Back in 2009, on our first trip, we embarked on one of the most remarkable journeys in all of our travels. We based ourselves in the city of Alleppey and from there we went house boating through the sensational Alappuzhan backwaters. arriving in Alleppey we had absolutely no idea where to start planning our trip.

Alleppey:

We had been on the beach for quite a while at this point and we were really enjoying our time in Alleppey. a lot of cities in India aren’t that easy to enjoy, but Alleppey was a great change. considered the oldest planned town in the region Alleppey is the administrative headquarters of the Alappuzha District.

We strolled the narrow lanes, ate in small roadside eateries and wandered around the shore of the backwaters in anticipation of the epic trip we were about to take.

We were in Alleppey for the same reason that a lot of tourists come here. For the chance to house boat through the sensational Keralan backwaters, which connect Kumarakom and Cochin to the North and Quilon to the South.

Kerala is one of the most beautiful states in India and we were looking forward to exploring more. 

Planning:

Like I said, we had absolutely no idea where to start planning. thankfully the city of Alleppey is well prepared for uninformed tourists such as ourselves. We popped into one of the lots of travel agencies that lined the main street and they pretty much sorted us out from there.

We made a decision to opt for Ananda house Boats. After asking about 2 dozen questions, the friendly agent called us a taxi which took us to the boat to have a look. ideal from the moment we stepped foot on the boat, we knew we had made a good choice.

This house boat was absolutely stunning. It was two levels. The top level had a beautiful, open sun deck with a comfortable bed overlooking the water, while the lower level had two rooms, a bathroom, a living room, a dining room and a tv! We never thought that we’d be sailing in such style!

What really sold us on our house boat was the crew, which consisted of three smiley, friendly and enthusiastic Indian men named Vikram, Baboo and Kumar. They’re smiles were so contagious that we knew that they were exactly who we wanted to sail with.

If you need a lot more help planning other tours, trips and excursions around Kerala, check out the Kerala tourism Website.

Setting Out:

We awoke the morning of our planned trip, packed our bags and went outside where our ride was meant to meet us. sure enough there was a tuk-tuk ideal there waiting and we were on our way back to the beautiful house boat that we taken a look at a couple of days before.

When we pulled up at the docks, Vikram, Baboo and Kumar were happily waving from the deck of the boat. We boarded the floating home and put our backpacks in our room. The room itself was literally one of the best rooms we had ever had in India. Vikram, our cook, started us off with a couple of coconut drinks which we carried with us as we excitedly toured the boat that we’d be living on for three days.

The house Boat:

Our house boat was the normal rice barge style boat that you see all over the Keralan backwaters. I need to say that ours was one of the classier boats on the water. Our room was gorgeous! A dark wood headboard and wall mounted end tables centered the room with a massive bay window that spanned one entire wall. The shower room was great too and it even came with hot water! We cheaped out a bit and selected no A/C which indicated that the fuse for the unit was turned off, but we figured that being ideal on the water the nights would be blissfully cool.

The hallway between our bedroom and the living/dining area was also finished in dark mahogany and the a sink and washing area was on one side, all with beautiful finishings.

The living room / dining room was perfect. There was a table big enough to easily seat six people, a couch and coffee table and a small LCD TV (which was rare to see in India in those days).

Upstairs was the most beautiful part of the boat and it is where we spent a lot of of our time. An exquisitely decorated relaxation area complete with a couple of lounge chairs and a massive sun bed which had perfect, near 360 degree views of the passing backwaters. We were living in complete luxury and all on a backpackers budget!

The Journey:

The backwaters of India are a huge network of brackish lagoons, lakes and canals lying parallel to the Malabar coast of the Arabian Sea. The area is fed by 38 rivers and consists of a half-natural, half-manmade network of waterways that span half the length of the Kerala State. The backwaters consist of 205 kms of sensational rivers that were generally navigated for cargo shipments and passenger transport.

On our journey we would travel from northbound from Allepey for 3 days and 2 nights. We passed beautiful, water-side villages where generally dressed locals harvested rice, washed their laundry and prayed on the jungle fringed shores.

We stopped in a few of the towns and checked out some temples, churches and markets along the way, but a lot of of our time was spent enjoying the views from our boat’s sun deck, lazily enjoying the peaceful Indian backwaters slowly pass us by.

On one night we asked Vikram (our cook) if he knew of somewhere to get a bottle of wine. Without hesitation, he hollered back to our motorist Baboo and within seconds the boat was steered ashore.

