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@AmeliaAndJP Definitely do the countryside in England it's still very city. Not like the US. So accessible. My son lives in Thetford. We LOVE it as Americans.
Boring and laid back sounds like heaven. Peace, tranquility, safety, boring, laid back, freedom, and beauty are my jam. I've experienced people who show disdain for these qualities in areas.
@Learned333 my travel people don't get boring and laid back at all. Now I'm not only doing boring and laid back, I'm doing solo as well! Can't wait to retire. Less than one year!
00:05 Recap of 1 year of slow travel 01:58 Experiencing affordable wine and rainy weather in Portugal 05:57 Mixed experiences in Athens and Corfu 07:55 Positive experience in Albania with friendly people 11:59 Recommendation on visiting Kotor, Montenegro for a chill and affordable vacation 13:59 Experienced higher tourist prices and unexpected crowds in main tourist areas 17:46 London has incredible food and beautiful parks 19:30 Cautionary tale about tourist scams in Istanbul 23:10 Enjoying the monsoon season and managing the weather in the city. 24:57 Cost is a crucial factor in choosing between destinations. 28:29 Living without a permanent residence while traveling. Crafted by Merlin AI.
You mentioned being surprised by how much you liked London. I felt the same. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed London. The history, parks, museums, English breakfast- fantastic.
I've been following you guys since you were living in Olon and have been completely entertained by your posts. Just wanted to leave you a little bit of praise for a job well done and a thank you.
I agree! Thank you for posting such a positive feeling as these two are my favorite youtube content couple for expats. I love Syd & Macky for mountain bike videos. (I appreciate both couples' content).
Be sure when you go to south America go to Chile and Uruguay. I spent 18 months in Chile and loved it, greatest people ever. I also liked Uruguay very much.
Malaysia is a diverse states and thus it's an interesting place to live besides it is laid back and chill, bestowed with friendly people and vibrant melting pots of cultures, foods etc.. It's a blessing that Malaysia is in a strategic location and safe from most nature disasters like typhoons, volcano eruptions, earthquakes etc.. We are absolutely grateful for this.. 🙏🇲🇾🥰
Portugal here...a Welsh/New Zealand couple with English kids 😅. We love it. Great culture, very kind people, good food and, where we live in the south, nice sunny weather and unbelievable motorcycling. It's not perfect, nowhere is, but we're very happy...
Love the map animations guys. It really helps a lot. We want to go back to Luxembourg, West Germany and Belgium in December. But we also want to fly in and out of Amsterdam. I didn't remember where things were. So I thought we were going to have to cross Germany back and forth. But when I looked at google maps, I realized that they're all right next to each other. My point is that your map animations really help us to understand where you're traveling. So thanks.
I teared up a bit when you said you're going back "home" to Ecuador! I cannot WAIT to hear about the rest of South America! Your videos just get better and better... I'm living vicariously through you. For now ;-)
Good to see JD up and around again. You both do an excellent job with your videos plus explaining the good and the not so good of different places. You take us along with you. Well done you two.
We spent three months in Athens earlier this year and we absolutely loved it! The cost of living is much more affordable than in Toronto, the food is incredible of course, and we actually found that the people were very, very friendly. Whether it was at the weekly farmers market, or in the grocery store, people would go out of their way to help us. I admit that it's difficult to read anything, with the Greek alphabet, but the kindness of people more than made up for our inability in the language. As you know, when you travel full time, it's just not possible to learn every language in all the countries we visit, but we always try to learn the basics to help get us through. We enjoyed your review of the past year, and look forward to your future travels :)
You guys rock! You do what very few couples or people overall are too scared to do (Myself included) and if you guys miss Ecuador, then that means you’re already Ecuadorian at heart! Keep up the great work, guys! Saludos desde NYC 🇪🇨 ❤ 🗽
Greece is an old world culture. I was stationed in Glyfada for 5 years. The Greeks are rough like you described, but they have thick skin and they (usually) don't mean it personally and don't take it personally. You are expected to talk back to them like they talk to you, but of course you need to know Greek which is not easy to learn. One Greek tradition I like (they don't do it much in Athens anymore) is you can walk into the kitchen and see what they have prepared.
Re: French in France - With my long ago high school French, and my recent study of Spanish, I would be afraid it would come out “Bonjour! Como está?” 😂
@@AmeliaAndJP Yes, but the French would prefer Spanish and/or Italian to English, as we know. I suspect they would be friendlier and more approachable and accommodating to Spanish-Italian speakers than English or German speakers,
Suggestion for South America: I highly recommend Buenos Aires. Be sure to take the ferry an hour to the small town of Colonia, Uruguay. Also stay a night or two in the hotel at Iguazu Falls where you can hike around the falls and take a tour boat.
I have written about this before. But we have a casa de campo near Riobamba. My wife is Ecuadorian. We have been traveling around Europe for about 5 weeks now. Spain, Italy, Austria and tomorrow to Germany. I am so homesick for my Ecuadorian life. Way more than my wife. I feel like this trip has been a big waste of money for me. But I am really vested in my teaching the kids in the orchestra (OSMUR) in Riobamba. I applaud your year-long adventure, but I can not imagine doing the same. Every place we have been is overloaded with tourists. I am a country boy and hate the crowds. Madrid, Toledo, Rome (the worst place I've ever been for the number of tourists), Sicily, Vienna, Málaga, Cordoba, and Seville Berlin tomorrow (ug). I'm dreading the power outages in Ecuador, but I don't care. I wanna go home😢.
@@photopro100 Speaking for Italy, you need to get out of the big, main cities. Try Le Marche (region), so few tourists go there but it has everything Tuscany offers at half the price and no crowds.
I've been living in Phuket Thailand for three months now and I have no major complaints so far. I feel like I have to live here a little longer to critique it with confidence. (I came through the monsoon season, now I'm about to enter the dry tourist season.) The TH-cam videos that I used for some of my research have been pretty accurate, so I haven't been surprised by much.
Ohhh please please. We would love a video on Indonesia since you are already on that side of the world. We are constantly waiting for your videos and we really enjoyed them. Receive a big hug from your Miami followers. Happy travels.
