration of over 6 months.</strong></p>
<h2 id="mentally">Mentally</h2>
<p>Certainly a large part of staying healthy but most often overlooked, is our mental health. <span class="on-road">Traveling for so long at a time, never having a true home base, being away from family and friends, being torn away from friends you make constantly, digital nomading is quite mentally draining.</span> We’ve come up with certain tricks along the way to help make it more digestable and manageable.</p>
<p><span class="on-road">First and foremost, you’ve heard me say it before and I’ll say it again, slow travel is the way to go. We typically stay in 1 country, and usually only 1 accomodation in that country for 1 month at a time (<a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/mini-trips.html">mini trips</a> excluded, but with mini trips you don’t have to take all of your belongings with you). This means that we are able to focus more on the <em>experience</em> of traveling, as opposed to the <em>act</em> of traveling. We’ve done the hopping around, consisting of a few days here, a short stint there, while trying to absorb everything in that short amount of time. It’s exhausting. And especially if you’re working while on the road, it makes it all but impossible. </span></p>
<p>Try to make your accomodation as homey as possible. <span class="on-road">We unpack our suitcase when we arrive to whatever dressers/drawers are available to us.</span> We bring our Roku player and plug it into the TV so we have our shows readily available. We even went so far as to get 2 travel-sized Christmas decorations and have already used it at 2 different accomodations! 🎊🎄</p>
<h3 id="socially">Socially</h3>
<p>Socially (and also much more than socially), I’m eternally thankful for Michelle. She’s not only my better half, but I’d go crazy if I didn’t have her to talk to and get through tough situations. It’s no surprise that as a couple <span class="on-road">traveling</span> long term, you get to know each other really well in lots of different situations.</p>
<p>When it comes to trying to meet new people, we look towards <a href="https://www.couchsurfing.com/events">CouchSurfing meetups</a> and <a href="https://www.meetup.com/">Meetup.com</a> (though we have had more luck with CouchSurfing meetups). In most of our stays, there was usually a weekly get-together at some local bar where ex-pats, travelers, and locals alike congregate. Not going to lie, it is quite hit-or-miss depending on what week you end up going to. But we have met some cool people and had great times through these meetups.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/belgrade_couchsurfing_meeting.jpg" alt="Friends we made at a CouchSurfing Meetup in Belgrade" title="Friends we made at a CouchSurfing Meetup in Belgrade" /></p>
<p><em>Friends we made at a CouchSurfing Meetup in <a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/belgrade-like-a-phoenix-rising-from-its-ashes.html">Belgrade</a></em></p>
<p>With regards to our family and friends, we try to take the initiative of calling them and keeping in touch - <span class="on-road">it was us who decided to leave</span>, after all. I speak to my family about twice per week, and try to catch up with a different friend about once per week (though I know I’ve been failing there, bear with me, friends!).</p>
<p>It’s also very important to have your ‘me time’ and maybe a hobby or two. Alone time is great to simply go through your thoughts and let your mind’s thinking take its course. This <em>is</em> coming from an introvert, but when <span class="on-road">traveling</span> with someone who is by you side 24/7, it’s important to ‘plug in’ for a bit. Michelle and I have different sleep schedules, she’s a night owl and I’m a morning person. We leverage this to ensure we each have some alone time. In terms of hobbies, it’s good to keep your brain on edge and keep sharpening it. I took up the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/crosswords">NYT Daily Crossword</a> and try to complete 1 puzzle per day. It gets me something to do everyday, can be social if I choose to make it so, and diversifies my day.</p>
<h3 id="pro-tips-2">Pro Tips</h3>
<ul>
<li>Look for meetups and other local events happening nearby; don’t be afraid to strike up conversation, that’s what everyone is there for! If there’s no local meetup, create one!</li>
<li>Find your alone time. Even when <span class="on-road">traveling</span> with your partner, be sure there is some time apart during the day to catch up with your thoughts.</li>
<li>Pick a small time hobby you can take up as something you can work on while on the road. <span class="on-road">Ideally it’s something ‘travel proof’ and small so you can bring it along with you. </span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Current Status: Near the happiest era of my life ever. Not the most social era of my life.</strong></p>
<h4 id="not-on-the-road-but-still-want-to-stay-healthy-no-problem-just-click-here">Not on the road but still want to stay healthy?? No problem! Just <a href="#" id="toggle-link">click here</a>!</h4>
<p>Happy travels!</p>
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</script>Tomer SStaying Healthy While on the RoadGear Guide2019-10-26T00:00:00+00:002019-10-26T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/gear-guide<p>Abraham Lincoln once said that given 6 hours and an axe to cut down a tree, he would spend the first 4 hours sharpening the axe.</p>
<p>We’re only as good and productive as our tools enable to us to be. And given the fact that we try to stay as light on our feet as possible, we are quite picky with the tools that we choose to lug around from destination to destination. Here are the tools that we think are imperative for us to live life on the road.</p>
<p>It’s important to note that this isn’t all we travel with, just the ones worth mentioning we couldn’t live without!</p>
<p><em>NOTE: Some of the links in this post include affiliate or referral links that benefit us. We only endorse items/services that we use and believe in.</em></p>
<h2 id="wardrobe">Wardrobe</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/33IEWDp">Compression/packing cubes</a>: These handy little fabric zipped cubes are great for organizing your clothes in your suitcase. The compression ones specifically can save you quite a bit of space if you make good use of them, just remember that they won’t take away from the weight you’re bringing on board ;)
<img src="/assets/img/gear_guide_compression_cubes.png" alt="Compression Cubes" title="Compression Cubes" /></li>
</ul>
<p><em>Compression Cubes Doing What They’re Good At!</em></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/35OZ6O2">HikePro Foldable Daypack</a>: We like having a smaller backpack that we can take for a walk out about the town, to bring some sunscreen or water, or to stash anything we might buy. This used to be a drawstring bag for us, but we quickly wanted to upgrade. This HikePro is the real MVP! It can fold up into a little pocket, has multiple sections and even a wallet pocket, is water resistant (though don’t expect to be caught in a rain storm and for your items to stay dry), and is extremely light and comfortable on your back. A must for city travelers!</li>
<li>Rain jacket: Weighing in at almost nothing and a lifesaver at times, finding a good rain jacket is imperative so that you don’t miss out on adventures in any weather. I personally carry around an Eddie Bauer one that folds into itself to save on space as well.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.allbirds.com/collections/mens-runners">AllBirds</a>: It’s no surprise that this wool-based shoe company took off like wildfire. The shoes are unbelievably comfortable for everyday city walking, light running, or even some basic hiking. And, they’re machine washable.</li>
<li>Outdoor sandals: Shoes are one of the things you want to be picky about when traveling as you can only wear one pair at a time, and they are quite heavy. Sandals, however, should probably be one of the few pairs you do bring with you. They are great for outdoor nature hikes, daily walking in a hot climate, or beach days.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2J3BJ9E">Rainboots</a>: These rainboots are somewhat fashionable, pretty light and easy to slip on. Michelle adores hers and wears them often, and at $12 dollars they are a steal. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFIBVNhjs7E">Where would you be without your wellies?</a></li>
<li>Baseball cap: Michelle uses hers all the time. A good way to avoid having to always put sunscreen on, a simple baseball cap can be a lifesaver. Also with a quick pony tail it can be worn in the water to give that extra coverage. Warning, depending on the cap you pick and where you are it may make you stand out as a tourist.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/35ShIfV">Prana Men’s Brion Shorts</a>: Recommended to me by a friend who does extreme outdoor travel, these pants are my go to for everyday of any summer we find ourselves in. The material is soft, dries easily, and makes it an easy choice for a regular outfit.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/31pLEN3">AmazonBasics 28” suitcase</a>: Before we left for our trip, this was one of our most important purchases. It was, after all, going to be our ‘house’ for all intents and purposes, storing all of our posessions. We had decided to only get 1 large suitcase between the 2 of us which allows one person to always have their hands free, and pay less for baggage even when we use budget airlines. We opted to get the 28” orange AmazonBasics suitcase and haven’t looked back. It is a bit heavy, coming in at around 16 lbs, but again, we see this as a necessary sacrifice for something that is going to house the entirety of our belongings during this trip. And it’s bright orange so you can spot it from a mile away in baggage claim and know it’s yours.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="money---whats-in-your-wallet">Money - What’s in your wallet?</h2>
<ul>
<li>Travel credit card of choice: <a href="https://creditcards.chase.com/rewards-credit-cards/chase-sapphire-reserve">Chase Sapphire Reserve</a>. Before going on a long oversea adventure, it’s important to pick a travel credit card that suits your needs. For us, we knew we were going to be spending a lot of money on travel (Airbnb, Uber’s, and flights fall into this category), we enjoy eating out every so often, and we wanted to maximize the points we get and trade those in for more travel. For us, the Chase Sapphire Reserve made the most sense, even with its annual fee (most of which gets reimbursed for travel at the beginning of every year). A nice benefit: We get a Priority Pass for airport lounges when traveling. Using this, we try to show up a bit earlier than usual at airports so we have some time to enjoy the lounge and munch on the free snacks and drinks there. Bonus: This card is made of titanium and feels heavy, which means we always get funny comments when we’re checking out!