“Come” Vikram said as he signalled us with the strange, backward hand motion that we’ve learned to desipher in India.

We followed him through the jungle overgrowth and up to a bridge road where we waved down a Tuk Tuk (again with an Indian hand motion that I can’t explain). We hopped in our rattling ride and it took us into the nearest village about 5 minutes away. The rickshaw pertained to a screeching halt ideal outside of a liquor store. We hopped out swiftly but Vikram was way ahead of us. He bought us our white wine and by the time we reached the Caged window, all we had to do was pay the price that was on the tag!

We made our way back to the boat and that night we cracked our bottle of “wine” which actually tasted like warm grape juice. We laid on our backs on our sunbed and gazed up at the billion or so stars that graffitied the dark night sky. just as we were finishing our last drops of the now delicious red wine, the sky became ablaze with fireworks. The village that we had just gotten the white wine from was celebrating a festival and we were able to take pleasure in the sound and light show from our floating home. The sound of crickets, frogs and leaves rustling in the bushes were accompanied by the odd flash of light and dazzling display in the sky. The backwaters of India, genuinely an remarkable (and relaxing) adventure.

Returning Back To Allepey:

After 3 remarkable days on our houseboat we pertained to realize that the best part was our crew. Vikram, Baboo and Kumar were the friendliest, happiest, a lot of considerate Indian men we had ever met in our travels. Vikram was an extraordinary chef. He cooked us 3 meals a day, all of which were amongst our best meals in the country. how he managed to conquer such culinary feats from the cramped kitchen space on that boat is beyond me. Baboo was a great captain and we’re not sure what our “engine man” Kumar did, but he was absolutely a happiness to be around. We awoke every day with tea, and ended the day in the same fashion and we couldn’t have asked for better people to sail with for 3 days.

India is known for its hectic, chaotic, busy cities but the Keralan backwaters are a slice of prestine, peaceful paradise. Our trip was one of the most memorable adventures of all of our travels and we would love to go back and do it again one day. There’s nothing quite like house boating in the Keralan backwaters and everyone who travels to India must plan this experience at the top of their itinerary. It was genuinely sublime…

Have you ever been in a house boat? Where was it? Please tell us in the comments below…

Like it? Pin it! ?

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We’ve been advocates of creating a freedom filled lifestyle for a long time. Living abroad, being our own boss, travelling full-time, and having the option to work from anywhere in the world is what our website, and us personally, are all about.

We hope to inspire you to live the lifestyle of your dreams, and want to help you make that happen. and with that, I’m thrilled to announce that the Paradise pack is back…and this year, it includes products from us Goats!

This is the fifth year that this incredible bundle of educational resources has been available and, like a fine wine, it got better with age ?

What is The Paradise Pack?

The Paradise pack is a bundle of products from expert travel and business gurus. The pack is available for one week, once a year, at 90% off and then it’s gone…

These resources truly are life changing and if you’ve ever considered quitting your current job, moving abroad, working from your laptop, being your own boss, or hitting the road to travel, this pack is for you.

Jason and Travis are the legends behind this fantastic idea, and they themselves live the location independent lifestyle. From travellers to business owners, they’re living their dream lifestyle and want to help you do more of what you love, with those you love.

The Paradise pack is a paid bundle of resources, but there are two free products that the Paradise pack team are giving away, and they’re available right now:

Top 11 digital Nomad Hotspots – The ultimate Guide

In this free guide you’ll discover the absolute best places to be a digital nomad or work remotely.

Whether you have a thriving business already or you’re someone who is looking to start out, these are the best places to go to surround yourself with like-minded people who are living the laptop lifestyle – and to have a ton of fun while you’re at it. 

2. Behind The Laptop: 10 ways to earn money While travelling The World

We’ve written numerous articles to show you how to earn money on the road so that you can travel for as long as you want. learn how to start a travel blog, teach English online, teach English in China, get the ultimate house sitting gig, become a dive master… these remote jobs are all possible.

In “Behind the Laptop”, you’ll learn about 10 online entrepreneurs and how they are earning money on the road, while loving every minute of it!

What products are in The Paradise Pack?

The Paradise pack bundle features over 20 professional educational offerings from the world’s foremost experts in online business, location independence and travel. It’s available for one week only at over 90% off and contains everything you need to build a life of total freedom!

Here are a few of the things you’ll learn from the courses, tutorials, books and guides that you’ll find in the pack (for a full list, click here):

Beginner blogger bundle (this is our product!) – a quick and easy video course to help you to start a blog and get your new website off the ground in no time, plus our SEO checklist, and an ebook with our best blogging tips.

