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The Travels of BBQboy and Spanky

The Travels of BBQboy and Spanky

  • About Us
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    • EUROPE (A to M)
      • ALBANIA
      • AUSTRIA
      • BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
      • BULGARIA
      • CROATIA
      • CZECH REPUBLIC
      • FRANCE
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      • GREECE
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    • EUROPE (N to Z)
      • NORTH MACEDONIA
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      • SLOVENIA
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    • CAUCASUS
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    • NORTH AMERICA
      • MONTREAL, QUEBEC
      • REGIONS OF QUEBEC, CANADA
      • MEXICO
        • Pueblos Magicos of Mexico
      • U.S.A
    • CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN
      • COSTA RICA
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Newsletters

 

I love writing, but I probably have the most fun doing these newsletters (I also call them travel diaries because most are time specific). You’ll find updates on where we are, our travel plans, as well as material and photos that you won’t see anywhere else on the blog. There’s no set formula for newsletters, I basically write about whatever strikes me, from strange encounters to funny videos to politics.

Please see below for our archive of newsletters. If you’re not subscribed and want to receive them in your mailbox please subscribe further below (it’s free!).

Jan 3, 2023 – Looking back at 2022…and forward to 2023 (a year to make changes…)

June 19, 2022 – Thoughts on the freedom of being a nomad…

March 13, 2022 – The War in Ukraine

December 31, 2021 – Looking Back at 2021…and forward to 2022

November 1, 2021 – October 2021 Recap – and on Mexico and other upcoming Plans

August 22, 2021 – On 10 months of living in Spain…

April 20, 2021 – The latest on visiting Spain in 2021. And on other stuff…

February 28, 2021 – The latest on Covid in Spain – and on life on standby

January 3, 2021 – Looking back at 2020…and forward to 2021

Nov 15, 2020 – Settling into our new home in Spain, Covid and our TIE appointments

October 18, 2020 –  Coronavirus Diaries: the “we found a home in Spain” edition

October 4, 2020 – Back in Spain – and on Covid, flying, dumb comments and more…

September 6, 2020 – August Recap: How Covid has changed us, thoughts on Montreal, and getting out…

August 9, 2020 – Back in Montreal…and reflecting on life changes

July 12, 2020 – Summarizing the first half of 2020, a “Reset” in Canada…and plans

Juky 9, 2020 – Our experience flying during Covid

May 5, 2020 – Coronavirus Diaries Day 53

Apr 26, 2020 – Coronavirus Diaries Day 44

Apr 14, 2020 – Coronavirus Diaries Day 32

Apr 6, 2020 – How will the Coronavirus change the way we travel?

Mar 31, 2020 – Coronavirus Diaries Day 18

Mar 24, 2020 – Coronavirus Diaries Day 11

Mar 17, 2020 – Coronavirus Diaries Day 4

Mar 13, 2020 – Coronavirus Diaries Day 1

February 26, 2020 – Stories from 2 months on the road in the Balkans and Spain

February 2, 2020 – Spain, Schengen, a month in the Balkans, Budapest…and political correctness

January 2, 2020 – Looking back at 2019… and forward to 2020 (and a year of big changes)

October 13, 2019 – Doing circles, German citizenship, funny/interesting observances, Plans…

June 11, 2019 – Touring Georgia & Armenia, shitty Airbnb experiences, fake butts, remembering Jacques, and more…

Apr 28, 2019 – Lissette is “downsized”, re-examining slow travel, Freelance writing, Blogging, bad jokes and other reflections

Dec 31, 2018 – Looking back at at 2018 and forward to 2019. A year to keep options open…

Oct 2, 2018 – On Prague, being invited to the Canadian Embassy in Kiev, Upcoming plans, Day of the Dead, and other odds and ends

June 17, 2018 – Lots of travelling, How to get a free hotel stay in Doha, dumping Facebook, our plans…and on getting a blog makeover.

Mar 11, 2018 – Travelling, Doha, Thailand, getting Expat hate, Blogging stuff, and other odds and ends having to do with Hygiene.

Dec 31, 2017 –   Looking back at 2017…and forward to 2018 (it will be a year of changes)

August 8, 2017 – Prague, Plans, Views from a Plane Window, Experiences in CDG and a few other things…

June 6, 2017 – Montreal, adventure stuff in Mexico, and lots of things starting with “S”

Mar 14, 2017 – Split (Croatia), apartments, condos, and on being temporarily grounded

Jan 5, 2017 – Looking back at 2016…and forward to 2017. And our Travel Oscars (and losers) for the year.

Dec 18, 2016 –  Japan to Serbia, hitting 50 (and the benefits of age), Trump, Obama, Netflix, and some weird photos from Japan

Aug 31, 2016 – Sevilla, Brazil and the Olympics, Crazy people, and on having a post go Viral

June 30, 2016 – Travel Plans, Brexit, and weird things people do on Planes

May 18, 2016 – Croatia, bad haircuts, honeymoons, hospitality and my Airbnb beef

Apr 5, 2016 –  Prague, dental work, upcoming plans…and on the world going to crap (part II).

Feb 28, 2016 – Complications, Catching up on a month of Crazy Travel…and on reaffirming old feelings.

Jan 12, 2016 – Looking back at 2015…and forward to 2016

Nov 19, 2015 – Baboons, pooping dogs, uncoordinated people, plans…and on the world going to crap. (new format)

Oct 18, 2015 – Romania, Fight Club, some odd photos and our upcoming plans.

Aug 25, 2015 – Budapest: Crazy Germans, Yak coats, and why “the internet is a bitch”.

Aug 11, 2015 – Highlights of our first year of Full-time Travel (and our favorite photos)

July 10, 2015 – Montreal/Mexico. Getting back home and being all over the place.

