How's the adventure travel and activities in and around Puerto Vallarta?
Paul Mayer - Vallarta Food Tours
Adventure travel activities in Puerto Vallarta include surfing, kiteboarding, biking, ATV’s, 4x4’s, scuba diving, and pretty much any adrenaline kind of sport that you want to try.
Part of the advantage of Puerto Vallarta being such a great tourist destination is that the locals get a chance to do the same thing but get better deals. For example, I know people in the scuba diving business, so I can ask them for a deal or for a local...
Adventure travel activities in Puerto Vallarta include surfing, kiteboarding, biking, ATV’s, 4x4’s, scuba diving, and pretty much any adrenaline kind of sport that you want to try.
Part of the advantage of Puerto Vallarta being such a great tourist destination is that the locals get a chance to do the same thing but get better deals. For example, I know people in the scuba diving business, so I can ask them for a deal or for a local price. If I want to go boating, I can get a better deal because I know the people in the boating business.
My family’s favorite thing to do is going sailing on Sundays, which we do once a month. We hire somebody to go sail the boat for us. On the other hand, the sports that I like are really basic ones: I play softball and tennis twice a week. I also own a paddleboard and bikes, so we have those activities as well.
(Paul Mayer on a boat for a Christmas Posada with Vallarta Food Tours, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, pictured.)
Are there poisonous reptiles, snakes and insects, and dangerous animals in Nicaragua?
Daniel Snider - Snider's Realty Nicaragua
There are a variety of different snakes, insects, and arachnids inside of Nicaragua. I wouldn’t say that they are all poisonous, but I am sure that a few of them are. I have been bitten by a few different ones and I can say that they are nothing too dangerous, but it was really painful.
We have hornets and wasps at times just like in any other tropical region. I got bitten by a big red hornet the other day and it hurt a lot! It was like a...
There are a variety of different snakes, insects, and arachnids inside of Nicaragua. I wouldn’t say that they are all poisonous, but I am sure that a few of them are. I have been bitten by a few different ones and I can say that they are nothing too dangerous, but it was really painful.
We have hornets and wasps at times just like in any other tropical region. I got bitten by a big red hornet the other day and it hurt a lot! It was like a nasty bee sting. I was fine; I was not allergic. I also got bitten by scorpions in the past and that was pretty painful. If you get bitten by a scorpion, your foot will swell up for a couple of days but then it goes away. Once, I slightly stepped on a stingray in the ocean and that was very painful. They used some sort of an anti-coagulant venom to stop the bleeding.
Those are the three most common animals that you can get bitten by. There are also a few different snakes that can be poisonous, but for the most part, I have not encountered any of them. They are not something that you will see every day.
The average person should not worry about any of these when going about their daily activities. If you have a house in a remote area surrounded by jungles, it might be a good idea to clean your sheets every once in a while just to make sure nothing is in there.
What are the things I'll be most happily surprised by when moving or retiring abroad?
Catherine Burdine - American Insurance for Expats
Although it is difficult to narrow down all of the things you may be happily surprised about when moving or retiring abroad, I will pick one that has made the most difference in my life: The feeling of rebirth and waking up!
Although it is difficult to narrow down all of the things you may be happily surprised about when moving or retiring abroad, I will pick one that has made the most difference in my life: The feeling of rebirth and waking up!
The economy of the Algarve is mainly focused on tourism, which is the main economic driver here. There is a little bit of agriculture in particular with the production of local fruits such as oranges, carobs, almonds, etc. There is some fishing, including offshore aquaculture or what we call “long line fishing,” cultivation of oysters, mussels, etc. There is also some tuna aquaculture in the Rio de Tavira. There is no manufacturing industry here but there is a little bit...
The economy of the Algarve is mainly focused on tourism, which is the main economic driver here. There is a little bit of agriculture in particular with the production of local fruits such as oranges, carobs, almonds, etc. There is some fishing, including offshore aquaculture or what we call “long line fishing,” cultivation of oysters, mussels, etc. There is also some tuna aquaculture in the Rio de Tavira. There is no manufacturing industry here but there is a little bit of the service industry.
Then of course, there is the public sector. There are a lot of public sector employees who work in the municipalities, tax department, and public services in general. Generally, tourism and the public sector and a little of agriculture are the economic drivers of the Algarve.
The economy right now is better than it had been 9 years ago. Tourism has been growing year after year. Tourism here includes the activities related to expats and anything else that involves people visiting the region or ultimately moving here, typically not full time initially but part time until they understand whether this is the place for them or not, and then becoming permanent residents. That transition phase is something that is included in the tourism numbers.
In the World Travel Market in London, the Algarve is again the Most Requested Region in the World. Tour operators in the UK are moving a lot of the traffic from North Africa and the Middle East to southern European places like the Algarve, which has been particularly popular. From the tourism, sector, the Algarve is doing very well and this has been boosted by the new legislation called the Non-Habitual Residency, which means that people can come and live and even retire in Portugal tax free. This has increased the demand for the country of Portugal and specifically for the Algarve.
(Olive you, Portugal. I love you, Portugal graphic by Jet Metier, pictured.)
What's the food like in the markets in the Panama City, Panama area of San Francisco?
Lourdes Townshend
San Francisco, one of the best known neighborhoods in the city of Panamá, is, by all accounts, a complete place. Not only does it have the only large recreational park in the city, with tens of acres, a swimming pool and old trees where you can run, walk or jog from 4:30 in the morning until 10:00 at night, but also offers 4 modern supermarkets with local and imported goods for any taste or budget, a convention center by the sea, numerous...