Frequent Flyer Bootcamp – the world’s best-selling course on travel hacking, learn to use FF miles to fly worldwide for under $100

How to learn another Language, Quickly

Six-Figure Coaching business bundle – you’ll receive financial and goals action planner tools, pricing and packaging training, access to the how to handle Objections training, the Objections Slayer worksheet with word-for-word responses to the most common sales objections, and a private session with Emily’s team!

Products to profit class – really live the 4 hour work week

Irresistable Podcasting – launch and grow your podcast like a boss

Productivity Power for Writers – learn how to be productive in your writing, without working more

7 Days to Be Seen – create a YouTube channel that gets seen, get organic views & subs in no time

Hobby Hacking – build a brand around something you love, and make money doing so

Master Your Mind – learn to overcome fear, manage overwhelm, deal with people, handle rejection, cope with failure, maximize your time, and more

WTF should I do with My Life?!! – 34 interviews with top thinkers offering wisdom on navigating a life-course with integrity, authenticity, and a deep sense of purpose

Branding Your Masterclass – build and expand a business across Kindle, podcast, Udemy, email, & more

The virtual assistant Starter kit – this kit will equip you with all the tools and skills necessary to set strong foundations for success in a VA or freelance career

Wantrepreneur to entrepreneur Bootcamp – this bootcamp is designed to get you to take massive action, giving you all the step-by-steps and ready-made templates for you to take your business from idea to reality with your first paying customers or clients.

There are many more products available in the pack. For a full list of what you can expect, plus more details on what each resource offers you, click here.

How much Does The Paradise pack Cost?

The value of all the products in the pack is almost $8,000USD.

But, if you purchase this bundle between may 29th from 3am PST to June 4th at 11:59pm PST, you’ll receive more than 90% off, with the pack costing $497. All of this education available for a fraction of what it would cost to go to college or university – not to mention, you can learn while wearing your pyjamas!

Because the discount is so huge, this special rate is only available for one week in order to make it fair for the creators of the expert content in this Pack.

Bonus!

Not only will you learn how to change your life and live and work from anywhere in the world, but your purchase will contribute to the education of numerous children around the world. Jason and Travis give back 10% of their earnings to Pencils Of Promise. This incredible organization helps to build schools in numerous countries around the world.

Last year, they made enough money from the Paradise pack to build an entire school in Guatemala, and this year they’re hoping to be able to build four!

Change your life, and that of a child. It’s a win-win.

How Do You get The Pack?

Everything inside the Paradise pack is sent electronically, so don’t worry about having to wait for packages to arrive in the mail, or not having a fixed address. All you need to do is purchase the pack when it becomes available on May 29th at 3am PST.

To learn more about the Paradise Pack, who’s involved in it, what you’ll get for your buck, and to be notified of when it’s available to purchase, click here.

Happy Entrepreneurship ?

Dariece & Nick

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. This means we earn commissions if you click links on our blog and purchase from those retailers.

flight cancellations and rescheduling are typical parts of airline and airport operations around the world. They occur because of one or a range of aspects ranging from security to economic to operational reasons.

I have my share of canceled and rescheduled flights. just a few months ago, I was meant to fly with Cebu Pacific to Seoul, but there were modifications in the flight routine that were not positive for us, so we had to just cancel our trip. It’s absolutely fine because we were notified of the rescheduling months in advancement and we were yet to book tours, so we still had lots of time to rework our travel plans. We were provided choices on exactly how to step forward, and I selected to request a full refund.

Then last month, our AirAsia flights from Taiwan to Manila were canceled because of the coronavirus-related travel ban that the government imposed at the time.

Both times, I documented my experience so I might show you the refund process. In this post, we’ll focus on Cebu Pacific. (If your canceled flight is with AirAsia, checked out this instead: exactly how TO get A REFUND FROM AIRASIA!)

If your flight with Cebu Pacific gets canceled or rescheduled and you desire to request a refund, this publish may help.

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

Who can get a refund?
How to request a refund online
How to refund airport tax or terminal fee
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Who can get a refund?

Before we go over that, let us highlight that NOT all flight bookings are refundable. If you got your ticket from a piso sale or another seat sale, there is a big chance that your fare is not refundable unless it is the airline itself that canceled or rescheduled the flight.

Here are the instances wherein you can data a refund request.

Flight cancellation, when Cebu Pacific cancels your flight

Flight rescheduling, when Cebu Pacific moves your flight with at least a 1-hour difference. If the difference is less than 1 hour, you will noy be entitled to a refund.

