How's the biking in and around Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?
Mirna Segura - Ajijic Rentals
You can go bike riding and around Chapala and Ajijic. In fact, there are some groups of bikers that ride from Ajijic to Jocotepec or from Ajijic to Chapala. They have different routes and they go around two or three times a week. They even go to Ixtlahuacán, which is a town north of Chapala on the way to Guadalajara. Most of the bikers here are road bikers. We have bike lanes all the way from Jocotepec to Chapala.
There are also some mountain...
You can go bike riding and around Chapala and Ajijic. In fact, there are some groups of bikers that ride from Ajijic to Jocotepec or from Ajijic to Chapala. They have different routes and they go around two or three times a week. They even go to Ixtlahuacán, which is a town north of Chapala on the way to Guadalajara. Most of the bikers here are road bikers. We have bike lanes all the way from Jocotepec to Chapala.
There are also some mountain bikers here that go biking around the mountains of Chapala.
(Cycling on the Chapala boardwalk, Lake Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)
If you think about the expense of owning a car versus the convenience of renting you will probably rent one, not own one. Renting with full insurance is often less than $50 USD a day. I think some agencies have a preferred customer discount as well but you need to ask them if they have that program. Do the math. It all adds up: getting the documents for a Panama drivers license, a visa. Owning a vehicle means upkeep, maintenance, tags, inspections...
If you think about the expense of owning a car versus the convenience of renting you will probably rent one, not own one. Renting with full insurance is often less than $50 USD a day. I think some agencies have a preferred customer discount as well but you need to ask them if they have that program. Do the math. It all adds up: getting the documents for a Panama drivers license, a visa. Owning a vehicle means upkeep, maintenance, tags, inspections stickers, tires and of course, insurance. That is a lot of money every year. Another consideration is that if you go away for months on end the tires get out of round, the gas gets gunkish, and your engine and battery are not meant to sit idle for so long. Just trouble in the making. It is better to ask a friend to drive it now and then to protect the investment. (A responsible, licensed and careful driving friend if they are going to
use your car.)
With that said you can afford to take a few days a month rental and enjoy the area in and around Boquete now and then. It can be easily budgeted to rent a car for a day in David. You could do doctors' appointments, shop, dine out and not feel like you are imposing on friends. It is easily a better way to deal with transportation than buses or taxi service for an outing or appointments.
Back to the question of do you need to own a car in Boquete: only if you want too. We are currently 68 and 75 years old and we are blessed with good health better than others our age and we love to walk. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes to reach the Central Park in mid Boquete. We live on Volcancito Road across from the La Lecha Inn. It is practically downhill all the way. The walks can take me longer just because I enjoy taking pictures, pointing out flowers and birds and this and that along the way.
Every doctor and alternative medicine practitioner has told us over and over that walking is the best exercise for people. It evidently is true as the Panamanians seem very healthy. Walking is healthy even if you have to walk slowly and even if you have to rest a few times along the way, as every step pumps more blood to your heart and brain and body. The habit of walking has been an investment in my husband's health. He arrived in Panama unhealthy. Taking numerous medications, over weight but not obese. He is down 35 pounds; his medications are cut way down. He was taking heart medicine, blood thinner, diabetic meds, blood pressure and cholesterol pills. After over two years here he is now off most, takes less than 1/3 of the diabetic pills, a blood pressure pill every other day and an aspirin. He is so much happier than he was before we came here.
Walking is good for you. Fresh clean air is wonderful. Better fruits, more affordable vegetables, meats, and less stress all add up to better health. So why get a car and ruin it! There are taxi cabs and bus services that can tote the stuff home and you will have enjoyed a healthy walk to town one way and lowered your carbon foot print at the same time.
This photo is during a Flower Festival in Boquete.
Can I still vote in US elections if I live in Belize?
Jaseth Bassaragh - The Alpha & Omega Group
Yes, you can still vote in US elections even if you are in another country. I believe a couple of years ago, the US government made a provision for that. Wherever you live in the world, if you are a US citizen, you still are allowed to vote.
I would not go so far as to say that you would be denied the right to vote because you are a second passport holder, but I believe that at some point, the US government would ask you to choose, especially if it is going to affect them from...
Yes, you can still vote in US elections even if you are in another country. I believe a couple of years ago, the US government made a provision for that. Wherever you live in the world, if you are a US citizen, you still are allowed to vote.
I would not go so far as to say that you would be denied the right to vote because you are a second passport holder, but I believe that at some point, the US government would ask you to choose, especially if it is going to affect them from a tax perspective.
(House in Corozal, Belize with a home made sign urging others to vote their elected officials out, pictured.)
How are the roads in Portugal? Do I need a four-wheel drive in Portugal?
Duncan MacGregor - Duncan MacGregor Accounting
The main highways in Portugal are very good and you pay for them because they have tolls. The secondary roads and the country roads are not as good and that’s where you will definitely need a 4 x 4. Generally, you can drive on regularly paved roads around Lisbon. It’s only when you get to the villages that the roads may be unpaved.
