This video was so timely! 🤣 John and I are camped out at a neighboring hostel in Guatemala trying to upload our Dubai vlog because our Airbnb has woefully inadequate upload speed! John is on his second beer, but he thinks he’ll be drunk by the time we leave! 😳 The speed here is marginally better than at our place! We were so happy to get a lovely place to stay facing Lake Atitan in Guatemala, complete with a soaking tub (unfortunately, the Airbnb didn’t come with a hot water heater, can you believe that???) So, being the trooper I am, and a determined one at that, I have made use of the fine assortment of pots in the kitchen and heated my own water. I LOVE BATHS! So…we totally understand your required list of amenities! A comfy sofa is a must for us, a washer (🤞🏻 dryer), and a tub is a plus, if only I could confirm a hot water heater!!! Can’t wait to catch up with you soon!
Hey you two! So did John get drunk waiting for the upload? We do hope so, there has to be some benefit to the waiting :-) It is so frustrating when you put the work into planning, shooting and editing only to get let down by the internet speed. Sounds like we are all on the same page with what is important in our accommodations. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
We mention things like that when we review our airbnb. One place was lovely but the staircase was a ladder, not great if you have any mobility issues (we do not) another has a tiny elevator, if you had a full size set of luggage it would have been tight
Thanks so much for your video. My husband and I save money by traveling and house sitting. We tend to do 6 months house sit and 6 months straight travel. Accommodation wise- we have to have a spatula and a NON-STICK frying pay. We can cook almost anything with those two things but many places have old/used/awful frying pans...we carry a small pan with us now. We search airbnb and review the comments and then check the other websites as many owners use more than one site-it is interesting what you can learn by the conflicting comments - that's a big red-flag. Lastly, a big dose of flexibility is required, we have lived/traveled overseas straight for 5 years, congrats to you for providing so many videos with great info.
Hi Folks, Thanks so much for this video. My wife and I have been following you on you travels for many months and have really enjoyed, and learned from them! We are a nearly retired couple who are about 7 months (and counting) away from our own “slow-travel” adventure. Indeed, finding comfortable accommodations is probably the number one of all of our concerns. We hope you are open to having us reach out to you for your thoughts/experiences as we approach our various destinations. Your sensibilities appear very similar to ours. So, be safe, continue to enjoy your travels….and good luck with your orthopedic issues! Jeff and Paula.
Been using Airbnb since the early days. Before it became all business it was just cool folks wishing to open their home and meet travelers and make a few bucks on the side. It's a bit tedious but to use it successfully you must read the reviews. Scroll past the first five. That's usually window dressing. You'll find crime, light, internet, uncomfortable furniture, local restaurants etc. are all addressed there. Airbnb folks are very good about informing their fellow travelers.
I am so excited I found your channel and I love it! Only watched 2 so far. Your first one and this one but they are great! My wife and I are 2 years behind in our slow travel adventure. We plan on selling our house and everything we have an slow travel the world. I will be 69 at the time, so a little older than many starting this adventure. Was so happy to finally find a link to a health insurance plan someone uses. That has been one of my main concerns. We are from the USA but will first move to Colombia where my wife is from and complete my visa process there and get health insurance there since it is so more affordable. We decided to live in the US any more with health insurance being a big reason why. We will use Colombia for regular check ups etc. but need insurance to travel. We have enough savings to self insure but want a policy with perhaps a higher out of pocket. Sorry to ramble but I look forward to viewing the rest of your videos to save our selves some on the same mistakes. I know learning is part of the process but it will be great seeing how you handle your new adventure. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences. Bill and Claudia Beebe
Hey Bill! That is absolutely fantastic news, really it is. When we started work on this channel, we drew out the 'person' that this was for and basically we wanted to do something that we would have wanted 2 years ago and it seems that is exactly what you are looking for too. So you are absolutely in the right place and we are over the moon to have you here on our journey. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Every traveler has “ what they must have “ and what they won’t tolerate. I recently stayed in a “perfect space” until I experienced the 2am whiz of the upstairs neighbor. As an AIRBNB host, thanks for the insight… I’ll be including upload download speeds as a part of my listing.
It is always a pleasure to listen to your stories. Driving: hmph. I have rented a car to drive on holiday, putting me on the reverse side of the road. My next extended holiday to the UK will include driving lessons. It’s all good. Thank you for the smiles. Wishing you all the best with your health.
Hey Adventurous! Thank you, we have a laugh eh... we wouldn't do it if we couldn't have some fun. There are a couple of comedy moments in Saturdays video :-) Thanks for the kind comment! Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Hey Marie-Eve! Thank you so much, we work hard and it is lovely to get such feedback, it means a lot. The Airbnb has been a great choice, we are learning!!! Best wishes Neil & Sarah
The wee-wee part is a real comedy xD. Edit: you don't ask fo beer, wine and wifi password. You ask for menu and wifi password. While you're checking the menu your partner starts a wifi speed test on her cell phone. If it sucks - you give the menu back, say thank you and leave. If you're denied wifi password until you order something you say thank you and leave. You're welcome.
