Travel is a big part of my life, but some travel experiences stand out above all others. My visit to Salamanca, Spain in the Spring of 2007 falls into this category. After spending a week in Portugal in the Algarve area and another week on the Costa del Sol in Spain, the visit to Salamanca was almost an afterthought. It was to be part of a quick whirlwind car tour to Madrid, Salamanca and then back to Portugal where my wife and I had to return our rental car before our flight back to the U.S.

As we drove through Madrid, we decided that all we really wanted to see was Salamanca, so we continued on there without the Madrid stop. Upon arrival in Salamanca we checked into a hostel close to the old city and walked to the Plaza Mayor (Main Square). From there we walked to the university area and fell in love with Salamanca. Our one day stop suddenly turned into three days. We were hooked.

My personal interest in Salamanca began during my early university studies. I had begun a major in Spanish literature and during that time I was first introduced to Salamanca, Spain. Three items from those studies ( two of them specifically related to the University of Salamanca) stood out in my mind and made it impossible for me to forget Salamanca.

Fact 1. Salamanca was the home of the oldest university town in Spain. The exquisite architecture in the old city that I love so much dates back mostly to the 14th and 15th century. Interestingly enough, the University of Salamanca, established in 1218 by Alfonso IX, even predates these building. Although the university today offers a full course of studies and students from all over the world study there, the oldest and most historical classrooms (aulas) have been preserved as they were during its early days. As I passed by the classroom of Fray Luis de Leon (discussed below), I could not help but think that I would have had a hard time sitting on the wooden benches used by his students.

Fact 2. The picaresque novel, a literary genre founded in Spain with the publication of Lazarillo de Tormes, used the Tormes River running through Salamanca as its setting. In these novels, the Spanish picaro (“rogue” or “rascal”) is used to expose injustices while doing so in a humorous manner. Huckleberry Finn in American literature falls into this category.

Fact 3. Fray Luis de Leon, a professor at the University of Salamanca during the Spanish Civil War was credited with some words that I never forgot.   Salamanca was a major factor in the Spanish revolution, and some of the professors, like Fray Luis de Leon, were forced to leave for political reasons. It is said that upon his return to the class room after some years away, he began his class with “Como decia ayer…” (As I was saying yesterday…). He began at the same point in his lecture as if he had never left.

Fray Luis de Leon’s Classroom

Salamanca’s history parallels that of many of the oldest cities in Spain. It was founded in the pre-Roman period by Celts, was besieged by Hannibal, and later under the Romans became a commercial hub. Like much of Spain, Salamanca came under control of the Moors from 712 AD until the 12th century, at which time it was retaken by the Christians.

As stated above in relation to the Fray Luis de Leon incident, Salamanca also played a key role during the Spanish Revolution. The latest international publicity came in 2008 when the main square or Plaza Mayor was used in the movie “Vantage Point” for a shooting, bombing, and riot scene.

Salamanca Square Used In “Vantage Point” Film

Some travel destinations are and should be once in a lifetime experiences. To me Salamanca is an exception. I will be back.

Panama is constantly rated in the top tier of retirement destinations.  The same reasons that make it a good retirement destination also makes it of interest  to many tourists. If you have a permanent provable income, and would like to spend more time than allowed on a tourist visa, you might consider the retiree (pensionado) visa in  Panama. It  does not rely on age, but on the existence of a permanent lifetime income.  From eighteen to the oldest person,  meet the income requirements and you can get a permanent visa.   You can live like royalty in Panama with this visa.

There is a reason that Panama is consistently ranked in the top ten countries in the world to retire.  It’s pensionado (retiree) visa provides one of the most advantageous retirement programs in the world. Panama wants you to retire to their country and has provided benefits through this retiree visa that amply demonstrate their desire. This visa’s list of benefits far outshines that of most other retirement destinations. I know from experience. Panama’s pensionado visa is my retirement choice. Since its inception in June of 1987, the Panama pensionado visa has continued to improve. The amount of annual retirement income to qualify has increased (It is now $1,000 per month for a single person, and $1250 for a couple), but so have the benefits. It is basically a lifetime visa for foreign retirees which is available to persons as young as eighteen years of age. Once your application has been approved and you receive your visa, you begin to receive discounts ranging from 10% to 50% on everything from doctor’s visits to movie tickets simply by showing your pensionado visa. There are special lines reserved strictly for pensionados at banks. This is even better than the Jubilado retiree program for the native Panamanians. Where else could you get the following benefits simply by showing one identification card?