<img src="/assets/img/gear_guide_chase_sapphire_reserve.jpg" alt="Chase Sapphire Reserve" title="Chase Sapphire Reserve" /></li>
</ul>
<p><em>The Titanium Chase Sapphire Reserve Card</em></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/refer-prospect.html?refrid=REFER6TNWV7HU">Charles Schwab bank account & debit card</a>: While we are able to use a credit card almost everywhere we go, we always take out cash the first opportunity we get when we arrive in a new place - it’s better to be safe and prepared, than sorry and not be able to pay for something. The Charles Schwab debit card will rebate any ATM fees you’ll come across internationally. I used to wince whenever I saw the ATM fee listed and try to convince myself it’s simply the ‘cost of doing business’, but not anymore! At the end of every month, we get a reimbusement from Schwab for all the ATM fees we paid for that month.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="tech">Tech</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2P2V2DF">Adapter cube</a>: Adapters, like translators and currency conversion booths, are a fact of life for travelers. This adapter cube has served its purpose like no other. It can plug into just about any outlet (except for South African ones, but there are European outlets there as well) and even provides 4 built-in USB ports on it so you don’t need a USB wall outlet. We just leave our phone cables plugged into it most of the time, even when on the road.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2MRXyu1">AirPods</a>: When Apple announced their AirPods, I was definitely impressed with the amount of technology crammed into the tiny and beautiful package (besides being impressed with their vision of the future), but I didn’t think I would want a pair. My family bought me a pair as a parting gift before we left, and they’ve been absolutely amazing for everyday use. I use it for work, phone calls, working out, listening to music/audiobooks/Podcasts, you name it. The buds stay in your ears even when jogging. I’ve had no complaints with the microphones. My only complaint for battery life is when I’m working all day and have many back to back meetings. But even then, I can use a single bud while charging the other, and then switch, ensuring constant usage.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/31rZ8YE">Speaker</a>: For those Friday and Saturday nights when you want to turn it up just a bit louder and start busting a move, you’ll want a nice, portable Bluetooth speaker. We chose one that is also water proof so we can bring it with us to pools and beaches.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2J6BFGe">Kindle</a>: Pretty much all the books you’d ever want, in 1 tiny package. Need we say more? Oh, and be sure to not leave it in the seat pockets on flights like we did!</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2Bnr3yf">Roku</a>: Life as a digital nomad isn’t all beaches and Instagram worthy pictures, contrary to popular belief. We watch TV and binge Bake Off just like the rest of you! We brought the Roku we had at our apartment when we left and it’s worked out great. We’re able to plug it in at just about every Airbnb we’ve been to and it has all of our ‘channels’ hooked up, logged in, and ready to go!</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="software-tools">Software Tools</h2>
<ul>
<li>VPN software of choice - <a href="http://www.privateinternetaccess.com/pages/buy-a-vpn/1218buyavpn?invite=U2FsdGVkX1_0Jo3agPFua8hNNbpvVxQgMBTLQ0-rxc8%2CfDFJlvjMJm5DXD1Pw8KDAvHkDYw">Private Internet Access</a>: VPN’s (Virtual Private Networks) are a sort of proxy for internet connections. While it is mostly a techy tool, I would recommend having something like this as an option when on the road. This has a few uses where it can come in handy. First of which is when you’re connecting to a public Wi-Fi network that you don’t trust, such as a coffee shop or airport. Simply turn on the VPN and you can rest assured your data will be safe. We’ve also come across certain sites that we need to access that won’t let you visit them if you’re outside of the US, like banks or utility web sites. With a VPN you can proxy through the US and then access whatever you need! Pro Tip: you can also use this to view Netflix shows only available in certain countries.</li>
<li>Foursquare app: We were recommended to use the Foursquare app by an expat in Belgrade and it has been fantastic for coming across hidden places that we wouldn’t have thought to visit otherwise. This is also good for keeping track of places you’ve been and enjoyed.</li>
<li>Google Maps app: This might be obvious to some, but we use Google Maps everywhere we go. Some great built-in features:
<ul>
<li>Label your current address as ‘Home’ for easy access to directions.</li>
<li>Use the ‘Offline Maps’ section to download maps of your local city before you arrive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Uber: Yes, they had a very bad 2017 and are still trying to recover their public image. When we’re in the US, we try to use Lyft. But Uber has a much larger international presence and is sometimes safer and cheaper than local cabs. Uber tuktuk can be a real lifesaver so you don’t have to negotiate with every driver that tries to overcharge. Some areas don’t take card but they still do a set price before hand.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/running/nike-run-club">Nike Run Culb</a> & <a href="https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/nike-plus/training-app">Nike Training Club</a> apps: These 2 apps are key to how we’ve been staying healthy while on the road (another post about this to come soon!). More than simply offering different workouts to do (both guided runs and even home workouts with no equipment), it also tracks everything which helps you stay motivated, and it gamifies your working out with achievements. Michelle and I have become regular users and big fans.
<img src="/assets/img/gear_guide_nike_apps.png" alt="Nike Rub Club & Nike Training Club" title="Nike Rub Club & Nike Training Club" /></li>
</ul>
<p><em>Screenshots from the Nike Apps, I’ve been working hard the past few months!</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Apple Pay or Google Pay: A lot of Europe uses ‘contact-less’ payment solutions. While the US is still catching up, Apple Pay or Google Pay will allow quick access to payments, and let you avoid awkward wallet-fumbling and signing for receipts.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="misc">Misc</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/c/tshvueli?currency=USD">Airbnb</a>: Even before this Gear Guide, we must’ve mentioned Airbnb at least a dozen times. It’s no secret that the once-startup has made life so much easier for digital nomads and travelers all over the world. Michelle and I joke that our monthly expenses haven’t changed all that much, we now simply pay rent to Airbnb instead of a single land lord! Also, if you become a ‘loyal customer’, when contacting Airbnb support, they’ll be extra helpful and usually side with you and help you out of a dispute with a host.
