Digital Nomad Life: Month 125

Month 125 was another great travel month, which saw us traveling in Eastern Europe, Turkey, and Mexico, with a quick stop off back in Denver to visit friends and family.

I spent the first week traveling through Eastern Europe, visiting Kotor and Perast in Montenegro, where I loved wandering the historic pedestrian streets and spending time with all the cats, Dubrovnik, where we visited Lokrum Island and enjoyed exploring the Old City, Mostar, where we loved the atmospheric old town and historic bridge, Blagaj where I hiked up to the fort and visited the springs and Dervish house, and Sarajevo where I learned about the devastating Siege of Sarajevo and enjoyed Baščaršija, the Ottoman Old Town.

We had a three-night stopover in Istanbul after that, my first time back in 18 years! It has become much more expensive than it used to be, but we enjoyed shopping at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, touring Topkapi Palace, exploring Sultanahmet on a walking tour, relaxing at a Turkish bath, and wandering around the busy shopping area and ritzy seaport in Galata.

From Istanbul, we flew back to Denver via Reykjavik and had six days back in the Denver area, mostly staying at our favorite RV Park in Golden, before we hit the road again for Baja California in Mexico via a couple of stops in New Mexico and Arizona.

The last nine days of the month we spent in Baja California, and once we got to southern Baja, we have been loving it here.

Now onto the stats!

Countries Visited: Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, USA, Mexico.

Places Visited:

• Montenegro: Kotor, Perast
• Croatia: Dubrovnik
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Mostar, Blagaj, Sarajevo.
• Turkey: Istanbul
• Colorado: Aurora, Brighton, Golden
• New Mexico: Ojo Caliente
• Arizona: Avondale, Scottsdale, Yuma
• Mexico: San Felipe, San Ignacio, Playa Santispac, Loreto, La Paz

National and State Parks, Monuments, and UNESCO Sites: Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old City of Dubrovnik UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar UNESCO World Heritage Site, Historic Areas of Istanbul UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park.

Islands Visited: Our Lady of the Rocks Island in Perast, Lokrum Island in Dubrovnik.

Days on the Road: 25 days.

Best Meals: Caramelized pear with walnuts, gorgonzola cream, and balsamic glaze on toasted bread from Soul Kitchen Dubrovnik; Fried chicken biscuit with honey and pickles from Denver Biscuit Company in Golden; Breakfast burrito from Humble House in Golden; Roasted vegetable chile relleno with red chile, pinto beans, a quinoa and sweet potato tamale from Artesian Restaurant in Ojo Caliente; Overnight oats with chia, granola, strawberries, banana, and blueberries from Cafecito in Yuma; Smoked marlin tacos from Zapata Cantina in Loreto; Burro Maya taco (smoked marlin, chile relleno and cheese) and fried shrimp taco from Mc Fisher in La Paz.

Hikes/Walks:

• Alternative free trail to Kotor Fortress from Old City in Kotor, Montenegro 4.1 miles
• Lokrum Island loop trail in Dubrovnik, Croatia 3.45 miles
• Peak to Plains and Welch Ditch loop trail in Golden, CO 3.5 miles x 5

Watching: Frankenstein, 28 Years Later, The Beast in Me.

Reading: If It Bleeds by Stephen King, The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai, Never Flinch by Stephen King, The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah, The Outsider by Stephen King.

New Posts: I wrote one new post this month, a (sponsored) review post for Sim Local after trying them out in Albania.

Highlights

All the Kitties in Kotor and Istanbul

I absolutely loved my time in two of the best cat cities in the world this month: Kotor in Montenegro and Istanbul in Turkey. Both have the nickname of the City of Cats, and it is easy to see why – there are literally cats everywhere and generally they are well cared for.

We bought cat food and fed the strays in both places and spent a lot of time giving them love, especially at the Cat Piazza in Kotor where there is a colony of friendly kitties that have been cared for by the same woman for thirty years. She is a Saint and we left a generous donation to help her. 

A Perfect Montenegro Day Out

We only had a short time in Montenegro on this trip but one of our days there was one of my favorites of our whole trip. We started the day by hiking the free alternative route up the mountain from Kotor Old Town to the fortress for spectacular views over the bay. It involved climbing in through a window of the fortress and that definitely added to the adventure. On the way down, I stopped for coffee at a small local cafe and cheese shop with a view.