You hit the nail on the head with the AB&B owner's tendency to put junky, old furniture in their condo and expect their customer to just be grateful there's any furniture at all! Our biggest gripes have been: horribly uncomfortable beds, no blinds or curtains in the bedrooms, lack of kitchen equipment, and less than clean places. There were a couple of weekend getaways to cabins that we actually left early they were so bad. I imagine that's much trickier for slow travel!
Hey Mel! Yes absolutely... frustrating to think that *some* hosts think that the guests are second class citizens. But still, we would prefer to slow travel than to be in a fixed location for the next 10 years that is for sure. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
We find that owners also like to put nice looking trendy furniture that you can’t sit on, and, I’ve even seen wooden benches as sofas! My must haves: comfortable bed and sofa, workable kitchen, not higher than a second level walk up, air conditioner in hot places, internet. After that, I can be forgiving of a lot of things if the owner is gracious.
I was focused on the bed, but you are right about the sofa! We also go outside to check the weather. I've overdressed a few times. We've also learned about the slow wi-fi.. ugh! Do you remember how to drive :)? One place we had laundry in the building but it was too small (always in use by others) and too expensive. I still had to take my laundry in the car to the next town.
Hey Annette! Well we guess both the bed and couch are the most important things to consider for comfort overall. Haha you will find out today if I remembered how to drive, it has been a while (which is a wonderful feeling!). All the best to you and John Neil & Sarah
A very informative video. Thanks for the practical advice. I am following in your footsteps and am in the final prep stages (selling off the last of the stuff etc.) and anticipating hitting the road about the first of May. The details of your three rentals were just the kind of info I need since accommodations will be my singularly largest expense. Although you gave lots of details, it would have been. helpful to know what each of the 3 apartments cost. Perhaps we will run into each other on the road.
Hey John! So cool that you are on the home straight and heading out on the road. Fear not John, we are working on Saturdays video which is all about cost of living in Athens, you will see all you need and more in that video. We hope we do run into you on the road! Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Enjoying your videos. Neil, I love your sense of humor like thinking about your underpants made me laugh. Sarah is always smiles and very positive. I just love the vibe of your videos. Thanks for making them.
Hey Yogini! Thank you so much for taking the time to drop us a comment! Very cool of you to say, we want to give information but why not try to entertain too eh :-) Best regards, Neil & Sarah
Brilliant video. I concur with much of what you said about accommodations. Like you, we have learned to scrutinize a bit more. Most of our experiences have been good, but it only takes one bad one to cause you to be more careful. As you said, it's a learning experience. We are going to try to work outside of the air bnb platform a bit more moving forward. Partially to avoid the increase in prices and the fees that vary wildly. But we also want to be able to see our long term accommodation in person before committing 1-3 months. We have our next month of accommodations booked, but no further. We are planning to only book a few days for our next location and then pound the pavement, inquire on Facebook groups, marketplace, etc to find an accommodation in person. Worst case scenario is we pay more for an expensive air bnb if we don't find anything. I'm gonna throw one of my pearls of wisdom down... Get a few more pairs of underwear Neil. They don't take up much room and weigh practically nothing. Really.. it's ok 🤣 Thanks for the shout out. Much appreciated 👍
Hey Skip! Firstly, no problem for the shout out! We are certainly looking to flex our approach to accommodation and are confident that when we do finally move on from Athens, that the next location we will be able to do without the need for Airbnb but we will see. That is obviously the biggest complexity of this lifestyle eh. I will give great consideration to your pearl of wisdom but that sounds a little left field.... thinking.... Best wishes Neil & Sarah
My tip is to stay in a place for 2 nights and if you love it, extend the stay. If you don't like the accommodation, you can head off and try your luck at a new neighborhood/ hotel.
Airbnb can be both a blessing and a curse for sure! I’ve learned to ask specifically what are the dimensions of the bed in the main bedroom - a host’s version of a double / matrimonial bed may be what you’d refer to as a single. If the photos of the place are no good, I move on to another listing. If ALL the furnishings and decor items are from ikea: pass. Nothing against Ikea but if the whole place is done up from IKEA, the comfort level of chairs, sofas, beds, etc is probably already beyond its ‘best before’ date. There’s nothing like being on long-term travel to sharpen up one’s definition of the ideal Airbnb!