(The single track dirt road to the lighthouse of Ponta dos Rosais, Portugal, pictured.)
The main highways in Portugal are very good and you pay for them because they have tolls. The secondary roads and the country roads are not as good and that’s where you will definitely need a 4 x 4. Generally, you can drive on regularly paved roads around Lisbon. It’s only when you get to the villages that the roads may be unpaved.
(The single track dirt road to the lighthouse of Ponta dos Rosais, Portugal, pictured.)
How are Americans in Nicaragua treated? How are expats in Nicaragua treated generally?
Carlos Roman Gutierrez Solis - Casa Granada Properties
Just like anywhere else, you have to keep your eyes open in Nicaragua because anybody anywhere can do something not really nice to you. But generally, Americans and other expats are welcome in Nicaragua.
The influence that we get from European and American visitors in Nicaragua is very important and provided us with a lot of ideas of how to improve and live better in our own country. Expats give us the fresh ideas and the motivation to do more for our...
Just like anywhere else, you have to keep your eyes open in Nicaragua because anybody anywhere can do something not really nice to you. But generally, Americans and other expats are welcome in Nicaragua.
The influence that we get from European and American visitors in Nicaragua is very important and provided us with a lot of ideas of how to improve and live better in our own country. Expats give us the fresh ideas and the motivation to do more for our country, which has really pushed the economy and the entrepreneurial people here. Before, nobody thought that if you speak English in Nicaragua, you are going to make money and nobody thought that business like canopy, hotels, etc., would work. Now, everyone is trying to create ideas to attract people. So expats coming to Nicaragua has helped us a lot because it opened the country to new ideas and new concepts, which is giving new hope to people here.
What are the things I'll be most happily surprised by when moving or retiring abroad?
Mike Cobb - ECI Development
The thing I was most surprised about when I moved abroad was how much I loved it. It takes a pioneering spirit to move overseas voluntarily and living overseas gives me a sense of adventure almost every day.
There are easy things to mention too. Having a maid and gardener means no chores ever. Living overseas has given our family more quality free time to enjoy our time together.
The thing I was most surprised about when I moved abroad was how much I loved it. It takes a pioneering spirit to move overseas voluntarily and living overseas gives me a sense of adventure almost every day.
There are easy things to mention too. Having a maid and gardener means no chores ever. Living overseas has given our family more quality free time to enjoy our time together.
When you envision someone in December packing their van in the middle of a driving rain, what pops into your mind? Do you see a person in swimming trunks and sandals? Probably not, unless you had the same experience as us, as we got ready to leave Akumal. I just couldn’t think of a smarter way to do it. It was raining hard, it was warm, we needed to get going right away, and I needed something that would dry quickly and that I could easily change out of. ...
Living in the western end of Panama has its charm as well as its challenges. We often hear that folks miss certain products from home and many make routine treks to Panama City to take advantage of greater product availability. The truth is, there is greater variety in Panama City than in smaller cities and towns. This is often the case in more urban areas. But here in Chiriqui, if you look around long enough you are usually able to find most of what of you need in...
North and South America were divided by the sea, until the Isthmus of Panama was created three million years ago. It was the biggest and reportedly the most significant geological event in 60 million years. Prior to that date as the Earth's plates began to join, the Pearl Islands emerged from the sea. Indigenous tribes lived on many of the Pearl Islands, including Contadora, and Pre-Columbian artifacts have been found there. The biggest island in the chain is Isla del Rey where more...
You can go bike riding and around Chapala and Ajijic. In fact, there are some groups of bikers that ride from Ajijic to Jocotepec or from Ajijic to Chapala. They have different routes and they go around two or three times a week. They even go to Ixtlahuacán, which is a town north of Chapala on the way to Guadalajara. Most of the bikers here are road bikers. We have bike lanes all the way from Jocotepec to Chapala. .png)
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This photo is during a Flower Festival in Boquete. 
Yes, you can still vote in US elections even if you are in another country. I believe a couple of years ago, the US government made a provision for that. Wherever you live in the world, if you are a US citizen, you still are allowed to vote.
The main highways in Portugal are very good and you pay for them because they have tolls. The secondary roads and the country roads are not as good and that’s where you will definitely need a 4 x 4. Generally, you can drive on regularly paved roads around Lisbon. It’s only when you get to the villages that the roads may be unpaved. 
I moved abroad was how much I loved it. 
When you envision someone in December packing their van in the middle of a driving rain, what pops into your mind? Do you see a person in swimming trunks and sandals? Probably not, unless you had the same experience as us, as we got ready to leave Akumal. I just couldn’t think of a smarter way to do it. It was raining hard, it was warm, we needed to get going right away, and I needed something that would dry quickly and that I could easily change out of. ....png)
Living in the western end of Panama has its charm as well as its challenges. We often hear that folks miss certain products from home and many make routine treks to Panama City to take advantage of greater product availability. The truth is, there is greater variety in Panama City than in smaller cities and towns. This is often the case in more urban areas. But here in Chiriqui, if you look around long enough you are usually able to find most of what of you need in...