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Weekly Top Posts: 2020-02-23
2020-02-23 05:00 UTC

  1. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
  2. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  3. It Begins With Dogs
  4. Discussions 8: Andy Curzon and I Discuss Everything
  5. The Facebook Question

Weekly Top Posts: 2020-02-16
2020-02-16 05:00 UTC

  1. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
  2. Discussions 8: Andy Curzon and I Discuss Everything
  3. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  4. First Impressions: Location Independent Nomads in Chiang Mai, Thailand
  5. It Begins With Dogs

Weekly Top Posts: 2020-02-09
2020-02-09 05:00 UTC

  1. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
  2. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  3. It Begins With Dogs
  4. Discussions 8: Andy Curzon and I Discuss Everything
  5. Everything I Thought I Lost

Weekly Top Posts: 2020-02-02
2020-02-02 05:00 UTC

  1. Everything I Thought I Lost
  2. First Impressions: Location Independent Nomads in Chiang Mai, Thailand
  3. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
  4. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  5. It Begins With Dogs

Everything I Thought I Lost
2020-01-30 05:23 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Another Nomadic Life Thought Piece

The reason animals survive in nature is because they are rationally risk averse. Only human animals have the capacity to be irrational. On the other hand, only human animals have the capacity to rationally take on risk—the sine qua non of human civilization.

In the status quo, civilization comes at us with a nefarious side—to place upon us norms, boundaries, limits, customs, societal and familial expectations, inter alia, all ahead of what we might feel or sense is better for us individually.

But true civilization requires all of these things and indeed, the hallmark of advanced civilization is to codify many standards of human social interaction into law, along with an uncorrupted court system to adjudicate both criminal and civil trespass upon the law.

The law is a rather blunt instrument, however. Ideally, it doesn’t play favorites—law for thee, but not for me—though we know that in practice it often does. It’s also a practice in governance by lowest common denominator. If the law sets impossible standards, then everyone is a criminal, rendering the law meaningless.

Often, the law is informed by culture, which typically subsumes a dominant religion. On top of that, we have religious, cultural, and familial norms where certain behaviors, while not illegal according to the lowest-common-denominator State, are nonetheless punishable by excommunication, disowning, and ostracism. And, being unfriended on Facebook.

On the surface, it’s a lot to lose for those who go full nomad, which means: no particular home. When asked my address I give the same answer: Planet Earth.

I’ve had my sights set on this sort of life for a good while, having lived outside of the U.S. for seven years in a past life, traveling a lot, imagining what it would be like to travel in perpetuity. But look at all I’d lose.

  • A way to make a living
  • The safety and security of being a native American in America
  • A company I built from nothing to 30 employees
  • The primary house and a vacation home
  • The marriage
  • The dogs
  • The regular face time (the literal kind) with friends and family
  • The car
  • All the stuff upon stuff I’m primary custodian of

…My first experience with so-called culture shock was my NROTC Midshipmen cruise in 1982, when I spent several days each in Pusan, Korea and then Sasebo, Japan. It was eye opening in the sense that we Americans tend to grow up in a sort of cultural isolation while being geopolitically adventurous—having the effect that Americans see America as per se superior, more advanced, and just plain better than anywhere else.

Well, America is a great country and I’m no America basher, but that experience caused me to tone down my American Nationalism. I would go on to take my first and second assignments as a U.S. Navy Officer in Japan, taking up five years, and then my third in France for another two.

And now, 28 years since leaving France and returning to the U.S., I’m fully nomadic, which seems to me a natural progression where, should I eventually decide to set down some surface “roots” again someday, it will be as an expat in a favorite place where they treat me the best.

…There’s nothing wrong with a preference for one’s own nation and culture. When you travel and actually experience a nation’s culture beyond an all-inclusive resort and guided tours, you come to see the obvious: they too love their nation and culture and are seemingly just fine with it. And such exists in thousands of worthwhile places to experience all over this planet.

Accordingly, everything you lost is countered by everything you gain.

  • New ways to make a living digitally
  • The novelty of out-comfort-zone adventure in a foreign land
  • Maybe a new, online-based company with contractors and freelancers instead of employees
  • A new furnished rental every few weeks to months instead of mortgages, taxes, insurance, utility bills, and yard work
  • New relationships that span the globe—and crossing paths again with the established ones
  • Enjoying the pets of others (dog and cat behavior seem to be universal)
  • Easy communication with those back home and the occasional visit
  • Rent motor scooters, cars, or use ride sharing to avoid car payments, insurance, and maintenance
  • No stuff to care for that you don’t absolutely need

So, for every loss, there’s a corresponding gain. Or, why limit one’s self to one set of experiences when you can have many differing ones at the same depths?

More posts on my recent nomadic project:

              

Related Posts

 

Weekly Top Posts: 2020-01-26
2020-01-26 05:00 UTC

  1. First Impressions: Location Independent Nomads in Chiang Mai, Thailand
  2. The Facebook Question
  3. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
  4. It Begins With Dogs
  5. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World

Weekly Top Posts: 2020-01-19
2020-01-19 05:00 UTC

  1. Discussions 9: Yasuhiko Genku Kimura talks about culture, being, and omnicentricity
  2. Neil Pert
  3. Making Money As A Location Independent Nomad
  4. The Facebook Question
  5. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs

First Impressions: Location Independent Nomads in Chiang Mai, Thailand
2020-01-19 04:34 UTC by Richard Nikoley


It’s a contradiction in terms with a wink and a smile, but if anyplace on earth could lay claim to being the “home base” of the digital nomad, it’s Chiang Mai, Thailand. Thailand is a wonderful, happy, smiling and seemingly content country in general, but Chiang Mai offers the best of all of that.