In the afternoon, we took the bus to the nearby Venetian seaside town of Perast. This beautiful town was perfect for strolling and we also took the short boat ride to the little manmade island with a church on it, Our Lady of the Rocks.

We finished the evening with dinner back in Kotor, then had some local beers with new travel friends at a bustling little pub near our apartment.

Visiting Lokrum Island in Dubrovnik

On our one sunny day in Dubrovnik, we took a boat to nearby Lokrum Island, a beautiful forested island with hiking trails, a hilltop fortress, monastery ruins, a botanical garden, and wandering peacocks. There was also a small museum about the monastery and a Game of Thrones exhibit there. I really enjoyed our peaceful escape to this lovely island.

Small Towns in Herzegovina

We visited two small towns in the Herzegovina Region of Bosnia and Herzegovina and I loved both of them for their history and natural beauty.

We stayed in lovely Mostar, which has one of the nicest old towns of anywhere I have been in Europe, centered around its famous bridge, and we did a day trip to Blagaj, a tiny town with a scenic hilltop fortress, a beautiful natural spring, and an interesting Dervish house. Bosnia and Herzegovina is definitely a country I want to explore more of after this little taste.

Marveling at the Magnificent Topkapi Palace

Despite it being ridiculously expensive, I am still pleased that we splurged and visited Topkapi Palace in Istanbul and paid extra to visit the Harem Museum because that was our favorite part of the palace.

It was absolutely spectacular inside and I loved the intricate and colorful patterns on the tiles as well as learning what life was like over the centuries it was in operation as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and home to sultans.

Spa Experience in Istanbul

While we weren’t prepared to pay $90+ for the highly-rated public Turkish Hamams (inflation is crazy in Turkey!), we did splurge for a spa experience at a hotel hamam, where we had a 30-minute massage, sauna, facial, and private couple’s Turkish bath. It was such a fun and relaxing experience and definitely worth what we paid for the experience.

Dems Sweep the Election

What an encouraging election day it was for liberals/leftists and I was proud to be able to vote – we got back to the U.S. just in time.

Colorado voting to raise taxes on high-income households to fund school meals, Mamdani becoming Mayor of New York (the first Muslim Mayor of New York in history!), Sen. Ghazala Hashmi becoming the first Muslim-American woman elected to statewide office, and Virginia getting their first woman Governor are just a few of the massive steps toward progress the U.S. has made in this election. It does give me hope for this country.

Back in the RV Down by the River in Golden

It was really nice to be back in Golden for five days in our home on wheels in one of our favorite RV parks this month, and to be back with our beloved kitty, Joni. I love being able to walk everywhere in Golden and we got to catch up with friends and family when we were back too. 

A Night at Ojo Caliente

On the long drive down to Baja, we stopped for a night at one of our favorite spots, Ojo Caliente, for a few hours of soaking in the hot springs and a delicious dinner at their on-site restaurant. It was a lovely evening.

An Unexpected Birthday in Yuma

I was planning to spend my birthday in Baja but the RV had other plans. After some issues with an oil leak and weird shaking, we spent a couple of unexpected nights in Yuma which I was initially very displeased about as I had really wanted to spend my birthday in Mexico.

But it actually turned out really nice. I found an amazing little cafe with an outdoor oasis filled with hummingbirds where I had a great breakfast. I then walked along river trails to visit the interesting Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park – I love a historic prison museum – and explored the cute town center before returning to the RV Park to relax at the pool and jacuzzi for the rest of the afternoon.

Toby took me out for a seafood dinner at the River City Grill to top off an excellent birthday. 

Chilled Out Loreto

Our first real stop in Baja was in the pretty Pueblo Magico town of Loreto. We spent two nights here and it was so quiet and relaxed. It’s the perfect town to just wander along the Malecon and the historic town center, and I’m looking forward to spending a couple more days there on the drive back north.