I once rented a 6th floor studio apartment in Bucharest for a month. The location was perfect across from a huge shopping mall, the interior photos fully-equipped, the description lovely and the price quite fair. What I didn't know was the first floor was a seedy sex shop where men congregated and got drunk all night long! Every time I came home, I had to pass them to enter the building and get to the lift. I never had a problem with them, but it was rather unsettling for a woman travelling alone!
When I’m looking at Airbnb I’ll use any local crime frequency maps to cross reference locations. This was particularly important when staying recently in Burlington Vermont.
As a frugal solo traveller, I have always stayed in hostels for the social experience, and the catering facilities. However, as I have now reached the ripe old age of 52, an apartment is looking a more attractive option. I haven't used AirB&B, but I will certainly look at it in the future
We always check AirB&B backround in photos very closely...and views from any windows - odd camera angles - drawn curtains, closed blinds...always suspicious...
Very informative vlog, love the sound effects of Neil snoring 😅🤣😂 its time consuming all of this preparation, but we'll worth it, thank you for the tips. Well done on the 23% underspend. Take care you two
Hey Daz & Shaz! Yes we have done pretty well on that underspend but for various reasons our budget is starting to get challenged. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
One of my favorite episodes in Greece. I wondered before about the neighborhood that you were walking in before that seemed to have a lot of graffiti on the buildings. Now it makes sense- you're hipsters. Laughing out loud during this show. I really love seeing the accommodations. I am curious about your day to day routine when you are not visiting a site. Are you cooking? I didn't comment on the food challenge but, I was suspicious that there wasn't a beer stop during the day. hmmmm
Hey Debby! Hmmm suspicious of us not having beer? What can we say..... erm...... We will move on, we wouldn't want to be caught in a lie :-) Thank you for the feedback, we like sharing our accommodation too as you are able to see what you actually get for your money. We are in a new place at the moment and it is stunningly good. We will show that in around 4 weeks time! Thanks as ever for your support. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
hello. gotta say I love you both and your vids... Just a heads up with air b&b.. be aware when booking air b&b, that a lot of locals can't afford to live in these area's because property investors have bought up the place and turned them into b&b's. this the case in most capital cities / popular. keep up the good times.Happy travels.
If it looks like an Ikea couch, thinks like an Ikea couch, or smells like an Ikea couch, we pass. Nothing against Ikea, per se, but their couches don't have arms, have terrible pillows, and are never long-term comfortable. I'm sure there are exceptions, but it's not worth taking the risk. Although a king bed is important for us, the couch has started trumping almost anything.
Loved this video about booking accommodations. We use Air BnB frequently. We are in Morelia Mexico at the moment in an Air BnB that ticked all the boxes (or so we thought). Much darker than we wanted and very odd layout. The real kicker is we are right next door to a Cantina that has Mexican Karaoke. Needless to say it has been interesting. Wish hosts would be transparent with noise levels in or around the Air BnB. We read all 45 guest reviews and none of them mention the Cantina next door. 🤨
Hey Dina! Fantastic news that you have rented an Airbnb that actually provides entertainment lol! That must be sheer hell.... how late does the wailing go on? Best wishes Neil & Sarah
@@2GoRoam 2am! I should have known when they listed in the rules for the house that quiet time was 2 am 😔. The Mexican karaoke isn’t so bad but when they butcher the popular English music, well it’s just pathetic. We judge them on a scale of 1-10 and most of the karaoke singers don’t get more than a 2-3 especially after midnight!
So enjoy your videos and yes I to require a great internet connection! Good luck on your doctor appointment. Have you found that you have to much stuff? We have found it’s easier to get around and move with less (that’s why they have thrift stores)
Traveling is a learning process. Some Airbnb host does not know the business well. Example they only provide towels or toilet paper once. Regardless how long you stay.
I’m not tech savvy would you mind sharing what a good internet speed would be. Great videos watching from Australia and looking to travel in 4 years time.
Another great video full of useful information. We've only just started our Airbnb experience and are quickly updating our 'must haves'. I've heard of other people only booking a couple nights and then if they like it extending it for their full stay. That makes me nervous. What if it's not available for your full stay?? How difficult is it to find something nice within your price range on very short notice??
Hey Debbie! This is a a really good point and we have considered the same and have similar concerns to you. We aren't sure what the future brings post covid.... will that mean more people are traveling and less Airbnb stock? But we like the idea of travel into a place and spend a couple of days before booking (actually, check the comment below from TravelRefocused below, these guys are friends of ours and they are pretty good at doing this). Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Hey guys, have you tried buying a local sim card with lots of data GBs, put it in your phone and turn your phone into hotspot for your laptops and other devices to get internet? Even with your British sim card you could do that, provided that your carrier still supports free roaming in the EU. This way you won’t have to rely on rented accommodation internet.