<img src="/assets/img/gear_guide_previous_airbnbs.png" alt="Previous Airbnb's We've Stayed At" title="Previous Airbnb's We've Stayed At" /></li>
</ul>
<p><em>Some of the previous Airbnb’s We’ve Stayed At</em></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://g.co/fi/r/47R707">Google Fi phone service</a>: I’m not a huge fan of Google as a company - or business model - and much prefer to use different services or <a href="https://brillicity.com/self-hosted/">self-host</a>. However, even I have to admit that Google Fi has made our lives 1000 times easier when on the road. We have unlimited international data. That’s all you really need to know (though of course texts and calls are included as well - though we still mostly use WhatsApp or Messenger). No messing around with local SIM cards, different phone numbers, yuch! One phone bill for the 2 of us every month, and we’ve had pretty steady coverage just about everywhere we’ve been (except for Italy for some reason??). I consider myself a privacy nut, but as a digital nomad, Google Fi is too cheap and too convenient to not use.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2VTnCZC">Fire sleeve</a>: We all need to be able to have our passports, ID’s, spare cash and the like with us. I sleep at night and go out during the day feeling slightly safer knowing that our valuables are safe. And no, we haven’t tested out if this is <em>actually</em> fireproof, but we’ll settle for the positive reviews on Amazon!</li>
<li>Passport wallet: With both of us walking through the airport, we like having a passport wallet that one of us, usually Michelle, is in charge of. All the things in one place.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/35RX7IX">Brita water bottles</a>: Another part of staying healthy is hydrating properly, whether during travel or in between. These water bottles are great as they are a constant reminder to drink water. I have it on my bedstand every night (especially for weekend mornings after a night out), and I take it with me to work everyday. Priceless.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/33IAh4s">SharkLock eco zip bags</a>: While we enjoy eating out, we also cook quite a bit at home (I mean Michelle cooks quite a bit at home). We were on the market for travel zip lock bags, mostly to store our leftovers, but also for whatever other use we may come across. These SharkLock zip bags work great and we’ve used them pretty consistently since we got them. They are also freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe, so you can use them for just about anything! Pro tip: The main trick to cleaning them is to turn them inside out.</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/33IbOfr">Quick Key Release Key Chain Accessory</a>: Those that know me well know I’m all about efficiency. I found myself constantly needing to switch out keys on the road. For each Airbnb we’re in there’s at least 1 key, possibly 2 including 1 for a building door (though the best Airbnb’s only have key codes!). Also, some Airbnb’s only give the 2 of us 1 key to share which makes it tricky for logistics. Either way, after ordering this little gadget it’s much easier to be constantly swapping out keys without grinding down my fingernail into different keyrings.</li>
</ul>
<p>Happy travels!</p>Tomer SAbraham Lincoln once said that given 6 hours and an axe to cut down a tree, he would spend the first 4 hours sharpening the axe.Lessons Learned from a Year On the Road2019-10-26T00:00:00+00:002019-10-26T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/lessons-learned<p>We’ve been traveling for a year now, and while every place is unique and offers different adventures, food, and culture, there are some universal rules we’ve come across to help make your life that much easier.</p>
<p><strong>Find your Travel Pace</strong> - Nomading can come in many different form factors so it’s up to you to decide what you want your trip, and trip length, to look like. If you’re <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/onebag/">‘one-bagging’</a> it and want to put emphasis on meeting new people, you can stay for shorter durations without getting burned out. If you want to stay longer in destinations and have more items with you, longer stays, or ‘slow travel’, will help you stay sane. While there’s no right or wrong here, and an entire spectrum exists in the middle of the two extremes, Michelle and I prefer the slow travel method. We’ve found that staying in one spot for 1 month each time is the ideal way to travel. This is why slow travel works for us:</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/lessons_learned_travel_pace.jpg" alt="It is better to travel well than to arrive..." title="It is better to travel well than to arrive..." /></p>
<p><em>“It is better to travel well than to arrive…“</em></p>
<ul>
<li>It gives you flexibility when trying to do the tourist activities of that area. You don’t have to rush to sign up for the local tours or immediately get in line for the museum. Rather, you can plan ahead and if one week is extra busy, you can plan for the following week.</li>
<li>Airbnb accomodation is much cheaper when booked by the month. Most hosts have a pretty large discount (up to 70%) when you reserve their place for a month. The downside of this though is that once it’s booked, you can’t cancel your reservation for a full refund, so be sure you have your dates locked down!</li>
<li>Because you got your accommodation discounted, you don’t have to feel bad about booking a weekend away on the fly for a <a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/mini-trips.html">mini trip</a>. And you’ll be able to keep your suitcase and most belongings back at your ‘home base’.</li>
<li>It gives you enough time to make a routine and really soak up the local culture. You can even make some local friends along the way and be able to meet up with them multiple times.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Become One With your Destination</strong> - You’re not going to leave a place as a local if you only stay there for a month, but you can definitely become more familiar with their culture, history, and traditions. This helps you grow while also being respectful to the place you’re visiting.</p>
<ul>
<li>I like opening up a Wikipedia page to where we’re going on the destination there and read up on some basic facts. Do you know the capital city, estimated population, and religion? Are you familiar with some of the basic history of the region? Do you know what to call the local currency when you land?</li>
<li>Go where the locals go, don’t ask for the best restaurant, as for their “local” go-to pub by your house and get to know the people in your neighborhood.</li>
<li>Talk to people. Strike up a conversation with a random stranger, you might learn something you didn’t know, or get a great recommendation you won’t find in any travel book. Cab drivers are great people to talk to as they know the area quite well and are usually friendly, even to tourists.</li>
<li>Try to learn a few of the very basic words in the local language, like ‘thanks’, ‘please’, ‘cheers’, and some common greetings. If you’re there for long enough, even numbers will help. Michelle got pretty good at her numbers in Croation and even managed to barter at the local market!</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.</p>
<p>-Nelson Mandela</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Know How to Handle Stressful Situations</strong> - You will be out of your comfort zone for much of your day while digital nomading. It’s important to know how to bring yourself back to earth.</p>
<ul>
<li>Staying healthy in general can help keep you level-headed in bad situations. Get enough sleep, drink plenty of water, and eat (mostly) healthily.</li>
<li>Try to plan for basic shortcomings. If you’re in South East Asia, there’s a chance the Wifi might not be great, or there won’t be toilet paper in the bathroom stall, or you’ll get lost and no one speaks English. Try to play out these scenarios in your head ahead of time and prepare for it in whatever way will help you make lemonade.</li>
<li>When traveling with a partner, talk about what stresses you together so you can help each other manage it. If one of you is better at asking for directions and the other is better at reading a map, play to your strengths, not against them.</li>
<li>Are you hungry?? When I’m even the slightest bit hungry and things don’t go my way, I can become a real downer real quick. Try to be aware of this, bring snacks when appropriate, and make yourself aware. You can even tell yourself (and the people you’re traveling with) ‘I’m hungry right now, and this is not a great situation. I need to get some food in me and I can calm down’.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ufo1y5KBM"><img src="/assets/img/youre-not-you-when-youre-hungry.jpg" alt="You're Not You When You're Hungry" title="You're Not You When You're Hungry" /></a></li>
</ul>
<p><em>“You’re not you when you’re hungry”</em></p>
<p><strong>Find Your Work/Life Balance</strong> - Depending on your vocation as a digital nomad, your work life will differ, but it’s best to find out what that balance means for you and stick to it.</p>
<ul>
<li>Are you comfortable working from your Airbnb for the duration of your stay? I try to find a local coworking spot and get a month-long membership there. That creates a clear physical separation for me between work and play, while also giving me an out to meet people and have social interactions I wouldn’t have had otherwise.</li>
<li>Plan ahead when you’ll need to work and when you want to explore/do tourist activities. This is especially difficult when you have a friend visiting or meet some local people. Have your boundaries ready and stick to them. You can’t travel as a digital nomad if you can’t work.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Bring a Partner in Crime!</strong> - Whether your spouse, partner, or just very good friend, traveling with a Parter In Crime (PIC) can help make it that much more meaningful.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/lessons_learned_partners_in_crime.jpg" alt="Partners In Crime" title="Partners In Crime" /></p>
<p><em>Partners In Crime</em></p>
<ul>
<li>Choose wisely! Just because you can handle a weekend at the beach with them doesn’t mean you can travel together. You have to have a pace you both agree on and have similar travel interests.</li>
<li>Having your PIC with you along this journey will help strike a balance. There’s a division of responsibilities, and when things can seem overwhelming, you have your rock to ground you.</li>
<li>If one of you gets sick, the other person will be able to try and take care of you, and make sure everything else is going smoothly.</li>
<li>Traveling the world with your PIC will test your relationship. But if you know you can make it, you relationship will grow stronger and your bond will grow deeper.</li>