I spent the equivalent of about 3 months in the country (but not CM) over about a half-dozen visits from ’86-’90. It didn’t disappoint then and I’m happy to report that while changes and evolutions have surely ensued over the last three decades, the important essentials seem well intact. Sometimes it can be as simple as the bare observation that people are nice to one-another and it’s a contagion that rubs off on us all.

…To catch up, I began this nomadic lifestyle on December 14, 2019 when I handed the keys to my former house and home to a buyer and walked away with only some clothes and a couple of boxes of keepsakes. I spent a month visiting with family over the holidays and departed from SFO exactly a month to the day from when I left that ball and chain euphemistically called a home, where more often than not, I felt like a custodian for a bunch of stuff I didn’t even need.

It’s quite amazing how little actual stuff one really needs.

I used that time to dive head first into planning. Fortunately, plans can change. Having spent hours and hours on NomadList.com to figure out how it all begins, I decided upon Vietnam as my first stage. I soon became aware of the term Digital Nomad and its roots in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where upwards of a decade ago it began coalescing into a movement of sorts. While there have always existed nomads, vagabonds, hobos and tramps, the term digital adds a completely new dimension with exponential opportunities and time leverage.

Digital means your portal to productivity (money making) that’s location independent. It’s a computer, cell phone, and decent WiFi—your primary tools, by means of which you generate income in order to sustain your nomadic existence. This, in itself, is comprised of three levels of income generation: active, semi-passive, and passive.

Active is that you’re basically still employed, trading time for money and often you have to be performing tasks during appointed times. It’s things like consulting, managing remotely, conferencing, teaching, etc., with a fixed compensation for time spent or task accomplished.

Semi-passive is where you begin to have time flexibility and more importantly, leverage. You still have to perform tasks like create content (writing a blog, making videos, etc.), arrange vacation rentals, create websites to sell, inter alia, but you can work through the tasks at your own pace, your own hours, your own terms. But, you can also gradually improve your procedures and automation to the point where you’re spending less and less time, whilst generating more and more income.

Fully passive is when you live frugally, invest huge percentages of your active and semi-passive income (some nomads save upwards of 80-90% of their income, living for as little as $500-$1,500 total per month), your investments grow, and then require nothing in the way of time or effort to maintain.

This is the progression.

For me, as fortune would have it, I got wind of a curious fellow with a compelling and inspiring story, Johnny FD. Johnny is exemplary of the quintessential “against all odds” story. He documents the abject insanity and craziness in a great read, 12 Weeks in Thailand — The Good Life on the Cheap.

In the book, he transparently documents his beginnings in Thailand about a decade ago, thinking he was going to make it as a SCUBA dive master and instructor, which he did. But jobs were hard to come by, tourists are annoying, and there’s no real money in it. He then has a brilliant idea: he’ll become a Thai Kick Boxer and compete professionally. Dream big, right?

This is where his work ethic and determination really begin to show in the story. He actually does it. He maintains an insanely rigorous training and dietary regime, often residing in the dirty, hot barracks of the many gyms where he trained. And he fought, won and lost; but again, there was no money in it.

He was trading tons of time for very little money, with zero leverage.

At points, he was down to his last few hundred dollars; not even enough to get back “home” to San Francisco, halfway around the world. Eventually, survival pressures led him to the digital part of the nomad story and the rest is history with a happy new beginning.

Johnny’s story is unlike anyone else’s, but also the same as eveyone else’s in the context of success: character and determination. Also: being a very conspicuous Trust Agent. Transparency is the best policy.

Now, amongst his many active, semi-passive, and fully passive income streams, he sponsors conferences for hundreds of digital nomads to come together and be exposed to the magic. Johny’s passion for this is palpable once you see him in action.

I’m so glad that my expectations of what I might find in terms of the digital nomad community—at least the one Johnny has cultivated—were dead wrong. Back 30 years ago, I saw plenty of “nomads” in Thailand and elsewhere in southeast Asia. The look was always the same: grungy backpackers in dreadlocks, wearing pajamas.

Thanks, Johnny!

Most remarkable and pleasantly surprising is the age and nationality demographic of these fine folk. I’d say the average age is 30ish. It’s not dominated by Americans, either. What is dominate is high intelligence, independence, and a sort of charming pity for the rest of the world and its rat race of a so-called life.

These are folks who aspire to live frugally, location independent, and always looking forward to the next stage somewhere else in the world that’s no more than a few weeks to a few months away.

I find them inspirational and truth be told, they make me feel a bit dense. You see, I lived abroad for seven years back in the 80s and early 90s, five years in Japan and then two in France. But I was an employee, so I was blind to the notion of being able to continue the expat adventure outside of employment by someone, even though I often longed for such a life. Living outside your home country entails a baseline challenge that seems, to me at least, to be motivational in a way that’s not automatic in the easy comfort of home.

So color me impressed. I find it so damn hopeful that so many young people have the fortitude to embrace this sort of challenge. Well done.

The evangelization will be digitized.

Discussions 9: Yasuhiko Genku Kimura talks about culture, being, and omnicentricity
2020-01-13 17:25 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Yasuhiko Kimura is a Japanese-born philosopher, intellectual, and Buddhist monk. He uniquely covers and integrates all approaches to human philosophy, both western and eastern. Listen for his unique takes on things. Link to video: https://youtu.be/hDdr05zcjBM.

Visit Yasuhiko’s YouTube Channel. And be sure to watch and listen to What is the Omnicentric Mind?

Weekly Top Posts: 2020-01-12
2020-01-12 05:00 UTC

  1. How To Live Tax Free as an American Nomad
  2. Neil Pert
  3. The Facebook Question
  4. Making Money As A Location Independent Nomad
  5. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update

Neil Peart
2020-01-11 00:56 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Back at Oregon State in about 1982, my weed-smoking, Alaskan roommate introduced me to more than weed and bongs.