Everything About La Paz

I fell hard for La Paz and it quickly became one of my favorite cities in Mexico. With friendly locals, a colorful town center, a beautiful and really long Malecon, excellent food, stunning nearby beaches, and so much marine wildlife – what is not to love?

We ended up spending six nights in La Paz and loved every moment. It was also quite quiet when we visited which was great. I am guessing that changes as more tourists arrive in December/January?

An Afternoon at Balandra Beach

Balandra Beach and bay is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to with clear, turquoise water and soft white sand. We visited close to low tide and you could walk for miles out into the bay – I even walked across the bay to a secluded beach.

The viewpoint hike was also definitely worth it, with spectacular views over the beach. It’s a popular spot but I like that they have restricted tourist numbers to protect this special place.

Swimming With Whale Sharks

Swimming with whale sharks was at the top of my list of marine wildlife encounters that I hadn’t experienced yet and it was such a crazy experience to see these gentle giants up close – they are so massive!

While the whole experience includes lots of time getting there and back and waiting to be allowed into the area where they feed, and only about a total of ten minutes in the water with them, it was still so worth it. I love that they have such strict rules for interacting with the whale sharks here to protect them.

Lowlights

Bus Delays in Getting to Dubrovnik

We ended up spending the whole day getting from Kotor to Dubrovnik when it was only meant to be a few hours. The frustrating experience began with our bus arriving an hour late, and then we had two hours waiting in the car line at the border, when we could have passed the cars and joined the bus line like other buses that went around us did. We finally arrived in Dubrovnik three hours late and as we were only staying two nights, it really cut into our time there.

Dubrovnik and Istanbul Price Hikes and Inflation

I was shocked by how much the prices have increased in both Dubrovnik and Istanbul from when I last visited (Dubrovnik in 2011 and Istanbul in 2007). Obviously, there is going to be some inflation as I hadn’t visited either for many years but neither are affordable travel destinations anymore and that is such a shame.

It now costs €40 to walk the city walls in Dubrovnik – it was around €10 in 2011. That is a MASSIVE increase. You also can’t get a decent meal for under €20 in the Old Town now, and accommodation in the Old Town is very pricey.

In Istanbul, it costs over €55 to visit Topkapi Palace, and the Hagia Sofia, which was free when I visited last, now costs €25. Traditional Hamams aimed at tourists are also obscenely expensive at around €90 for a public bath. It’s just insane! I’m sure the locals are suffering from these crazy price increases too, although at least in Istanbul it seemed that it was mostly the tourist attractions which were overpriced.

Bad Jetlag

I don’t usually suffer from jetlag much but on our return to the U.S. after this trip, I was waking up between 3am and 4.30am every morning for nearly a week which was SO ANNOYING. 

My Auntie Died

My Auntie Lynn died this month. She was my Dad’s eldest sister and had been living in a home with dementia the last years of her life. She didn’t know who even her kids were anymore and was in a wheelchair, so it was a blessing that she passed but it still made me sad. She was a wonderful woman and I hate that her life wasn’t hers anymore when she died.

RV Issues and Trip Delays

Brownie the RV has been a troublemaker ever since we got him and even after spending $7000 on a new engine, we are still having issues. As we were about to leave Denver, one of the shocks fell off, we developed an oil leak for a hose rubbing against something, and we think there is an issue with the carburetor as it shakes when we are at a stop. It has also started to randomly turn off when Toby stops at traffic lights, to turn etc.

We were delayed in Yuma for a couple of days to try fixing some of the problems but nothing was resolved and we are driving it with these ongoing issues – none of which Toby thinks are very serious but we will need to get them fixed eventually.

Spending

I don’t include international flights in my recaps. Some of my costs are shared with Toby or other travel partners.

Total: USD$4015

A very pricey month indeed. This is actually quite crazy considering I have been traveling in relatively affordable countries, but things add up fast. I spent a ton on food and gas this month and while gas will be similar for next month (RVs really guzzle gas), my food/drink costs will hopefully be down.