Hey Harry! We did indeed do that, purchased a Vodafone SIM with 22GB especially for that reason. We started to uload this video and about 10% in, it froze and our Internet speed has now been totally throttled. We do also have Three SIMs from the UK but we don't want to push that relationship as we have heard from other Nomads that once Three realise that you haven't just gone away for a holiday, you get notice that they will close your account, so we are only using the Three sim for backup needs. Thanks for the ideas though, always keep them coming for us, we need all the help we can get. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Hey ! Very kind of you to say, we really appreciate it and you taking the time to comment. Wifi and Simcards.... the bain of our lives! Best regards, Neil & Sarah
Hey Ella! Yes that is a very good thing to do, maybe look at a map at where the main sites are to visit and station close to that. We like to ensure we get a walk in first before enjoying our day out. Thanks for getting in touch. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Hey A! Thank you so much for taking the time to drop us a comment! If you see last weeks video you will see that we walk through our phases of retirement. Hope that helps. Best regards, Neil & Sarah
i made a few videos on a slow upload speed and found a free software tool called HandBrake. it compresses the video file without losing any pixels. one example... original file=859,169 KB compressed file=63,306 KB. it may be an extreme example though as it's all screen recording. most pixels are the same colour from one frame to the next. that's how it saves data i think. records the starting pixel colour and then only keeps data of the pixels that change on the next frame of the video.
Hey Lee! Thank you so much for taking the time to drop us a comment! I just typed a long answer to this and lost it! Basically... thank you! I am looking into Handbrake now.
Hey Karla! That is a very good question! We will investigate and get back to you, that could be the solution and a lot cheaper than Starbucks! Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Is there any reason why you dont give names of these accommodations like its not v helpful , no prices of what you paid , Im confused as to the point really
Hey Sarah! Welcome to our videos! With regard to prices, you will see from a video a couple of weeks ago that we will be sharing all of our costs on a monthly basis so maybe stick around for that. Sorry you don't see the point, but we appreciate you getting in touch. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
@@2GoRoam Sandra here, l have watched a few of your videos already actually. Would have preferred to see info re costings while watching the actual video and not a boardroom style breakdown with lots of graphs and statistics, which lm thinking your next vlog will be focused on. No offence intended lm really interested in many aspects of your vlog🙂
Hey Sandra! Thanks for the feedback, we like it. In fact we are going to try and do something on our next Midweek video that will tackle that. I've already talked myself out of the boardroom style, would love to know what you think. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Hey Andrew! Absolutely eh... to think that a nation would vote for the kind of rights people across the world have paid handsomely for (Golden visas), but that is, we guess... the voice of the people. Thanks as ever for getting in touch. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
@@2GoRoam You had no right to stay in the EU longer than six months before Brexit. The Golden Visa is for people wishing to have the right to reside permanently in the EU.
Why do you spend so much time making these videos? Is it financially helpful or do you just love sharing your lives? Don’t take this comment negatively because I am curious why when you are retired you take all this time to post.
You know.. putting off a topic may be good for you but when you say. Twice.. about talking about your “Travel insurance” it seems a irresponsible specifically during these time when many of us looking travel insurance so we can get out and travel as well. Please quite putting it off! We are looking for help ‘Not cheese’ I looked at this channel for useful information but not seeing it. Sad
Hey Julie! So sorry that we made you unhappy on this, what we have been doing is waiting for Neil's health situation in Athens to get to a resolution before putting the whole story into a single video rather than making it fragmented over many. That single video will be next Wednesday 26th January. Hopefully you'll understand our situation when you see that. Best wishes Neil & Sarah
Are there any accommodation red-lines that you have? What experiences have you had with your accommodations in the past?
This video was so timely! 🤣 John and I are camped out at a neighboring hostel in Guatemala trying to upload our Dubai vlog because our Airbnb has woefully inadequate upload speed! John is on his second beer, but he thinks he’ll be drunk by the time we leave! 😳 The speed here is marginally better than at our place! We were so happy to get a lovely place to stay facing Lake Atitan in Guatemala, complete with a soaking tub (unfortunately, the Airbnb didn’t come with a hot water heater, can you believe that???) So, being the trooper I am, and a determined one at that, I have made use of the fine assortment of pots in the kitchen and heated my own water. I LOVE BATHS! So…we totally understand your required list of amenities! A comfy sofa is a must for us, a washer (🤞🏻 dryer), and a tub is a plus, if only I could confirm a hot water heater!!! Can’t wait to catch up with you soon!
Oh, and Wifi is number one!!!
Hey you two!
So did John get drunk waiting for the upload? We do hope so, there has to be some benefit to the waiting :-) It is so frustrating when you put the work into planning, shooting and editing only to get let down by the internet speed.