<li>You’ll make countless memories, from running through airports, eating amazing foods, getting locked out of your Airbnb, losing old items, or buying new items. Through the good and the bad, both of you will be able to cherish and reminisce about these memories for a long time.</li>
</ul>
<p>Happy travels!</p>Tomer SWe’ve been traveling for a year now, and while every place is unique and offers different adventures, food, and culture, there are some universal rules we’ve come across to help make your life that much easier.The Best Way to Tour a City Is Through Its G̶r̶o̶c̶e̶r̶y̶ ̶S̶t̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶ Markets2019-09-26T00:00:00+00:002019-09-26T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/the-best-way-to-tour-a-city-is-through-its-markets<p>I recently read a <a href="https://nymag.com/urbanist/article/the-best-tourist-secret-attraction-is-the-grocery-store.html">very well written piece</a> in NYMag by Richard Morgan, who, from the sounds of the article, is just as much a traveler as Michelle and I are.</p>
<p>However, I can’t help but entirely disagree with his main point. The best way to tour new cities, when applicable, aren’t through their grocery stores, but rather through their markets.</p>
<p>Vegetable markets, meat markets, or fish markets. Christmas markets or food hall markets. Now <em>these</em> are the places where you get to truly experience a city and its culture.</p>
<hr />
<p><img src="/assets/img/haifa_saba_michelle.jpg" alt="My Grandpa and Michelle heading down to the market" title="My Grandpa and Michelle heading down to the market" /></p>
<p><em>My Grandpa and Michelle heading down to the market</em></p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/haifa_market.jpg" alt="A Glimpse of the Wadi Market" title="A Glimpse of the Wadi Market" /></p>
<p><em>A Glimpse of the Wadi Market</em></p>
<p>In Haifa, Israel, a city which is considered to be the model for coexistence between Jews and Arabs, there lies a market in the ‘Wadi’ under an old abandoned large building. This is where you can find my grandpa gathering fresh ingredients for my grandma’s next hit dinner. It’s also where you’ll hear booth owners yelling, to everyone and no one at the same time, their prices trying to drown out their competitors. There’s no need to bargain here, they practically do the bargaining for you, as long as you buy from <em>their</em> stand, and not the one across the way.</p>
<hr />
<p><img src="/assets/img/lisbon_mercado_da_baixa.jpg" alt="Looking forward to some Sangaria and Pork in Mercado da Baixa" title="Looking forward to some Sangaria and Pork in Mercado da Baixa" /></p>
<p><em>Looking forward to some Sangaria and Pork in Mercado da Baixa</em></p>
<p>In Lisbon, Portugal, with Christmas just around the corner and the weather cooling down, be sure to stop by Mercado da Baixa, where you can warm yourself from the inside with Sangaria (red or white!) and all the types of pork you could want filled in any bread of your choice. All the while you can shop for great cork-based souvenirs to show off back home.</p>
<hr />
<p><img src="/assets/img/berlin_currywurst.jpg" alt="Currywurst in Berlin" title="Currywurst in Berlin" /></p>
<p><em>Currywurst in Berlin</em></p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/edinburgh_spiked_drinks.jpg" alt="Spiked drinks in Edinburgh" title="Spiked drinks in Edinburgh" /></p>
<p><em>Spiked drinks in Edinburgh</em></p>
<p>When Christmas-time finally does roll around, be sure to check out the nearest seasonal market. Whether you’re in Edinburgh, walking through with the occasional whiff of a warm - and spiked - beverage, having all the types of ‘wurst’ you can imagine to pick between in Berlin, or coming across mulled wine (Gluehwein) and even mulled beer (Gluhbier) in every corner in Zurich, Christmas markets are not only a thing to do, but <em>the</em> thing to do.</p>
<hr />
<p><img src="/assets/img/lisbon_time_out_market.jpg" alt="Chef Prepping Sardines for us at Time Out, Lisbon" title="Chef Prepping Sardines for us at Time Out, Lisbon" /></p>
<p><em>Chef Prepping Sardines for us at Time Out, Lisbon</em></p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/budapest_central_market.jpg" alt="Budapest's Central Market" title="Budapest's Central Market" /></p>
<p><em>Budapest’s Central Market</em></p>
<p>There’s also the ever-growing popularity of mixed food markets. A large market building with half of it reserved for booths selling raw, fresh ingredients, and the other half consisting of food stands serving both traditional and unique foods you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. You can find these places in the Time Out market in Lisbon (and more opening up all the time), the Central Market in Budapest, Sarona Market in Tel Aviv, and countless more. The best thing to witness here is when you order a dish from a restaurant that just ran out of an ingredient, and them going straight to a food stand to order more of that fresh element that will in a manner of short minutes make its way into your stomach and leave you thirsting for more.</p>
<hr />
<p><img src="/assets/img/medina_market_meat.jpg" alt="A butcher in Medina" title="A butcher in Medina" /></p>
<p><em>A butcher in Medina</em></p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/medina_market_view.jpg" alt="A View of Medina from a Rooftop Restaurant" title="A View of Medina from a Rooftop Restaurant" /></p>
<p><em>A View of Medina from a Rooftop Restaurant</em></p>
<p>And of course, let’s not forget about the Medina market in Marrakesh. If you’re not careful, you will seriously get lost here or end up buying things you didn’t need. The Medina market, in the center of the city surrounded by ancient walls, is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced in person before, but we’ve all seen it, probably through movies such as Aladin. Outdoor stands as far as the eye can see, everyone is trying to sell you something as long as you’re buying it, and snake charmers and dancing monkeys everywhere. The art is absolutely exceptional there, from large area rugs, antique stores, to decorative tea sets, there is something there for anyone. And that’s not even touching on the food market! Spices from here until tomorrow that can turn a plain chicken into a tajine feast fit for kings. Have you ever wondered where your chicken comes from before it makes it to the market? Wonder no more, because here you can even pick the chicken you want!</p>
<hr />
<p>You’ve by now heard quite a few examples of markets we’ve visited in less than a year or traveling, and that’s not even all of them! We haven’t touched on the market in Belgrade, Serbia where you can pick any fish you’d like from an aquarium and take some filets home with you. Or yet another food hall market in Lyon, France, which is known as the ‘gastronomic capital of the world’. Or the large outdoor fresh foods market in Split, Croatia, located just outside of Diocletian’s Palace, which offers vegetables, any fruit you could want, flowers, and even live snails if that’s what tickles your fancy.</p>
<p>Grocery stores are a necessity everywhere you go, definitely. And it is cool to come across some new ingredients or a local fruit that might become your new favorite. But to truly experience a new place and soak up some culture, do yourself a favor and go to the nearest market.</p>Tomer SI recently read a very well written piece in NYMag by Richard Morgan, who, from the sounds of the article, is just as much a traveler as Michelle and I are.And Now For Something Completely Different! Or, The End or Our European Stint2019-09-03T00:00:00+00:002019-09-03T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/and-now-for-something-completely-different<p>Somewhere over mainland Europe is where you’ll find us at the moment. Of course, that’s where you could mostly find us over the past 10 months, though on the ground, as opposed to 36,000 feet in the air. Next stop is Dubai for a short layover until our connection flight to our upcoming destination, Cape Town, South Africa. However, the universe knows how comfortable we are in Europe and made sure we got the most of it by jumbling up our original flight plan and forcing us to stay an additional 24 hours in Glasgow before we actually, for real this time, left Europe.</p>
<p>“So what?” you ask, “you must be used to moving destinations and starting anew”. You’re not wrong, but the truth is that this transition is different from the rest. We spent the majority of our trip until now in Europe, the ‘birthplace of Western civilization’. The land where English is your friend, and also most locals. The land where you mostly don’t have to worry about currency conversions in your head, because the almighty Dollar is just about equivalent to Euros and Pounds.</p>
<p>Not that there’s anything wrong with that. We absolutely loved our time in Europe, and it has a lot to offer. From beautiful archaic castles, breath-taking views, and all the modern conveniences one could hope for, Europe has it covered.</p>
<p>Michelle’s aunt, Maureen, said it best: “Europe is like different flavors of the same dish.”</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/alleyways.jpg" alt="Alleyways in Lyon, Rome, and Split" title="Alleyways in Lyon, Rome, and Split" />
<em>Alleyways in Italy, Croatia, and France. Can you guess which is which? Hover or click to reveal answers.</em>
<em><span class="spoiler" onclick="">From left to right: Lyon France, Rome Italy, and Split Croatia.</span></em></p>
<p>A lot of our destinations until now shared a lot of similarities. A large river down the center of the city (sometimes the same river in the middle of multiple cities!); ancient Roman ruins; signs in the English alphabet which you can somewhat make out after grabbing an easy B in a few courses of high school Spanish or Latin; large and aged buildings with familiar architecture looking over you through the city streets; mostly cash-less societies; etc. You know the image I’m talking about.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/belgrade_across_the_water.jpg" alt="Belgrade Across the Water" title="Belgrade Across the Water" /> <img src="/assets/img/budapest_across_the_water.jpg" alt="Budapest Across the Water" title="Budapest Across the Water" /></p>
<p><em>Two cities’ views across the water. Which cities and which rivers? Hover or click to reveal answers.</em>
<em><span class="spoiler" onclick="">Belgrade, then Budapest. Rivers is a trick question, they’re both the Danube!</span></em></p>
<p>And it was convenient. Michelle is European (well British, so at least European for the moment..), and while Israel is geographically in Asia, it gets more of its cultural influences from Europe than from the far East. We feel at home in Europe. The Wifi is stable, we never felt unsafe, and we could even pass as locals when we nailed a few of the basic words in common everyday exchanges.
