Your Escape Blueprint

Three years ago, we handed over the keys to our home and flew away determined to see the world and escape the daily grind of the 9 to 5 . During the run up, we experienced a lot of fear and trepidation. In fact, there were many times when the little nagging voice of fear and doubt almost persuaded us to “not be so stupid and get on with what was expected of us”.

The consternation, fear and yes, envy of our family, friends was apparent in the questions, and comments we received and still receive. Michael–once word spread at his workplace– was called a traitor and even a b*****d, although this was often preceded by the word lucky. Many people focused on how dangerous the world can be and regaled us with tales of rapes, robberies, shootings and disease.

After three years, 30 plus countries and 1,000’s of miles we are happy to report that none of these tales of woe have happened to us. Instead, we have enjoyed beautiful locations, in Europe, Central America and the Caribbean, made many new friends and developed new skills. We have not been robbed, raped or even been called a b*****d lately either.

With three years of nomadic lifestyle hindsight to share, we want to cover some of the questions that crop up on a regular basis.

What if you get sick?

It has not been entirely smooth sailing as we have experienced both minor and major ailments, yet we have survived them all unscathed.

Prevention is better than cure so be careful where you eat, drink boiled or filtered water if necessary and treat minor cuts immediately. We carry antibiotics for treating stomach upsets/travelers’ diarrhea and skin infections (we both have fading scars from minor cuts that were infected in the tropics years ago). Always make a point of knowing what medical facilities are available wherever you are and always ask for personal recommendations for local Doctors, dentists etc.

Always have travel medical insurance and if you need treatment, have a backup plan and a way to return home.

Don’t you get tired of always moving?

Strangely enough no, perhaps because we prefer slow travel and often spend weeks or months in one place (especially when housesitting). Even when we are on the road and moving every two or three days, it is more exciting than tiring. However, the year we spent backpacking, decades ago, was eventually exhausting, especially repacking that darn backpack.

Don’t you get bored with nothing to do all day?

If we had nothing to do all day, I suppose we would, but there is always something to do. When housesitting we have a home and pets to care for, exploring a new area, shopping and cooking for ourselves. We also do fun stuff like scuba diving, take the odd sailing trip and treat ourselves to a nice meal or a night out listening to some very talented bands.

Since we started travelling, we have also acquired new skills (photography, videography, travel writing and blogging). These all require research, practice and often hours of ‘work’.

How do you cope being together 24/7?

Surprisingly well, like all couples, we do have the odd tiff, but these are rare. Like many married couples, we have learnt what leads to strife and how to head it off. Hunger and tiredness are the two biggest culprits, we always travel with munchies and make allowances for fatigue grumpiness.

Our real ‘secret’ is that we have learnt how to communicate effectively with each other and when to give each other a little space, a little praise or a gentle scold. This allows us to say how we feel, what is bothering us or share a difference of opinion without antagonizing each other.

The most common comment we hear though is none of the above, it is “how did you get so lucky”? We didn’t get lucky, we made our lifestyle choice happen and you can too if you really want to.

Watch out for our upcoming report ‘How to Retire in 5 Years or Less’ where we explain how you too can achieve financial independence and .

Dominica, sandwiched between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique has its own unique character. Dubbed ‘The Nature Island’ it boasts 365 rivers, dense forest, miles of trails, countless waterfalls, hot springs, a boiling lake and undersea volcanic vents.

Sadly, rough weather conditions meant that we were unable to snorkel Champagne reef–the escaping gas from the undersea vents causes myriads of tiny bubbles–swimming in champagne will have to wait for a future visit.

Instead we explored the capital Roseau from our base at the sprawling Fort Young Hotel. Built upon the remnants of an old fort this is arguably the best hotel in town. It is situated just a short walk from the ferry dock along the waterfront, although reception is 5 floors up on the inland side.

The hotels variety of levels, decks and vantage points offer sweeping views of Dominica’s peaks and shoreline.

Champagne Beach is very typical of the beaches here, consisting mainly of smooth rocks and patches of black sand. Fringed of course with palm trees and the very distinct hues of the Caribbean.

A neighbor settling in for the night just off the black sand stretch of Mero beach.

If you are a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, you may just recognize this place. In the second movie, Jack Sparrow goes to visit the witch here in her hovel on Indian River.

Another stunning sunset, from our balcony at Caribbean Sea View apartments high above Mero Beach.

If your beach has to be white or at least golden you better head to Calibishie on the northeast side of the island. We didn’t stop here for food from the rasta man, we stopped for a taste of the local rum. Our taxi driver had decided that he was going to educate us on the variety of herb/twig flavored rums that the locals favor.

The view was impressive, the rum not as much. Although its potency could not be denied, this is the only time we have arrived at any airport a little sozzled. Scary thing is that the taxi driver was drinking too! As we said Dominica has a character all of its own.

