Van life in the caribbean or outside of usa?

[popcorn2007]

Where outside of the US can i live in a van and not have problems with the law? I have a modest budget. I just want to make a big chance in my life.
 I was wanting to get a sail boat and cruise along the east coast but the overall cost might be too high. Now i'm more into the van thing since it would be cheaper. Any thoughts?

 

[JD GUMBEE]

You know outside the US, Jamaica has some cheap cabanas.
I would be VERY careful about vandwelling on any of the islands.
Knowing a local Rasta changes things, but the entire culture is NOT setup for 'Muricans benefit.
They look at you like an ATM machine. Any way of bleeding your funds gets employed.

Budget vacation, with your own personal guide...look up "RASKITCHEN" on youtube.
Mokko will hook you up and explain things you need to know. (EDIT that sounds like he likes to chat on the phone. He doesn't. You chat when you get there after booking the cabin.)

(Vehicles are VERY pricey, as is fuel. You cannot bring older iron in there, either. Or your US dog.)
Great weed though.

A true Rasta yard, with real slow farm food...Jamaican culture/nice folks.
(Leave your opinions and judgments on the plane. I mean AUTHENTIC Rasta.)
Used to be 24 per night. Riverside. You can learn all about it.
(Marriot 5 star hotel types will NOT be pleased with the facilities.)

 

[popcorn2007]

I use to have family that are from in a 3rd world country but not sure if they want to talk to me. From what you know off hand, whats the cost of stuff down in jamaica?

 

[JD GUMBEE]

Look at the exchange rate.
Do some web surfing. https://www.realtor.com/international/jm/
$15,000-$30K can buy you a decent concrete level shanty if you know where to buy. (In Sunning Hill type areas, with Rasta folk around...not white-resort-gated-type-towns. Costs like hell for everything but labor there. You already know about the diet differences and third world packaging.)

If you have kin there, you also know the way to deal is with cash, face to face. LAWYER. LAWYER. Know what property laws mean and just what you actually own.

Very friendly atmosphere. Good racial integration. I found it very similar to where I live, black and white intermarrying and tons of light coffee babies with blue eyes everywhere. Some real heart breakers in Southern VA too. Damn. If I was 40 years younger...LOL Shhhh, Mrs G is gonna get me now.
(The sooner we erase race, the better IMO. Hope they breed it right out of the planet. If we make it that far.)

 

[popcorn2007]

A family member was married to someone from a 3rd world. You have to be invited to go there or something of that degree. Or maybe you have to be invited to stay there for more then a day or 2.
There are rentals on that site for under 200usd. Umm, options for jobs down there if thats possible?

 

[Homeless in Canada]

If I was going to go abroad it would be Europe. There is lots to see and the countries are tolerant. You don't have to be afraid of the police or be stealthy. You might get verbally reprimanded for breaking some unwritten rule like not making noise on a Sunday. But no one's going to pound on your door at 3am or assume you're a criminal because you're sleeping in a van. There is already an active boondocking culture and lots of places to park for free or get services when you need it.

One thing to be aware of is that fuel taxes are much higher and many countries have some sort of road tax so registering a large vehicle can be expensive. But this is offset by the fact that driving distances are much shorter. Europe is also an excellent place to live and work if you need income. And there are lots of used vans and RVs for sale online.

 

[JD GUMBEE]

AFA Jamaica goes, unless you have income already, don't even think about it.
You will work like a mule for pennies...and they will not employ Americans in most cases.
(Of course, chemical engineers and certain marine-certified welders...shipwrights...that kind of thing are immune to this.)
You would have an easier time making a deal with a campground or marina in the Florida Keys if this climate interests you.

 

[bigskybob]

Why not just buy a boat?

 

[popcorn2007]

Why not just buy a boat?

I've heard that a boat is kinda pricey as far as upkeep goes. Like $500 a month for a budget 27ft sailboat including the repairs- hull out-bottom painting and ect. I've heard to expect to spend $1k a month overall including food

Yea, i did some searching late last night on jamaica and they said something about the police being under paid and you could think they might shake  down an american. I would go to Australia if i was to go somewhere long term and had a healthy budget. I would bicycle across it though

 

[PODebbie]

Bicycling is my thing. I gone on many long distance rides. One year I cycled over 10,000 miles. There is a website called "crazyguyonabike' It had thousands of journals of people on bikes.

 

[maki2]

I think you need to be in a forum that has a focus on live aboard cruising, you don't have to give up on that dream just yet.

As to living in a van in other countries. You need to sort out the VISA stuff first to see if that can be worked out for your timeline. The dream does not start with the vehicle, it starts with the rules because if you can't make that work you will struggle to hang onto your investment purchase of a vehicle.

 

[lenny flank]

I am not sure you really understand what you are getting into. You have too many stars in your eyes ..........

 

[bigskybob]

I think I would pass on Australia.Temps hitting 117 degrees,rivers drying up,bats falling from trees dead.Things will really get tough if they run out of Foster's.

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

As far as "boat living" do a search on YouTube for living in a boat on the canals in the U.K.

 

[ckelly78z]

I've been to Jamaica twice in the last 5 years, and have taken several inland excursions. Most of the island jobs are set up for tourism, so if you don't have the $$ to spend, you won't find it there. Lots of third world looking housing, and many adults hanging out on the porches all day. The best jobs seem to be the bus drivers/taxicab drivers who shuttle from the airport to the resorts, and get nice tips.

I thought it would be cool to have an RV down there, and just travel around, but I never saw anything but tourist buses, and economy cars all dodging, and weaving like there were no road rules. Even the best roads were filled with potholes, and constant construction.

They are generally 20 years behind the USA in technology, the kids are just now discovering gaming systems, and cell phones.

 

[MrNoodly]

When I was researching various places I might retire to I considered several islands. Then I realized two things. The first is that everything costs more because it needs to be shipped in. The second was that if something goes wrong, I'm stuck on a f#*^ing island.

If my Spanish consisted of more than a few food items I'd spend most of my time in Mexico, away from tourist areas. I really like it there.

 

[Cammalu]

I want to travel Mexico too.


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[jacqueg]

I think you need to be in a forum that has a focus on live aboard cruising, you don't have to give up on that dream just yet.

As to living in a van in other countries. You need to sort out the VISA stuff first to see if that can be worked out for your timeline. The dream does not start with the vehicle, it starts with the rules because if you can't make that work you will struggle to hang onto your investment purchase of a vehicle.

You might want to explore websites about ex-pat living. They will have the latest legal info, and they have active forums where you can talk with people about what it's really like to live in another country.

Also, look into teaching english as a second language. There is a demand for people with TESL certificates, and many of the jobs are compatible with traveling. (You don't need to speak a non-English language yourself.)

 

[popcorn2007]

I'm not looking info on boating. There are other sites for that info and boating is alot more pricey then a van life.
Yea, i've heard of that bike site about biking around the world.
australia would depend on how far north or south you live.
Theres a few videos on youtube about easiest places to emigrate to.... heres a list
uk
thailand
belize
mexico
malta
gemany
ecuador <--- most ikely the cheapest option
panama
new zealand
canada
costa rica
australia
singapore
sweden
japan
roatan <--- scuba diver instructor
bahrain

 

[MrNoodly]

Iaustralia would depend on how far north or south you live.

You mean like in the US?