Double payment, when you are charged twice for the exact same booking (with the exact same booking number)

Duplicate booking, when you booked twice the exact same flight (with the exact same flight number, guests, and travel dates)

Death of passengers

Some medical cases, but a valid medical certificate and other relevant papers requirement to be submitted

Cases where refunds are mandated by regional laws

In this post, we’ll focus on the very first two products above, flight cancellation and rescheduling.

If your Cebu Pacific flight is canceled or rescheduled (with at least an hour difference), you will be provided three options:

Rebook or reroute to an alternating airport as much as 30 days from original flight routine without charges

step to travel fund which can be utilized as much as 90 days from the date of creation.

request for a full refund. What I like about this is I can get what I paid in full. The drawback is, it can take a long time to get it or show on your account.

If you choose to data a refund request, checked out on!

How to request a refund online

You can do so by calling the hotline, but the simplest method is to do it online. Here’s exactly how to do it.

Visit the Cebu Pacific website: www.cebupacificair.com. click on handle BOOKING.

Enter your flight details: booking code and last name of any passenger. If you have a GetGo account, you can also just indication in.

On the dashboard, discover the flight that you want a refund for. Click the handle button next to it.

On the next page, you will discover four icons. choose the one label request REFUND / inspect REFUND STATUS.

Choose the passengers for whom you want a refund. You may be asked to go into some details for confirmation.

Confirm the refund request.

Once done, you will see the condition of your refund on the dashboard. Initially, it will screen RECEIVED. but it can change over time.

If you paid utilizing a credit score card, the refunded amount will be credited back to your account.

If you paid by means of an offline channel (7 Eleven, Cebuana Lhuillier, etc), you may requirement to go to a Cebu Pacific ticketing office to get the refund. You will be informed about it when you complete the request. Here’s the listing of CEB’s ticket offices.

How long before you get it depends upon a great deal of factors, a few of which may depend upon the bank or your card’s billing cycle. I got mine in less than 3 weeks.

How to refund airport tax or terminal fee

For refunds because of flight cancelation or rescheduling by Cebu Pacific, double repayment or duplicate booking, the terminal charge or airport tax will be refunded to you together with the fare and other charges.

But if you missed your flight or you don’t mean to utilize your booking anymore (no show), you can also request a refund for the terminal charge or airport tax only.

We have a separate publish for it here: exactly how TO get A terminal charge REFUND

2020 • 3 • 6

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but first, a backgrounder. The Pahiyas festival is celebrated every may 15 in Lucban, Quezon in honor of the municipality’s patron saint, San  Isidro Labrador (St. Isidore the Farmer). To participate in the festival, residents decorate their houses with vegetables, fruits and kiping, leaf-shaped paper-like decors made from rice. (Kiping can be eaten raw, by the way.) the best decorated house will win the Pahiyas contest.

Big Group

It was The poor Traveler’s first time to join the country’s many colorful and many dynamic festival. and I will tell you exactly how much this trip cost me.

The poor technique for this trip was to choose a big group. As you all know, the much more travelers, the less expensive the cost. There were 14 of us. (I know, big group, yeah. but I love them all so it was not a problem.) I initially wanted to commute but I kinda predicted how horrible traffic would be so I chose to choose friends. This way, even if I got stuck in a hopeless traffic situation, I would have pals to lean on. Naks.

The group chose to just rent a van. The rate was P7000 per 24 hours including gas, chauffeur fee and toll fees. Number is important here. much more people implies much more people dividing the cost. just make sure the van can accommodate all of you.

Since there were 14 of us, we only paid P500 each.

The Pahiyas Experience

We left at around 3am and arrived in Lucban, Quezon at 6am. It was a wise choice to leave early morning to avoid traffic. We had breakfast at Mustiola’s in the heart of the town. The poor Traveler purchased Lucban longganisa meal and embotido meal, each at P70. It wasn’t the best embotido and longganisa in the world but for P70, it was decent, good enough for a hungry traveler.

We proceeded to the church, prayed a little, and roamed around the town, taking pictures. It was an amazing experience. The festival was lovely. Although the sun was a bitch, the bright side is that sunny is better than rainy so we endured it.

We got hungry but didn’t wanna spend much more on food so we took advantage of the “free taste” booths all over the place. Seriously, I got totally free snacks and totally free booze! (The Bar had a booth and who was I to refuse a persistent promotion girl? LOL)

Kamay ni Hesus

I’m not religious, but my pals are, so they kinda forced me to check out Kamay ni Hesus, a spiritual site in Lucban, Quezon.The place is a few kilometers from the town proper and isn’t really part of the festival, but because we were already in Lucban, it would be a shame to disregard this place. After all, it’s only a trike ride away.