It was a Rush.

My very first Rush album was actually a live mix, Exit Stage Left and while it’s brilliant on many levels, the one track, YYZ (airport code for Toronto, from whence they harken), is brillianter and it’s because of the 3-minute drum solo by Neil starting about 2 minutes in, and while there are many versions of it in studio and in other live performances, this is the one.

The one to beat. I’ll call it the best drum solo delivered by a human being for as long as I live, until someone does better. Nobody will.

Neil succumbed to a three year fight with brain cancer a few days ago, at 67.

How To Live Tax Free as an American Nomad
2020-01-10 00:10 UTC by Richard Nikoley


DEATH & TAXES AHEAD

Much is made of the Leviathan that’s the United States Internal Revenue “Service.” Gotta love euphemism. What a “SERVICE!”

For a laf at “The Land of the Free”:

The only major nation that taxes its citizens (and green card holders) regardless of where they live is the United States. So long as you hold a U.S. passport or green card, the Internal Revenue Service wants its cut of your profits [and income (-ed)] and capital gains.

(Some lists of countries that tax citizens and legal residents on their worldwide income include Libya, North Korea, Eritrea and the Philippines. The tax systems of these countries are not well developed and data is limited.)

Don’t you keep good company, America?

There are actually people who were born in the USA when their parents visited, have never lived in the USA, but are automatic citizens and if they have assets to go after, your land of the free will chase them across the globe.

All other major nations view taxation as a sort of payment into the commons for the services rendered generally by the government. If you don’t live here but in fact, live in another country, then you’re not a beneficiary of said services.

There are caveats, however, which make it such that only the wealthy have to bother. But who’s not for a little hype in the intro? Now, you’ll read it.

The first caveat is that no matter your income, you only have to pay to the USA the difference of what you’d pay, to what you paid to the country in which you reside. So, if the tax you’d owe to your fellow ‘Mercns for fuck all is $10,000, then if you paid those English wankers $12,000, you’re off the hook. However, if the Spaniards only hit you up for $8,000, then you’re going to owe your brethren $2,000.

See how simple?

But there’s another provision that pretty much takes complaints off the table for most. It’s Form 2555 in the IRS Library. Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE).

The bottom line is that anyone who lives or travels continuously outside of the USA for 330 days or more per year can exclude about $105,000 of earned income, regardless of whether you paid income taxes anywhere else. If you’re a couple filing jointly, you both get the exclusion, so up to about $210,000 total (but calculated on each spouse’s earned income).

The caveats are that it has to be earned income, no matter where it was earned (even within the US, say, working for a US company abroad). Earned income is basically things like wages (W-2) and self-employment income (1099). Things not excluded are income from retirement plans, pensions, social security, dividends, or other passive income such as distributions from a company you own but don’t actively participate in (K-1).

Also, you still have to pay Social Security and Medicare, which is about 7.5% for W-2 wages (the employer pays the other half) and 15% on self-employed income. But still, far better than paying an additional 10-37%.

So, the bottom line at the bottom of lines is that if you make $105K abroad and spend less than 35 days in the US, your tax bill is about $7,900 if you earn wages, or $15,750 if your income is self-employment income from things like online businesses, freelancing, consulting, etc. Do note this is taxable income, so after all other deductions, such as mortgage interest and itemized or standard deductions.

If in the US, $105K would put you in the 22-24% tax bracket, depending on whether single or married. So, an additional $25,000, about. Not chump change. Plus, if the spouse also has $105K of taxable income, that’s basically $50,000 tax reduction.

Of course, this isn’t tax advice, nor is it exhaustive. It’s a general idea. There are some quirks with Trump’s Tax Reform, such as being able to deduct half of that 15% self-employment tax from adjusted gross, but this give you a general idea and it’s big.

For a good primer I found that goes into greater detail and depth, see: The IRS Foreign Earned Income Exclusion For US Expats – The Complete And Definitive Guide.

I depart to Chiang Mai, Thailand next Tuesday, January 14. I’ll be in Thailand fo a couple of months, then Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos for another couple of months; then I’m looking at Sri Lanka for a couple of weeks to a month, and then it’s off to Lisbon, Portugal followed by a summer in central and eastern Europe, and maybe some Med time in Cyprus during the summer and fall. So, much more to come…

Weekly Top Posts: 2020-01-05
2020-01-05 05:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Making Money As A Location Independent Nomad
  3. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
  4. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  5. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-12-29
2019-12-29 05:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
  3. Food For The Holidays
  4. It Begins With Dogs
  5. Pork Steak in Peanut Curry

Making Money As A Location Independent Nomad
2019-12-28 18:44 UTC by Richard Nikoley


I’ve spent a good deal of time in contemplation since I got rid of the biggest monkey on my back, the home sale. I’ve sold nearly everything…only the car and hang-glider remain. And my only bills are the cell phone and Netflix. LOL. Soon I’ll have rent and food, but otherwise only incidental expenses like plane tickets and additional climate-specific clothing along the way.

Back in the 1980s and early 90s I spent much time in exotic places while living abroad for 7 years, just dreaming that ‘if there could only be a way to make a living here, or there.’ I used to imagine, in 1992, sitting on a beach in a tropical paradise and doing business on a laptop, wirelessly. But realistically, unless you had big bank, it just wasn’t possible. In those days, it took phones but, more essentially, your people. I didn’t want people in that respect—only contracted service providers as needed.

You had to make money based on citizenship, location, and more often than not, trading time for dollars. This tied you to “home.” And it tied you to an office or workplace. And it tied you to a commute. And it tied you to co-workers. And it tied you to a boss.

It tied you to a life that in my view, basically sucks.