• 25% off of airline tickets for flights in country or if purchased with Panama’s COPA airline
• 20% off of medical consultations
• 15% discount services in hospital and private clinics
• 30% to 50% off of hotel stays – depends on the day of the week
• 50% off of closing costs on home loans
• 15% off in fast food restaurants and 25% off in sit down restaurants
• 30% discount on city buses, boats, and Panama trains
• 15% off on dentist fees (fees already low compared to a lot of other countries)
• 25% discount to your electric bill up to 600KW’s
• 25% on basic residential phone service charges
• The right to buy a car every two years free of import duty
• The right to bring in up to $10,000 in personal goods with no import duty

Keep in mind that this is not a complete list of the benefits to be derived from having a pensionado visa in Panama. Likewise, the application process is thorough but simple.

• By law the application must be processed through a Panamanian attorney
• Minimum age for applying is 18, under 18 must be as a dependent
• Applicant must be receiving a documentable pension for life of at least $1000 per month
• Application must be made in person in Panama

All required documents must be certified by a Panamanian Consulate/Embassy or certified by the internationally approved apostille method. The following documents are required and none can be dated earlier than 90 days prior to the application. Passports should have at least 8 months remaining before expiration. The required documents include:

• a valid passport
• 6 passport size photos
• letter or certification from your pension provider documenting income
• copy of a police report for you, spouse, and any dependents over 18 years of age from your local law enforcement agency
• a marriage certificate if your spouse is listed as a dependent
• birth certificate for any dependent children
• a medical report (to be done by a Panamanian doctor)

Most attorneys suggest having all of your documents in hand and properly authenticated before having your application appointment with them. They also say you should allow about 4 days to complete the process. In my case I was able to submit the application to the attorney, get the physical exam, and register with immigration all in one day. The documents must be translated into Spanish before the attorney submits the completed application. This service is generally included as part of the attorney’s fees. If the above information interests you, start looking for a Panamanian attorney and get the process started. The sooner you get started the sooner you can retire to Panama and be treated like royalty, or use the visa like a permanent tourist visa which allows you to stay for indefinite periods of time.

Presently, in the 20 airports listed in the program directory as having Global Entry kiosks, world travelers can expect a much faster entry back into the U.S. When arriving, participants in the program go directly to a Global Entry kiosk. There they scan their machine-readable passport or permanent resident card, scan their fingerprints for verification, and make a customs declaration. The program participant then receives a transaction receipt from the kiosk and is directed to baggage claim and the exit.

The process removes most of the time spent in lines, but even Global Entry program participants are occasionally randomly selected for additional examination. A violation of the programs terms and conditions will result in revocation of a participant’s membership privileges and possible enforcement actions.

Participants must be pre-approved. They undergo a rigorous background check and a personal interview before being given membership in the program. If you have concerns about the detailed requirements: background checks, fingerprints, and an iris scan; maybe the program isn’t for you. Most of us have our personal information scattered all over the information highway anyway.

Most of the reasons for ineligibility are applicable to other programs as well: no false or incomplete application data, no criminal convictions, no previous custom’s violations, not be under state or federal investigation, inadmissible under U.S. immigration regulations, or be subject to any special federal registration programs.

The application process is simple.

• Fill out an online application and pay the $100.00 non-refundable application fee
• You will be contacted for a personal interview after the application is reviewed
• At the interview a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer will question you, take your photo, scan your fingerprints and collect biometric data.
• Before approval, you will have to provide proper identification – passport, driver’s license for citizens or a permanent resident card if appropriate.
• If approved, you will immediately be put into the system and can begin to immediately use the kiosks at the 20 airports presently in service.

Though the program was designed for frequent travelers, there is no minimum number of trips necessary to qualify for the Global Entry program. Even if you only travel outside the country infrequently, it still may be worth your time and money to consider the program to avoid those long customs reentry lines

Whether you are traveling as a tourist or doing research on expatriate living, you can save money in your travels by following the lead of the locals. Like the saying — “mother knows best” — the natives know best when it comes to saving money. The standard of living and local income levels require a more astute approach to their spending than does that of the tourist. You can save a lot of money in several spending areas by following the lead of the locals.

In your own country, how many times have you passed a local restaurant while traveling, saw tons of cars and trucks in the parking lot, and immediately assumed that it must be both a good and inexpensive place to eat. I have, and with few exceptions I was not disappointed. The same logic goes for traveling abroad.