Sounds like we are all on the same page with what is important in our accommodations.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
We mention things like that when we review our airbnb. One place was lovely but the staircase was a ladder, not great if you have any mobility issues (we do not) another has a tiny elevator, if you had a full size set of luggage it would have been tight
Thanks so much for your video. My husband and I save money by traveling and house sitting. We tend to do 6 months house sit and 6 months straight travel. Accommodation wise- we have to have a spatula and a NON-STICK frying pay. We can cook almost anything with those two things but many places have old/used/awful frying pans...we carry a small pan with us now. We search airbnb and review the comments and then check the other websites as many owners use more than one site-it is interesting what you can learn by the conflicting comments - that's a big red-flag. Lastly, a big dose of flexibility is required, we have lived/traveled overseas straight for 5 years, congrats to you for providing so many videos with great info.
Hi Folks, Thanks so much for this video. My wife and I have been following you on you travels for many months and have really enjoyed, and learned from them! We are a nearly retired couple who are about 7 months (and counting) away from our own “slow-travel” adventure. Indeed, finding comfortable accommodations is probably the number one of all of our concerns. We hope you are open to having us reach out to you for your thoughts/experiences as we approach our various destinations. Your sensibilities appear very similar to ours. So, be safe, continue to enjoy your travels….and good luck with your orthopedic issues! Jeff and Paula.
Been using Airbnb since the early days. Before it became all business it was just cool folks wishing to open their home and meet travelers and make a few bucks on the side.
It's a bit tedious but to use it successfully you must read the reviews. Scroll past the first five. That's usually window dressing. You'll find crime, light, internet, uncomfortable furniture, local restaurants etc. are all addressed there. Airbnb folks are very good about informing their fellow travelers.
I am so excited I found your channel and I love it! Only watched 2 so far. Your first one and this one but they are great! My wife and I are 2 years behind in our slow travel adventure. We plan on selling our house and everything we have an slow travel the world. I will be 69 at the time, so a little older than many starting this adventure. Was so happy to finally find a link to a health insurance plan someone uses. That has been one of my main concerns. We are from the USA but will first move to Colombia where my wife is from and complete my visa process there and get health insurance there since it is so more affordable. We decided to live in the US any more with health insurance being a big reason why. We will use Colombia for regular check ups etc. but need insurance to travel. We have enough savings to self insure but want a policy with perhaps a higher out of pocket. Sorry to ramble but I look forward to viewing the rest of your videos to save our selves some on the same mistakes. I know learning is part of the process but it will be great seeing how you handle your new adventure. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences.
Bill and Claudia Beebe
Hey Bill!
That is absolutely fantastic news, really it is. When we started work on this channel, we drew out the 'person' that this was for and basically we wanted to do something that we would have wanted 2 years ago and it seems that is exactly what you are looking for too. So you are absolutely in the right place and we are over the moon to have you here on our journey.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Every traveler has “ what they must have “ and what they won’t tolerate. I recently stayed in a “perfect space” until I experienced the 2am whiz of the upstairs neighbor. As an AIRBNB host, thanks for the insight… I’ll be including upload download speeds as a part of my listing.
It is always a pleasure to listen to your stories. Driving: hmph. I have rented a car to drive on holiday, putting me on the reverse side of the road. My next extended holiday to the UK will include driving lessons. It’s all good. Thank you for the smiles. Wishing you all the best with your health.
Your content and videos are great. The work you put into them shows and will continue to grow your great channel.
Hey John!
Thank you so much for taking the time to drop us a comment! Thank you for noticing, it is a lot of work for sure.
Best regards,
Neil & Sarah
I just subscribed....I wish you happy times with your journey... admire your courage.
Really enjoy your sense of humour in the video. Good insights on the accommodation side.
Hey Adventurous!
Thank you, we have a laugh eh... we wouldn't do it if we couldn't have some fun. There are a couple of comedy moments in Saturdays video :-)
Thanks for the kind comment!
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Love your channel. You guys are an inspiration! :)
We'd stay in that AirBnB in a heartbeat.
Hey Marie-Eve!
Thank you so much, we work hard and it is lovely to get such feedback, it means a lot. The Airbnb has been a great choice, we are learning!!!
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Just found your channel! Am really enjoying it. I am thinking about retiring and living vicariously through you for now.
The wee-wee part is a real comedy xD.
Edit: you don't ask fo beer, wine and wifi password. You ask for menu and wifi password. While you're checking the menu your partner starts a wifi speed test on her cell phone. If it sucks - you give the menu back, say thank you and leave. If you're denied wifi password until you order something you say thank you and leave. You're welcome.