We were smitten at first sight! Our whirlwind visit to Martinique allowed only a brief glimpse into the people and sites of the capital Fort de France.
Of all the islands we have visited this one is very unique. The centuries of French influence merged with the Caribbean vibe and love of life have merged into a cultured, sophisticated mélange of the best of both worlds. Crèperies abounded and the ‘pain au chocolat’ was as good as any we tasted in France. 

Fort St Louis dominates the town. It’s thick walls and canyons surrendered and regained many times as the English and French battled for control of the island. Part of the fort is still used as a naval base, with the remainder home to dozens of iguanas. Guided tours run regularly throughout the day and tickets (€8) should be purchased from the Tourism information kiosk located at the northwest corner of the La Savane Park in advance.

Panoramic view from the heights of Fort St. Louis overlooking the bay and that days cruise ship.

Delightful pedestrian only streets, bustle with visitors and residents. The shops sell everything  from designer goods, jewelry, mementoes, haberdashery and a bewildering array of food. Its a great place to people watch.

St Louis Cathedral dominates the area, making it a handy landmark. Unfortunately it was closed for maintenance work during our visit.

This distorted reflection of St. Louis Cathedral in its ultra mod neighbor is a popular fun and funky snapshot.

The Schoelcher Library is right across from La Savane Park. Entry to this working library is free and worth a visit if only to see the racks of ancient volumes lining the upper levels and the beautiful atrium.

The Royal Clipper one of a small fleet that cruise the Caribbean was in dry dock for a overhaul. Michael was amazed that they let people in to the dry dock area, not something that would happen in North America. It was fascinating to see first hand the size of the dock that held not only her but another vessel as well.

St Lucia is a island of many faces. Miles of golden beaches, sparkling azure ocean and towering above it all the dramatic Pitons. Join us for a quick tour of some of the islands highlights.

View from Fort Rodney, Pigeon Point National Park

The Pink Plantation House overlooking Castries is a great place for lunch and to purchase local artist Michelle Elliot’s hand painted ceramics and soft furnishings

Enough said!

Tropical plants flourish everywhere

Beautiful Marigot Bay formed by a collapsed caldera and now a world class ‘Hurricane Hole” for boaters

The Iconic Pitons

Sundown and time for a few “Sundowners’ at Chateau Mygo, Marigot Bay

St Lucia is Simply Beautiful’

After almost three years of travel and doing all our banking remotely, we have come to realize that not all banks are created equal.

Before leaving home, we vetted a few different banks to find the one that best suited our requirements (click here for a quick review). The decision to go with TD Canada Trust was a wise one; we have been able to do all our day-to-day banking with ease. Having a real person within the bank that you can go to directly has been extremely helpful and we strongly recommend that you develop your own contact before you leave.

Note: As Canadians we cannot address the best banks to use in the US, however TD Bank has 1300 branches in the US mostly on the eastern seaboard and of course online.

Our day-to-day banking is running like clockwork. However, we do have a couple of investment properties and these have mortgages with other banks. These recently came up for renewal and we wanted to share our own personal experience of what should be a simple process, even for full time travelers.

The first mortgage for renewal is with Scotiabank. The reason we did not choose Scotiabank for our day-to-day banking soon became painfully obvious. Typically, the bank will send the mortgage holder a rate offer in the mail one or two months before the mortgage renewal date. As we would not be in Canada at that time, we decided to move the process forward by a few weeks.

After two frustrating phone calls with Scotiabank representatives, who after quoting Scotiabank’s published interest rates, told us that we would have to wait till we got the paperwork and then sign it and send it back. Paperwork? Signatures on hard copies really, in these days of email and online fillable documents, why?

We decided to take matters in hand and visit a nearby branch. The outcome was that we would have to go to the branch where the mortgage was originally issued and talk to a broker there. As we no longer have a vehicle, this was not as simple as it sounds, especially as we were nowhere near the original branch. After lengthy explanations we were given the phone number of the broker that had taken over our file (original broker had left the bank) and the branch managers number.

We soon learnt that the broker was away for the next two weeks, his back up was also out of the office and we eventually left a message with the manager. Three days later, we got a call from the branch asking us to come in and see the broker………… Again we explained no transport etc. and asked why we could not discuss it with a broker at a branch near to us? No this was not possible, it had to be done at the original branch! Again why? We were able to discuss what rate they would offer and we were pleasantly surprised. But, again were told they couldn’t mail, email or fax the paperwork to us, it had to be signed in the branch.

It took almost three weeks of frustration and multiple phone calls and discussions with two different branch managers to get the paperwork faxed to a nearby branch (it arrived so late in the day, on our last day in the area, that they had to let us in after business hours to sign the new mortgage documents).

Scotiabank’s tag line “You’re richer than you think” in our case became “We’re more frustrating than you think”. This experience highlighted just how antiquated and rigid this bank is (Note this is our personal opinion based on our mortgage dealings with the bank). In our opinion, these are not desirable characteristics for a traveler’s needs.