And I’ve had it both ways. When I returned to the San Francisco bay area in 1992, I set out to be the boss, to start a company and I was ultimately successful, growing to about 30 employees and a few million in annual revenue. While it’s better than being in the grind as an employee, it’s still a grind. I didn’t love it.

It has always been my dream to be citizen, location, and time independent. To put it succinctly: make money while you sleep anywhere—and I don’t mean on a pension, social security, or 401K distributions.

Working in a specific geographical place, at an appointed time, for a specific number of hours whilst braving traffic and other soul-crushing trappings of “freedom”—like microwaved frozen dinners—isn’t quite my idea of a life of any quality sort; I did elements of that long enough to know.

And at a point I was just restless and fundamentally unhappy all the time. I even had a lot of money, property, and business assets. But I couldn’t bring myself to just explicitly say that I’d trade it all for a simpler life of contemplation, sunshine, reasonable work geared to not require 40+ hours per week hands on, but still live in paradise and change paradises every month or few months.

So, I just self-destructed a bit to a bit too much, to the point where that trade-it-all became so obvious to me. I had automatically—out of basic drive—established a few modest digital-online channels of income over the years, and even vacation rentals via contract instead of ownership. So, once my life had deconstructed enough otherwise, I realized I could give my dormant dream a real go.

I’ve reflected a lot on enhancing those I have and developing more channels of income that are location and time independent (make money while you sleep). Of course, since I have 7 years under my belt both living full time abroad (3 visits to the U.S. in 7 years) and traveling and getting around in dozens of countries during that time (when it was harder than now), an obvious income channel is making money online around the Nomad space itself whilst being a nomad myself—analogous to being an influencer and making money on Paleo as I was doing Paleo.

I’ve rejected that idea totally.

I’ve been reading many other nomad influencers and for some, being a nomad is a full time job. That is far from a criticism—for, I might not be taking this plunge otherwise. No, rather, their creativity has demonstrated to me how much I don’t want to go down that path myself. Being a past influencer in the Paleo movement was such that every damn thing you put in your mouth, every hike, every sleep, every barefoot walk…was an opportunistic must to create content to influence—and not for the simple pleasure of living as you’ve come to live. It’s exhausting and to add to that, I was never that much interested in being corrupted, as so many other influencers in that space have become with books upon stacks of books and “Paleo” products upon pallets of products.

Where I go from here is to catalog my journeys for the abject pure pleasure of it, with nothing specific to sell about it, save perhaps some memoire styled books along the way, someday.

I want to do quite a lot of photo documenting, for lack of a better term. I got the idea while hiking with an old friend as my tour guide in the Alpujarras, the former Moorish region of southern Spain, this last summer. My friend claims that an enormous chunk of our perception is visual. Perhaps we already sense that, since we have sayings like, a picture is worth a thousand words.

So the obvious question then, is ‘well, why not write a thousand words to go along with each picture?’

Food For The Holidays
2019-12-27 18:40 UTC by Richard Nikoley


That was the spread at my family’s Christmas party on Saturday, December 14, just a few hours after I left the home I sold for the last time. I’ve been here since, enjoying the Holidays with family and will remain until I head out January 14 on the travels—likely lasting a year or two, around the world.

Here’s just a review in pics, to date.

I set up my “office.” It’s a bit more formal, now, as I’ve taken over my mom’s desk and extra large screen monitor.
Mom did classic chicken fried steak one night with mash and green peas. She prefers a brown gravy to the standard white country gravy.
Massaman Beef Curry for lunch at a local Thai Cafe. Tab was $14. Within a month I’ll be eating that locally in Chiang Mai for $2.
Mom fixed glazed salmon, rice & mushrooms, and toasted bread crumb cauliflower.
Lunches out. Classic reuben to the left, pastrami reuben to the right, with a cup of clam chowder.
At a critical moment, while the big dinner for one set of family (about 20 people) was being prepped and dinner for that night was about to be fully prepared, one of the valves on the gas range stuck and couldn’t be shut off, so we improvised and set up the Camp Chef.
While a bunch of my brother’s significant-other family arrived and stayed for a few days with lots of kids, I cleared out and used his spacious 5th wheel trailer. Camped along the American River near Coloma, CA on Hwy 49. There’s a cafe next door that does about the best chicken fried steak ever. Hand pounded cube steak, hand breaded and pan fried. Prudence dictates consuming only a few bites of the hash browns and biscuit.
Mom comes through again with a family favorite. Swedish meatballs. The sauce is classic with the cinnamon and cacao flavor. But she makes the meatballs twice the size of the puny ones and it’s served with rice instead of noodles. Alongside is Texas style green beans (bacon and onion), as well as a spinach salad.
Then comes the main Christmas meal: prime rib and Yorkshire pudding.
No caption necessary.
Last evening was leftovers night. Duh.

Now some reflections on what’s next. I detailed a portion of it here. So, it’s still going be be Chiang Mai, Thailand for about the first five weeks. Still no firm plans for the next three weeks in Thailand before my entry exception-to-visa of 30 days and 30-day extension run out.

Initial plan was to head to Saigon, Vietnam for two months (with excursions to Laos and Cambodia). It’s dirt cheap to get there from Bangkok. BUT, I’ve been doing a lot of research and reading, and one place keeps popping up: Sri Lanka, Weligama on the south coast, to be exact. Food is fantastic, beaches fantastic, weather fantastic, great surfing if up for it, great snorkeling, people are friendly, and you can easily live for $600 per month. So, maybe I’ll mix things up and do both Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

If all goes as planned for an intellectual symposium (of sorts) two friends are putting on in Lisbon, Portugal, in the spring, then that’s my intended first destination. Fortunately, a one-way to Lisbon is about $500 whether from Saigon, Bangkok, or Columbo, Sri Lanka. So, I have lots of options and flexibility.