Such a great episode. So nice to hear your experiences both good and not so good. Its also good to see both of you in good health. We have a trip planned for next year to Dijon with a possibility to move there so it is really nice to hear how much you liked it compared to the many places you visited. Safe travels
Every country has its advantages and disadvantages. For me Malaysia is 👍👍👍. This diversity is best reflected in the cuisine, festivals, and daily life, which combine to make Malaysia one of the most exciting and vibrant places in the world to settle down.
Since you're so close, you really should visit Australia. It's beautiful; don't let stories about the wildlife there scare you away. Why not just keep going east? Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, some of the south Pacific nations ... so many amazing places to see!
@@paulschulz5956 it’s expensive and the beaches in Sydney are beautiful, everywhere else they’re rough and dangerous for most people unfortunately. Although I live in Australia, I believe Europe and other Pacific places have more to offer, better beaches and so much better food quality. NZ is on another level. Gorgeous and super clean. Nothing like Australia.
@@josephj6521 We were in Australia in 1998 - a while ago, admittedly - as adult chaperones on a university band trip. So we weren't there for the beaches (but we did see Bondi Beach). We traveled only along the east coast, but we loved everything we saw and did. We've always wanted to return to see more of the country. There are total solar eclipses that will be visible there in 2028 and 2030, so we're hoping to return for one of those. The scariest wildlife we encountered was a very colorful and large spider hanging in a huge web outdoors in Noosa. I kind of like spiders, so I found her rather interesting, not frightening. We got to pet kangaroos and an emu (at some kind of farm, not in the wild obviously), and hold a koala (in a very controlled setting). I still remember how surprisingly sharp "Lisa's" claws were! (Who knew koalas have claws?) A large part of the expense of an Australian trip for most people is just getting there, but that's significantly mitigated if coming from Malaysia - practically next door. I have no idea what travel expenses are in Australia now, but JP and Amelia are adept and finding affordable lodging. I'd certainly want to take advantage of the close proximity, were I in Malaysia, if I had any interest in seeing Australia. Who knows if/when there would be a better opportunity!
@@josephj6521 Rough and dangerous beaches in Australia? Perth is the major city with the best beaches. Second is Adelaide, which is on a gulf, sheltered from the ocean, so the waters are gentle. There are many glorious beaches among the 12,000 along 50,000 km of coastline.
KL is short flight to Bangkok. I have lived here for 2 years, Plenty of helpful and friendly people you’re welcome to visit us. I just missed iwo Inn Manta where I stayed for 4 months.
Agree with your London comments (I am a brit - 13 years in Asia , now in KL ) - was great 20 years ago . Lots of other places to see in the UK that are arguably better. glad you enjoyed KL .. has improved over the past few years
I was in Istanbul a couple of years back for my friend's wedding. I loved it there and I love how they party all night (and day!) long. We were partying at 3am on a Wednesday! As a black man, I'm very cautious about where I travel because I know experiences can be different, but never once did I feel race was an issue and I never thought about it one time. I wasn't in Paris long, but I too loved it and was pretty shocked that I didn't have the bad experience that so, so, soooooo many people say they've had there. Even some native French people complain about Paris, so I was very happy I had no issues there. We did a lot of eating! I liked Portugal (we were in Lisbon) and while I liked it, everybody smokes ALL THE TIME!!! You kinda had to get used to the fact that you could be enjoying yourself with your s/o at an outdoor cafe, then all of a sudden, you're smelling cigarette smoke, because a group sat next to you and they're all huffing and puffing away. Let's just say you'll get a ton of second hand smoke if you spend any time in Lisbon. I've been to London numerous times because I have family there and I like it because you can see the European influence. I love the fact that you're reminded that so many countries are nearby. I've seen the videos about Spain and yes, they're becoming VERY HOSTILE to foreigners, because with AirBnB, a lot of locals can't afford to live in their own cities. So while it's annoying to spend thousands of dollars on vacation, only to be met with hostility, they're making their plight known to us. I don't know what the solution to that is. Maybe don't allow foreign investors to buy property?
@@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403 We just came back from Madrid and Barcelona and oddly enough didn’t experience any hostility or negativity. I wouldn’t say it was overly friendly but people were helpful. We were outside the touristy area in Barcelona so I am sure that was part of it. We were in Paris 2 years ago and did experience some negativity, usually in restaurants but also in museums. Also lots of smoking. We will be in Lisbon next year so it should be interesting.
@@aimeebella1 Glad you didn't get any hostility in Spain. My daughter traveled all through Europe a few years back and she said she had no problems in Spain as well. But again, it's understandable why you might: It's obvious the AirBnB phenomenon is making it impossible for natives to live on their own land. Maybe make it that for any property sold, foreigners have to wait 30 days before being allowed to buy it, so that locals get first crack at it? I don't know. I liked Lisbon, other than the smoking. I'm old enough to remember a time in the US where people could smoke wherever they wanted, even on trains! It kinda brought me back to that time.
Thanks for the update. Love the channel and your candidness. I spend a few months a year in Beaulieu sur Mer near Nice. Beautiful and very hospitable. Transportation is great. Took the train to Sanremo for a few days. Wonderful. There is a definite culture difference between the French and Italians. I like them both very much...but they do not like each other. LOL.
I hope that one day I'll be able to travel throughout Europe like you guys did. I only had one lovely experience in Spain during early spring. Coming from hot and humid KL, that trip was an amazing experience. Spent few days in Madrid, Seville, Torremolinos, Granada and stopped by few places like Jerez, Malaga, Sierra Nevada and Cadiz.
My visit to Spain and Andalusia was ages ago back in 1996. I was amazed by some friendly people in Spain. In Madrid, there was a nice lady selling leather items just next to our hotel on Gran Via. Across the road is an adult shop and got a help from a nice Spanish guy when I didn't know how to start a video in a booth. I met a lovely couple who showed me the direction to Hard Rock Cafe from Gran Via. I met a nice Spanish guy who showed me how to mail my parcel. In Seville met some nice people selling stuff at an open market. In Sierra Nevada, after buying some Tshirts, I got a free waist pouch bag from a beautiful saleslady. Perhaps back then in 1996, there were not much foreign tourists like nowadays.
I have no intention of moving overseas but subscribed because you two are such lovely people and give an honest, indepth take of expat experiences abroad. I learn about other cultures, architecture, food, money, everything. I find it exceedingly fascinating and you two are such normal, everyday people living a normal every day existence and not the extravagant lifestyle I find so offputting. Love you both so much! Happy Trails!