San Francisco, one of the best known neighborhoods in the city of Panamá, is, by all accounts, a complete place. Not only does it have the only large recreational park in the city, with tens of acres, a swimming pool and old trees where you can run, walk or jog from 4:30 in the morning until 10:00 at night, but also offers 4 modern supermarkets with local and imported goods for any taste or budget, a convention center by the sea, numerous high apartment buildings, 3 important Catholic churches, Multiplaza Mall (an exceptional and modern mall that offers clothing from any famous brand you like), multiple pharmacies, and two hospitals at a very short distance from the neighborhood.
At any supermarket you can get your customized meat cut, ask any questions regarding what part of the meat you are buying, where the meat comes from, as well as specialized diet food (for example, with no cholesterol), from a specific country, or others not available in other places.
In addition, due to the preferences of the many foreigners moving here, more and more places open up every day, especially regarding food, cafes and restaurants, offering residents all kinds of gourmet facilities catering to the different tastes from many countries.
There is also the opportunity of buying fresh vegetables and fruits from little local places at a very affordable prices, brought in almost every day from the country, which is very picturesque.
Locals share with visitors on a daily basis, and are delighted to have the opportunity to get so many things in one neighborhood, in which the traffic is just beginning to be a problem. San Francisco is available from the "Corredor Sur", only 17 minutes from Tocumen International Airport.
What do I need to know about pet shipping to Belize, pet travel to Belize and pet transport to Belize?
Irma Quiroz-Yuque - Belize Vacation Homes
Shipping a pet to Belize was very easy.
Most people think, “Oh my God, I can’t leave my pets at home” and we were one of those. We couldn’t just leave our adorable little pug at home, so we looked into things. You have contact the BAAHA authority, which has the forms on their website. You fill them out, and see what you need.
For example, for our little dog, we had to have updated vaccinations, and...
Shipping a pet to Belize was very easy.
Most people think, “Oh my God, I can’t leave my pets at home” and we were one of those. We couldn’t just leave our adorable little pug at home, so we looked into things. You have contact the BAAHA authority, which has the forms on their website. You fill them out, and see what you need.
For example, for our little dog, we had to have updated vaccinations, and we had to make sure she had her rabies shots. We had to have all our certificates. She had to have a vet appointment within 30 days before leaving. We had to have all our paperwork in order. You then fax it to them before you leave. You have your approximate arrival date here and they’ll have an inspector waiting for you, wherever your arrival point is. They check your pet, make sure you have all the appropriate paperwork, and you pay whatever little fees there are. It wasn’t very much to get the dog here.
And then once you’re here and you have the pet here, if you’re going to be one of those who travel quite a bit, every year you make sure you have the paperwork into BAAHA and you’re fine.
I know people who even have their passports for their dogs. If you have a passport for your dog it’s much easier travelling throughout the world. It’s just a matter of looking for the information. It’s a piece of cake.
We were lucky in that Mimi was less than 20 pounds and so she was able to come on board with us on the plane and we had her own collapsible little pet carriers that went under the seat. As a result, we only paid around US $150 for her ticket. I’ve had friends that who brought their pets via vehicle. When they crossed international borders with all their appropriate paperwork they had no problems whatsoever bringing their pets here.
(Mimi the pug and her pal floating on the Caribbean Sea in Belize, pictured.)
Not even Goldilocks would have a problem with Ajijic. It’s “just right” and in the middle: not too cold, and not too hot. Ajijic is not too crowded, but with enough residents to have services: there’s a Wal-Mart close by, and dozens of great restaurants, day spas, etc. Guadalajara, at 40 minutes away by car, provides an international airport, high-end shopping, culture, first rate medical care, etc. just close enough to be convenient but not too close to be an...
The Mexican border agent took a quick look at our over-sized van and motioned me to pull over to a special inspection area. Then, he asked me to open the rear doors. What he saw next was a cargo area so fully stuffed that you would have a difficult time adding a tennis ball.
“I’m sorry, senor,” he said, “you either have to unpack the van to let us see what you have in all those boxes, or go to another point of entry where they have an x-ray machine.” Given...
My husband is 73 and he was on several medications over the last few years in America. We have been in Panama only 10 months and he has cut his medications in half. He feels better, has more energy and feels less stressed. We attribute our good health to foods, climate, and less stressful lifestyle here. He has lost over 12 pounds, walks often and enjoys our life here.
We were paying almost $700 per month additional to Medicare for supplemental...
Adventure travel activities in Puerto Vallarta include surfing, kiteboarding, biking, ATV’s, 4x4’s, scuba diving, and pretty much any adrenaline kind of sport that you want to try. .png)
There are a variety of different snakes, insects, and arachnids inside of Nicaragua. I wouldn’t say that they are all poisonous, but I am sure that a few of them are. I have been bitten by a few different ones and I can say that they are nothing too dangerous, but it was really painful. 
The economy of the Algarve is mainly focused on tourism, which is the main economic driver here. There is a little bit of agriculture in particular with the production of local fruits such as oranges, carobs, almonds, etc. There is some fishing, including offshore aquaculture or what we call “long line fishing,” cultivation of oysters, mussels, etc. There is also some tuna aquaculture in the Rio de Tavira. There is no manufacturing industry here but there is a little bit...
Shipping a pet to Belize was very easy. 
Not even Goldilocks would have a problem with Ajijic. It’s “just right” and in the middle: not too cold, and not too hot. Ajijic is not too crowded, but with enough residents to have services: there’s a Wal-Mart close by, and dozens of great restaurants, day spas, etc. Guadalajara, at 40 minutes away by car, provides an international airport, high-end shopping, culture, first rate medical care, etc. just close enough to be convenient but not too close to be an...
The Mexican border agent took a quick look at our over-sized van and motioned me to pull over to a special inspection area. Then, he asked me to open the rear doors. What he saw next was a cargo area so fully stuffed that you would have a difficult time adding a tennis ball.(1).JPG)