We had some short visits outside of Europe proper. The first (and third) was Israel, which, as mentioned, I won’t be considering non-European, mostly for the purpose of proving my point in this blog post. I will say that our visit in Marrakesh, Morocco was our main visit outside of Europe. And it was truly different. We were surrounded by Arabic (though a fair bit of French we tried to get by with), markets that were like no other you’ll come across in Europe, and just the general feeling of being very much in a developing country.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/budapest_matthias_church.jpg" alt="Budapest's Matthias Church" title="Budapest's Matthias Church" /> <img src="/assets/img/lyon_cathedral_st_jean_baptiste.jpg" alt="Lyon's Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste" title="Lyon's Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste" /> <img src="/assets/img/vienna_st_stephens_cathedral.jpg" alt="Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral" title="Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral" />
<em>Budapest’s Matthias Church, Lyon’s Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, and Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Churches and Cathedrals, oh my.</em></p>
<p>But this time is different. We hit the limits of our <a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/belgrade-like-a-phoenix-rising-from-its-ashes.html#-term-to-know---schengen-area">Schengen Visa</a> (and accidentally overshot our AirBNB reservation in France and had to leave 2 weeks early) and just generally felt like we’re ready for the next substantial leg of our journey. We have long been ready and preparing for India and further East, but in order to line up the end of monsoon season properly, we had to find an intermediary destination. After checking flights and hearing so many positive things about it, we chose Cape Town, South Africa.</p>
<p>We will be staying in Cape Town for an entire month, our preferred cadence for slow travel. And yes, we have some large plans, as well as some equally important, non-taxing and relaxing plans. We are exploring tour options of Table Mountain or possibly a safari. We want to look at different origins and monuments related to apartheid and Nelson Mandela and soak up some history. On the lighter side of things, my dad is scheduled to visit us for a short while. We have a gym and a pool in our AirBNB. And to prepare for some culture and history, we both just finished reading Trevor Noah’s fantastic, short but surprisingly touching book, <a href="https://amzn.to/2LiLDWC">Born A Crime</a>.</p>
<p>This is just the first stop on the next leg of our trip. We absolutely enjoyed the hell out of Europe and what we were able to experience in our 10 months there, and that’s even after having to make sacrifices and not visiting everywhere we wanted. But we’re ready for what’s next. After South Africa we will be continuing to South East Asia. We are ready to stretch out of our comfort zone.</p>
<p>Merci, grazie, todah, and cheers, Europe. Until next time.</p>Tomer ShvueliSomewhere over mainland Europe is where you’ll find us at the moment. Of course, that’s where you could mostly find us over the past 10 months, though on the ground, as opposed to 36,000 feet in the air. Next stop is Dubai for a short layover until our connection flight to our upcoming destination, Cape Town, South Africa. However, the universe knows how comfortable we are in Europe and made sure we got the most of it by jumbling up our original flight plan and forcing us to stay an additional 24 hours in Glasgow before we actually, for real this time, left Europe.The Perfect Transition Plan - How We Get from A to B, Stress Free2019-08-13T00:00:00+00:002019-08-13T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/the-perfect-transition-plan-how-we-get-from-a-to-b-stress-free<p>Travel days are stressful, we all know that. And being that we live on the road, we tend to have more travel days than most. So we’ve come up with a system to help reduce friction where possible, making for an almost seamless transition on travel days!</p>
<h2 id="7-days-before">7 Days Before</h2>
<h3 id="this-is-when-we-start-taking-notice-and-preparing-for-our-imminent-departure">This is when we start taking notice and preparing for our imminent departure.</h3>
<ul>
<li>Make a list of any things we want to do and haven’t done yet, or any things we want to do again before we leave. Restaurants highly considered.</li>
<li>Make plans to see anyone we want to see again (family, friends, or acquaintances we met at local <a href="https://www.couchsurfing.com/events" title="CouchSurfing">CouchSurfing meetups</a>).</li>
<li>Start looking at our fridge and non-perishables to make the most out of what we bought and reduce unnecessary waste.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="6---3-days-before">6 - 3 Days Before</h2>
<ul>
<li>One more grocery run to make sure we have enough meals to last us.</li>
<li>One final load of laundry. Forget to include at least 1 pair of undies.</li>
<li>Be sure we have a plan for our travel day in the way of: we know what time to leave our house and how to checkout, how we’re getting to the airport/train station, and we have off of work that day if it’s on a weekday.
<ul>
<li>To get to our departure point, we try and see if public transportation is available, otherwise, we schedule a cab.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Soak in the rest of our stay!</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="2-days-before">2 Days Before</h2>
<h3 id="one-comment-we-get-a-lot-is-you-must-be-pretty-good-at-packing-by-now-its-true-weve-had-quite-a-bit-of-experience-in-the-past-9-months">One comment we get a lot is, ‘you must be pretty good at packing by now!’ It’s true, we’ve had quite a bit of experience in the past 9 months!</h3>
<ul>
<li>Potentially make a reservation for the night we get in for a casual, local restaurant. This helps make sure that we can come in stress free and don’t need to rush to make dinner.</li>
<li>Should start packing. Open suitcase, gaze upon it, contemplate other things, walk away, don’t start packing. Berate each other for not starting to pack.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="1-day-before">1 Day Before</h2>
<ul>
<li>Try and get some snacks/fruits for travel day. Hunger + travel stress = not happy Tomer.</li>
<li>Download entertainment to our phones for travel time including books, podcasts, music, and some Netflix shows we may want.</li>
<li>Make sure we have check in instructions for our <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/c/tshvueli?currency=USD">AirBNB</a> (we usually book these months in advance - no need to search around when we land).</li>
<li>Confirm travel day plans, transportation, times, etc.</li>
<li>Check in to our flight, if applicable.</li>
<li>Make a dinner with all of our leftover food!</li>
<li>Actually pack, while complaining.</li>
<li>Look up basic words in language of destination, pre-school reading list-like, ie. yes, no, thanks, please, hello, goodbye, 1-10 and ‘wine please!’</li>
<li>Download your tickets to your phone to make sure they’re available offline and take screenshots of them just in case.</li>
<li>Plug in our laptops and phones overnight.</li>
<li>Be sure our passports are in a backpack, not the suitcase.</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="/assets/img/tomer_travel_day.jpg" alt="Tomer On the Go" title="Tomer On the Go" /></p>
<p><em>Tomer on the go</em></p>
<h2 id="travel-day-is-here">Travel Day is here!</h2>
<h3 id="we-usually-book-our-transportation-in-the-mornings-this-allows-us-to-get-into-our-destination-and-still-have-some-of-the-day-to-settle-in-before-we-are-up-and-at-em">We usually book our transportation in the mornings. This allows us to get into our destination and still have some of the day to settle in before we are up and at ‘em!</h3>
<ul>
<li>Tomer gets up way too early just in case. Michelle sleeps in until the last moment just in case she won’t sleep for the rest of the day (she will anyway).</li>
<li>Do a final sweep of the house to make sure we haven’t left anything behind.</li>
<li>Struggle to squish our toiletries bag into our already-full suitcase.</li>
<li><a href="https://maps.google.com" title="Google Maps">Google Maps</a>: Download an offline map of the city we’re headed to and set our AirBNB’s address to ‘Home’ label. Try to commit the address to memory - probably fail.</li>
<li>We like to show up at the airport about 2 hours before boarding, a bit more wiggle room for smaller airports as they might move slower.</li>
<li>Use our <a href="https://creditcards.chase.com/rewards-credit-cards/chase-sapphire-reserve" title="Chase Sapphire Reserve">Chase Sapphire card</a>’s <a href="https://www.prioritypass.com/" title="Priority Pass">Priority Pass</a> benefit to hang out in any lounges at the airport. This is a nice relief in a (relatively) quiet place with some free munchies and drinks.</li>
<li>Get confused by new time zone, discuss it, count it, give up and use Google.</li>
<li>Tomer tries to beat the line at Passport Control after we land by walking fast. Michelle stops by the bathroom. We end up at the end of line. Michelle doesn’t care, Tomer is antsy.</li>
<li>Get cash out at a nearby ATM using our trusty <a href="https://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/refer-prospect.html?refrid=REFER6TNWV7HU">Charles Schwab card with ATM-fee rebates</a>. If the option is provided, don’t use the ATM’s conversion, take cash out in the local currency - this leads to a better conversion rate.</li>
<li>Find transportation to our <a href="https://www.airbnb.co.uk/c/tshvueli?currency=USD">AirBNB</a>. Check in. Plug into the Wifi.</li>
<li>If we’re at this destination for a month, start unpacking our suitcase into drawers - stop halfway.</li>
<li>Walk around in the evening and see what our neighborhood is like and spot interesting things to do.</li>
<li>Find local grocery store and get staples for breakfast.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>The key to Travel Day is to be sure that you’re sure of the timetables and where you need to be when. Once all that is in place, the rest is just going with the flow.</strong></p>