There are several areas in which you can make significant savings by following the lead of the locals. The two where most people could save considerable money are: (1) hotels/hostels; and (2) restaurants.

Hotels/Hostels. The best way to get an economical hotel is to stay away from the major chains and tourist hotels. The last two times I was in Panama I stayed in a hotel across the street from a major tourist hotel and paid less than $70.00 per night. The major tourist hotel had prices on its rooms ranging from$150 – $200 per night. I had a nice room, computer access with high speed internet, a continental breakfast, and a very friendly staff. The major tourist hotel in addition had a pool, a night club show (which I could have participated in by walking across the street), and bar. I am sure that I slept as well as they did but by saving a minimum of $80.00 per night, I probably slept a lot sounder. How did I find the hotel? It was very simple. Prior to my trip I asked a business contact in Panama where I could find a reasonable hotel in the area. As a local businessman, this individual pointed me toward a hotel room that he usually recommended for some of his clients when they were in town.

Restaurants. Even in the tourist areas there are always restaurants that cater to the local population and serve the typical foods of the area. In the same location where I stayed in Panama; by asking a local and walking a few short blocks away, I was able to get a good local meal for considerably less than at the restaurants serving the hotel and even the local fast food restaurants. Always ask. Someone can direct you to these less expensive and culturally more representative restaurants. If you are just dying to have a good old American burger from McDonalds or Burger King, you can usually find those also but don’t expect them to be as inexpensive as the local restaurants.

If money is no object, then splurge at the high end restaurants and stay at the five star hotels. But if you are a traveler who wants to stretch his resources and get more bang for the buck, then always check out the local hotels and eating establishments. In these cases, going “native” is not a negative.

It has been years since I have seen a paper ticket for an airline flight. Yes, I remember what they looked like. They were often issued in duplicate and triplicate form and you had to look closely at them to make sure you were using the right one at the right time. I also remember how difficult it was to replace one if it was misplaced before you took the flight.

I remember one instance in particular in which I and my family were planning a three week long vacation in Europe. We bought the tickets early, and then put them up for safekeeping. And boy, were they safe! A few days before we were to leave, we looked for them and no one could remember where we had put them for safekeeping. We went into panic mode.

We finally had to purchase new tickets. The airline cancelled the old ones but would not return our money until we returned the original tickets. It was only after we returned from our European trip that we found the original tickets. We got our money back, but the inconvenience in the meanwhile was traumatic. This process would have been much easier today with the issuance of an electronic ticket.

Few airlines offer paper tickets anymore, and you might find it costing you more if you request one. Electronic tickets are most often purchased by internet through your home computer and you can not beat the convenience. So, why should you purchase online electronic tickets?

• It might be the only kind you can get. Some airlines no longer offer paper tickets.
• You don’t have to go to a travel agency or airline office to purchase them. You also don’t have to stand in line with your luggage at the airline terminal to purchase them when you get electronic tickets ahead of time.
• Payment can still be made with credit cards (and sometimes cash through online bank withdrawals) just as with paper tickets. My advice would be to always use credit cards; they are safer.
• They are easily accessible. The records on the internet remain at least until after each leg of the trip is completed. Once purchased they remain in the database for easy access at any time. If misplaced, you can go online and print out another copy. No more lost tickets.
• You can get immediate confirmation. This is usually through your email.
• They are instantaneously available. You don’t have to wait for the tickets to be mailed to you. They can be printed out immediately after payment is processed.
• The electronic tickets allow pre-flight check-in. Most airlines allow you to print your boarding pass within the 24 hours prior to the actual flight. If you only have carry-on luggage, you can go straight to security screening section. And even with luggage, you can usually check them curbside with the electronic ticket or through kiosks provided in the terminal by most airlines.
• On international flights most airlines still require you to check in at the counter before clearing security and boarding, but all of the other conveniences noted above still make electronic ticketing worth the time and effort.

There are always those individuals who insist on having a paper ticket issued by the airline. It doe not however make much sense anymore, since you have the ability to print out an electronic ticket immediately from any computer with access to the internet. Be thankful for the convenience of the internet and electronic ticketing. Time is money and electronic ticketing gives you more of it.

Have you ever gotten sick in a country where you did not know the language? As the saying goes, “I have been there and done that”. Fortunately for me, as an English speaking American, most of the areas in which I have found myself usually had someone who could communicate with me in English or spoke a language in which I could communicate.

Getting sick any where is problem enough, but not being unable to communicate with the health professionals can be inconvenient at the least and disastrous at the worst. It happens all the time. Just hope you are not the one it happens too.

