Travel just ain't what it used to be and that is an understatement to say the least. After over two long drawn out years of what many consider to be a bio weapon's attack followed up by the largest vaccine campaign the world has ever seen.
On one side you have those who swear by the shots and think everyone should have them; and this would be inline with most governments around the world. That being said, you can't just get on a plane a go anymore. You have to be aware of the governments covid and vaccine political stance, regardless of what your own beliefs are.
If you chose not to be vaccinated like I have, you can immediately wipe out a large chunk of countries that you are no longer welcome in. If you are vaccinated, but not up to date on your boosters or not carrying the correct paper work you could find yourself having a problem as well depending on where you are going.
Compared to six months ago, many countries have loosened their travel restrictions. Some have gone from a two week quarantine, to not even having to take a PCR test or asking a single question. Mexico was one of the few countries that remained this way through the entire pandemic.
We now find ourselves in a world much different than pre-covid. We have a war going on in Ukraine with Russia. China seems like it's on permanent lock down, and high energy prices and endless money printing is driving inflation higher and making everything more expensive compared to how it used to be, and that goes for plane tickets as well.
Central and South America have always been higher crime parts of the world, and now with further economic desperation this is just driving crime higher and making that region less attractive to spend time in. Meanwhile you have once strong, safe, stable countries like Argentina deteriorating into a hyperinflationary depression.
South East Asia is opening up. Thailand, Cambodia, Bali, all popular destinations doing the smart business thing and now being more welcoming than ever since covid. I'm already in Thailand and I'm finding it hard to leave compared to my other options.
Europe, the summer will soon be winding down, and then it gets cold....no thank you. I'm very much a warm climate kind of person. United states, they won't let you in if you're not a citizen and not vaxed, so I can't even bring my girlfriend @junglegirl back to visit family.
I certainly miss the good old days when all I used to do is visit this site, https://www.passportindex.org/comparebyPassport.php and see which countries were visa free that I could go to, which was by far most of them. Now it's less countries than before, and I now need to use this site from Kayak https://www.kayak.com/travel-restrictions? to see which country will allow my unvaccinated self in and if a PCR test, quarantine, or insurance is part of the requirement now.
So it turns out that my travel options and expense and headache to go from one country to another can't even compare to how it used to be pre covid. Sometimes I wonder if it is even worth traveling at all anymore. Then I took a closer look at the map, since I'd be traveling with @junglegirl, my options are even lower as the Thai Passport is relatively weak compared to the US passport.
There is some good news, most of my favorite parts of the world are open to me and @junglegirl. That being Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador...all countries that I enjoy and have a lot to offer. Then for eastern Europe there are the countries of Georgia and Albania which are both attractive to me but only in the summer...other than that it's mostly South East Asia and a few spots in Africa and India.
For now, it seems like the best Travel I can still do is with-in Thailand on my motorbike. So that is the plan leading into 2023 and then reassess my options.
I suggest Japan and South Korea ;) Around Thailand, you have also Laos (Luang Phabang, Vientiane), Vietnam, and Singapore (I like to go there when I miss big cities with skyscrapers hahaha). In Europe, you have the Greek islands, I did it a few years ago in September (the weather was great) with great memories, but I don't know how easy it is for Thai people.
Very good. I'll have to look further into it. See what the things are looking like in 2023. Thanks again!
I am with @world -travel-pro I will stick to traveling around Thailand as there is so much more I want to see and all being back to normal here is a great thing I just came back from doing a trip to Phuket Island I left from Bangkok airport there was no PCR test needed, there was no temperature check control and it was up to you if you wanted to wear a mask or not and that was within the airport or on the plane I was very surprised in how relaxed it has become which made me very happy as I was against all those death jabs never let any of that poisonous enter my body.
And what makes me even more happy been a Australia citizen I can now enter Australia without any problems it's all gone back to normal over there also no vaccination certificates needed, no quarantine needed just fly in so I will be looking forward to flying back to Australia to spend Christmas and New Year with my family this year which I haven't been able to do for the pass 4 years.
Wow what a change of how things are compared to how thing have been. That is so good to hear. Especially Australia. They put your people through hell last year. It was absurd and all over the news. Anyway, glad to hear you will be seeing you family this year. That is a wonderful thing. Just hope you get no parking tickets ;)
Your right it was totally abuse there for a while but happy they have made a totally 360 degree turn around it suits me better and makes me feel more comfortable in going back for a visit and I won't be driving ....fuck that I will jump on my bicycle .... hehe :)
If you are fully death jabbed you can get into NZ!
Average tourist expenditure is $1000 per day, and it's freezing cold and pissing down.
You would love it...
Sounds like Cusco Peru but 10x the price + death jab!
One of the main industries here was tourism... not any more, one guess what that will do to the economy...
I am turning into a jaded old tosser, but now I'm pondering the idea of attempting to become postitive minded like you are doing on Blurt, because we are all so totally screwed, going on about it any further is probably not helpful...
Turns on Louise Hay audio!
Thanks buddy. Like your country and all the other ones....A long time ago I concluded that absolutely no where on earth is perfect. Since recently making that same conclusion in internet land I've been much happier. Nothing like lowering your standards to leap right over the bar! hahahah
But, since the platform is still small, I feel that it will be easier for me to make a difference for the positive and that is what I'm striving for. As for you, I'm just happy you are still commenting and having a presence here....Having you around is a lot of fun!