<h2 id="1-day-after">1 Day After</h2>
<ul>
<li>Full grocery run. Buy at least 1 wrong item accidentally. Embarrass ourselves trying to use the language and customs. Proudly feel like locals.</li>
<li>Check for interesting CouchSurfing meetups coming up.</li>
<li>Look for interesting things to do in the new city.</li>
<li>If we’re not ‘in town’, take public transport to visit downtown and make note of interesting looking places.</li>
<li>Check to see if there are interesting AirBNB local experiences we want to sign up for during our stay.</li>
<li>Check <a href="https://www.coworker.com/" title="Coworker">nearby coworking spots</a>, locations and prices, for a potential office.</li>
</ul>
<p>After this we’re able to get into our routine pretty seamlessly and soak in our new home for the next month!</p>
<p>And there you have it, folks, the almost perfect transition plan to make for stress-free travel days, tried and tested by yours truly. Safe travels!</p>
<p><em>NOTE: Some of the links in this post include affiliate or referral links that benefit us. We only endorse items/services that we use and believe in.</em></p>Tomer ShvueliTravel days are stressful, we all know that. And being that we live on the road, we tend to have more travel days than most. So we’ve come up with a system to help reduce friction where possible, making for an almost seamless transition on travel days!Split, Croatia - The New Mediterranean Must See Stop2019-07-01T00:00:00+00:002019-07-01T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/split-croatia-the-new-mediterranean-must-see-stop<p>When people think of a Mediterranean vacation, Greece, Italy, and Spain immediately come to mind. There are even some places that aren’t as obvious, such as Israel - I can say from personal experience. However, today I’d like to add another must-visit destination to this list: Croatia.</p>
<p>A recently independent country with a vast coastline and an absurd number of islands (over 1200!), Croatia is a beautiful destination filled with history, friendly people, water that actually is crystal clear, and food options that will not disappoint. You might have heard of Croatia before as the ever-popular show Game of Thrones (henceforth GoT) did some of their filming there in historic castles left behind by the Romans. You know it’s a gorgeous country if HBO is filming there!</p>
<p><strong><img src="/assets/img/about_croatia.png" alt="Split, Croatia" title="Split, Croatia" /></strong></p>
<p><em>Split, Croatia</em></p>
<p>We had planned the full month of May in this as-of-yet mysterious country to us. While we were debating staying in the capital, Zagreb, we decided to stay in Split, a large city right on the water. Michelle’s family had scheduled a vacation with us for a whole week. Michelle’s sister, Yvonne, and her boyfriend were also going to stay with us a bit before and after the week that their family was in town. As if that weren’t enough, my good friend Arjun was also going to come visit for the tail end of our stay in Split. It was going to be a busy and action-packed month!</p>
<p>The first thing we noticed when checking out our new home for the next month was its beauty, focus on the water front, and historic events. The city center is inside Diocletian’s Palace, a massive area with picturesque thin alleyways, more gelateria’s (ice cream shops) than one would care to count, and small shops. This palace is only about a 30 seconds walk to a beautiful and large promenade. Parked boats line the seafront, as well as usually a cruise ship or 2 parked not far off at the port.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/waterfront.png" alt="Split Waterfront" title="Split Waterfront" /></p>
<p><em>Split Waterfront</em></p>
<p>One thing to mention is that this is quite the tourist town, especially since GoT became the must-see show on TV. Cruise ships arrive a few times per week at the port, and the town center is immediately filled with people only stopping by for the day. It was amazing to see the complete contrast between the amount of people walking around the city while a cruise ship was parked, and after they left - it was like night and day! That being said, Michelle and I still managed to soak up the best of the city and found some hidden gems that stayed ‘tourist free’.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/croatia_food-1.png" alt="Croatian Food" title="Croatian Food" /></p>
<p><em>Truffle pizza (claimed by some to be the best pizza they’ve had in their life), Seafood Pasta, and a massive seafood platter including Seabass, muscles, langoustines, and more.</em></p>
<p>As Michelle and I travel for long periods of time, we don’t like eating out too often. Luckily, there are plenty of market options right near the city center. The green market is a colorful place filled with booths of any vegetables or fruits you’d like, and even some snails if that’s your thing. On the other side of the Palace, you’ll find a fish market with fish so fresh, you can smell the market from down the road. Just be prepared to gut the fish or de-tail and de-vine the shrimp ;)</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/krka_waterfalls.png" alt="Krka Waterfalls" title="Krka Waterfalls" /></p>
<p><em>Krka Waterfalls</em></p>
<p>Thirty minutes south of Split, and you’ll find yourself in Omis. A gorgeous small town with a gorge splitting it right down the middle. We did a zip lining experience here and it was absolutely breathtaking.</p>
<p><strong><img src="/assets/img/omis_zip_lining.png" alt="Zip lining in Omis" title="Zip lining in Omis" /></strong></p>
<p><em>Zip lining in Omis</em></p>
<p>On our last full day in Split, we decided to take advantage of our limited time and the beautiful weather and did a boating experience. We were on a speedboat that took us to a few different destinations, including the Blue Cave, Hvar, and a shipwreck. Oh, and did we mention a Mojito boat??</p>
<p><strong><img src="/assets/img/croatia_boating.png" alt="Boating Trip" title="Boating Trip" /></strong></p>
<p><em>Boating Trip</em></p>
<p>With Michelle’s family visiting, we were able to rent a large Airbnb to fit all 8 of us (!) in the neighboring town of Solin. We had an absolute blast getting everyone together for the longest time since a long time. There were plenty of games going around (darts, foosball, Bananagrams, you name it), lots of home-cooked food (thanks to our Primary Meal Architect, Michelle), and let’s not forget a diversity of drinks as well. We also took the opportunity to visit the local Kliss Castle - one of the filming locations of GoT! As usual, the good byes were hard, but our visit to Croatia meant that much more to us since they were there.</p>
<p><strong><img src="/assets/img/solin_entire_family.png" alt="All 8 of us in Solin" title="All 8 of us in Solin" /></strong></p>
<p><em>All 8 of us in Solin</em></p>
<p>Not only is the location of Split absolutely perfect, but because it’s less than 250 km East of Italy and its port city of Ancona, we booked an overnight ferry to take us to our next destination, no flight necessary! I highly recommend the overnight ferry method of traveling if it’s plausible at all. Comfortable rooms (as opposed to a plane seat, at least), plenty of space/activity room between restaurants, casinos, and decks, and you can sleep for a whole night and wake up at your destination.</p>
<p>I grew up on the Mediterranean, and I can say that Split, Croatia was a delightful stop that I entirely underestimated. For your next visit to the area, consider Split.</p>Tomer ShvueliWhen people think of a Mediterranean vacation, Greece, Italy, and Spain immediately come to mind. There are even some places that aren’t as obvious, such as Israel - I can say from personal experience. However, today I’d like to add another must-visit destination to this list: Croatia.How to Do the Gellert Baths In Budapest Like a Pro2019-05-19T00:00:00+00:002019-05-19T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/how-to-gellert-baths-budapest<p>We love Budapest and we love The Gellert baths.</p>
<p>This was our second time in Budapest and our 6th time in Gellert Baths. We loved our first Budapest visit so much that when we came back a second time, we stayed for a month. I am someone who often has aches and pains, any length of walking hurts my ankles, and I retain all my stress (from dealing with crowds) in my shoulders. So hot springs that aren’t crowded are ideal! Gellert is wonderful for that. I’m going to help you prepare for it like a PRO.</p>
<p>First you should understand how wonderful Gellert Baths is!</p>
<ul>
<li>It’s large enough and out of the center enough that it is rarely crowded. Which is big for me, I cannot relax with too many people around me.</li>
<li>The baths have a nice range of temperatures.</li>
<li>It’s a beautiful cathedral where relaxation is praise.</li>
<li>The building and the hotel itself is gorgeous!</li>
<li>Men and women can be together.</li>
<li>It’s <em>not</em> a party spot.</li>
</ul>
<p>When going to Gellert you will need a few things to make your experience joyous. Most things are optional but there are a few keys to your own comfort:</p>
<ul>
<li>Your own towel. The Gellert towels are ok, but often stolen by other people and they are overpriced. Two if you like steam rooms.</li>
<li>A cabin rental, it’s worth the few extra thousand (Forint) for privacy and ease of storing your stuff.</li>
<li>Flip flops, these are optional but certainly add to the overall feel. You can rent the slippers but again, over priced.</li>
<li>A swim cap if you want to do laps in the “regular” decadent pool.</li>
<li>A hat for the walk back.</li>
<li>A swimsuit, this seems obvious but I want to be sure you are prepared.</li>
<li>A backpack to put all this stuff in :)</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="tickets">Tickets</h2>
<p>No need to buy online, there are ticket desks on either side of the Gellert Baths entrance, and lines are usually non existent. Credit cards work, so does Hungarian Forint, they don’t accept foreign currencies.<br />