You make me want to try out Albania!!! I love France, but I don't think I can afford to live there. But, if I am in Albania maybe I can visit. :) I can't wait to see your tours of central and South America! I'd love to see you visit Chile and Peru.
Southern France is inexpensive compared to much of the U.S., check it out. I know when we hear the South of France we think RICH but apparently in smaller cities and towns...population has shrunk and homes are not expensive.
Pam here…love your trips and insights. Maybe you could do an analysis of those places that would be more suited for people who are older, perhaps can’t walk long sistances or do lots of steep areas or steps?
I lived in Istanbul for 19 months between 2021 and 2023. During that time, I lost my wallet on a city bus and expected it would be lost for good. The HR woman at the place I worked at made some calls, and found that my wallet had been turned in to an office, but she didn't expect I would get everything back. Turned out, I got all my cards and even the cash intact when I went to retrieve it. I even tried to pay the woman at the office a reward for returning it to me, but she wouldn't accept it. Of course, not everything in Turkey is that good, but it does say something about the society there.
I loved Malaysia too. If you're going to get sick, that's the best place to recuperate. If only the weather were less humid and cooler, I'd move to KL or Penang. I'm planning to go to Tirana in 2025 and looking forward to it! PS I didn't care for Athens either...too run down.
My father lives in Ecuador so I keep up with the expat group. Recently someone asked who is leaving Ecuador and the responses were “shocking”. From safety to convenience, the reasons were clear. As someone who was robbed in Ecuador I understand the desire to leave Ecuador, so I find it interesting of all the places you’ve been this would be your choice. But it is true you will not have to worry about too many tourists as the government obviously doesn’t understand that getting their country safe and convenient (electricity shortages) should be top priorities
I've lived here since 2016. My daughter was born here. I adore the country and most of the people. But recently things have changed. Mafias associated with powerful politicians are fighting for control of the narcotrafficking routes, causing dozens of murders weekly. Most of the country loses electricity daily, making life more difficult. There is now terrorism like huge forests being burnt. My daughter and I are going to Argentina soon. I think Milei is a king.
Thanks for providing so much valuable information. I appreciate the work you put into these videos so that not a second is wasted. Such respect for your viewers time is rare on TH-cam.
I hope you will go to the Philippines! If you do, don't make the mistake of spending all your time in the Manila area and the island of Luzon. Please, please, please, visit the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region. Two specific places: Iloilo City (where I met my wife), has the reputation of being the friendliest city in the Philippines, and Roxas City on the north of the island is the next Boracay, but much better. You can skip Boracay. It is so busy and hectic. To see the real "tranquillo" Philippines you will love Roxas and all of the coast from there to the big city of Iloilo.
In France we Europeans like 'Avignon' and it's half bridge. A well-known song was written about it. The cities of 'Orange', 'Arles' and 'Nimes' are worth seeing because of their huge amphitheaters. Near 'Nimes' there is an impressive, huge aqueduct, also from Roman times.
Thank you for your reply. It's very kind of you. While I was watching your video about Paris, you just walked past the most beautiful church in France. A jewel ! I was in it and it was breathtaking. I like it even better than Notre Dame. This chapel also has a rose window, a round stained glass window. Only the one of Notre Dame is much bigger. It is called "Sainte-Chapelle" of Paris and is located in the middle of the city, on the island “Île de la Cité”. It is a smaller church and is easy to miss. You can recognize it by the iron gate with gold decoration.
I'm sorry to hear you had the health issues. I lived in Kuala Lumpur for 2 years and yes, most of the medical services are western level for a very reasonable price (not all). But, people often say that KL is so western it's like they plopped Cincinnati in the middle of SE Asia. I loved getting out of KL and exploring the rest of Malaysia.
@@hikergirl1 born and bred in KL and lived in an American city for many years, I have to disagree. I think you are confusing modern with western. KL is a modern city in its own right.
@@semangathajar I don't think I'm confused. I lived in Mont Kiara. I didn't see very much culture in KL at all. I had to get out of KL to have culture. I am not the only person who says this about KL.
@@hikergirl1 i am from Taiping in the state of Perak but living in KL. Yes I would say it's the smaller towns and rural areas that have the culture. KL is modern and has malls and every amenity but not so much the culture
Staying outside of London and making day trips, via the rail, might have been the better way to go. My first trip to London was in 1984. I’ve been back more than a dozen or so times. I wouldn’t want London to be the same as it was in 1984. But, to each his own. I’ve been away from the continental United States for seven years (Peace Corps Armenia, Peace Corps Ethiopia, AmeriCorps Alaska), and a full time traveler since December 2022. Happy Trails!
If you make it back to France, I HIGHLY recommend Chamonix. Just wow. I also agree with your thoughts on the French people. I found them to be incredibly friendly and warm (and kind of laid back). And they were not snotty when I spoke horrible French. BTW, I am from a small town in Kansas (RCJH!) and I actually prefer smaller towns/cities, so I agree with what people in England suggested (see comment about Chamonix above :-)
Would love if you guys did a video just on the travel logistics on your overall journeys...how you reserved flights, how you searched rail info, how you arranged being away from your place in Ecuador for so long, etc. Thanks!
Thank you so much!! If you’re not seeing our videos, it’s probably because TH-cam is not suggesting them to you. You can go to our channel page to see them, though. 😊
I kind of got choked up when you said you were going back to Ecuador! I'm looking forward to more exploration in February. And I would love if you would go to Montevideo. I enjoyed Buenos Aires so much but didn't have time to go there. Thanks for all your great content!
I live in Thailand. I love Bangkok but you might consider Chiang Mai for a visit. Not right now. They are recovering from flooding but December should be nice. Chiang Mai is in the mountain region so it would be a bit cooler there as well.
I love you guys. I’ve been a subscribed follower for years now and I always get so much value from your videos, plus you’re so much fun to watch and listen to. You bounce off each other so well. 😎
Great video! I used to visit family in Viña Del Mar in Chilé, and I think that’s a wonderful stop for your South American travel someday. Santiago is great, but it is busier there and a little cooler.