Chile and Peru are a must, I've seen bloggers from my country visiting those countries and are totally worth. Eastern Europe? You should give Romania a chance, you'll be surprised! 😁
Yes, Romania has certainly been on my list for a while. I spent some time in near by Bulgaria and Ukraine that was great. But now my girlfriend @junglegirl with her Thai passport can't get into any of the EU countries, so, they're all kind off limits now, which is a shame.
So Georgia and Amenia are basically our main options...and Chile and Peru! Which I'm quite familiar with. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. Have a great day!
Ohh, now I understand what you only mentioned Georgia and Albania in Europe. Getting a tourist visa to enter Romania should not be too hard, Romania is in the EU but we are not part of the Schengen Area yet so not the same rules apply. But, if I was to pick Romania vs Georgia, it will be the second one every time!
That is interesting. I had no idea Romania is not part of the Schengen Area yet is part of the EU. Anyway, it's all good. Probably Georgia, it will be some time next year. We will see.
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Thank you!
Yes, I too miss the carefree times!
My husband and I are backpackers. However, even before Covid, we felt that it was getting harder and harder to choose a destination (in winter).
We actually wanted to go to Costa Rica, but then Covid came along....
And now it's the same for me, the ease has somehow disappeared due to wars, crises, inflation...
I've got follow your blog it bit closer. It's always fun to meet fellow travelers here, or anywhere! I think you are a bit more adventurous than I am, seeing all that you have done in Uganda. That is truly commendable. Costa Rica is gem of a country in Central America to visit, amazing beaches, nature..... That would have been a fun time for sure, and hopefully it can still happen for you guys. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on the topic. :)
Costa Rica is also not out of mind.....
This great nature...Photography-Extase......
Careful, or you will become the pro at NOT traveling... ;P
What do you think about Montenegro?
It sucks with all these countries also being part of various (evil) global organizations like the EU and so on. The world is not a very open or welcoming place now.
"Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador"
Something like that could be a possibility for my family, if we can find a way out of Canada. It's not as far away as Thailand, Europe, etc. And @MediKatie speaks decent Spanish which would help in many countries. The specific region would matter, as some parts of those countries are probably awesome, and other parts are probably nightmare shitholes. Looking at Brazil over the past 20 years, wow, that place has degenerated.
I'm pretty intolerant to violence and crime. I need to be somewhere I'm safe from thieves, rapists, murderers, etc. Nowhere is 100% but some places are MUCH better than others.
If there's ever a "migrant caravan" that goes South instead of North, I'll consider hopping on a cart!
Hahaha...for real. 2021 when I staying in Koh Phangan Island for like 8 months was a record for me, and now not switching countries for two and half years is another record. At least this year I'm touring the country by motorbike....so that is keeping me entertained.
Montenegro. I heard good things about that country. If you are looking for quiet, beautiful, and peaceful, very much tapped into the western world economically yet at a discount compared to France for example, while it also keeps a lot of old world values and culture. At least that is what this one traveler described to me who spent several months there. It makes sense for that part of the world.
And it's open regardless of vaccination for US passport holders, which probably means Canadian too.
And yes, in South America if you don't spend the money to be in a nicer place and nicer neighborhood (not talking a lot of money still super cheap) then you could end up in some seriously sketchy places. That rings true for about any where in the world, but Latin America can be a special kind of sketchy you real want no part of.
Thanks for the info and advice! I have a buddy in Monte, who is awake and building something off-grid there, where his family has some land. It's possible I could visit him there, if I could ever get across the ocean.
That sounds like the place to do what he is doing with a nice piece of land. If you can join him....like get there, I don't think that would be a bad place to live at all.
Argentina... now there's an idea.
Was my 2nd choice... seems so many years ago.
Argentina, the Holy Grail of Wine and Red Meat!......hahaha
Steak and Malbec!
Of course to Russia man. lol
Here is why :
Thanks for stopping by @clixmoney and leaving this excellent addition to the blog post!
The part of the world looking safe for me to visit is the United Kingdom. Actually, I have not traveled outside Nigeria ever since I was born. And we are living our normal life like the pre COVID era here in Nigeria. The only difference is that, things became more expensive. We didn't really feel the COVID here unlike some other countries
The UK is a horrible place now. If you can, go and visit it in the 1960s or earlier. Not anymore.
"We didn't really feel the COVID here unlike some other countries"
Only the countries in the world playing along with the fake news pandemic are having problems with Covid. Countries like yours, which don't follow what the globalists decree, have no trouble with Covid. It's just another common cold virus, except where the narrative demands lockdowns, masks, vaccines, etc. (Ie: developed Western countries like the UK)
Wow
I didn't know about this
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a nice comment. I am also from the Western World, and having lived about half my life in the western countries and the other half in the non-western countries. I must agree with @drutter.
Furthermore, if you go to work in the UK, depending on your expectations that may not be a bad idea; but don't forget that even if your income goes up by 10x your cost of living may go up by more. In fact to save and get ahead, your quality of life may actually decrease depending on how you are living now.
For me to go live in the UK...and leave Thailand, I'll either go broke or have to get a job and drastically decrease my quality of life....just based on the weather alone, I would never do such a thing...hahaha.....but you may love it there! Thanks again to both you and @drutter for sharing your thoughts on the topic.