You will be confronted with the choice, “Locker or cabin?”</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/gellert-baths-michelle-1.jpg" alt="Michelle at Gellert Baths" title="Michelle at Gellert Baths" /></p>
<p><em>Michelle at Gellert Baths</em></p>
<p>Lockers are fine but the price difference is nominal and the space difference is so great, cabins easily win out. This pays for your ticket and a cabin/locker. With the cabin, only one person pays the extra 1.35 euros and everyone else pays the locker price and you can all share the cabin. To be clear when they say cabin the mean a dressing room with a lock on it.</p>
<p>You will receive a wearable red wristband that will activate the lock. Everyone who has a locker or is sharing the cabin will have a blue wristband. All other rentable things like towels, robes or slippers can be rented in the baths themselves.</p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Days</td>
<td>Weekdays</td>
<td>weekends</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Adult ticket with locker</td>
<td>5 900 Ft 18.74 Euros</td>
<td>6 100 Ft 19.37 Euros</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Adult ticket with cabin</td>
<td>6 300 Ft20.01 Euros</td>
<td>6 500 Ft20.64 Euros</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2 id="the-walk-through">The Walk Through</h2>
<p>So the day came, you packed your backpack and you are ready to got to the baths!</p>
<p>You found the building so grand and gorgeous.</p>
<p>Be sure to walk to the right side of the building where the entrance to the baths are.</p>
<p>Buy your tickets here. The ticket people are quick, they may or may not tell you your cabin or locker number, no worries, there are hosts down in the baths that will show you.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/gellert-baths-entrance.jpg" alt="Gellert Hotel Entrance" title="Gellert Hotel Entrance" /></p>
<p><em>Gellert Hotel Entrance</em></p>
<p>Go along towards the end, don’t go in the therapy entrance and go towards the turnstiles. With your bracelet on, place the blank watch face bit on the little fob reader and when the light goes green, walk on through. If it doesn’t work there will be an attendant nearby that can help, just ask nicely.</p>
<p>Then you go through all these stairs and turns of tiled tunnels until you come to an opening, if you have a locker, follow signs to upstairs, if you have a cabin and don’t know the number, ask the attendant and they will show you a machine to read the wristband and send you in the right direction of your locker.</p>
<p>If you are someone who is renting a towel or any other things, go to the right first and the rental counter will be around the corner. Towels, robes, slippers etc all available.</p>
<p>Ok, you got your stuff, now head to your cabin, you press the fob of the wristband against the fob reader on the door and it will open. Hang up what you can and get yourself changed. You shouldn’t worry about things being stolen, there are lots of attendants around, though I wouldn’t leave the door open for any extended period of time without you being next to it.</p>
<p>Ok, so here is my suggested tour. Try to keep your towel dry, it’s difficult but worth it for the walk home.</p>
<p>First from the fitting room follow signs for “outdoor pool” go outside first, start at the lower end and work your way up, there is a wave pool which can be fun, especially in the summer. For kids. Then on the upper part of the outside there is a 36 degree celsius hot spring pool. Try to get a turn with your shoulders under the water pipes. Enjoy it, bask a bit. Take it in. There is an ice bath “bucket” next to that and a sauna, too. I love switching from one to the other but take it at your own fancy.</p>
<p>From there go back to in, go right past the cabins and take a slight left to get to the rental counter. You will see a set of stairs, follow it up and you will find yourself on the upper deck of the indoor pool - this is your Instagram shot, this is a nice place to chill. It is usually quiet and lovely. There is a cafe up there too if you want to stop for a tea or coffee at some point.</p>
<p>Then go down and walk around the lap pool, if you have a swim cap and want to do laps, it is the most luxurious place to do so. Don’t try and go in without a cap, they will blow whistles and will yell at you. I have tried. Personally, I think they do this to stop Instagrammers cramming up the place.</p>
<p>From there, there is another 36°C pool that is a nice restarter to your thermal journey. After you take that in for a bit, get out and walk around the right of the lap pool and go in this door. It is conspicuously small.</p>
<p>You will then walk to the right around all the massage stalls that are almost always empty.</p>
<p>From there you will see two doors, go straight through and you will find yourself in a lovely tiled cathedral, the heart of Gellert. Try to be quieter in these areas, it’s incredibly echo-y and people are trying to relax.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/gellert-baths-michelle-tomer-1.jpg" alt="Main Gellert Bath Hall" title="Main Gellert Bath Hall" /></p>
<p><em>Main Gellert Bath Hall</em></p>
<p>On your right is the sauna, and straight ahead there are the steam rooms next to the showers and next to that is one of my favorite, the ice bath!</p>
<p>On either side of you, you will see the 36°C bath and the 40°C bath. Start in the 36, it is slightly warmer than the one outside or the one next to the lap pool. If you want to be on the stairs, make sure to leave room for others to walk by. Don’t be the asshole group of tourists. Try to get a turn under the waterfall lions as I started calling them, they are hotter than the rest of it and give a lovely natural shoulder massage. Some people will hog them, wait close by and when someone leaves, move quickly over. Warning, old men and women are ruthless and move in wayyyyy faster than you think.</p>
<p>I usually head from 36 to the 40, then after I get too hot, I go take a dip in the ice bath. Makes me feel like I am in Scotland again. It’s also amazing for muscle aches. I then ease myself back into the 40.</p>
<p>If you are going to do the steam room, make sure to have a second towel with you because your original towel will be a sopping mess after. Also be weary of the bottom bench, steam comes from this point and if you are not cautious, you will scald your calf. Yes, I did.</p>
<p>I always finish with the sauna, it is a nice way to dry yourself and your towel off. There are three “levels” or rooms to the sauna. The first level is like dry and warm but is good because you can look in the second room and decide if it is too busy so you can wait for someone else to leave.</p>
<p>If you are barefoot when going in the second room, be weary that the floor is lava. It will hurt after a minute. This is my sweet spot. I lasted all of 1.5 minutes in the third room but enter if you dare.</p>
<p>After this I usually go back to the cabin. I don’t normally shower immediately and save it for home where I can feel really clean. There are bags in the cabin area for swimsuits, go ahead and grab some. I have one major rule for the cabin. Keep the floor dry. Nothing is worse than wet socks or clothes. Dry your feet before going in, we are not animals, we live in a society. After changed, find a swimsuit drying machine, use it, it is wonderful and free.</p>
<p>If you did this right you will feel like jelly when you leave. I like to walk back, when crossing the bridge it can be a bit windy so it is really nice to have my hat to hold my hair together and not let me freeze.</p>
<p>You just finished your visit to the Gellert Baths! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.</p>Michelle McKennaWe love Budapest and we love The Gellert baths.Six Month Check In2019-04-30T00:00:00+00:002019-04-30T00:00:00+00:00https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/six-month-check-in<p>Similar to thinking back to your previous birthday or your most recent major work milestone, I can’t help but feel that our journey only started, while at the same time feeling that we’ve been on the road for years. So many things have happened during our journey so far, even though we’ve been staying close to a full month at most stops, that it feels like years have passed. I’ve also very much gotten used to the fact that we don’t really have a ‘home’. And while living out of a suitcase is no picnic, we’ve made do and have optimized our packing so that we don’t tire of it.</p>
<p>Let’s start with some facts:</p>
<ul>
<li>We began our trip in Lisbon, Portugal on October 26th, 2018.</li>
<li>We’ve been to 11 countries so far, though only 7 capitals.</li>
<li>This will be the 6th blog post written so far, successfully hitting my goal of at least 1 per month!</li>
<li>Gone on <a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/mini-trips.html">6 mini-trips</a> - going on a trip without having to bring our suitcase with us. We have four more planned right now!</li>
<li>Miles travelled so far: ~ 13780.52 miles</li>
<li>We have planned and booked our travels through end August.</li>
<li>Cheapest place: Belgrade, Serbia and Marrakesh, Morocco came pretty close</li>
<li>Most expensive place: Zurich, Switzerland</li>
<li>Number of items lost: 3 - our bathing suits in Budapest and Michelle’s sunglasses 😅</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="so-where-the-hell-are-you"><strong>So, where the hell are you??</strong></h2>
<p>We’re currently writing to you from Split, Croatia!</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/split-1.jpg" alt="Tomer and Michelle in Croatia" title="Welcome to Croatia!" />
<em>Tomer and Michelle in Croatia</em></p>
<h2 id="where-to-next"><strong>Where to next?</strong></h2>
<p>After our month in Split, including one whole week of which we will spend with Michelle’s family that is coming to visit us, we will take a ferry to Italy and be there for just under 4 weeks. We’ll be walking the magical streets of Rome, watching the sunset in Genoa Nervi, and stuffing our faces with as much pizza and pasta as possible in Florence, before heading to Israel again.</p>