If not Lisbon, initially, who knows? One factor is visa planning. Yea, you can enter the EU on a plain passport and you get 90 days (multiple entry and exit), but it’s 90 days in any 180-day period. That means you can’t stay in an EU country for 90 days and just do a quick exit and return. You have to wait 90 days to re-enter.

Then, there’s the issue of the Schengen Agreement, and I’m not sure how that plays into it. I want to spend some time in Cyprus, and while it’s EU, it’s not party to Schengen, so I don’t know if it counts against the 90 days. We’ll see.

As always: updates to follow. Merry Christmas, happy new year, yada yada.

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-12-22
2019-12-22 05:00 UTC

  1. Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
  2. At Long Last I’m a “Homeless” Nomad
  3. The Facebook Question
  4. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  5. It Begins With Dogs

Chiang Mai, Thailand Early 2020 Nomading Update
2019-12-17 23:43 UTC by Richard Nikoley


In my last post I briefly laid out some costs for my first excursion to Thailand commencing January 14, 2020.

Now I’ll add some precision, such that people have a decent idea of what the costs to do this might be—the aim being to definitely not live in squalor like the grunge hippies do, but to live frugally in a way that really enhances the experience.

THE FLIGHT

Back this summer when I went to Warsaw to speak at a conference, then to Spain for a week of hiking, the schedule was tight, so I couldn’t afford flights with multiple stops and layovers. So, total cost was pricey. Not this time.

China Eastern Airlines – SFO –> TAO –> KMG –> CNX

That’s San Fran to Qingdao (no plane change) to Kunming (plane change and 9hr layover) to Chiang Mai. The total price: $344. Beyond the price, and in spite of the total trip time of about 31 hours, is that departure and arrival are very ideal. I leave San Fran at a nice noon:30 and Arrive in Chiang Mai at a perfect 10:00 am.

In terms of booking sites, I used to use Price Line a lot—not to negotiate offers but instant book. Now, I find I use Kayak a lot, where they check all the major booking sites for you (including Price Line). In this case the actual booking was done by FareScan.

THE CONFERENCE

Nomad Summit Chiang Mai 2020. This is the creation of a well-known Digital Nomad, JohnnyFD. I was impressed when referred to his nomadic blog a week or so ago. Every month he gives a meticulous and transparent report down to the penny of what he spent and what he made. One month I looked at, his total expenses were about $1,500, but he made $9-10K.

I believe this sort of lifestyle is exceptionally motivational to always be spending less to far less than what you build online in terms of income streams. You’re not depleting your bank, and every month you deposit more than you withdraw, you’re extending your staying power for a style of living you never want to stop.

I believe it will be a hefty advantage to begin this at a conference where I can take in a ton of useful, actionable information while meeting others in all stages of this way of living, from old hands to the newbies like me.

In terms of cost, the published fees are $300 for back of the room seating with no table, $400 for seating at a table in the front half, and a hefty price for front row seating. I was just going to go for the $300. When I went to purchase, I see I’m in the early bird window. So, that lowest level was $140 and the level with table seating, $180. So I went with that.

THE HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

The Nomad Summit will be held at the Shangri-La property. Nice, but $121 per night is too much to withdraw. So, using a booking site called Agoda, I was able to book a room at the Maninarakorn Hotel for 5 nights at a total cost of $125, 1/5th the cost.

It’s a short walk to the Summit and has tons of 4 to 5-star reviews.

THE AFTER SUMMIT ACCOMMODATIONS

So, that only accounts for the first 5 days and I plan to spend about 2 months in Thailand (30-day entry Visa, 30-day renewal for a $60 fee). So, I’ve planned thusly.

I scoured AirBNB for rentals in Nimmanhaemin (Nimman for short), which is Chiang Mai central for expats and nomads. Initially, I want to network and learn as much as I can, like a job every day.

While there is lots of stuff available for around $300 per month, I chose a condo unit that came out to $580 for 31 days.

My musts are clean and relatively modern (unless it’s bungalow style), AC, WiFi included. Nice to have is refrigerator, mini kitchen, flat screen TV (for the Roku Stick I’ll be carrying), and swimming pool onsite.

TOTAL

$344 – Flight

$180 – Summit

$125 – Hotel for Summit

$580 – Condo for 31 nights

$60 – Visa renewal

$1,289 – TOTAL for the first 5 weeks, a monthly average of $1,030.

But consider that this includes the flight, the conference, and higher than normal lodging cost for the first 5 mights. The flight in is always going to increase first month’s expenses. I’ll be interested to see what month two comes to.

WHAT’S NEXT?

After that first 5 weeks in Chiang Mai, I plan to spend the three remaining weeks revisiting old stomping grounds from the late 1980s and early 90s.

That list includes Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Koh Samet.

From there, I’m probably going to spend another two months in Vietnam (Saigon, Phan Thiet), perhaps with an excursion to Laos and Cambodia.

Then, get out by mid-May when the weather becomes unbearable and head to Eastern Europe and Mediterranean. I was in Poland last July and the weather was fantastic. I plan to hang out in various places for six months. Lots of time to plan the next legs in a different region of the planet.

Updates to follow.

At Long Last I’m a “Homeless” Nomad
2019-12-15 20:10 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Beatrice brought the dogs up to Arnold, CA for the last week in the cabin, gathering clothes and other keepsakes, as I did the same.

In the end, I ended up with a reasonable pile constituting every material thing I own, except for the car that hauls it away, until I sell that too, within the next month.

The photo up top is Bea and I after signing away the home we’ve owned for 16 years. Time to go. I’m very happy about it. We both left just before noon yesterday after giving the new owner a comprehensive walk through. Good people, and we’re glad someone else has the potential to enjoy it as much as we did.

