I spent the first few months of 2024 in Egypt and Tunisia, taking in some amazing history and stunning landscapes but… something felt off. Some aspects of their cultures were incredible, but not quite a fit for me.
That’s when I landed back in Thailand for the 3rd time in my life. Southeast Asia’s affordability is always a dream come true, and the people are warm, friendly, and always up for a good time.
Affordable street food means quality meals without having to cook any of them. Huge life upgrade! Not to mention all of the convenient food options that 7-11 offers. My food expenses in Thailand have probably been under 200 USD every month.
Accommodation has also been very comfortable and budget-friendly, allowing me to explore more of Thailand’s beauty. My new teaching gig pays a little more, and with Thailand’s prices, I can finally prioritize myself. I did a general health checkup in Chiang Mai for under 50 USD. I’ve done the math and the equivalent services in the USA would have cost me around 1000 USD. You name it: entertainment, shopping, nights out – you can do it all in Thailand without breaking the bank.
I finally have money left over at the month. More importantly, I’m able to truly enjoy life. Treat myself to massages (one a month, at least!), explore new places and connect with other travelers (I just came back from a 4-day island adventure in Koh Phi Phi) Remember, I travel solo, and Thailand’s expat scene also makes it easy to find like-minded people.
Thailand has made me feel more human again. I can focus on my health, explore my passions and connect with others – all thanks to the incredible value this country offers. Thailand isn’t just a destination; it’s a lifestyle… and I’m a huge fan.
My time in Thailand will come to an end in 11 days. I’m flying to Malaysia where I’ll be living as a digital nomad for 3 months. I’ll be doing the exact same thing I did here in Thailand: one month in 3 different cities, to give you an overview of what nomad life is like in each of them.
I know my trip will start in Kuala Lumpur and end in Kota Kinabalu, but I’m still not sure where I’ll spend month 2. I tend to book 1-month rentals on Airbnb to get those sweet monthly discounts. Honestly it’s the only way I can really manage to travel full-time on such low wages. You can get more details and follow along on the Malaysia trip through my YouTube channel Gringo Nation!
If you’re not too familiar with what I preach over there, I believe our life story should be a book worth reading. If you feel like your story needs a bit more adventure, why not rewrite it with travel? I’ve been doing that for the past 10 years, as I’ve solo-traveled to 49 countries around the globe. After 6 years of traveling, I decided to begin documenting everything on my channel in the hopes that I could inspire others to do the same, and live their own adventure.
But back to Malaysia. Since the country sits close to the equator, it’s hot, humid and pretty wet most of the year. In fact, July and August usually experience the heaviest rainfall of the year, which means that I’m in danger of running into some flight delays or cancelations.
That’s why I’m signing up for SafetyWing’s Nomad Insurance, which has some of the market’s most affordable policies and will provide a financial safety net in case of medical emergencies, trip disruptions, and unexpected costs. SafetyWing provides reimbursement for meals and accommodations for an unplanned overnight stay for up to 2 days when your trip is delayed by at least 12 hours.
Another reason I’m getting travel insurance for Malaysia is because of dengue fever. This potentially serious viral infection can be a concern there, since the monsoon season creates stagnant water pools that are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. I’ve actually gotten dengue before in South East Asia and let me tell you… it wasn’t pretty. SafetyWing covers any medically necessary services, treatments, equipment or prescription drugs for illness or injury that happens during your trip. Also hospital charges including intensive care unit (ICU), nursing services, local ambulance & emergency transport.
Signing up is a breeze – a six-step process. Let me walk you through what that looks like.
I simply fill in my start date as July 6th, and then make sure to get the Electronics Theft add-on. As a content creator, it’s important to have peace of mind with my equipment and SafetyWing covers electronics like laptops, tablets and cameras for up to $1000 per stolen item.
After filling out some basic information such as phone number, gender and beneficiary name, all I have to do is choose the country I’m traveling to.
The next step was super fast since I’m traveling solo YET AGAIN. I just clicked on the “I’m going solo” button and continued on to step 5.
I made sure all of my information was correct and BOOM… I was on the payment page. My policy came out to 102.40 USD and now I can travel around Malaysia knowing that I’ll be well taken care of in case something goes wrong.
I’ve been using SafetyWing for many years now and I’ve never looked back. Their policies are made by nomads, for nomads. They really understand the unique lifestyle that we travelers lead. You can even start a policy after your trip has already started, which is pretty cool!
I’ve now been away from São Paulo, my hometown, for 7 months. It’s been quite the adventure through Spain, UK, Egypt, Tunisia and Thailand. The plan is to document this second journey through Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines) and eventually reach country number 50, which will most likely be Taiwan. After that – if I can afford it – I may return to Japan and South Korea since I didn’t get to explore as much as I wanted last time I was there. By then, I’ll really be missing my friends and family back home so I’ll start the process of returning to Brazil, where I will undoubtedly plan the next odyssey.
I’ll see you out there!
Much love,
Art