There are ways of course to avoid this problem. Every way will not work for everyone, but by planning ahead, you can limit your health risks and the subsequent communication problems with health care professionals.

First, stay healthy. This seems rather sarcastic and to some extent it is. You can’t control when you catch a cold, have an allergic reaction, fall and break an arm, or God forbid, have a heart attack. But you can eat well, get a restful night’s sleep, and be careful to not exert yourself to an extent you would not at home. Plan you trip to allow for a more casual pace. Your body will thank you for it.

Second, if you have known health issues, make sure you take sufficient medications with you. If you have your normal medications, you are less likely to have to get new supplies in your destination country. And, if you take a list of your medications with you, including their generic names; finding a pharmacist that understands these medical terms avoids some of the communication problems. If your destination country is one that recommends certain immunizations, make sure you get them before you leave your country.

Third, you can decide that you will only visit countries that speak your language. OK, admittedly this limits somewhat your destinations. If you speak French, English, Portuguese, or Spanish as a native language, you can travel to many more areas of the world and be understood than say someone who only speaks Swahili. There are numerous countries that at one time were under the domination of countries speaking these languages, and most continue to use these languages at least as a second language.

Fourth, check for the availability of health professionals speaking your language prior to your trip. Many countries have doctors who were trained outside of their country and many of these are fluent in English and other major languages. Costa Rica and Panama are noted for their abundance of English Speaking doctors, many trained in the United States and England. In the case of many of the countries that emphasize medical tourism (whether in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia, or the Middle East) this is also true.

I am not suggesting that you be overcautious or expect the worst. I do suggest however that if you are going to spend much time in a country that you carefully consider the above recommendations. Getting sick in a country where neither you nor the health professional speak the others language is not good for your health.

The average male or female in 2010 who has already lived to age 65 and is healthy stands a good chance of living another 20-30 years. That is the same amount of time that most of them spent raising their families and developing their careers. So, statistically they have 20-30 years to enjoy their retirement years.

How these individuals choose to live those additional years is not only dependent on their income and savings, but on the quality of life that they aspire to have in those remaining years. They can choose to sit and vegetate or spend their time exploring the educational and geographical areas they never had time for prior to their retirement.

My inclination leans toward the second option, exploring areas of life I missed during my work years. I love cruises, so I did a little research on the costs of actually living on a cruise ship for an extended period of time. Doing so may be more economical than you imagined.

Economical cruises for a seven day cruise can start as low as $500.00 to well over $2,000 depending on the cruise line and its amenities. Some cater more to the partying crowd, while others cater to the sophisticate crowd. You know which category you fit into. For a one year travel itinerary, at these prices, for 52 weeks of cruising your cost would range from $26,000 to over $100,000. Most people would choose something in between the two extremes, so figure on roughly $52,000 a year or $1,000 per week.

Now, let’s take that amount and compare it with room and board at a retirement home or care facility. Between the end of 2004 and early 2010, the costs of such facilities increased from approximately $192.00/day to $224.00/day, rounded off annually to $70,000 per year in 2004 and $80,000 per year in 2010. This amount does not include any specialized care or medicines, but neither does the cruises.

Assuming you are healthy and enjoy travel, look at some of the additional benefits you could have by living on a cruise ship.

• Cruising year round can be cheaper than a retirement home – room & board is included.
• You can go anywhere in the world that a cruise line goes.
• You can travel around the world in your normal process of living.
• You can be in a different country several times a week and see more of them each trip.
• You never have to worry about preparing your next meal.
• You have built in room service.
• Your entertainment is already paid for.
• There is always someone available for socializing.
• Emergency medical treatment is readily available.

If this scenario interests you, you can plug in your own personal and financial circumstances to calculate the advantages and disadvantages to you personally. After doing my research, it seems to me that a life of cruising might be a worthwhile option, even if only for six months to a year or two.

How many times have you said to yourself upon thinking about a previous travel experience: ” I can still “____” every time I think about “____”. Fill in the first blank with “smell”, “taste”, “see”, or ” hear” and the second with any location you have visited in the past. Your fives senses have just acted as triggers to an instant recall of your travel experience. It happens to all of us.

My first experience abroad was Mexico. I was nineteen years of age, had just finished my first year in the University, and was going to spend the summer with the family of a student friend of mine. My first night in Nogales, Mexico my friend’s brother took me to eat at an outside dining area next to the Plaza de Toros (bullring). I had not had any previous experience whatsoever of Mexican culture — not in any form.

