About Sojourner44

Gender:

Male

Currently Lives:

Citizen Of:

United States

Past Expat Posts:

Bahamas

France

Italy

Italy

Vietnam

About Sojourner44

100% permanently disabled with full military benefits, I live aboard my 1965 Pearson Alberg 35 sloop at Patrick Air Force Base marina in Florida with my black tomcat Charlie. I spend winters here and travel to foreign countries the rest of the year. This year's country is Panama, a country I have a lot of history with in the bad old days. Ex Navy Quartermaster, merchant seaman( sailed from AB to Chief Mate on foreign flags), 100 ton yacht captain, I worked in every aspect of the marine industry. I've been a fireman, drywall hand taper, offset printing platemaker, freestanding circular staircase builder, boat builder/rigger/refinisher/delivery captain and many other things. Cowboy, rancher, movie extra, smuggler, school teacher. I' m old but I'm durable.

Advice for New Expats

Don't buy...rent. And pick up the language enough to be polite and talk your way out of a fix.

I would love to live in...

I CAN live anywhere

Favorite Cuisine:

Omivore, I eat what's available

Favorite Museum:

Local

Favorite Movie:

What's starting soon

Favorite Book:

Aldous Huxley- ISLAND

Favorite Sports Team:

Niners

Some Forum Posts:

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Good Time To Move To EC:

That's the best time to inspect a boat too! Right after it rains.

Ecuador Welcome Forum: just starting:

And, cipro cures the Aztec Two Step

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Insomnia:

Neuryl, Clonazepam 2.5 ml By presription from any MD. 5 to 10 drops in an ounce or two of water

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Where is Kika located?:

Where your foot contacts the ball?

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Banking, Currencies and ATMs:

Tell your Bank where you'll be and to white card your debit card with $600 daily limit. Use Bank of Pachincha ATMs as they allow six hundred per day. Other banks 'ATMs only give you $300 max. I haven't had any problem in two visits and $600 lasts a looong time. I bought a portal billetes( folding leather money clip to carry the bulk of the bills in left front pocket and recharge an Ecuador made wallet containing about $100 and drivers license and ATM card in my right front pocket.

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Anyone Moved from Panama:

Decades ago, when we owned and operated our creation, the Panama Canal, the canal zone was paridise for Americans. We had a mile wide safety zone, under U.S. law. I used to pay $13.00 to transit my boat through. Being a mariner by trade, the interior of Panama was a mystery to me. Lately, I revisited the country. I didn't get to David or the far off expat centers, but I did discover El Valle, 65 miles from Panama City. A small mountain paradise. Clean, beautiful and tranquil, with a butterfly refuge, warm spring, forest hiking, better fruit at lower prices than Ecuador, low cost rentals and great resturants. I have discovered its' soul sister city in Cotachachi, here in Ecuador. Now, if I can score two paradises in two countries in two tries, how many more are there in other countries such as Colombia, Belize, Nicuaragua, Portugal, etc. etc.?? If every country only allows you to spend your money for 90 days per Calendar year...why, that's four countries per year you can spend 3 months each in, or better 12 countries per year at 30 days each. That's if you travel light and like variety as I do. At 72 the last thing I need is to buy real estate or get mixed up in beauracratic(sp) nonsense and politics both local and gringo. I have made friends in every country I hung out in and leave before familiarity has time to breed contempt and am always welcomed back when I reappear.

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Battery Backups?:

Two questions Moody Blue; where is your degree in electical engineering from? And, do you believe in magic? On my eastern New Mexico ranch on the High Plateau, in the summer, it's almost non-stop lightening storms. Power is knocked out frequently, but is restored by our valient co-op linemen usually within an hour or less. Don't have surge protectors other the common power strips. Never had any electronic equipment fry. Is this because of magic? For thirteen years?

Ecuador Welcome Forum: 3 part question:

Costa Rica has got to be expensive with the same frontis you left the States to get away from. Panama is a corrupt police state and filthy. Never been to Peru. P.I. is a country where you better know what the hell you are about, unless you're a sailor on shore leave just looking to get laid or like benni boys. Ecuador is civilized, beautiful and stable. I speak Spanish well enough to get by.

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Looking for city on the beach not destroyed by the earthquake:

I just landed in Manta last night with a list of beach towns to the south that I will be checking out the next few days. When I make my selection, I'll rent a place for September, sling my hammock and swim every day, all day and scarf mariscos until I get back to Cotachachi for the first two weeks of October, where I have a free house. I'll post where I choose if your interested.

Ecuador Welcome Forum: MIA or FLL?:

I Drive to FLL, stash my car in an offsite lot on Old Griffen Rd. And fly Jet Blue. You could find a po box or storage in Hollywood easier than in Mia. Which is indeed a zoo. I worked in FTL from '72-'88 running charter boats out of Bahia Mar, building Browards, rigging/ refinishing and deliveries.

Date Joined:

2/20/2016

Total Posts:

98

Posts/Day:

0.24