Nomadico

In case you didn’t have enough reasons to hate Ryanair, the Irish budget carrier added a big one this month. It turns out they’ve been handing out bonuses to their employees for flagging your bag that doesn’t slide right into the sizers. The employees who are definitely not “at your service” aren’t getting much for ratting you out at the gate—€1.50 per oversized bag. That seems like a stingy commission on gate fees that start at €75.

Last August, my wife and I both took advantage of an introductory offer and bought an annual pass from Mexican budget airline Volaris. (Now it’s around $500.) The promise is that you can fly as much as you want for one price, but the list of restrictions and drawbacks is a long one. To evaluate whether this makes sense for you if you’re near an airport they serve or you will travel a lot within Mexico, here’s my update on how it went for us and how the math added up in the end.

Judging by how many times we’ve seen ads from Andalucia, Spain showing up in our Instagram feed, they really want you to move there. Unlike with a lot of other vaporware digital nomad visas, Spain’s is for real, so if you’re interested in a hot seaside location or a historic city where a glass of wine will cost less than a soda, see more info here.

Check your passport expiration date if you're American. The State Department confirmed last week that it is commonly taking three months or more to process applications because of record-high demand. You also can't leave the country while it's getting processed. If you're going to be abroad, it might pay to go to the U.S. embassy where you're headed instead in person: they’ll often turn it around in a day or less if they're not busy. Do you live abroad to cut back or to cut loose?

If Jason Bourne went to the dark side and he was Korean, he might look like Do Kwon, who was arrested in Montenegro last week while trying to board a flight to Dubai.

This has not been a great month for independent travelers who like to find their own path. Traffic-choked Bali announced it will stop foreign visitors from renting motorbikes and Nepal announced that it will no longer allow independent hikers to get trekking permits. Both outlined some good justifications for the decisions, but the latter seems like overkill considering how easy it is to hike the Annapurna Circuit or ABC route without a guide or group.

The last travel border domino fell yesterday: you can now apply for a visa to travel to China again. The country has been closed for three years solid. If you hurry, you might be able to visit the Great Wall or the Forbidden City without having to share the wonders with a parking lot full of tour buses. I'm posting this newsletter from the Swiss Alps, where I'm alternating skiing with laptop time in a community space with a snowy mountain view.

We reported just a few weeks ago that Asia’s travel recovery was slower than the rest of the world, but that is changing fast as Chinese travelers—who weren’t able to go anywhere for nearly three years—are flooding back into the market. If you’re headed to a place where they’re returning, such as Bali, Bangkok, Phuket and Singapore, get ready for some sticker shock in hotel and flight prices.

While renting a car in the USA is a breeze, internationally it can be a time-consuming, frustrating minefield where everyone seems to be out to scam you—and in a different language on top. I recently booked with DealMobility, a company that lets you add on legally necessary insurance and no more for rentals in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama (for now).

A key part of deciding where to live in the world if moving abroad is evaluating the pros and cons. Even for a 3-month stay, why Thailand and not Vietnam? Why Medellin and not Cartagena? The "head factors" and the "wallet factors" can be done on a piece of paper or through a hashed-out priorities discussion if you're a couple, but the "heart factors" really require a visit/trial run. Some places look great when you're researching, but they just don't feel right once you’re there. See more here.