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Nomadic Living

” All that raw land that rolls in one unbelievable huge bulge over to the West Coast, and all that road going…” -Jack Kerouac

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“He who would travel happily must travel light.– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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Hotel Intel

“I knew it. I knew it. Born in a hotel room – and God damn it – died in a hotel room.” -Eugene O’Neill

Recent Posts

  • Review of the Boca Suites Deerfield Beach: Hotel Intel

    Review of the Boca Suites Deerfield Beach: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching for a hotel around Boca Raton you’ve got plenty of choices. But if you’re coming in peak season and not made of money those choices get narrow pretty quickly. In that case you might find yourself looking at the Boca Suites Deerfield Beach as I did recently. Can this Best Western property

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  • Review of the RTIC Everyday Cooler: Gear Guide

    Review of the RTIC Everyday Cooler: Gear Guide

    Personal day-use coolers have always been a staple of road trip travel. Driving around the Florida coasts as much as I do, mine was getting daily use. Eventually an upgrade was in order and I wanted something with some size and substance. But I was still a bit hesitant to shell out Yeti money for

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  • Review of the La Quinta Ft Lauderdale Airport: Hotel Intel

    Review of the La Quinta Ft Lauderdale Airport: Hotel Intel

    If you’re searching for a hotel near FLL or Port Everglades the La Quinta Ft Lauderdale Airport may not be the most obvious choice. I’ve been staying in hotels in this area for two years and still haven’t booked it until now despite being very budget conscious. Was it worth the wait? Let’s find out.

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  • Florida’s Best Free Attraction? Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach

    Florida’s Best Free Attraction? Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach

    I’d been aware of West Palm’s Manatee Lagoon for a while and had it on a list of attractions to check out. Manatees are found throughout Florida but Manatee Lagoon is known as the best place to observe wild manatees in Florida. When a post popped up in my Instagram feed recently I clicked through

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  • The Cost of Living In Hotels: Update #4 July-December 2025

    The Cost of Living In Hotels: Update #4 July-December 2025

    There’s not a lot of content on the Internet about the cost of living in hotels full time. Most people who adopt a nomadic lifestyle opt for some combination of AirBnb, monthly leases, or extended stays in hostels. The purpose of these updates is to provide a picture of what it actually costs to live

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  • How to Fly With Overweight Bags for Free

    How to Fly With Overweight Bags for Free

    After nearly 20 years of going to sea I’ve learned how to pack exactly 49 pounds of gear to avoid being charged for overweight bags. But that was before I threw in the towel on carrying a military type sea bag and capitulated to the practicality of a bag with wheels. I settled on a

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  • Gear Guide: Five Travel Items You Don’t Need (Until You Do)

    After 9 months of full time nomadic living I’ve found my packing list has been pretty spot on. All my travel gear so far fits easily into two carry-on bags with room to spare. But there have been a few things I saw fit to pick up along the way. A baton style umbrella, for

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  • Review of the Ramada Harbor View Hong Kong: Hotel Intel

    When you visit Hong Kong as an American Wyndham’s hotels present a compelling proposition when you’re searching online, particularly if you’re on a budget. Their three hotels in Hong Kong can routinely be had for under $70 USD per night, and are often even less on Expedia. I’ve seen them for as little as $45.

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  • Review of the Cup Noodles Museum in Hong Kong

    I love instant noodles. Whether it’s after a long watch on a ship at sea or for lunch in a hotel room there’s nothing better than having a hot meal ready in two minutes with no effort. A little garlic and a liberal amount of hot sauce and you’ve got a gourmet delicacy. So when

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  • Review of the Chocolate Hills tour in the Philippines

    On a recent trip to Bohol Islands in the Philippines I had to take the opportunity for touring the Chocolate Hills. I’m extremely happy I did… mostly because the beaches at Panglao Island are not that great and spending a full four days there is honestly a bit much. Having a full day tour to

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  • Review of the Holiday Inn Express Mong Kok: Hotel Intel

    If you’re looking for a Hong Kong hotel and you want to stick with a US brand to earn or redeem points Holiday Inn Express Mong Kok is a pretty strong contender for most travelers. Whether you want to stay at one of two HI locations on the Kowloon Peninsula or in the heart of

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  • The Ten Best Travel (and Food) TV Shows on YouTube

    As someone who’s living in hotels and spending the bulk of my time overseas I watch a ton of TV shows on YouTube. US Streaming subscriptions don’t work overseas. This can be worked-around with the use of a VPN. But I’m often either watching local TV or out of the hotel room doing other things.

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