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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The Atlanta Bedbug Room of Doom!
The beginning of October was a week of firsts here at Near the Elevators. It was my first experience with a mass hurricane evacuation as Hurricane Milton gathered strength in the Gulf of Mexico. It was also my first time in a room with a bedbug infestation. I was able to check out of the
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Review of the Holiday Inn Express Dania Beach: Hotel Intel
If you were to tell your friend or co-worker you’re taking a trip to Dania Beach their response would probably something like “Where the Hell is that?” Yet this little city on the coast between Miami and Fort Lauderdale hosts a lot of visitors annually, and has plenty to offer them when they arrive. Tonight
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The Most Dangerous Thing You Can Do in Thailand
It’s renting a motorbike. Period. It’s not even close. Renting a motorbike in Thailand, or anywhere in Asia is extremely dangerous. Particularly in Vietnam. It’s also extremely popular, and it’s not hard to see why. Outside of Bangkok transit is severely lacking. There may be some sort of jitney bus running around town but other
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Review of the Holiday Inn Express Nashville Airport: Hotel Intel
Being one of the most popular tourism destinations in the US, Nashville’s BNA Airport stays busy and is home to plenty of hotels to serve travelers coming and going from the city. Today we’re taking a look at the Holiday Inn Express Nashville Airport at 1111 Airport Center Drive. I chose this hotel to maximize
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Review of the Holiday Inn LAX Airport: Hotel Intel
If you’re loyal to one hotel brand or chain then picking a hotel before your flight at LAX is easy: just book your favorite and that’s it. But if you’re shopping around it can be a bit daunting. Just about every brand is represented here and prices fluctuate from bargain basement to through the roof.
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The Best Area to Stay in Tokyo: Roppongi
Tokyo is one of the easiest cities in the world to pick a hotel. You just open up Expedia, find any Japanese Business Hotel for a hundred bucks a night, and book it. Doesn’t matter which one. They’re all pretty much the same and there aren’t better choices without breaking the bank. What’s difficult, especially
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