They’ll be putting it back on the vacation rental market after the holidays and Beatrice is already talking about renting it for Bay Area family reunions in the future.

I only had a 2-hour drive over to Placerville, CA, just in time for the family and friend Christmas Party.

My mom’s typical holiday party spread.

Chips and onion dip, salmon loaf, spinach dip, shrimp, pickled herring, chicken wings, open face sandwiches German style (lunch meats, liverwurst, Limburger cheese, tomatoes, red onion…on French or pumpernickel), cream cheese & chive spread, smoked oysters, bacon wrapped lil’ smokies, and a cheese plate.

Most of this stuff was on offer since I was a kid. 55 years and it never gets old.

This morning, I set up my office for the next month.

Then I got busy on planning.

First leg of the Nomad-for-life journey is booked. San Francisco to Chiang Mai, Thailand, via a 1-stop layover in Kunming, China on Jan 14-15.

$344, 1-way. Unbelievable. It’s almost “free.”

Then, I’m attending the https://www.nomadsummit.com Jan 17-21. Early bird cost $179.

Also got a hotel near the venue. http://www.maninarakorn.com. Whereas, staying at the Shangri-La where the event will be held is $121 per night, got a deep discount via Agoda, $125 total for 5 nights, great reviews, pool, spa, Wi-Fi and breakfast included.

That’s the name of the game, now. Frugality and deal shopping.

I plan on hanging in Chiang Mai for 30-60 days. Any budget lodging recommendations (decent WiFi is essential) from those familiar are appreciated.

From there, I plan to head to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos for another couple of months, then it’s off to Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean for 4-6 months (Kiev, Krakow, Hungary, Bulgaria, etc; then perhaps Cypress and other islands).

I’ll be taking the Free The Animal brand to a focus on nomadic living, with lots of photos and detailed descriptions. I’ll also be documenting all living and travel expenses down to the penny, plus income via all the online channels I already have and the additional ones I’ll be creating.

It’s location independent income generation and never trading time for dollars. You’re making money 24/7 globally, while you tour, go on adventures, and sleep. I’m going to show everyone how easy and enjoyable this style of living really is. My eight years of living abroad in Asia and Europe, along with travels to many countries will come in handy.

Accordingly, you can expect this blog to be highly energized with regular postings in the weeks and months to come.

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-12-15
2019-12-15 05:00 UTC

  1. Discussions 8: Andy Curzon and I Discuss Everything
  2. The Facebook Question
  3. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck
  4. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  5. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-12-08
2019-12-08 05:00 UTC

  1. Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
  2. Discussions 8: Andy Curzon and I Discuss Everything
  3. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  4. The Facebook Question
  5. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-12-01
2019-12-01 05:00 UTC

  1. Discussions 8: Andy Curzon and I Discuss Everything
  2. The Facebook Question
  3. Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
  4. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  5. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck

Discussions 8: Andy Curzon and I Discuss Everything
2019-11-28 22:25 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Happy Thanksgiving USA. 2019 version.

Andy Curzon and Richard Nikoley talk comedy, frames, philosophy, bias, aviation, politics and more. Plus stories.

Book reco: Fly Fast…Sin Boldly — Flying, Spying, and Surviving, by William P. Lear, Jr. https://amzn.to/2XVsizj

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-11-24
2019-11-24 05:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  3. Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
  4. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck
  5. I Deleted My Facebook Account For the 2nd Time. Three Times Would Make a Fool.

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-11-17
2019-11-17 05:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. I Deleted My Facebook Account For the 2nd Time. Three Times Would Make a Fool.
  3. Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
  4. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  5. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-11-10
2019-11-10 05:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  3. Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
  4. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  5. I Deleted My Facebook Account For the 2nd Time. Three Times Would Make a Fool.

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-11-03
2019-11-03 04:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  3. Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
  4. I Deleted My Facebook Account For the 2nd Time. Three Times Would Make a Fool.
  5. A Decent Breakfast For Once

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-10-27
2019-10-27 04:00 UTC

  1. Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
  2. The Facebook Question
  3. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck
  4. A Decent Breakfast For Once
  5. Breakfast Fried Rice: Filipino Inspired Sinangag

Discussions 7: Curt Doolittle Talks About the State of the World
2019-10-20 18:24 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Once again Andy Curzon and I host an interesting person with which to have a discussion.

This time it’s Curt Doolittle, founder of the Propertarian Institute. It’s an informal discussion that lightly covers a lot of ground from film to trade tariffs.

For a more formal and thorough treatment of Propertarianism, Curt suggests you watch Interregnum #42 — Propertarianism with Curt Doolittle, recorded just the day prior to this.

            

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-10-20
2019-10-20 04:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck
  3. I Deleted My Facebook Account For the 2nd Time. Three Times Would Make a Fool.
  4. MONEY: Fiat vs. Bitcoin – The New World of Cryptocurrency
  5. Breakfast Fried Rice: Filipino Inspired Sinangag

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-10-13
2019-10-13 04:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
  3. MONEY: Fiat vs. Bitcoin – The New World of Cryptocurrency
  4. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck
  5. I Deleted My Facebook Account For the 2nd Time. Three Times Would Make a Fool.

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-10-06
2019-10-06 04:00 UTC

  1. Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
  2. The Facebook Question
  3. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  4. MONEY: Fiat vs. Bitcoin – The New World of Cryptocurrency
  5. Make No Mistake: Big Ass Burger and Twice Fried Fries

Discussions 6: Noah Revoy Talks Manosphere, Agency, and Family
2019-10-04 18:13 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Noah Revoy is a relationship coach from outside of Lisbon, Portugal. He’s a husband, father of a 6 year old boy, and has twin boys due in two weeks.

