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
A Site About Being at home in hotels around the world
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Travel Gear
“He who would travel happily must travel light.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
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
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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
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
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
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
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
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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Review of the Ramada Hong Kong Grand: Hotel Intel
Unlike many of its counterparts in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong is not a city where Western visitors will find great bargains when traveling. The Ramada Hong Kong Grand (check prices on Expedia) costs as much per night as four nights in Phuket for example. But at around $75 a night it is less expensive than
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Review of the White Lotus Saigon: Hotel Intel
I haven’t seen the White Lotus TV series yet so I can’t really make a comparison of this hotel to the show. What I can say with confidence is that the White Lotus Saigon was a great place to stay in a convenient location in the center of District 1. Expedia shows hotels in District
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The Bus to Pattaya… Better than a Cab?
Many people who visit Bangkok will want to book a hotel in Pattaya for a couple of days as well. Even though Bangkok’s transit system is world class, unfortunately it won’t take you to the beach so you may be wondering about the best way to get there. Taking a bus from Ekkamai Station is
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Bus Travel From Phnom Penh to Saigon: What It’s Really Like
When trying to get from Phnom Penh to Saigon or vice versa many travelers will face the decision of whether to fly or travel by bus between cities. Skyscanner shows most flights starting around $125, but at around $25 bus travel is much more economical and does have a few advantages. If you have come
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Review of the Angkor Mithona Guesthouse: Hotel Intel
The term guesthouse is not in common use in the US. Somewhere between a hostel and a hotel, a guesthouse typically has a small number of rooms in a private home available for rent, usually at a nightly rate. The Angkor Mithona Guesthouse on Phnom Penh’s riverfront falls squarely into this category. On some sites
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Review of the Hotel Zing in Phnom Penh: Hotel Intel
Phnom Penh can be a great city to score a very cheap hotel room. The only problem is that even after arriving in the city and looking around at hotels it is difficult to gauge the quality of each one without actually staying inside the rooms. Ramshackle buildings sit side by side with modern luxury
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