June 8, 2015 – When travelling kind of sucks. And the natural (and varied) beauty of Europe.

May 16, 2015 – World’s Worst Tourists, Montenegro (not Monte Carlo or Macedonia) and other lesser known favorites of ours…

May 4, 2015 – Mostar and our travels through the Balkans. And Places we didn’t like…

Apr 10, 2015 – Greetings from Croatia! Photos that will make you salivate….And some of our favorite Historical Places

Mar 31, 2015 – Goodbye Thailand, we’re back in Prague! And photos of Easter eggs and pregnant statues in this Newsletter.

Mar 9, 2015 – Things learned through 8 months of travel

Mar 13, 2015 – Fat jokes, Cooking for Donald Trump, Krakow Guide, y nuevo post en espanol

Feb 27, 2015 – Scary storms, Stick insects, and the most beautiful places we’ve visited in Italy

Feb 11, 2015 – Visit from a Tokay, stunning sunsets, and posts on Spanish colonial towns and cities

Feb 3, 2015 – Vientiane (Laos), getting a Thai Visa, Mr. Handsome Man, and getting to meet Manny Paquiao

Jan 27, 2015 – Temples, markets, an exercise machine with a ‘fattiness’ button, and a dog getting laughed at by sheep

Jan 20, 2015 – Photos of ladyboys, donuts filled with meat, and sexy Thai cops

Jan 13, 2015 – Disaster zones, tuk tuks, Trolls, and friendly Germans

Jan 9, 2015 – Looking back at 2014 (a.k.a our year in photos). And our hopes and dreams for 2015.

Jan 5, 2015 – Happy New Year! And stories of babies, kittens, dogs and geckos.

Dec 29, 2014 – Christmas and lots of things that Suck

Dec 22, 2014 – Nong Khai, bad tourists, and Cuba

Dec 15, 2014 – Our first Newsletter. Nong Khai, weird photos, and a a few posts you may have missed

June 21, 2014 – Last call, Montreal. Announcing Big Changes to the blog

Jan 6, 2014 – Looking back at 2013…and forward to 2014

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6 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Peter

    September 29, 2018 at 3:10 pm

    I really appreciate your work but very briefly I must add to your Budapest and Prague shootout. I just couldn’t leave your false favoring style. How one feels in a foreign city is usually made up by the people that live in it. Czecks were very grumpy to me on the streets of Prague. Everybody I met, everywhere . Like really unfriendly horrible people. They yelled at me NO SSSPEAK ENGLISH many times. I felt I was going to get a beating just because I asked for some directions by asking in English. I ran from the Checks as soon as I could. It’s the food
    that makes a place the wine, the people, the weather the cafes restaurants, the baths make place. With all those issues Budapest wins Ten to Zero. Not a few churches here and a few churches there. You say that Budapest is not as manicured as Prague!! Haha what a lie. How Could You manicure a huge city. Prague ‘s to see area is about 10 times smaller than Budapest’s. You can’t even compare the two cities I’m sorry apples and oranges. Prague is a tiny pretty hole that is filled with horrible people who make every minute a miserable experience. The beer is great!! No doubt. Prage always reminded me of Vegas, everything fake, (except the beer) and its gloomy history. I just wish you wouldn’t compare Budapest to any city if you are this blind iBudapest’s charm. Budapest is to be compared to Paris, admittedly a little smaller, but again the people make up for everything that Paris may have on BPest. BUT Prague Budapest but 6:7, is a naive distortion the truth. The chain bridge in BP (or any bridge IN THE CITY REALLY) is not to even compare to the meaningless tiny uninviting walks on Prague’s bridges. Ridiculous even to mention Prag next the culturally way superior Budapest. It’s like comparing Albany to New York City.

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      September 30, 2018 at 1:46 pm

      Serious?
      Everyone has a different opinion and I always allow for biases based on bad experiences. I’ve had a few of my own.
      But honestly – I don’t know how much time you spent in Prague and/or Budapest. We’ve spent a total of 6 months in Prague, 3 in Budapest. Both great cities and you can compare both without denigrating the other.
      I’m not sure why you’re posting this here and not on the Prague Or Budapest post. I will say that with your attitude I can understand why the “Checks” (or “Czecks”) didn’t give you the time of day.

      Reply
  2. Leigh Sale

    February 17, 2018 at 10:54 am

    Hi There,
    Just wanted a bit of advice – we are travelling long term – currently in South Africa then back to Turkey and then driving in our van back to the UK. We then fly to Canada and hope to travel there and then in the states for a few years. What we are struggling with is finding longterm travel insurance.
    Although we are British citizens we are not residents as we were living in South Korea for 5 years previously.
    Was wandering if in your travels you have heard of a good insurance company.
    Kind regards
    Leigh Sale

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      February 17, 2018 at 11:11 am

      Hi Leigh,
      We use Expat insurance issued by Allianz (we lost our Canadian health coverage a few years ago for the same reasons as you).
      I have a post on Insurances here which might be of help.
      Let me know if you need any additional info.

      Frank

      Reply
  3. nurseRon

    April 9, 2015 at 3:31 am

    Just watched one of your BKK videos with that Indian/Paki camera dude hovering over your wife! So so sorry mate! BKK can really grind you down and doing all the touristy shit sucks. May I suggest one of my favorite Islands in the kingdom. Koh Chang, it’s a bit of a drive at 4-5 hours but once you see the place I think you’ll both be pleased.
    cheers!
    ron;)

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      April 9, 2015 at 6:04 pm

      Ha, made me laugh with your comment. Yes, I heard great things about ko Chang. Furthest I’ve been in that direction was Ko Samet about 10 years ago…we’ll make it back one day and definitely spend some time there.

      Reply

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