He plies his trade at http://SMV4K.com

You can also watch his short video interview with George Bruno subsequent to his talk at 22Convention Poland in July 2019. I was a co-speaker at the conference and George Bruno was a guest on Discussions 5.

Elixa Probiotic is a British biotech manufacturer in Oxford, UK. U.S. Demand is now so high they’ve established distribution centers in Illinois, Nevada, and New Jersey.

Still, sell-outs happen regularly, so order now to avoid a waiting list.

            

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-09-29
2019-09-29 04:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck
  3. It Begins With Dogs
  4. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  5. Make No Mistake: Big Ass Burger and Twice Fried Fries

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-09-22
2019-09-22 04:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck
  3. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  4. It Begins With Dogs
  5. Discussions 4: Andy Curzon & Richard Nikoley, with Ed Townes

Discussions 5: George Bruno Tells Men How to Get Unstuck
2019-09-20 20:51 UTC by Richard Nikoley


George “The Most Interesting Man in the World” Bruno takes on on a whirlwind tour of Hair and Beard Grooming, the Art of the Interview, Getting Unstuck Financially, Getting Beyond Trading Time For Dollars, Passive Income, and Things Men Should Do for Success, Personal and Financial.

It’s a must, don’t miss. George can be found on YouTube where he creates tons of free content for 137K Subscribers.

Get unstuck with George Bruno, to live a most excellent life through wisdom, health, and prosperity.

Here’s a great example of a Great George Bruno Interview; With Noah Revoy: “Male Agency Will Save The West.”

For more of Andy Curzon and Richard Nikoley’s un-duplicatable—no copyright, trademark, or patent needed—one-offs, check out the Discussions Series on FreeTheAnimal.com.

Elixa Probiotic is a British biotech manufacturer in Oxford, UK. U.S. Demand is now so high they’ve established distribution centers in Illinois, Nevada, and New Jersey.

Still, sell-outs happen regularly, so order now to avoid a waiting list.

            

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-09-15
2019-09-15 04:00 UTC

  1. The Facebook Question
  2. I Deleted My Facebook Account For the 2nd Time. Three Times Would Make a Fool.
  3. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  4. It Begins With Dogs
  5. MONEY: Fiat vs. Bitcoin – The New World of Cryptocurrency

The Facebook Question
2019-09-09 17:47 UTC by Richard Nikoley


I deleted my Facebook account.

It wasn’t the first time.

Sometime in 2013/14 I deleted it for the 1st time. Back then, I’d grown it to 10K plus peeps as I recall. But I’d grown it from this blog. I rarely interacted very much, primarily using it as a means to get out word of a new blog post, right here.

But then I noticed a trend, especially on the FreeTheAnimal FB page. You see, I have iron grip control, here. I own my data, and I deal with comments per my exclusive authority as the owner. It’s me who blocks and bans, and sometimes, I can be whimsical about it.

So what do all the wankers do (particularly beta-boy, virtue-signaling males)? They comment on my post notifications on FB, instead of manning up here, risking my exclusive authority and adjudication.

Why? Because, as pussy boys, they seek the protection of a higher authority. They get to say what they want, and I’m hampered: because if I shoot back as I would do here, then FB comes down on me, over there.

Unacceptable.

So I said “fuck it.”

…I had a year and half or so with zero Facebook. And I was fine. Zero trips to ER with heart palpitations.

Then I got antsy and with the extra time to craft nefarious plans, I negotiated with the wife unit for her to stand aside as I go to Mexico and live off grid; …maybe we live there when she retires from the school district.

And what’s the stupidest thing I do?

I signed up for Facebook, again, once I’m Baja and a bit isolated. It’s July, 2015, just a bit over 4 years ago. I was perfectly fine without Facebook. But I did it anyway.

I fell off the wagon.

Long story short, I gradually shifted the way I used Facebook, from primarily a notification platform for my posts here, to where most of my quotidian antagonism was original on Facebook, and onto near exclusivity, on Fucking Facebook. Shame.

As such, I got the ban, regularly. It began in the run up to the 2016. The obese women FB hires to police your writing and ideas are not fans of my work.

Long story short, I’ve gotten the ban 18 times and after the first few, it’s 30 days each time. Shorter: I’ve spent over 400 days in banned status over 4 years.

I’m incorrigible.

But, here’s the thing. I was always a bit libertarian in my judgment of it. OK, I disagree with their so-called Community Standards (Ayn Rand: “whose community?”) but went along, even in the course of 17 bans.

The last one was quite different.

They gave me an opportunity to request that they take a second look which in the new language of Euphemism, means: ‘we’ll have a human being take a look.’

I actually suspected that the human might get it right and they did.

And I thought, ‘OK.’

But, then, their nefarious bad faith is exposed. Whereas, one other time recently when I won on appeal, my posting privilege was immediately restored. This time, not. I thought it might be a glitch.

The ban stood, and it would stand for 29 more days.

Unconscionable.

Because the first instance was different and posting function was restored immediately, I gave benefit of the doubt, for the simple reason that when I attempted to post, I was informed “something you recently posted went against our community standards….” which was now false.

So, I put in a trouble ticket via the Help Desk.

Within an hour, they did not restore posting function. Instead, they changed the notification.

“We’ve noticed unusual activity on your profile and you won’t be able to use Facebook or Messenger for 29 days.”

In other words, ‘we’re just keeping the ban; we want it even though we exonerated you and even put your post back up.’

Why endure this? It’s prima fasciae bad faith. There have been many an allegation leveled at Facebook over bad faith dealing, but this is unequivocal.

So, I just deleted my Facebook account, again.

…I take note in parting that’s it’s a kindergarten. Over the previous 17 bans, not a single friend or family member ever stood up with a single word about it in an original post. Not one, not a single time. There are no backbones I’m aware of.