You hit the nail on the head with the AB&B owner's tendency to put junky, old furniture in their condo and expect their customer to just be grateful there's any furniture at all! Our biggest gripes have been: horribly uncomfortable beds, no blinds or curtains in the bedrooms, lack of kitchen equipment, and less than clean places. There were a couple of weekend getaways to cabins that we actually left early they were so bad. I imagine that's much trickier for slow travel!
Hey Mel!
Yes absolutely... frustrating to think that *some* hosts think that the guests are second class citizens. But still, we would prefer to slow travel than to be in a fixed location for the next 10 years that is for sure.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
We find that owners also like to put nice looking trendy furniture that you can’t sit on, and, I’ve even seen wooden benches as sofas! My must haves: comfortable bed and sofa, workable kitchen, not higher than a second level walk up, air conditioner in hot places, internet. After that, I can be forgiving of a lot of things if the owner is gracious.
I was focused on the bed, but you are right about the sofa! We also go outside to check the weather. I've overdressed a few times. We've also learned about the slow wi-fi.. ugh! Do you remember how to drive :)?
One place we had laundry in the building but it was too small (always in use by others) and too expensive. I still had to take my laundry in the car to the next town.
Hey Annette!
Well we guess both the bed and couch are the most important things to consider for comfort overall.
Haha you will find out today if I remembered how to drive, it has been a while (which is a wonderful feeling!).
All the best to you and John
Neil & Sarah
A very informative video. Thanks for the practical advice. I am following in your footsteps and am in the final prep stages (selling off the last of the stuff etc.) and anticipating hitting the road about the first of May. The details of your three rentals were just the kind of info I need since accommodations will be my singularly largest expense. Although you gave lots of details, it would have been. helpful to know what each of the 3 apartments cost. Perhaps we will run into each other on the road.
Hey John!
So cool that you are on the home straight and heading out on the road. Fear not John, we are working on Saturdays video which is all about cost of living in Athens, you will see all you need and more in that video.
We hope we do run into you on the road!
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Enjoying your videos. Neil, I love your sense of humor like thinking about your underpants made me laugh. Sarah is always smiles and very positive. I just love the vibe of your videos. Thanks for making them.
Hey Yogini!
Thank you so much for taking the time to drop us a comment! Very cool of you to say, we want to give information but why not try to entertain too eh :-)
Best regards,
Neil & Sarah
Brilliant video. I concur with much of what you said about accommodations. Like you, we have learned to scrutinize a bit more. Most of our experiences have been good, but it only takes one bad one to cause you to be more careful. As you said, it's a learning experience. We are going to try to work outside of the air bnb platform a bit more moving forward. Partially to avoid the increase in prices and the fees that vary wildly. But we also want to be able to see our long term accommodation in person before committing 1-3 months. We have our next month of accommodations booked, but no further. We are planning to only book a few days for our next location and then pound the pavement, inquire on Facebook groups, marketplace, etc to find an accommodation in person. Worst case scenario is we pay more for an expensive air bnb if we don't find anything.
I'm gonna throw one of my pearls of wisdom down... Get a few more pairs of underwear Neil. They don't take up much room and weigh practically nothing. Really.. it's ok 🤣
Thanks for the shout out. Much appreciated 👍
Hey Skip!
Firstly, no problem for the shout out!
We are certainly looking to flex our approach to accommodation and are confident that when we do finally move on from Athens, that the next location we will be able to do without the need for Airbnb but we will see. That is obviously the biggest complexity of this lifestyle eh.
I will give great consideration to your pearl of wisdom but that sounds a little left field.... thinking....
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
@@2GoRoam Left field? Do I need to clarify?
Nope.... but more than 7 pairs of underwear.... You remember the white sock debacle....
My tip is to stay in a place for 2 nights and if you love it, extend the stay. If you don't like the accommodation, you can head off and try your luck at a new neighborhood/ hotel.
Airbnb can be both a blessing and a curse for sure! I’ve learned to ask specifically what are the dimensions of the bed in the main bedroom - a host’s version of a double / matrimonial bed may be what you’d refer to as a single. If the photos of the place are no good, I move on to another listing. If ALL the furnishings and decor items are from ikea: pass. Nothing against Ikea but if the whole place is done up from IKEA, the comfort level of chairs, sofas, beds, etc is probably already beyond its ‘best before’ date. There’s nothing like being on long-term travel to sharpen up one’s definition of the ideal Airbnb!
I once rented a 6th floor studio apartment in Bucharest for a month. The location was perfect across from a huge shopping mall, the interior photos fully-equipped, the description lovely and the price quite fair. What I didn't know was the first floor was a seedy sex shop where men congregated and got drunk all night long! Every time I came home, I had to pass them to enter the building and get to the lift. I never had a problem with them, but it was rather unsettling for a woman travelling alone!
When I’m looking at Airbnb I’ll use any local crime frequency maps to cross reference locations. This was particularly important when staying recently in Burlington Vermont.