Hi AJP! I like all your videos and watch all videos as soon as it is released I want you guys to visit Laos and Cambodia and give your input for slow travel in those places
Some interesting insights. Americans do seem to love Albania, it hasn’t been one of our favourites by a long stretch. In fairness we only stayed in Sarande, which we found dirty, away from the promenade, and Tirana, which we found dull. Berat was a lovely little town though. South East Asia is full of friendly people, but yes the humidity is intense, more so in monsoon. We’re currently in Morocco, a country full of contrasts.
Albanians and Moroccans were coming to Western Europe for work and today in 2024 these countries are now developing tourism. I hope Albania was ok for you?
@@jaytrees7304 Yes, that is very true. Albania was fine, maybe we shall re-visit at some point. We are loving Morocco, the people are very friendly, it’s so colourful and has a beautiful energy.
Just visited the English countryside and went to London. I'd say the same thing others were saying. The small towns were very quaint. The buildings, the gardens, the brickwork, the pubs, the stores, etc. Slower pace of living. You should definitely visit outside the big cities in England.
When you go back to England go to Cornwall. I rented a car and drove around Cornwall last summer and it was absolutely gorgeous and a very dramatic coast.
Granada and Valencia are amazing places in Spain!!!! You can walk everywhere in Valencia and it's amazing walking through the city - rarely overcrowded.
You are spot on about London. However you should certainly go back and see the Cotswolds area. Very Charming country villages. Would love for you guys to check out Slovenia. I thought it was truly fairytale material.
I'd be interested in seeing something on North Africa, especially Morocco. I was there a long time ago and really enjoyed Marrakesh, Fez, and Rabat. It was affordable and the people were friendly . . . even though I was there during Ramadan when people can become a bit cranky!
Kuching, Chiang Mai, Hanoi are all worth a visit. Only Chiang Mai as an expat life option but Hanoi and Kuching are worth a visit while you are in SE Asia.
We stayed a couple months in Sulmona in Abruzzo, Italy and loved it (small town, though). Umbria and Tuscany are always lovely. We’ve yet to explore so many regions.
Great to see you guys back as an on-screen duo! Always appreciate your candid and objective perspectives on the places you visit. Really looking forward to your videos as you travel throughout southeast Asia.
Very good video! in regards to England/UK: Yes, seeing London is important. There are unique sites there found nowhere else. Also the entire small village experience. Imho, the way to see England/UK MOST authentically is to base youself in middle-sized to big cities and take a lot of day trips. Start in London for a week to get settled, but then do a week in Bristol and the area nearby. Same with Manchester, Norwich, York or Durham, and end in Edinburgh. All interesting, and all quite different from one another. my 2 cents.
Great video! Definitely recommend you visit the Vasque Country in the North of Spain (San Sebastian, Hondarribia,..) and Asturias (Gijon, Ribadesella, Covadonga)... sun don't always shine (rains more often than not) but the landscapes are stunning and the food sublime!
Have loved watching all your travels in Europe and Asia this past year! Thanks for all the amazing videos and coverage. Am glad to hear you’re still planning to go back to Ecuador and are happy with your choice to make that country your main choice, as I am hoping to go back to Ecuador again soon - and it’s good to know you still are glad to call it home ❤😊 I would love to see info on India, if you decide to check that country out!
Give yourself peace-of-mind with the Move Abroad EXPRESS eCourse and fast track your exodus. Lock in your discount now (for a limited time): ameliaandjp.com/mae
Glad to hear about Albania.
PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO Sounds like MY kind of Place!!!!!
@AmeliaAndJP Definitely do the countryside in England it's still very city. Not like the US. So accessible. My son lives in Thetford. We LOVE it as Americans.
I am Watching your video on Lyon, France for the third time.
Ha, two points, ALL of France is sublime and it covers many different landscapes. The UK is also beautiful.
Boring and laid back sounds like heaven. Peace, tranquility, safety, boring, laid back, freedom, and beauty are my jam. I've experienced people who show disdain for these qualities in areas.
@@mgarcia2445 I am so ready for that too!! I can't wait to retire!!
Yes to boring (less busy) and laid back! I avoid big cities everywhere
@@Learned333 yes, yes… give me laaaid baaack☺️
@Learned333 my travel people don't get boring and laid back at all. Now I'm not only doing boring and laid back, I'm doing solo as well! Can't wait to retire. Less than one year!
Good to see you back on your feet JP!!!!
I found FRENCH PEOPLE to be kind & helpful, they were with us!! My daughter is Special Needs and She was treated with Love & Respect in France.
Except for Parisians
@@ViolentCabbage-ym7ko found Parisians very nice too for us....love France!
@@ViolentCabbage-ym7ko- my experience as well.
Marseilles:, friendly!
Paris: nope
00:05 Recap of 1 year of slow travel
01:58 Experiencing affordable wine and rainy weather in Portugal
05:57 Mixed experiences in Athens and Corfu
07:55 Positive experience in Albania with friendly people
11:59 Recommendation on visiting Kotor, Montenegro for a chill and affordable vacation
13:59 Experienced higher tourist prices and unexpected crowds in main tourist areas
17:46 London has incredible food and beautiful parks
19:30 Cautionary tale about tourist scams in Istanbul
23:10 Enjoying the monsoon season and managing the weather in the city.
24:57 Cost is a crucial factor in choosing between destinations.
28:29 Living without a permanent residence while traveling.
Crafted by Merlin AI.
You mentioned being surprised by how much you liked London. I felt the same. I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed London. The history, parks, museums, English breakfast- fantastic.
I've been following you guys since you were living in Olon and have been completely entertained by your posts. Just wanted to leave you a little bit of praise for a job well done and a thank you.
I agree! Thank you for posting such a positive feeling as these two are my favorite youtube content couple for expats. I love Syd & Macky for mountain bike videos. (I appreciate both couples' content).
Thanks for being a long termer! 😊
Be sure when you go to south America go to Chile and Uruguay. I spent 18 months in Chile and loved it, greatest people ever. I also liked Uruguay very much.
Malaysia is a diverse states and thus it's an interesting place to live besides it is laid back and chill, bestowed with friendly people and vibrant melting pots of cultures, foods etc.. It's a blessing that Malaysia is in a strategic location and safe from most nature disasters like typhoons, volcano eruptions, earthquakes etc.. We are absolutely grateful for this.. 🙏🇲🇾🥰
Glad to see JP is better.