It’s like being called onto the carpet in kindergarten. Even all the children who like your rambunctious ways, stand silent. They take in the chilling message, which is the whole intent of it. Clear injustice or the color of it doesn’t mean a shit to any of them. They’re focussed on the next recess.

Facebook is for abject children. I tried, for years, to do my part to grow it the fuck up but no. It’s all children and it’s all it will ever be.

For the children.

No wonder the age demographic keeps going up. Old people are child-like the older they get.

Now go fuck off.

            

I Deleted My Facebook Account For the 2nd Time. Three Times Would Make a Fool.
2019-09-08 21:45 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Facebook is not a healthy experience. I’ve tested it twice.

Unhealthy.

            

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-09-08
2019-09-08 04:00 UTC

  1. Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
  2. LOL Facebook. It’s Hopeless
  3. Discussions 4: Andy Curzon & Richard Nikoley, with Ed Townes
  4. Pan Sautéed Pork Steak with Creamy Tarragon Sauce
  5. A Decent Breakfast For Once

Low and Slow Scrambled Eggs
2019-09-04 02:56 UTC by Richard Nikoley


I went off the rails a bit last night on Facebook for engagement for fun after another 30 days away. Deleted all the posts this morning.

I have no interest in adding any value to Facebook ever again. My own blog (since 2003 it’s my own platform and approaches 5,000 posts).

Posts just like this.

…You are very likely completely incompetent at making anything even as basic as scrambled eggs. Leave your hubris at the door.

The backstory is that during our latest video Discussions series, Andy Curzon asked me to outline how I make scrambled eggs.

I did a video. All here:

            

Weekly Top Posts: 2019-09-01
2019-09-01 04:00 UTC

  1. A Decent Breakfast For Once
  2. Pork Steak in Peanut Curry
  3. It Begins With Dogs
  4. LOL Facebook. It’s Hopeless
  5. Discussions 4: Andy Curzon & Richard Nikoley, with Ed Townes

Discussions 4: Andy Curzon & Richard Nikoley, with Ed Townes
2019-08-28 16:35 UTC by Richard Nikoley


There’s no good way to preface this video. An off the cuff 2 hours that covers everything from Poland, to Spain, to libertarianism, to history, to political policy, to culture. Oh, and scrambled eggs (all methods).

It’s a one-off and unique, on many levels.

            

A Decent Breakfast For Once
2019-08-27 20:30 UTC by Richard Nikoley


Here it is. Cafes suck, now. Do breakfast at home.

            

It Begins With Dogs
2019-08-27 19:50 UTC by Richard Nikoley


There’s two of Scout because it’s what the rescue folks named him and he’s true to it.

In early March, my now former wife, Beatrice, calls and asks if I want Choncho, Nanuka, and Scout for a couple of weeks. She has some weekend trips to take and doesn’t want to burden her elderly parents.

Sure. So I drive down to SoCal, stayed for a few days, and we signed the final divorce settlement at her attorney’s office.

Then I got back up here, settled in, and the dogs got adjusted. They know the place intimately. How many dogs have a vacation home? But then there was the meantime, documented below. In the end, they were here for six weeks and I insisted she bring her parents to pick them up and stay a few days, promising I’d cook pancakes for her nearly 90-yo mom (I guess it falsifies the notion that pancakes kill you).

How wild is that? Divorced, and not only do I get along well with Beatrice, but her parents as well.

What should I do with that?
This has plagued me for 15 years. Constant erosion and a dirty driveway.
My nephew’s Kiva girl has an idea.
1. Dig the trench.
2. Cut the 100ft length of tree down to sizes.
3. Pull the sections out as Kiva supervises.
4. Prepare to roll it into place.
5. Like that. Two more sections to go, and bark stripping.
6. And that’s a wrap. Three sections from a single tree, totaling 68 feet.
Tough day. Kiva is exhausted.

I’ve had this in the quiver since mid-April. Now fired.

I just got back from my brother’s house where I returned the favor and we built one of his retaining walls this weekend. I’ll post it tomorrow.

            

LOL Facebook. It’s Hopeless
2019-08-27 18:04 UTC by Richard Nikoley


I wrote that some months ago because it’s precisely true.

First of all, to Make Women Great Again and kick off a Great Women Revolution, you begin with the influenced, not indoctrinated entirely, but still dependent. Some like to think they’re indoctrinated and act as such because they are still dependent. Females always want to be dependent. It’s in their nature and it’s a good thing. They have been failed on that. For the young: your female ancestors did that to you, with help from weak men. What basically happened is they all got agitated by a collection of black dress wearing cunts way back, a lot like the back dress wearing cunts that miraculously got a constitutional amendment passed banning alcohol. That was the 18th Amendment to the Constitution (an abject disaster of such profundity it’s the ONLY constitutional amendment ever to be repealed). That’s right. Think the fuck about that and then scratch your head over the next amendment on its heels, the 19th, letting the stupid cunts vote. I mean, it’s just crazy. Women belong in a secure setting so they can nourish, nurture, and fundamentally form the next generation of men and women. It frosts my fucking balls that this is not simply recognized in such profound ways that the idea of a woman having to work outside of the home in this rich society would be an abominable thought. The 19th Amendment gave voting power to females and that utterly destroyed the American home. Chicks seek security and no man they will ever marry has the taxing authority to make them secure as they buy into the Democrat stuff catered and packaged for stupid chicks, so they rally together, gossip, shit stir and test, and essentially, the funny meme of sawing off the tree branch you’re sitting on, applies. Most women over 25 are hopeless at this point, unless already in the choir or, seeking out the choir to join. I wish them the best. That’s already moving. You have to forget about all of them, though, focus only on the young.

            

 

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