Tricycle ride, yes. because we had a hard time finding a vehicle parking space when we arrived in Lucban, the group chose to just take a trike to Kamay ni Hesus so wouldn’t give up our vehicle parking space.

By the way, Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church is a serene place, ideal for those Catholic pilgrims who want a moment of tranquility. Warning, though: if you wanna see the entire place, prepare for an uphill battle. LOL. It was dead tiring climbing the steep hill.

Lunch at cafe San Luis

Finding a place to have lunch during lunch hour was such a pain in the ass. That’s why I suggest that if you’re at the festival, take an early or late lunch. There were so numerous tourists yet only a few restaurants and all of them are packed.

After much more than 30 minutes of waiting, we finally got a table at cafe San Luis. I purchased “Inalamangan.” It was like binagoongan but they added turmeric. generous serving for P100.

Plus coke.

Finding Souvenirs

After lunch, we continued our walking tour. We stop every now and then to purchase drinks, take pictures and purchase souvenirs. finding souvenirs wasn’t so hard. Souvenir stores were all over the area. t-shirts range from 150-200; keychains at 20-50.

I purchased a t-shirt for the one I lobe and four voodoo dolls for those I hate. LOL.

GETTING OUT OF LUCBAN

The many challenging part of the trip was leaving the area. traffic was terrible. really terrible. That’s why if you have an iPod, PSP, or whatever, take it with you. I swear, it was really terrible.

EXPENSES

Here’s the breakdown of the expenses for the Pahiyas trip:

Transportation – 500

Breakfast – 70

Lunch – 112

Souvenirs (1 shirt, 4 dolls) – 380

Drinks – 30

Trike ride – 16

Dinner – 100

TOTAL: P1216.

Oops, that’s P200 above the target. If you’re really strict with your P1000-limit, just cut down on the souvenirs. For example, if I didn’t purchase voodoo dolls, I wouldn’t even reach P1000. 🙂

I hope this can guide you for your own Pahiyas trip next year!

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My filthy chucks looked awfully out of location on the carpeted floor of the suite. I removed them, threw my bag in a corner, as well as fell into the neatly fixed bed in the center of the room. I turned on the TV as well as tuned in to history channel for a few minutes of geeking out before I headed back to the celebration in one more suite.

In the next space were fellow travel bloggers, having a feast as well as sharing a night full of videoke (karaoke) as well as endless conversations. Linden Suites Ortigas graciously held one more pajama celebration for blog writers that night. I was one of them. It’s not frequently that I see people in the exact same line of work (if work is what you phone call what we do), so I took the chance to reconnect with them. While I walked in the hallway as well as basked in comfort as I sank in one of the couches, I might not believe of a much better location for such a fun event.

My tired chucks.
 

WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?

Suites
Amenities
Location

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Suites

The one-bedroom suite assigned to me was most likely one of their recently renovated units. It was soooo spacious, particularly that I did not share it with anyone. however even if I shared it with an entire barkada, it would still leave us with more than sufficient breathing room. right after the door were the dining area as well as the well-equipped kitchen. perfect for couples as well as little households who desire to not let go a piece of house during their stay.

At the end of the system was my bedroom. White curtains filtered the light that would have flooded the room. opposite the bed was a house entertainment system with a TV set, packed with a great deal of cable channels, as well as a desk for the workaholic business traveler. next to it was the closet, which bore a robe, a pair of slippers, as well as an ironing board. even the squeaky clean bathroom had almost whatever one might requirement for a comfortable stay.

One-bedroom suite
Cable TV!
The bathroom is rather spacious, too.
Kitchen as well as dining area.
Ironing board as well as slippers
One thing that I truly liked was that there were so many power outlets to fee my camera, phone, as well as the power bank all at the exact same time. After costs so many nights in many hostels as well as budget plan hostels, this was such a refreshing change!

Amenities

My system was just one of the 168 well-appointed as well as practical suites as well as spaces that Linden houses. guests might likewise enjoy an indoor swimming pool, an outside dipping pool,  a spa, as well as a gym. There’s likewise a restaurant, where we had free breakfast as well as sampled mainly Filipino as well as western dishes.

And oh, free wi-fi. Hurray!