<h2 id="hows-it-going"><strong>How’s it going?</strong></h2>
<p>So far, it is absolutely amazing and better than we could have imagined! We’ve gotten to see some great cities, met some incredible people (and some not so), and have eaten some delicious and unique local foods. Traveling 1 month at a time (as much as we can afford - both financially and Visa-wise) is a great cadence to travel long term without getting tired of it. This isn’t a checklist of countries for us, rather actually trying to get to know some places and find a routine. I am also quite certain that with shorter stops we would get tired of traveling very quickly.</p>
<h2 id="what-has-been-your-favorite-stop-so-far"><strong>What has been your favorite stop so far?</strong></h2>
<p><strong><em>Tomer</em></strong>: This is probably the question we get most often, and yet I still don’t have a straight answer. Tel Aviv will always have a special place in my heart. Budapest was an extremely fun city, relatively cheap, with plenty to do - I would definitely consider that in my top 3. Berlin really surprised me for the better the first time I was there, but unfortunately our stay there this time was too short to count for a ‘real’ visit. And both our stops in the Netherlands (Groningen and Amsterdam) are very fun and easy places to be.</p>
<p><strong><em>Michelle</em></strong>: I struggle with this in the best way possible, I live by my senses so depending on where we are and what mood I am in, I will have a different answer. I love the food in Tel Aviv so if I am hungry for lunch, I’ll say Tel Aviv with its tons of tiny salads, or Portugal with its fresh octopus salad. If I am thinking of friends and closeness to an adopted culture, I am very much at home in the Netherlands. I love the kindness and the sweetness of the people in Belgrade and the Berber people of the Atlas mountains in Morocco. If I have had a drink and am craving some late night food, nothing beats a Langosh in Budapest. When I wake up thinking of breakfast, I miss sitting at my aunt and uncle’s table scoffing (Scottish word for eating) beans, rolls, sausages, black pudding, and a huge mug of tea. When I think of magic and feeling small, my thoughts go to the soaring mountains of Switzerland or biking my Swapfiets (bike rental) down the Spiegelstraat under a starry night in Amsterdam. I am a mess with feelings about all these wonderful places. Right this second I am in Croatia and just left friends and family in The Netherlands - so my nostalgia is casting my vote for the Netherlands right now.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/alps.jpg" alt="The Soaring Mountains of Switzerland" title="The Swiss Alps" />
<em>The Soaring Mountains of Switzerland</em></p>
<h2 id="what-do-you-miss-the-most"><strong>What do you miss the most?</strong></h2>
<p><strong><em>Tomer</em></strong>: My family and friends, without a doubt (it’s a cliche for a reason, right??). The hardest part for me is experiencing all of these new things without being able to share it with some of the people I would most like to share it with. I remember when driving for 25 minutes to a family dinner felt like a chore - I now realize how silly that was. Because I made the conscious decision to leave on this trip, I make it a point to keep in touch with everyone through calls, chats, and random Snapchats of things that remind me of someone in particular.</p>
<p>On the flip side of the coin, it means that when I do see my family (like this past December in Israel) or friends (like just last week in Amsterdam), we appreciate the time we spend together and create more cherished memories since we’re not able to do so as often as we used to.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/tomer_and_the_fam.JPG" alt="Tomer with his family in Tel Aviv" title="Tomer with his family in Tel Aviv" /></p>
<p><em>Tomer with his family in Tel Aviv</em></p>
<p><strong><em>Michelle</em></strong>: Family, yes but they can call and visit. Friends, yes but they can also call and visit. For that reason, most of all I miss my family dog Charles Snarles Barkley Mckenna, greatest dog ever. My life would be complete if I could transport my dog without stressing him out, have him visit for a day or two, and return him to his little hiding spots in my parents’ home where he likes to snuggle.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/charlie.jpg" alt="Charles Snarles Barkley Mckenna" title="Charles Snarles Barkley Mckenna" />
<em>Charles Snarles Barkley Mckenna</em></p>
<h2 id="how-do-you-guys-not-likekill-each-other"><strong>How do you guys not like….kill each other?</strong></h2>
<p><strong><em>Michelle</em></strong>: We get asked this question in several different ways, people aren’t sure how to ask it. I have a few theories as to why it works. We have always been quite a close couple and we don’t tire of each others’ company quickly. Some couples need more independent time, and we enjoy that too but it’s less necessary for us. We are also very good at being around each other but being in our own headspace, writing, reading, watching TV, calling friends or family - we are around each other a lot but not interacting. Tomer is also a morning person and I am a night person so Tomer gets alone time before I wake up and I get alone time at night when he has fallen asleep. Being a relationship coach helps because we have a real growth mindset when it comes to our relationship. For example, in every argument there is something to learn and we really do work like a team everyday - otherwise this wouldn’t work. We keep each other in check and try to motivate each other. I consider myself pretty luck for this reason - Tomer is amazing, I am humbled to be on his team.</p>
<h2 id="how-does-your-family-feel-about-you-guys-being-so-far-away"><strong>How does your family feel about you guys being so far away?</strong></h2>
<p><strong><em>Tomer</em></strong>: I won’t lie, they weren’t super happy about us leaving. Of course they were happy for us. But they don’t appreciate the distance between us. Michelle and I, <a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/strangers-at-home.html#michelle-in-scotland">both being 3CK</a>, felt the hunger and urge to travel and to try and feel like a local anywhere. We love and miss our families very much, there’s no question about that. In the meantime, we get to plan exotic vacations to see them again instead of family meals/gatherings (like the upcoming Split vacation with Michelle’s family).</p>
<h2 id="how-has-traveling-affected-your-careers"><strong>How has traveling affected your careers?</strong></h2>
<p><strong><em>Tomer</em></strong>: As a regular reader may be aware, we <a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/our-vacations-vocations.html">are still very much working while traveling</a>, as was our original intention.</p>
<p>I’m very happy with my current situation! Traveling while working was very much an experiment, for both myself and for EBSCO, my employer. I think it’s safe to call it a success! Given the time difference, I have a block of uninterrupted time during my morning in which I’m able to be extra productive. This is a combination of my introverted-ness, getting into my <a href="http://elementbook.com/" title="http://elementbook.com/">Element</a>, and being able to just hone in on my work without distractions. During the second half of my workday, I still interact with my team and we work together to complete more work. I honestly feel like I’ve become a better employee and team member by working remotely. Of course there are some downsides, such as not being able to participate in team building activities or lunches, being remote for our quarterly multi-team planning sessions, and being left out of offline conversations and water cooler gossip, but overall, I’m very happy with where I’m at. Stay tuned as I plan to write more on this subject!</p>
<p>Last we checked in about the subject, Michelle was working for RelationshipHero. She has taken a turn in a different direction and is now running her own business doing the same type of relationship and life coaching, but under her own personal brand name, <a href="http://talktocoachmichelle.com">TalkToCoachMichelle</a>. While working for oneself comes with a lot of overhead and is by no means trivial, at the moment she’s loving the new challenge and is making much better use of her time in exploring our destinations.</p>
<p><img src="/assets/img/michelle_working_on_the_train.jpg" alt="Michelle Working on the Train to Amsterdam" title="Michelle Working on the Train to Amsterdam" /> <em>Michelle Working on the Train to Amsterdam</em></p>
<h2 id="when-does-your-trip-end"><strong>When does your trip end?</strong></h2>
<p>Our original plan for this trip was to travel for around 2 - 2.5 years, and I don’t think anything has changed in that regards. While we haven’t gotten too far out of the European region yet, we plan to head towards South East Asia (with a stop in India along the way) later on this year. In that area of the world, with looser Visa regulations and a lower cost of living, we plan on increasing our stays to closer to 3 months per stop and really get to explore that region in depth.</p>
<p>For other questions like <a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/our-vacations-vocations.html">how they hell do you afford</a> this and <a href="https://wherethehellaretomerandmichelle.com/journal/strangers-at-home.html">what it’s like to be a stranger at home</a>, check out our other posts!</p>Tomer and MichelleSimilar to thinking back to your previous birthday or your most recent major work milestone, I can’t help but feel that our journey only started, while at the same time feeling that we’ve been on the road for years. So many things have happened during our journey so far, even though we’ve been staying close to a full month at most stops, that it feels like years have passed. I’ve also very much gotten used to the fact that we don’t really have a ‘home’. And while living out of a suitcase is no picnic, we’ve made do and have optimized our packing so that we don’t tire of it.