As a frugal solo traveller, I have always stayed in hostels for the social experience, and the catering facilities. However, as I have now reached the ripe old age of 52, an apartment is looking a more attractive option. I haven't used AirB&B, but I will certainly look at it in the future
Hey Andrew!
Absolutely... funny how at this age, we are starting to feel our age a bit and need that creature comfort :-)
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Same here. But even as I approach my 80th birthday I still prefer hostels. Apartm are too lonely
Very very important to read all reviews and comments by previous tourists in each AIRBNB. And the rating they give.
We always check AirB&B backround in photos very closely...and views from any windows - odd camera angles - drawn curtains, closed blinds...always suspicious...
Very informative vlog, love the sound effects of Neil snoring 😅🤣😂 its time consuming all of this preparation, but we'll worth it, thank you for the tips. Well done on the 23% underspend. Take care you two
Hey Daz & Shaz!
Yes we have done pretty well on that underspend but for various reasons our budget is starting to get challenged.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
@@2GoRoam we hope you can do some readjustments...you might just have to start brewing your own beer 😅🤣😂
What a great idea that would be 2GoRoam IPA!
@@2GoRoam ha ha ha!
One of my favorite episodes in Greece. I wondered before about the neighborhood that you were walking in before that seemed to have a lot of graffiti on the buildings. Now it makes sense- you're hipsters. Laughing out loud during this show. I really love seeing the accommodations. I am curious about your day to day routine when you are not visiting a site. Are you cooking? I didn't comment on the food challenge but, I was suspicious that there wasn't a beer stop during the day. hmmmm
Hey Debby!
Hmmm suspicious of us not having beer? What can we say..... erm...... We will move on, we wouldn't want to be caught in a lie :-)
Thank you for the feedback, we like sharing our accommodation too as you are able to see what you actually get for your money. We are in a new place at the moment and it is stunningly good. We will show that in around 4 weeks time!
Thanks as ever for your support.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
hello. gotta say I love you both and your vids... Just a heads up with air b&b.. be aware when booking air b&b, that a lot of locals can't afford to live in these area's because property investors have bought up the place and turned them into b&b's. this the case in most capital cities / popular. keep up the good times.Happy travels.
If it looks like an Ikea couch, thinks like an Ikea couch, or smells like an Ikea couch, we pass. Nothing against Ikea, per se, but their couches don't have arms, have terrible pillows, and are never long-term comfortable. I'm sure there are exceptions, but it's not worth taking the risk. Although a king bed is important for us, the couch has started trumping almost anything.
Hey Chris!
Alas you are 100% correct about the Ikea couch issue. Couch is top of our list now too.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Loved this video about booking accommodations. We use Air BnB frequently. We are in Morelia Mexico at the moment in an Air BnB that ticked all the boxes (or so we thought). Much darker than we wanted and very odd layout. The real kicker is we are right next door to a Cantina that has Mexican Karaoke. Needless to say it has been interesting. Wish hosts would be transparent with noise levels in or around the Air BnB. We read all 45 guest reviews and none of them mention the Cantina next door. 🤨
Hey Dina!
Fantastic news that you have rented an Airbnb that actually provides entertainment lol! That must be sheer hell.... how late does the wailing go on?
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
@@2GoRoam 2am! I should have known when they listed in the rules for the house that quiet time was 2 am 😔. The Mexican karaoke isn’t so bad but when they butcher the popular English music, well it’s just pathetic. We judge them on a scale of 1-10 and most of the karaoke singers don’t get more than a 2-3 especially after midnight!
Oh my goodness.... 2am! Not sure we would cope.... Well done you Dina, you are clearly an angel!
What medical/travel insurance can I get while I travel?
So enjoy your videos and yes I to require a great internet connection! Good luck on your doctor appointment. Have you found that you have to much stuff? We have found it’s easier to get around and move with less (that’s why they have thrift stores)
Hey Michael!
We think we may well be talking stuff in next Wednesday's video... watch this space.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Great info re: walking ease.
Traveling is a learning process. Some Airbnb host does not know the business well. Example they only provide towels or toilet paper once. Regardless how long you stay.
I’m not tech savvy would you mind sharing what a good internet speed would be. Great videos watching from Australia and looking to travel in 4 years time.
Another great video full of useful information. We've only just started our Airbnb experience and are quickly updating our 'must haves'. I've heard of other people only booking a couple nights and then if they like it extending it for their full stay. That makes me nervous. What if it's not available for your full stay?? How difficult is it to find something nice within your price range on very short notice??
Hey Debbie!
This is a a really good point and we have considered the same and have similar concerns to you. We aren't sure what the future brings post covid.... will that mean more people are traveling and less Airbnb stock? But we like the idea of travel into a place and spend a couple of days before booking (actually, check the comment below from TravelRefocused below, these guys are friends of ours and they are pretty good at doing this).