Portugal here...a Welsh/New Zealand couple with English kids 😅. We love it. Great culture, very kind people, good food and, where we live in the south, nice sunny weather and unbelievable motorcycling. It's not perfect, nowhere is, but we're very happy...
Love the map animations guys. It really helps a lot. We want to go back to Luxembourg, West Germany and Belgium in December. But we also want to fly in and out of Amsterdam. I didn't remember where things were. So I thought we were going to have to cross Germany back and forth. But when I looked at google maps, I realized that they're all right next to each other. My point is that your map animations really help us to understand where you're traveling. So thanks.
Great! Glad you found them helpful!
I teared up a bit when you said you're going back "home" to Ecuador! I cannot WAIT to hear about the rest of South America! Your videos just get better and better... I'm living vicariously through you. For now ;-)
Thanks! 😊
Good to see JD up and around again. You both do an excellent job with your videos plus explaining the good and the not so good of different places. You take us along with you. Well done you two.
Thanks 👍
We spent three months in Athens earlier this year and we absolutely loved it! The cost of living is much more affordable than in Toronto, the food is incredible of course, and we actually found that the people were very, very friendly. Whether it was at the weekly farmers market, or in the grocery store, people would go out of their way to help us. I admit that it's difficult to read anything, with the Greek alphabet, but the kindness of people more than made up for our inability in the language. As you know, when you travel full time, it's just not possible to learn every language in all the countries we visit, but we always try to learn the basics to help get us through.
We enjoyed your review of the past year, and look forward to your future travels :)
Good to know, I’ll keep it on my list.
Yeah his description of athens was way off. Seems like he has some hang up and projected onto others.
Yes I agree …just got back from Athens last month and loved it. So it definitely depends on the individual experience.
You guys rock! You do what very few couples or people overall are too scared to do (Myself included) and if you guys miss Ecuador, then that means you’re already Ecuadorian at heart! Keep up the great work, guys! Saludos desde NYC 🇪🇨 ❤ 🗽
"Bonjour" is the magic word in France.
I do agree 😄
Greece is an old world culture. I was stationed in Glyfada for 5 years. The Greeks are rough like you described, but they have thick skin and they (usually) don't mean it personally and don't take it personally. You are expected to talk back to them like they talk to you, but of course you need to know Greek which is not easy to learn. One Greek tradition I like (they don't do it much in Athens anymore) is you can walk into the kitchen and see what they have prepared.
Re: French in France - With my long ago high school French, and my recent study of Spanish, I would be afraid it would come out “Bonjour! Como está?” 😂
We had a terrible time with that! Spanish kept coming out instead of French 😂
@@AmeliaAndJP Yes, but the French would prefer Spanish and/or Italian to English, as we know. I suspect they would be friendlier and more approachable and accommodating to Spanish-Italian speakers than English or German speakers,
Suggestion for South America: I highly recommend Buenos Aires. Be sure to take the ferry an hour to the small town of Colonia, Uruguay. Also stay a night or two in the hotel at Iguazu Falls where you can hike around the falls and take a tour boat.
Thanks for the tips!
@@AmeliaAndJP Bariloche in Argentina and the lake tour there is also worth a visit,
I've traveled cross county through France and it is so beautiful. I love the French people so friendly. One of my favorite countries.
Us too!
😂
I have written about this before. But we have a casa de campo near Riobamba. My wife is Ecuadorian. We have been traveling around Europe for about 5 weeks now. Spain, Italy, Austria and tomorrow to Germany. I am so homesick for my Ecuadorian life. Way more than my wife. I feel like this trip has been a big waste of money for me. But I am really vested in my teaching the kids in the orchestra (OSMUR) in Riobamba. I applaud your year-long adventure, but I can not imagine doing the same. Every place we have been is overloaded with tourists. I am a country boy and hate the crowds. Madrid, Toledo, Rome (the worst place I've ever been for the number of tourists), Sicily, Vienna, Málaga, Cordoba, and Seville Berlin tomorrow (ug). I'm dreading the power outages in Ecuador, but I don't care. I wanna go home😢.
The problem with the power outages is not happening everywhere in Ecuador....
@tomsaxton970
No problem being homesick and The positive if you go back is that you will be helping
The overcrowded tourist situation in Europe
We miss home too 😊🇪🇨
@@dstewusa7054 Is there ever a low season in Europe anymore? I was there last Winter and still big crowds all over.
@@photopro100 Speaking for Italy, you need to get out of the big, main cities. Try Le Marche (region), so few tourists go there but it has everything Tuscany offers at half the price and no crowds.
You guys really need to check out Ljubljana in Slovania. No crime, amazing people, low cost of living and beautiful city.
They don’t have a residency visa for retired or self employed people so it’s low on our list.
The whole country is amazing. Been twice already this year!
@@AmeliaAndJP Still, it's a gem, a relatively "undiscovered" country that enjoys the very tail-end of the Alps.
I've been living in Phuket Thailand for three months now and I have no major complaints so far. I feel like I have to live here a little longer to critique it with confidence. (I came through the monsoon season, now I'm about to enter the dry tourist season.) The TH-cam videos that I used for some of my research have been pretty accurate, so I haven't been surprised by much.
Thailand was SO filthy. Yuck!
Ohhh please please. We would love a video on Indonesia since you are already on that side of the world. We are constantly waiting for your videos and we really enjoyed them. Receive a big hug from your Miami followers. Happy travels.
Thanks! It’s on our list 😊
I love love France! I expected all the negative things b4 I got there but I found the people just wonderful! And it is gorgeous!
where in France did you go?
Such a great episode. So nice to hear your experiences both good and not so good. Its also good to see both of you in good health. We have a trip planned for next year to Dijon with a possibility to move there so it is really nice to hear how much you liked it compared to the many places you visited. Safe travels
Dijon is amazing!
Yes, I agree very excellent episode!
Every country has its advantages and disadvantages. For me Malaysia is 👍👍👍. This diversity is best reflected in the cuisine, festivals, and daily life, which combine to make Malaysia one of the most exciting and vibrant places in the world to settle down.
Since you're so close, you really should visit Australia. It's beautiful; don't let stories about the wildlife there scare you away. Why not just keep going east? Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, some of the south Pacific nations ... so many amazing places to see!