Accommodation $701.50

My 27 nights of paid accommodation for the month consisted of two nights in an apartment rental in Kotor, two nights at a guesthouse in Dubrovnik, two nights in an apartment rental in Mostar, two nights at an apartment rental in Sarajevo, three nights in a hotel in Istanbul, five nights at an RV park in Golden in our RV, one night at an RV park in Ojo Caliente, two nights at an RV park in Yuma, one night at an RV park in San Felipe, one night in an RV park in San Ignacio, one night in the RV at the beach in Playa Santispac, two nights at an RV park in Loreto, and three nights at an RV park in La Paz.

My four nights of unpaid accommodation for the month consisted of one night free camping in the RV in Aurora, two nights free camping in the RV in Avondale, and one night free camping at Playa Tecolate in La Paz.

Food and Drink $1098

A very expensive month for eating out. While I have been mostly cooking during my time in the US and Mexico this month, food was expensive in Dubrovnik and Istanbul, and I did have a few expensive meals/drinks in the US.

Clothing/Shoes $70

• Woolen jacket $70

Transport $659.50

• Return bus from Kotor to Perast $3.50
• Bus from Kotor to Dubrovnik $40.50
• Uber from bus station to Pile Gate in Dubrovnik $5.50
• Return Ubers from Pile Gate to Sun Gardens Resort in Dubrovnik $21.50
• Bus from Dubrovnik to Mostar $29.50
• Bus from Mostar to Blagaj $1.50
• Taxi from Blagaj to Motar $9.50
• Bus from Mostar to Sarajevo $16
• Tram in Sarajevo $1.50
• Bus from Sarajevo town center to airport $3
• Bus from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Taksim Square in Istanbul $8.50
• Trains from Galata to Istanbul Airport $6.50
• Gas $511
• Taxi from town to RV park in San Felipe $1.50

Activities $365

• Kotor Cats Museum $1.50
• Maritime Museum in Kotor $7
• Return boat from Perast to Our Lady of the Rocks Island $11.50
• Day pass to Sun Gardens Resort Spa in Dubrovnik $40.50
• Free Walking Tour Tip for Dubrovnik $14
• Lokrum Island entry fee and return boat $35
• Dervish House entry in Blagaj $6
• Museum of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in Sarajevo $12
• Free Walking Tour Tip for Istanbul $10.50
• Spa package at Tulipa Spa Hamam in Istanbul $75.50
• Ojo Caliente Hot Springs $56
• Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park $10
• Whale shark tour and tip in La Paz $85.50

Other $937

• U.S. Phone plan $35
• OneDrive monthly storage $2
• Garmin monthly subscription $14
• Netflix $9.50
• Toiletries $48.50
• Planned Parenthood $10
• Donations $208
• Cat stuff $52
• Souvenirs $24.50
• Laundry $7
• Station and bag fees for Balkans buses $8
• Necklace pendant $31
• Hiking backpack $38
• Half of Joni’s cat sit $287.50
• Candles $4.50
• Mexico RV Insurance $86.50
• Starlink Roam subscription $17.50
• FMM Immigration Form for Mexico $47
• iOverlander one-month subscription $6.50

Website Costs $0

Vehicle Costs $184

• RV and van insurance $72.50
• RV stuff $94
• RV oil change $17.50

What’s in Store For Next Month

I will be starting the month in lovely La Paz, where we will have two more nights before moving on to the kite surfing mecca, La Ventana, and the offbeat dive town, Cabo Pulmo, for a few days.

From there, we will be visiting the more touristy part of Baja for a few days – San Jose Del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas – before moving on to boho Todos Santos and Las Cerritas for about five nights. I am hoping we can participate in, or at least see, a baby turtle release while we are there.

After Todos Santos, we will start to slowly make our way back up to the U.S., stopping at La Paz for a night or two – I’m hoping we have time to revisit incredible Balandra Beach, Loreto for two nights – where we are planning to visit Isla Coronado, Mulege for two nights – a cute beach town with a hilltop mission, Guerrero Negro for a night, and San Felipe for a night.

We’ll have a couple of nights visiting Toby’s Mom in Phoenix, a quick night in Santa Fe where I want to see the Christmas lights in the plaza and along Canyon Road, and then the last week of the month we will be back in the Denver area visiting family and friends, doing all the fun Christmassy activities, and getting ready for our next trip: Six weeks in Buenos Aires and Patagonia!

To read additional Monthly Recaps, you can find them here