As the mariachi bands began to play, it sent chills up my spine. My youthful spirit of adventure took over. I don’t remember what we ate, but to this day I still have the same excited feeling when I hear a mariachi band play. No other Latin music does that to me, even though I have spent time in many Latin countries since that time. It was that first Mexican musical experience that now triggers pleasant thoughts of the experience every time I hear mariachi music.

One of the oddest recall triggers for me is eating a banana with a vanilla wafer. That combination never fails to bring up vivid pictures of the countryside of Southern India. Now, you don’t normally associate bananas and vanilla wafers with India, so why would I think of India? Why not think of India while eating curried food?

The answer is simple but enlightening. I was traveling with a group of American educators in Southern India and as part of the educational experience, we were visiting numerous local villages, some of which had previously had little contact with Americans. Frequently the villagers would greet us with a group of musicians and lead us into the village playing the local music.

So, why bananas and vanilla wafers as a trigger? Why not the music like in Mexico? The one common element as we went from village to visit was that in all of these villages we were offered bananas and vanilla wafers (they called them by the British term, biscuits), as soon as we arrived. So, the bananas and vanilla wafers became a trigger to help me remember the music, people, and cultural experiences. You never know what your trigger will be? I didn’t plan it that way. It just happened.

While going through international travel (or even local) experiences, we can’t always anticipate what the trigger for remembering that experience will be. The things that are the most obvious to us while living the experience may never be remembered while some smell, taste, sound, or sight which seemed insignificant at the time may become the trigger to reliving many joyful memories. They could also be the trigger for negative memories, but let’s not dwell on that possibility.

Wherever you travel, try always to include as many sensory experiences as you can. Taste the new foods, listen to the new music, and carefully look at the new sights. You never know which of your sensory experiences will later trigger the cherished memories.

So what are some the countries I recommend for an expatriate traveler?  In Central America, you have Panama, usually in the top 5 in all lists.  It is my top choice and one in which I personally intend to spend significant time in the coming years.  In addition, you have Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.  In South America you have Argentina, Ecuador and Uruguay frequently mentioned and in some lists Brazil is included.

If you plan your itinerary carefully, you can maximize your experience in each country just by utilizing the tourist visa.  I have researched and listed below the times that a person can reside in each country as a tourist.  For those countries that allow up to 90 days either without a visa or with a tourist visa, you could easily spend a year spread out over four different countries.  This would give you ample time to become acquainted with each country.

Central America

* Panama allows a tourist 90 days.

* Belize allows a tourist 30 days which can be renewed each month thereafter for $25/month up to 6 months.

* Costa Rica: Outside of transit passengers, the need for and time allowed for a tourist visa varies from up to 30 days to 90 days. For U.S. citizens and those of over a dozen other countries, no tourist visa is required for stays of up to 90 days.

* Guatemala: Citizens of the U.S., E.U. countries, Australia, Canada & Japan can stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa.

* Nicaragua: Tourist visa not required for U.S. Citizens for up to 90 days. Others need to check for your country.

South America

* Argentina: Tourist visa is valid for 90 days and is renewable.

* Brazil: Tourist visa valid for 90 days, extension of 90 days up to 6 months.  Maximum of  6 months in a twelve months period.

* Ecuador: Tourism visa valid for three months.  Can extend to 90 more days in Quito and Guayaguil.  They also have a volunteering visa (have to be volunteering with a non profit organization) for up to one year.

* Uruguay: U.S. citizens do not need a visa for less than 90 days. Others need to check for your country.

Just by using a tourist visa — or no visa in those countries that do not require a tourist visa — U.S. citizens could spend over two years outside of the United States without even having to renew one visa.  Citizens of other countries have similar times but would need to verify the requirements for themselves.

What if you could have your own personalized travel guide by Offbeat Guides which contained all the information you needed for the trip but without a lot of unneeded information.  Doesn’t that sound a lot better?

Well, you can. And the cost is in line with what you would probably being paying anyway for your travel research materials.  For less than the cost of many generalized travel guides, you can have one made to order for you and your trip.

And, the simplicity is stunning.  In five easy steps which can be done in under 5 minutes, you can order a travel guide personalized for you and specific to your planned trip.  You simply provide your destination, your current locations, your name, your travel dates, and if you know already, where you will be staying.  With this information a book with 100′s of pages of information is customized for you and your trip.

If this interests you,  check out their website and look over a sample guide.