@@paulschulz5956 it’s expensive and the beaches in Sydney are beautiful, everywhere else they’re rough and dangerous for most people unfortunately. Although I live in Australia, I believe Europe and other Pacific places have more to offer, better beaches and so much better food quality.
NZ is on another level. Gorgeous and super clean. Nothing like Australia.
@@josephj6521 We were in Australia in 1998 - a while ago, admittedly - as adult chaperones on a university band trip. So we weren't there for the beaches (but we did see Bondi Beach). We traveled only along the east coast, but we loved everything we saw and did. We've always wanted to return to see more of the country. There are total solar eclipses that will be visible there in 2028 and 2030, so we're hoping to return for one of those.
The scariest wildlife we encountered was a very colorful and large spider hanging in a huge web outdoors in Noosa. I kind of like spiders, so I found her rather interesting, not frightening. We got to pet kangaroos and an emu (at some kind of farm, not in the wild obviously), and hold a koala (in a very controlled setting). I still remember how surprisingly sharp "Lisa's" claws were! (Who knew koalas have claws?)
A large part of the expense of an Australian trip for most people is just getting there, but that's significantly mitigated if coming from Malaysia - practically next door. I have no idea what travel expenses are in Australia now, but JP and Amelia are adept and finding affordable lodging. I'd certainly want to take advantage of the close proximity, were I in Malaysia, if I had any interest in seeing Australia. Who knows if/when there would be a better opportunity!
@@josephj6521 Rough and dangerous beaches in Australia? Perth is the major city with the best beaches. Second is Adelaide, which is on a gulf, sheltered from the ocean, so the waters are gentle. There are many glorious beaches among the 12,000 along 50,000 km of coastline.
@@geoffoconnor3487- Thanks for sharing. I've heard good things about Perth and plan to visit next year.
Y'all have become very good at this. Makes me look forward to your next video. Hoping for many videos to come!
Thanks! 😊
I spent five weeks last year only in Andalusia.
Granada was, by far, my favorite place. For a short trip, Ronda is fascinating.
KL is short flight to Bangkok. I have lived here for 2 years, Plenty of helpful and friendly people you’re welcome to visit us. I just missed iwo Inn Manta where I stayed for 4 months.
JP Thank You for telling us what you really think!
You left your heart in Ecuador.
Me too! I love this place. But things have gotten dark recently. It deeply concerns me.
Absolutely correct.
@@robertwhite1181 Literally - I have been here in Ecuador for a couple of years and the last few months have had massive problems with electricity.
Good to see JP is feeling better!!
Very informative video.
Great video! Nice summarization.
Agree with your London comments (I am a brit - 13 years in Asia , now in KL ) - was great 20 years ago . Lots of other places to see in the UK that are arguably better. glad you enjoyed KL .. has improved over the past few years
I was in Istanbul a couple of years back for my friend's wedding. I loved it there and I love how they party all night (and day!) long. We were partying at 3am on a Wednesday! As a black man, I'm very cautious about where I travel because I know experiences can be different, but never once did I feel race was an issue and I never thought about it one time.
I wasn't in Paris long, but I too loved it and was pretty shocked that I didn't have the bad experience that so, so, soooooo many people say they've had there. Even some native French people complain about Paris, so I was very happy I had no issues there. We did a lot of eating!
I liked Portugal (we were in Lisbon) and while I liked it, everybody smokes ALL THE TIME!!! You kinda had to get used to the fact that you could be enjoying yourself with your s/o at an outdoor cafe, then all of a sudden, you're smelling cigarette smoke, because a group sat next to you and they're all huffing and puffing away. Let's just say you'll get a ton of second hand smoke if you spend any time in Lisbon.
I've been to London numerous times because I have family there and I like it because you can see the European influence. I love the fact that you're reminded that so many countries are nearby.
I've seen the videos about Spain and yes, they're becoming VERY HOSTILE to foreigners, because with AirBnB, a lot of locals can't afford to live in their own cities. So while it's annoying to spend thousands of dollars on vacation, only to be met with hostility, they're making their plight known to us. I don't know what the solution to that is. Maybe don't allow foreign investors to buy property?
@@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403 We just came back from Madrid and Barcelona and oddly enough didn’t experience any hostility or negativity. I wouldn’t say it was overly friendly but people were helpful. We were outside the touristy area in Barcelona so I am sure that was part of it.
We were in Paris 2 years ago and did experience some negativity, usually in restaurants but also in museums. Also lots of smoking. We will be in Lisbon next year so it should be interesting.
@@aimeebella1 Glad you didn't get any hostility in Spain. My daughter traveled all through Europe a few years back and she said she had no problems in Spain as well. But again, it's understandable why you might: It's obvious the AirBnB phenomenon is making it impossible for natives to live on their own land. Maybe make it that for any property sold, foreigners have to wait 30 days before being allowed to buy it, so that locals get first crack at it? I don't know.
I liked Lisbon, other than the smoking. I'm old enough to remember a time in the US where people could smoke wherever they wanted, even on trains! It kinda brought me back to that time.
Thanks for the update. Love the channel and your candidness. I spend a few months a year in Beaulieu sur Mer near Nice. Beautiful and very hospitable. Transportation is great. Took the train to Sanremo for a few days. Wonderful. There is a definite culture difference between the French and Italians. I like them both very much...but they do not like each other. LOL.
Sounds like Chileans and Argentinians (well, at least Argentinians in BsAs).
What a wonderful experience. Hope that you guys are having a good time and a pleasant stay in KL, Malaysia.
I hope that one day I'll be able to travel throughout Europe like you guys did. I only had one lovely experience in Spain during early spring. Coming from hot and humid KL, that trip was an amazing experience. Spent few days in Madrid, Seville, Torremolinos, Granada and stopped by few places like Jerez, Malaga, Sierra Nevada and Cadiz.
My visit to Spain and Andalusia was ages ago back in 1996. I was amazed by some friendly people in Spain. In Madrid, there was a nice lady selling leather items just next to our hotel on Gran Via. Across the road is an adult shop and got a help from a nice Spanish guy when I didn't know how to start a video in a booth. I met a lovely couple who showed me the direction to Hard Rock Cafe from Gran Via. I met a nice Spanish guy who showed me how to mail my parcel. In Seville met some nice people selling stuff at an open market. In Sierra Nevada, after buying some Tshirts, I got a free waist pouch bag from a beautiful saleslady. Perhaps back then in 1996, there were not much foreign tourists like nowadays.