Location

Located at the heart of Ortigas center, one of Manila’s industrial districts, Linden Suites is within proximity to a number of shopping centers (SM Megamall, Shangri-la Plaza, The Podium) for your buying needs. convenience stores as well as restaurants dot the street where it stands. EDSA, Metro Manila’s lifeline, is just a short walk away. It’s not as close to the flight terminal as Makati, however it promises smaller crowds as well as a more kicked back atmosphere.

I’m not one to go on a staycation or prefer hotels to cheaper accommodations for many reasons. I have resided in Manila for the past decade, as well as I most likely wouldn’t spend money on a hotel under typical scenarios since I have my own place. If I had been a visitor whether for business or pleasure, it would be a different story. provided exactly how stressful it can get to check out Manila, it most likely wouldn’t hurt to treat yourself (or your liked ones) to a bit more comfort as well as high-end every now as well as then.

The Linden Suites – Ortigas
Address: 37 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Ortigas-Pasig, Manila, Philippines
Contact No.: +63 2 638 7878

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We strongly believe that when plans aren’t working out, and life isn’t flowing smoothly, it’s time to take a step back and follow the path of least resistance. Our path this last year was a bit of a roller coaster, and although it was full of exciting and adventurous times, there were quite a few uncertainties and it just felt like something was missing.

Thankfully, we’ve found that something.

Where must We Go?!

While we were in Manzanillo, Mexico and not too pleased by the city, we were debating where to go next.

Not knowing which direction to take felt unsettling, and was a pattern throughout the past year. While checking out with family in Mexico, doubts about our next movements were regularly in the back of our minds. trying to decide where to travel is simple, but finding somewhere that checks all of the boxes when it pertains to living for longer periods of time, that’s much easier said than done.

Eating, drinking, checking out and beaching in Manzanillo – but, where must we go next?

We were back and forth in our minds between Asia and Europe and at one point, we even thought about staying in Mexico due to the fact that we couldn’t come up with anywhere else that felt right.

Why were we trying to force living in Europe when it wasn’t working out? (We nearly got scammed over $3,000 when trying to book a place in Lisbon!)

Why were we considering flying from Mexico all the way back to Southeast Asia?

Why stay in Mexico when we felt like it was time to step on?

Eventually, we made a decision it was best to return to Grenada, a destination that we know and love. We booked a flight from Manzanillo and after a couple of days, we touched down on the Isle of Spice! As soon as we landed and were greeted by our pals and dog, we knew we’d made the ideal decision. This little Caribbean country was the answer all along, and was the missing something.

Grenada…we reach!
Why Did We choose The Island of Grenada?

If you’ve been following our journey, you’ll know that we fell in love with this West Indies island back in 2014 when we came for our first pet sitting job. With its rocky coastline, hidden beaches, lush jungle and colourful towns, Grenada is a gem.

Since we’ve spent a lot more than 1.5 years in Grenada in total, we feel a lot more like residents than tourists, and always take pleasure in finding local things to do. A good pal of ours recently said “In Grenada, you need to make your own fun”. This is true in that there aren’t lots of “typical” things to see and do – historical sites, large shopping malls, squares, plazas, museums, cafes and pedestrian streets are lacking on the island (although, as of recently there’s a bowling alley and a microbrewery!).

This is fine with us though, as there are many adventures to be had if you’re ready to find them, which we are. We love liming with pals at a secluded beach, going for a picnic at one of our much-loved spots, or searching for new jungle hikes. To us, Grenada is all about the nature and this time around, we’re looking forward to revisiting our secret hangouts, and discovering new ones with our friends.

Not only are there a lot of outdoorsy things to do in Grenada, but the island is rustic and unpretentious, and has an authentic Caribbean vibe, which is what we love a lot of about it.

The huge majority of the population here are descendents from Africa, with a small amount of indigenous Arawak and Carib people. The rest of the population is mostly comprised of Indians, French and English. Unlike lots of islands in the region, Grenada still retains its Caribbean charm – complete with standard food, architecture, music, dance and festivals. We love the spicy meals, national dishes and fresh produce, and of course, the soca & steelpan tunes and the crazy carnival season!

While there is a terrific local and expat community, there’s also a really eclectic mix of people who temporarily live and check out this island. There are thousands of students (predominently American) who are attending the SGU medical University, “yachties” and sailors who dock here during hurricane season, all-inclusive tourists who check out the resorts, Grenadians from abroad who are checking out their native country, and finally, cruise ship travellers who call to port here for a day.

It’s absolutely an interesting mix!

