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Round-the-world trip: suitcase or backpack?
I decided to write this article after reading a heated discussion on the topic on a Facebook group for travelers. I don’t claim to be able to settle the “team suitcase” vs “team backpack” debate, but I do think I can offer an objective opinion. Indeed, I’ve been “team backpack” and then “team suitcase.” In 2016, we left for a “classic” year-long round-the-world trip with backpacks. We changed accommodations very frequently, every three days on average. I think we would have had a hellish trip if we had been with suitcases 😀 Since 2017, we’ve become digital nomadsour accommodation changes are much less frequent (about once a month) and I’m…
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My Current Favorites [August 2022]: My First Leather Project
I was supposed to take a leatherworking class in Hanoi in mid-August, but due to JB’s surgery, we had to reschedule. To minimize the disappointment, I bought a mini kit on Taobao (Taobao doesn’t ship internationally, so I use the service Wegobuy to buy and ship for me), I bought a minimum of tools, and here’s my very first charm in leather. Work charms are used to decorate bags. This one is big enough to hold my AirPods or my Insta 360. The design is inspired by the famous Hermès Birkin bag. The kit includes all the leather pieces already cut and lined. The instructions are on YouTube. The seller…
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Prepaid SIM / eSIM for Oman: how to buy a 4G internet chip?
Roaming fees Some travelers think they can use their French phone plan when they travel abroad. That’s true in EU countries where roaming fees have been free for a few years. Beyond that, it can cost you a lot of money! Here are the roaming rates in Oman for the four main French operators. Carrier Roaming rates SFR €13.20 / MB Orange €13.31/MB Free Mobile €7.50 / MB Bouygues Telecom €10.24 / MB Buy a SIM card before you leave So, as you’ve gathered, it’s not wise to use your French SIM card in Oman. If you want 4G, you’ll need to find another solution. One option is to buy…
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Holafly : my review + promo code
If you are looking for a coupon code for Holafly, here is a code that will give you a 10% discount : NOMADBENTO You can also click on this link, the discount will be applied automatically. Holafly : what is it ? Holafly is a service offering SIM cards allowing you to use the Internet without spending a fortune. When you travel outside the European Union, you will be exposed, if you use your French SIM card, to roaming charges. The roaming fees are the fees that your operator will charge you to use the internet or make calls from abroad. And the bill can go up very quickly. As…
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Recovery in Nha Trang (Vietnam)
It’s August 2022, and after emergency surgery in Nha Trang, JB is recovering for a month. My parents know people in Nha Trang (even though we’re from Hanoi), and during JB’s hospitalization, my mom and I get to visit two apartments. Located in a condominium, presented by her friends, and we end up choosing, of course, the most beautiful one, with an incredible view of the beach from the 24th or 36th floor. In short, paradise! It’s perfect for recovery. Don’t ask me how to rent it, because it’s been resold since. Every day, we can enjoy the beautiful morning light. It’s a three-bedroom, so my parents can stay with…
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Review (+ referral) of BforBank – Ideal for unlisted securities in PEA / PME
Want to open a BforBank account? Use my referral code: VPZR Relatively little-known, BforBank is a highly reputable bank, a subsidiary of Crédit Agricole. It offers a range of services and payment methods that are 100% free, subject to a few conditions. To my knowledge, it’s the most interesting bank for a niche operation: registering unlisted securities in your PEA / PME account. Crowdfunding investors will appreciate this. Services offered BforBank offers all the standard banking services: Payment methods Livret A savings account PEA & PEA / PME Life insurance … Bank cards BforBank offers two bank cards: A Visa Premier A Visa Infinite The Visa Premier card is 100%…
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Prepaid SIM/eSIM England: How to buy a 4G data SIM?
Roaming fees Among other Brexit consequences, the UK’s departure from the EU ended the roaming agreement that allowed European subscribers to use their phone plans without extra charges. French carriers have so far decided to keep roaming free (except Bouygues, which charges a very reasonable rate). However, this decision is not set in stone, so make sure to check it hasn’t changed before you leave to avoid unpleasant surprises. Carrier Roaming rates SFR Included Free Mobile Included Orange Included Bouygues Telecom €0.003 / MB (for plans with 20 GB or more) Buy a SIM card before you leave If you don’t have a European phone plan, you can always buy…
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Digital Nomads: A Week in Ninh Hoa (Vietnam)
In 2022, during our stay in Vietnam, we decided to settle in Ninh Hoa, a fishing village 1.5 hours from Nha Trang. I had been following on Facebook for a long time a Vietnamese entrepreneurs’ club and one of the club’s members had a hotel particularly suited to digital nomads, with half-board facing the ocean. The hotel sent a driver to pick us up at Nha Trang airport. It’s actually closer to Cam Ranh than to Nha Trang, and it took us 2 hours to get to Ninh Hoa. The flight was incredible—Nha Trang has many more mountains than I remembered, and I got to see Cam Ranh from above.…
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[STORY TIME] Stranded on the Eurostar and hounded by a Europe 1 journalist
On November 20, 2014, I’m doing a round trip between Paris and London in a single day for work. Even though the schedule isn’t exactly thrilling, back then my trips outside France were few and far between, so I’m pretty excited. The workday goes well and it’s already time to head back. No time for a quick sightseeing stop, but I would have had a little time to wander around the city. Interesting, but frustrating not to stay longer. We take the 7:01 PM Eurostar, which is due to arrive at Paris’s Gare du Nord at 10:17 PM. The journey goes smoothly… until a double overhead line failure, an “extremely…
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My Current Favorites [July 2022]: Luxury and Design
I finally found time to do some reading. Here are my new favorites: Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster by Dana Thomas (€13.46, Amazon link) The author is a journalist. Everything she writes about in this book is documented. I searched for and read this book because I was wondering why I was becoming more and more interested in luxury. I’m very sensitive to marketing messages and easily get swept up in them, so I wanted to gain a bit of distance and see the mechanism behind it (so I don’t fall for it anymore – it’ll be better for my wallet). In this book, all the big brands are…