You will always welcome to Ecuador!!! Gracias por su amor por mi país. Blessings!!
I have no intention of moving overseas but subscribed because you two are such lovely people and give an honest, indepth take of expat experiences abroad. I learn about other cultures, architecture, food, money, everything. I find it exceedingly fascinating and you two are such normal, everyday people living a normal every day existence and not the extravagant lifestyle I find so offputting. Love you both so much! Happy Trails!
They may convince you to explore. I know that they have changed my trajectory.
You make me want to try out Albania!!! I love France, but I don't think I can afford to live there. But, if I am in Albania maybe I can visit. :) I can't wait to see your tours of central and South America! I'd love to see you visit Chile and Peru.
Southern France is inexpensive compared to much of the U.S., check it out. I know when we hear the South of France we think RICH but apparently in smaller cities and towns...population has shrunk and homes are not expensive.
You two are so inspiring. Thanks for the content. Wishing the best for ya’ll (good health foremost)!!! 🙏
Glad you're recovered JP! Thank you both for such informative videos!
16:26 JP's extraordinary ability to speak foreign languages
I would love to see you back in beautiful Ecuador! 🇪🇨🌎🌋⛰️🦅🤗❤️
Pam here…love your trips and insights. Maybe you could do an analysis of those places that would be more suited for people who are older, perhaps can’t walk long sistances or do lots of steep areas or steps?
I enjoy this segment. I could not do the travel you do. You two are great.
I lived in Istanbul for 19 months between 2021 and 2023. During that time, I lost my wallet on a city bus and expected it would be lost for good. The HR woman at the place I worked at made some calls, and found that my wallet had been turned in to an office, but she didn't expect I would get everything back. Turned out, I got all my cards and even the cash intact when I went to retrieve it. I even tried to pay the woman at the office a reward for returning it to me, but she wouldn't accept it. Of course, not everything in Turkey is that good, but it does say something about the society there.
I would always return a found wallet. It’s awful to lose a wallet
A very extensive travel list you have done. Impressed. I hope I get to make it to some of these places some day.
I loved Malaysia too. If you're going to get sick, that's the best place to recuperate. If only the weather were less humid and cooler, I'd move to KL or Penang. I'm planning to go to Tirana in 2025 and looking forward to it! PS I didn't care for Athens either...too run down.
Great video! You will love the heel of Italy, and I highly recommend Croatia, including the islands!!
I'm glad JP is better. I like hearing about your experiences and conclusions. Thank you.
My father lives in Ecuador so I keep up with the expat group. Recently someone asked who is leaving Ecuador and the responses were “shocking”. From safety to convenience, the reasons were clear. As someone who was robbed in Ecuador I understand the desire to leave Ecuador, so I find it interesting of all the places you’ve been this would be your choice. But it is true you will not have to worry about too many tourists as the government obviously doesn’t understand that getting their country safe and convenient (electricity shortages) should be top priorities
I've seen many people leave Ecuador now... the power outages can be dealt with... but the crime???
Where are they going instead? Colombia or somewhere else in SA?
I've lived here since 2016. My daughter was born here. I adore the country and most of the people. But recently things have changed. Mafias associated with powerful politicians are fighting for control of the narcotrafficking routes, causing dozens of murders weekly. Most of the country loses electricity daily, making life more difficult. There is now terrorism like huge forests being burnt. My daughter and I are going to Argentina soon. I think Milei is a king.
so glad you had great time in France
Thanks!
Thanks for the Super Thanks! 🥳
Thanks for providing so much valuable information. I appreciate the work you put into these videos so that not a second is wasted.
Such respect for your viewers time is rare on TH-cam.
So nice of you!
I hope you will go to the Philippines! If you do, don't make the mistake of spending all your time in the Manila area and the island of Luzon. Please, please, please, visit the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region. Two specific places: Iloilo City (where I met my wife), has the reputation of being the friendliest city in the Philippines, and Roxas City on the north of the island is the next Boracay, but much better. You can skip Boracay. It is so busy and hectic. To see the real "tranquillo" Philippines you will love Roxas and all of the coast from there to the big city of Iloilo.
In France we Europeans like 'Avignon' and it's half bridge. A well-known song was written about it. The cities of 'Orange', 'Arles' and 'Nimes' are worth seeing because of their huge amphitheaters. Near 'Nimes' there is an impressive, huge aqueduct, also from Roman times.
Thank you for your reply. It's very kind of you. While I was watching your video about Paris, you just walked past the most beautiful church in France. A jewel ! I was in it and it was breathtaking. I like it even better than Notre Dame. This chapel also has a rose window, a round stained glass window. Only the one of Notre Dame is much bigger. It is called "Sainte-Chapelle" of Paris and is located in the middle of the city, on the island “Île de la Cité”. It is a smaller church and is easy to miss. You can recognize it by the iron gate with gold decoration.
Glad health is back in play
I'm sorry to hear you had the health issues. I lived in Kuala Lumpur for 2 years and yes, most of the medical services are western level for a very reasonable price (not all). But, people often say that KL is so western it's like they plopped Cincinnati in the middle of SE Asia. I loved getting out of KL and exploring the rest of Malaysia.
@@hikergirl1 born and bred in KL and lived in an American city for many years, I have to disagree. I think you are confusing modern with western. KL is a modern city in its own right.
@@semangathajar I don't think I'm confused. I lived in Mont Kiara. I didn't see very much culture in KL at all. I had to get out of KL to have culture. I am not the only person who says this about KL.
@@hikergirl1 i am from Taiping in the state of Perak but living in KL. Yes I would say it's the smaller towns and rural areas that have the culture. KL is modern and has malls and every amenity but not so much the culture
Staying outside of London and making day trips, via the rail, might have been the better way to go. My first trip to London was in 1984. I’ve been back more than a dozen or so times. I wouldn’t want London to be the same as it was in 1984. But, to each his own. I’ve been away from the continental United States for seven years (Peace Corps Armenia, Peace Corps Ethiopia, AmeriCorps Alaska), and a full time traveler since December 2022. Happy Trails!