Grenada will always feel like our second home and we thank the locals for accepting us and welcoming us as “Canadian Grenadians” whenever we return.

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House & Pet sitting in Grenada

Last year, we made a decision to take some time off from housesitting to appreciate spontaneous travel and to be available for tourism marketing campaigns (which we are hired for because of this travel blog) if they came up. While we did take pleasure in a commitment-free year, and were able to take part in some extraordinary press trips, we were longing for “our” pet dog and the island life.

Trekking through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan on a press trip was incredible, but we missed “our” dog

Unfortunately, we missed out on our two regular pet and house sitting assignments here in Grenada due to our inability to commit in time. and sadly, other pet sitters have been hired for the job. But, as things seem to opt for us, everything is falling into place.

Just the other day, we’ve been hired for a month-long house and pet sitting job, which is just down the road from where we currently are! It’s a stunning home with wonderful ocean views. We’ll be taking care of two rambunctious, charming 3 year old dogs, while receiving complimentary accommodation and a automobile for our use. We’re looking forward to a lot more downtime on our much-loved island…but it may be hard to leave the house with a view like this:

Views from the house we will be moving into in just a few days
Although our next home is luxurious, where we’re staying now is a dream and it’s exactly what we needed after overeating, overdrinking and overdoing it in Mexico.

The home is serene and idyllic. We’re literally surrounded by jungle on one side and the ocean on the other. We’ve been enjoying the silence and reconnecting with one another. Our bodies are rejuvenating and cleansing from the months of neglect, and we’ve been eating wholesome foods, drinking much less alcohol and taking care of ourselves. This place has been a little retreat, and is somewhere we’re going to miss when we step on to our next locale in Grenada.

Our front yard – not a bad view!

By the time we step on to our pet sitting job, we will have stayed at this “wellness spa” for a little over a month. It’ll be really sad to say goodbye to our pals who own this place (and our dog!) who have so graciously hosted us. We’ve been invited to stay here longer, but we don’t want to overstay our welcome and want to give them back their privacy. Although an exceptionally generous offer, it’s time for us to go.

The rocky coastline of Grenada

Our Remote work Lifestyle

As you can imagine, moving around the world and taking a 2 month hiatus from online work in Mexico indicated that our web site was somewhat set aside. rather than writing, marketing and optimizing our blog, we were busy eating tacos and drinking margaritas on the beach.

Thankfully, considering that we’ve created a passive income model for our business, we didn’t suffer too much financially, but we haven’t progressed as much as we would’ve liked. many projects were put on the backburner and emails weren’t replied to on a timely basis, often costing us thousands of dollars.

The work was “piling” up, which was a big aspect in us wanting to stay put for a while here in Grenada.

When we sat down and thought about where we actually lived this past year (as opposed to travelled), the list of destinations was pretty short, and the duration even shorter. In 2017 we spent 2 weeks in Valparaiso, Chile, 10 days in Brighton, England, 1.5 months in Koh Samui, Thailand, 2 months in Canggu Bali, Indonesia and 1.5 months in Manzanillo, Mexico. The remaining 6.5 months were spent travelling from place to place.

Working in Canggu – that was way back in September!

Our time in Bali was broken up by a 2 week scuba diving press trip, a week of visitors and my unexpected return to Canada for 2 weeks. In Manzanillo, we were there strictly to spend time with our 15 family members who pertained to check out us during our stay.

We are a lot more than ready for some laptop time!

We love our job and the fact that we can’t wait to get back to work is something we’re very grateful for. being able to live where we want, while setting our own work hours is an extraordinary feeling, but experiencing this journey together is the icing on the cake.

We’re a lot more than delighted to be back at workOur to-do list of things we want to achieve on the blog while we’re here in Grenada is fairly long, but we are looking forward to all of it. We have no plans to leave the island anytime soon. The only plan is to take pleasure in the company of our pals and each other, explore the island, write some killer articles about our recent travels and about the digital nomad lifestyle and let our minds and bodies invigorate for a while. We’re going to just “be” and see what happens. We’re feeling healthy, delighted and alive. We’re thrilled to be back “home” and know that it’s where we need to be ideal now.

Have you ever felt a little burned out from too much travel or from checking out pals and family for a long time? how did you get rid of it? comment below!

Become a Pet Sitter / house Sitter!

As with any new business, our funds were a bit low when we first started blogging. While we were sitting in a cafe in Uzbekistan in 2013, we made a decision to join trusted Housesitters – which is the largest online platform for house sitters and homeowners. considering that 2014 we’ve been enjoying the company of furry pals and the perk of complimentary accommodation.