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Hey guys, have you tried buying a local sim card with lots of data GBs, put it in your phone and turn your phone into hotspot for your laptops and other devices to get internet? Even with your British sim card you could do that, provided that your carrier still supports free roaming in the EU. This way you won’t have to rely on rented accommodation internet.
Hey Harry!
We did indeed do that, purchased a Vodafone SIM with 22GB especially for that reason. We started to uload this video and about 10% in, it froze and our Internet speed has now been totally throttled. We do also have Three SIMs from the UK but we don't want to push that relationship as we have heard from other Nomads that once Three realise that you haven't just gone away for a holiday, you get notice that they will close your account, so we are only using the Three sim for backup needs.
Thanks for the ideas though, always keep them coming for us, we need all the help we can get.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
all good tips for accommodation worst choices have been no wifi [whole system down] and sim cards that didn’t work!
Hey !
Very kind of you to say, we really appreciate it and you taking the time to comment. Wifi and Simcards.... the bain of our lives!
Best regards,
Neil & Sarah
I usually like staying as close as I can to the historical area of the city so I can walk to most of the sites.
Hey Ella!
Yes that is a very good thing to do, maybe look at a map at where the main sites are to visit and station close to that. We like to ensure we get a walk in first before enjoying our day out.
Thanks for getting in touch.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
How r u getting back into the housing market in the UK when u get back in 10 years?
Hey A!
Thank you so much for taking the time to drop us a comment! If you see last weeks video you will see that we walk through our phases of retirement. Hope that helps.
Best regards,
Neil & Sarah
i made a few videos on a slow upload speed and found a free software tool called HandBrake. it compresses the video file without losing any pixels. one example... original file=859,169 KB compressed file=63,306 KB. it may be an extreme example though as it's all screen recording. most pixels are the same colour from one frame to the next. that's how it saves data i think. records the starting pixel colour and then only keeps data of the pixels that change on the next frame of the video.
Hey Lee!
Thank you so much for taking the time to drop us a comment! I just typed a long answer to this and lost it! Basically... thank you! I am looking into Handbrake now.
Just wondering if libraries there offer internet.
Hey Karla!
That is a very good question! We will investigate and get back to you, that could be the solution and a lot cheaper than Starbucks!
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Is there any reason why you dont give names of these accommodations like its not v helpful , no prices of what you paid , Im confused as to the point really
Hey Sarah!
Welcome to our videos! With regard to prices, you will see from a video a couple of weeks ago that we will be sharing all of our costs on a monthly basis so maybe stick around for that. Sorry you don't see the point, but we appreciate you getting in touch.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
@@2GoRoam Sandra here, l have watched a few of your videos already actually. Would have preferred to see info re costings while watching the actual video and not a boardroom style breakdown with lots of graphs and statistics, which lm thinking your next vlog will be focused on. No offence intended lm really interested in many aspects of your vlog🙂
Hey Sandra!
Thanks for the feedback, we like it. In fact we are going to try and do something on our next Midweek video that will tackle that. I've already talked myself out of the boardroom style, would love to know what you think.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
Please leave comments on these apartments so others will know about them.
That underpants soliloquy was straight out of my head! Do we share a brain? (BTW - are you still using it?)
Hey Elliott!
Haha brilliant. Happy to timeshare, I don't use it all that frequently (at least that is what Sarah tells me).
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
BREXIT and the need to comply with Schengen rules - the gift that just keeps giving! 😞
Hey Andrew!
Absolutely eh... to think that a nation would vote for the kind of rights people across the world have paid handsomely for (Golden visas), but that is, we guess... the voice of the people.
Thanks as ever for getting in touch.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah
@@2GoRoam You had no right to stay in the EU longer than six months before Brexit. The Golden Visa is for people wishing to have the right to reside permanently in the EU.
Why do you spend so much time making these videos? Is it financially helpful or do you just love sharing your lives? Don’t take this comment negatively because I am curious why when you are retired you take all this time to post.
Snoring your own video 😂
You know.. putting off a topic may be good for you but when you say. Twice.. about talking about your “Travel insurance” it seems a irresponsible specifically during these time when many of us looking travel insurance so we can get out and travel as well. Please quite putting it off! We are looking for help ‘Not cheese’ I looked at this channel for useful information but not seeing it. Sad
Hey Julie!
So sorry that we made you unhappy on this, what we have been doing is waiting for Neil's health situation in Athens to get to a resolution before putting the whole story into a single video rather than making it fragmented over many.
That single video will be next Wednesday 26th January. Hopefully you'll understand our situation when you see that.
Best wishes
Neil & Sarah