Our second mortgage for renewal is held by Tangerine formerly ING Direct. This is an online bank only, they have no branches and everything is done online or by phone. The first phone call got us directly to a broker who offered us a very attractive 5-year fixed rate at 1% less than their posted rates–if we opened a savings account with them. This was a ‘no brainer’ as Michael would say and we duly set up a link and deposited $100 into a savings account. The transfer of funds took two days to complete and we called back to set up the renewal. Five minutes later we were done. The mortgage is renewed at an excellent rate, with a lower monthly payment and our savings account is already making interest.

The verdict: Tangerine was by far the easiest to deal with and may be a viable alternative for Canadian travelers. Ironically, Tangerine is a subsidiary of Scotiabank. The dinosaur owns the greyhound.

Wherever your home base is, before you set up a mobile banking system, take some time to consider what is important to you. Do you need to transfer money between accounts and financial institutions, need to reduce ATM fees and transaction charges, can you set up auto payment for all your bills including your credit card payments? Once you know exactly what you need, go shopping and find a bank that fits your needs. Yes this can be a hassle but a hassle now not one that happens when you are the other side of the world.

Happy Shopping!

Many people including us, have those fancy credit cards that come with an annual fee but include many perks such as damage or replacement protection for goods purchased with the card, car rental and travel expense coverage.

This sounds wonderfully reassuring but how great are they? I cannot comment on all cards and all coverages however, I would like to share our own personal experience in this regard.

We carry TD Canada Trust’s First Class Travel Infinite Card and the plethora of benefits includes:

“Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Insurance

Simply use your Card to cover the full cost of your trip and you’ll automatically be covered for up to $1,000 per person to a maximum of $5,000 if you need to cancel your travel plans before you leave, and up to $5,000 per insured person, to a maximum of $25,000, for eligible out-of-pocket expenses, if your trip is interrupted by illness, injury or death of a covered person or family member.”

This blurb is why I was not too worried about the 1000 plus dollars we had already spent on airfare and hotels while dealing with our early January episode in Emergency and the Trauma unit here in BC. After all we have purchase protection. Thankfully it was one less thing to worry about, or so we thought.

We also carry TD Canada Trust’s US Dollar Visa Card and had purchased one set of flights with this card, after all it had coverage too.

“Trip Interruption Insurance

When you charge the full cost of your trip to your TD U.S. Dollar Visa Card, you’ll automatically receive Trip Interruption Insurance for the trip. If a covered cause prevents you from completing your trip, you’ll be covered for up to $5,000 of eligible trip interruption expenses per eligible person, to a maximum of $25,000 for all eligible persons on the same trip.”

We soon found out that the small print is important; at first glance, these two cards seem to have the same features. However, we learned the hard way that ‘Trip Interruption Insurance’ only comes into effect after you have started your trip! Because we had not yet left the country, we were not covered for the flight purchased on this card. This is a very important difference and yes it is good to have, but Trip Cancellation would have covered our particular case.

At least that is what we thought in our innocence. Over two months later we have still not arrived at a satisfactory conclusion. It would appear that insurance companies are good at earning their sometimes less than sparkling reputations.

I will add here that dealing with the customer service representatives at TD was a pleasure. They were compassionate, understanding and very efficient in setting up a case claim for me before handing me over to their underwriters Allianz Global Assistance.

aka Allianze Global Frustration

Allianz promptly sent me their claim form, including one section to be completed by the physician in charge of the case. This was a fun challenge in itself but was achieved before sending the completed forms off to Allianz.

A few days later, I followed up to check that the paperwork was received and complete. I was assured that it had been received and they were currently waiting to hear back from TD. Apparently, your credit card has to be in “good standing” i.e. paid up to date before they will review the application.

From here, the process went downhill, after three calls to check the status of the claim I was advised that a signature was missing on the somewhat cryptic form. Which leads one to ask why not tell me that the first time I called?

I duly printed off, signed and returned the form and waited once more only to be rewarded with a somewhat cryptic note concerning the claim for flights:

“THERE IS A CREDIT FOR THIS PORTION OF YOUR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. YOU ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A REFUND WHERE A CREDIT HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE SUPPLIER. IF THERE ARE ANY COSTS TO USE THIS CREDIT PLEASE SUBMIT THEM TO ALLIANZ GLOBAL ASSISTANCE FOR REVIEW.”

Note: submit for REVIEW not reimbursement. Yes, we do have a credit with this airline……… with limitations including expiry, country of departure and cancellation/change charges of US$200 per person. The questions now become what happens if we can’t use the credit in time or what happens if we pay the change fee and still get declined?

Our experience thus far would indicate that the insurance underwriters like to make obtaining a refund as difficult and complicated as possible. In this particular case they have chosen the wrong folks, we will not roll over and accept the loss–which I understandably think some people do, as the time and effort involved eats into their already busy lives. I too have been very close to disowning it and giving up in frustration, however our limited budget and a somewhat stubborn streak means the battle is on.

The saga continues; watch out for part two in the Bauche versus Allianz contest of wills.