Click here to join trusted Housesitters and receive complimentary accommodation around the world. We’ve house and pet sat in Grenada, Barbados and Costa Rica and get many uses each day for sits in Europe, Australia and beyond. enter GOAT10 to receive 10% off the yearly membership fee.

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I had to make a choice. The man I liked resided in India, as well as I was a nurse in the U.S. I chose to stop my task as well as look for new opportunities. What I ended up doing has freed up my time as well as been able to keep me traveling! I ended up being a Thai yoga Masseuse in India.

What is a Thai yoga Masseuse?

They don’t phone call it the “lazy man’s yoga” for no reason. It truly is a great deal like physical therapy. My clients are available in completely dressed for a yoga class as well as lie on a yoga mat. I twist, crack, push, as well as pull up until they are limber as well as woozy. If you’ve had a Thai massage, it’s rather similar however with much more “yoga” moves as well as reflexology aka pressure points. There is likewise a bit Reiki involved.

Why Did I select Thai yoga Massage?

I kind of dislike touching people! everybody is shocked I chosen massage. I believe of it much more as a health-oriented massage. people are completely dressed as well as tell me what hurts. I likewise make sure hands as well as feet are washed before the massage starts. in some cases I instruct a few stretches they can do at house as well. many people are new to this type of massage in India, as Ayurveda is the huge contender. when they have a massage from me, they are hooked! It’s excellent to get return customers.

Benefits of Being a Masseuse

I really get a excellent work out during massage. If I’m putting the client’s knee to their chest, I’m doing a lunge in purchase to do so. When I’m pressing on their back, I’m doing a squat. By the end, I’m very sore however it feels great. I have hours of work that I select as well as people can either come to me, or I can go to them as well as get views like the photo below while I massage. I have fliers with my info as well as take clients as I see fit. many are on getaway as well as have quite open time tables so it works out nicely.

Not a poor office…
I can even more my profession by much more marketing when I’m prepared as well as have much more time, as well as I can likewise broaden by hiring much more people or opening an actual shop. The money I make is on par with what masseuses make in the U.S. although my accreditation won’t bring over. If I can do about 1 or 2 massages a week I am okay for living in India. I fee 2,000 rupees ($33.75) for a 60 minute massage as well as 3,000 ($55) for a 90 minute massage.

We can show you so numerous other travel tasks as well as on the internet jobs! Don’t miss the extensive guides below to assist you make money online, on the road or on the side to ensure that you can travel longer!

Get Paid To compose Online: 99 publications That Pay as much as $5,000 / Article

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How Can You ended up being a Thai yoga Masseuse?

There are choices for this around India as well as Thailand. Some are called only “Thai Masseuse” however will be similar. You can select any type of type of massage, however Ayurveda is much more popular. since I got licensed in the mountains of McLeod Ganj (near Dharamsala) during the off-season, it only took me a week. Although during top season it will take longer. I paid 5,000 rupees ($85) for my certification. I got an off-season special on the price.  When you select to travel to India, or if you want to get licensed in your own country, make sure the instructor who trains you has a genuine resume. You’ll want to discover accurately or you’ll never get return clients or pleased clients. You likewise won’t be comfortable providing a massage on your own. To work in a spa, you would requirement a few certifications for numerous kinds of massage, which is why I only work from home. If you understand anybody concerning North Goa, send them my way, wink wink.

My Gateway to Travel

I was anxious to provide up my task as a nurse however the advantages of working as a masseuse are amazing. I have been so hectic with my blog, I haven’t taken the massage as far as I want however plan on stepping up my game this monsoon, publishing much more fliers than just in 2 restaurants. If you want a new job, massage may be best for you!

Author’s Bio:

Hippie in Heels has rapidly ended up being the go-to site for all things India related because Rachel has been living there for almost two years. She left nursing to comply with her dreams of living abroad after falling in like in Goa, as well as has because ended up being a Thai masseuse. other than composing about India, Rachel shares packing suggestions as well as guidance on the other 24 countries she’s been to. Hippie in Heels is all about staying attractive without costs a ton of money to do so: where to get the very best massages, excellent beauty salons as well as spas, as well as of program the most popular clubs from Europe to Asia as well as Africa. comply with Rachel’s journey on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & Google+

Have you ever heard of Thai yoga Massage?! believe it’s a excellent method to make money abroad? show us below.

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon partner as well as likewise an affiliate for some other retailers. This implies we make commissions if you click links on our blog as well as purchase from those retailers.