Try Chang Mai Thailand, you would like the temperature there.
If you make it back to France, I HIGHLY recommend Chamonix. Just wow. I also agree with your thoughts on the French people. I found them to be incredibly friendly and warm (and kind of laid back). And they were not snotty when I spoke horrible French.
BTW, I am from a small town in Kansas (RCJH!) and I actually prefer smaller towns/cities, so I agree with what people in England suggested (see comment about Chamonix above :-)
Please go see Paraguay and Uruguay! I can't get enough of those countries online.
We have lived in Paraguay for over a year, and we love it! ❤ We are originally from Australia & NZ
Would love if you guys did a video just on the travel logistics on your overall journeys...how you reserved flights, how you searched rail info, how you arranged being away from your place in Ecuador for so long, etc. Thanks!
Great video, very helpful to learn in summary all you've experienced in the last year.
I love Grenada! And portugal too! The right areas in Portugal for me with great weather. Porto is rainy
I am so glad you are back!!
I missed your lovely videos!!!
God bless both of you!!!
Thank you so much!! If you’re not seeing our videos, it’s probably because TH-cam is not suggesting them to you. You can go to our channel page to see them, though. 😊
I kind of got choked up when you said you were going back to Ecuador! I'm looking forward to more exploration in February.
And I would love if you would go to Montevideo. I enjoyed Buenos Aires so much but didn't have time to go there. Thanks for all your great content!
Thanks 😊
Hi JP, I’m happy to see you back!
what a wonderful trip you have been on thank you for sharing with all of us. great job
I live in Thailand. I love Bangkok but you might consider Chiang Mai for a visit. Not right now. They are recovering from flooding but December should be nice. Chiang Mai is in the mountain region so it would be a bit cooler there as well.
I love you guys. I’ve been a subscribed follower for years now and I always get so much value from your videos, plus you’re so much fun to watch and listen to. You bounce off each other so well. 😎
Awesome! Thank you! 😊
Great video! I used to visit family in Viña Del Mar in Chilé, and I think that’s a wonderful stop for your South American travel someday. Santiago is great, but it is busier there and a little cooler.
Hi AJP!
I like all your videos and watch all videos as soon as it is released
I want you guys to visit Laos and Cambodia and give your input for slow travel in those places
Some interesting insights. Americans do seem to love Albania, it hasn’t been one of our favourites by a long stretch. In fairness we only stayed in Sarande, which we found dirty, away from the promenade, and Tirana, which we found dull. Berat was a lovely little town though. South East Asia is full of friendly people, but yes the humidity is intense, more so in monsoon. We’re currently in Morocco, a country full of contrasts.
Albanians and Moroccans were coming to Western Europe for work and today in 2024 these countries are now developing tourism. I hope Albania was ok for you?
@@jaytrees7304 Yes, that is very true. Albania was fine, maybe we shall re-visit at some point. We are loving Morocco, the people are very friendly, it’s so colourful and has a beautiful energy.
Just visited the English countryside and went to London. I'd say the same thing others were saying. The small towns were very quaint. The buildings, the gardens, the brickwork, the pubs, the stores, etc. Slower pace of living. You should definitely visit outside the big cities in England.
When you go back to England go to Cornwall. I rented a car and drove around Cornwall last summer and it was absolutely gorgeous and a very dramatic coast.
Granada and Valencia are amazing places in Spain!!!! You can walk everywhere in Valencia and it's amazing walking through the city - rarely overcrowded.
You are spot on about London. However you should certainly go back and see the Cotswolds area. Very Charming country villages. Would love for you guys to check out Slovenia. I thought it was truly fairytale material.
I have been following you for a long time now. I love what you do. Please continue to inspire us who dream of traveling! Great recap. Thank you!
Thank you! Will do!
Great video! Thanks for all the info, and I'm glad you're up and about, JP. :)
Great show - Amelia’s hair looks amazing!👍
So does JP’s 😅
I'd be interested in seeing something on North Africa, especially Morocco. I was there a long time ago and really enjoyed Marrakesh, Fez, and Rabat. It was affordable and the people were friendly . . . even though I was there during Ramadan when people can become a bit cranky!
Kuching, Chiang Mai, Hanoi are all worth a visit. Only Chiang Mai as an expat life option but Hanoi and Kuching are worth a visit while you are in SE Asia.
We stayed a couple months in Sulmona in Abruzzo, Italy and loved it (small town, though). Umbria and Tuscany are always lovely. We’ve yet to explore so many regions.
What a great recap of last years travels! I also like that you time stamped your visits by city below.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great to see you guys back as an on-screen duo! Always appreciate your candid and objective perspectives on the places you visit. Really looking forward to your videos as you travel throughout southeast Asia.
Much appreciated!
The coast of Albania looks to be a great place to be.
Glad JP is back, greetings to Amelia from Ecuador.
Very good video! in regards to England/UK: Yes, seeing London is important. There are unique sites there found nowhere else. Also the entire small village experience. Imho, the way to see England/UK MOST authentically is to base youself in middle-sized to big cities and take a lot of day trips. Start in London for a week to get settled, but then do a week in Bristol and the area nearby. Same with Manchester, Norwich, York or Durham, and end in Edinburgh. All interesting, and all quite different from one another. my 2 cents.
Great video! Definitely recommend you visit the Vasque Country in the North of Spain (San Sebastian, Hondarribia,..) and Asturias (Gijon, Ribadesella, Covadonga)... sun don't always shine (rains more often than not) but the landscapes are stunning and the food sublime!
Thanks for the tip!
amazing work! love your videos
So thrilled you loved Dijon so much 😊 I’ve been living here for 16+ years and I totally share your fondness 🤗
Yay! Ordered the course.
Thank you.
Great! 😊
Totally agree with you about Istanbul. Loved it but it felt a little scammy and certainly crowded.
Have loved watching all your travels in Europe and Asia this past year! Thanks for all the amazing videos and coverage.
Am glad to hear you’re still planning to go back to Ecuador and are happy with your choice to make that country your main choice, as I am hoping to go back to Ecuador again soon - and it’s good to know you still are glad to call it home ❤😊
I would love to see info on India, if you decide to check that country out!
Thank you! 😊
Our best video by far! Well done and thanks for the info.😀