{"id":1510,"date":"2021-08-02T17:50:11","date_gmt":"2021-08-02T17:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bikingwithmike.com\/?p=1510"},"modified":"2021-08-02T17:50:11","modified_gmt":"2021-08-02T17:50:11","slug":"august-2-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bikingwithmike.com\/?p=1510","title":{"rendered":"August 2, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just in the last couple of days there have been news stories about an ongoing ammunition shortage in this country and record gun sales.\u00a0 Trump has amassed a $100 million war chest and he and his acolytes continue to propagate the provably false assertions that the election was rigged and that he actually won.\u00a0 There are massive efforts underway in Republican-controlled states to restrict voting, limit LGBT rights, and ask the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.\u00a0 China has built and is building more mag-lev high speed trains and our Congress cannot even agree on funding to help the crumbling infrastructure in this country.\u00a0 Everything in this country has become political, polarized and divisive. \u00a0\u00a0And conspiracy theories are sprouting and taking root in our country like dandelions in the spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0It is time to look around.\u00a0 I certainly understand that no place is perfect and each country has its own issues.\u00a0 However, there are many countries in the world that are striving to move forward and make life better for their citizens (and the planet).\u00a0 The United States is clearly moving backward towards oligarchy, authoritarianism, racial division, and exacerbating wealth disparity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would certainly be more comfortable if the COVID situation was more under control but given the ongoing lunacy in this country with people refusing to get vaccinated I don\u2019t expect things are going to change any time soon.\u00a0 So, I think it\u2019s just time to move ahead with my plans.\u00a0 I am fully vaccinated and if the CDC ultimately recommends getting a booster shot, I will certainly do that as soon as I am able.\u00a0 That said, everything has some risk associated with it and I think it\u2019s time to just move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been looking at a number of countries as possible bases for an ex-pat life.\u00a0 Those countries are Portugal, France, Costa Rica, Panama and there might be a couple of others.\u00a0 I loved New Zealand and Australia and could easily park in either place for a long time but they are difficult countries to establish residency in and they are long way away from my daughter. \u00a0(Not to mention they are currently closed to US \u2018non-essential\u2019 travelers.) \u00a0\u00a0So, while I still intend to do a little more exploring in Australia, it will have to wait and just be part of a future \u2018adventure\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Portugal will be the first exploration trip.\u00a0 I have not been to Portugal nor do I speak Portuguese but everything I\u2019ve read tells me it\u2019s a good place to start this exploration.\u00a0 Portugal is ranked 4^{th<\/sup> on the Global Safety Index (the Unites States is 122^{nd<\/sup>!), they have world class affordable and accessible health care, it is affordable and there is a fairly robust ex-pat community.\u00a0 It is highly likely that my daughter will be on the East Coast for a while.\u00a0 \u00a0Given that and given that it\u2019s about as easy to get to the East Coast from Lisbon as it is to get to the East Coast from Bozeman, the geography works well.\u00a0 As a bonus, the Portuguese government is predicting that by October, they may have 85% of the population fully vaccinated against COVID!\u00a0 (Contrast that with what is going on here).\u00a0 And finally, Portugal is part of the Schengen area so once residency is established in Portugal, you have almost unimpeded access to the other 25 European countries that are also included in the Schengen area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n}}

Given the robust ex-pat community in parts of Portugal, there are areas where you can probably get by without speaking Portuguese.\u00a0 However, I always try to learn at least some of the local language no matter where I go. Consequently, I have been hard at work on my daily Portuguese lessons on Rosetta Stone.\u00a0 I have found that even attempting to speak a few words in a local language, however poorly, can buy you a lot of goodwill.\u00a0 \u00a0I originally got Rosetta Stone to brush up on my French but I\u2019ve kind of switched gears and am focusing on Portuguese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My plan is to spend the majority of the month of October in Portugal.\u00a0 It is the off-season so most of the tourists should be gone and life should be back to \u2018normal\u2019 in most of the country.\u00a0 I intend to spend a week to 10 days up in the northern part of the country around Porto and the Silver Coast and then spend the next two weeks down in the Algarve in southern Portugal.\u00a0 I will probably spend three of four days in Lisbon on my way back home but have no intention of looking at Lisbon as a long-term place of residency.\u00a0\u00a0 I have no doubt I will enjoy the culture and the restaurants in Lisbon but it\u2019s a little too \u2018dense\u2019 for my liking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, this blog will continue to be a combination of my political rants, a chronicle of my adventures as I explore possible future homes and accounts of more local adventures as they happen.\u00a0\u00a0 It is written primarily for me and as a way to document my thoughts and adventures but, as always, you\u2019re welcome to tag along.\u00a0 \u00a0Who knows where all this will end up?\u00a0 I may end up not moving anywhere and stay planted here in Bozeman, at least for a while.\u00a0 But, I\u2019ve been thinking about this for some time and it\u2019s time to do something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with so many things, the hardest part is often just starting.\u00a0 I have started and step one has been taken!\u00a0 I have booked a ticket for Portugal and expect to be landing in Portugal two months from today.\u00a0 Here we go.\u00a0 And for those who ask why, I would simply say why not?\u00a0 Life is too short.\u00a0 If you\u2019re thinking about it \u2013 do it!\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"