Intuitive Traveling- with some travel tips
Traveling intuitively has been magical. I've been out of Canada for close to 3 months by now. I've had several challenges that started the second I landed. Honestly, nothing (I mean nothing literally) went as planned. However, my 2022 word was surrender. I had to surrender to what was happening and find ways to adapt. Adaptability skills are far more important than planning. This can be reflected in business, life, health, travel, and so much more. I'm grateful for all the help and support I received during these initial months. And, I kept my promise and adapted to the situations.
My journey started in Florida, Surfside, for one month. I then booked Miami, but something pulled me towards Mexico. That's traveling intuitively. Following that guidance, without the need of justification. I canceled Miami and flew to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. I stayed there for two weeks, and I connected with some humans on a soul level. I have shivers writing this because it was unexpected yet truly needed and part of my purpose journey. I met amazing people throughout my journey, and again, something then pulled me towards Tulum. I needed to balance my energies and headed there more for a few days' retreat. I arrived in Tulum, and I extended my stay the same day. Instead of staying six days, I ended up staying 13 days. I took five days off social media to reconnect with my soul. I was existing. My schedule was full of yoga, meditation, nature, nothingness, temazcal ceremony, intuitive and ecstatic dancing, breath work, kundalini yoga, throat chakra activation workshop, sound healing, beach swim, journaling, past life hypnosis therapy, and more. I also received my Reiki attunement, but I mostly did my Reiki healing course for me out of curiosity (a bit like my Yoga Teaching Certification). Tulum helped me balance my feminine/masculine energies, and I was ready to come back to socialization. It helped me reconnect with my spirituality and my soul. I am heading back to Playa Del Carmen for a few days, then Florida for two days (the majority of my suitcase is still there!). Then, something is calling me to go to California. Again, I don't know why. But I follow. I surrender. The magic this type of traveling/living holds is beyond my ability to explain.
Let me know if you’re interested in more about my spiritual journey and growth :)
Now, let’s jump to the the tips
Many of you may know I had a travel health business (HealthyVoyage) that was focused on health prepping. Considering I've been out of Canada for close to 3 months now and adapting to this new lifestyle, there are other things to consider! Here are some things to think of when leaving or becoming a nomad (I also learn more as I travel).
While I'm not a fan of planning, planning can often be quite important and wise. It would be best if you distinguished between planning the journey (knowing exactly what I will do, where, what time, etc.) and planning the human necessities of the human on that journey. I am not planning the journey; I am planning the human needs to reduce risks during my journey (travel insurance, drugs or supplements, my stay for the first few days, my phone bills, etc.). In this blog article, I discuss phone bills, some hotel stays, four supplements I always bring with me, taxes & income, RAMQ consideration if leaving Quebec for more than 183 days, and something I always do as a traveler (for safety purposes).
1) Phone bills
Part of traveling is budgeting and figuring out ways to live with the same freedom. Since I will be creating lots of content on social media, I needed a phone plan that wouldn't cost me a fortune. I researched, and the most reasonable, flexible, and the easy-to-use provider was: Fizz. Fizz offers a Canada-USA plan with data and unlimited texting for the same price I had for Canada only… It was a no-brainer for me.
If a person forgets to enter the referral code when subscribing, they're unfortunately out of luck. We cannot retroactively apply a referral code.
https://fizz.ca/en/faq/how-do-i-invite-friends-to-join-fizz#1
Use this CODE: XGU3I
We will each receive $50- Once you sign up and once your second Fizz payment has been made, we'll each earn $50.
2) My stays
I used to stay in hostels and shared dorms. I am kind of done with this, to be honest. The more I grow, the more I need my own space (I'm also an introvert). I booked an Airbnb for my first month in Florida. I also used Hotel Tonight for quick last-minute stays in various places.
Check out HotelTonight – it's an app for booking amazing hotel deals tonight and beyond. Use my promo code STPELLE and you'll get CAD 30 off your first booking. Download the app here: https://txt.htltn.com/Lgoh0ohCmob
3) Pills and supplements
I made a YouTube video on this since it's quite relevant. Planning is important, and it was the core of HealthyVoyage. I always planned my stuff appropriately to have what I needed in case.
The Supplements I usually bring with me include:
Zinc
Vitamin C (Joulance brand)
Magnesium bisglycinate (Joulance brand)
Activated Charcoal
4) Taxes and income?
I am not an accountant or tax expert; this is based on what I read and know. Please make sure to speak with someone qualified for further information.
Since I left for an undetermined time, I must be aware of income taxes. When you leave a country for a long time (183 days for Canada), you no longer have to pay income taxes unless the income comes from a Canadian source. Your income tax switches to the country you are currently in. For example, if I am in the USA for longer than six months, the IRS will start requiring me to pay income taxes. It can get complicated when you move from one country to another, but it's always manageable if you have a knowledgeable accountant. Since my whole journey is not planned, I prefer having an idea of what I have to do rather than spending time learning something when I might be doing something completely different. I'll keep you posted with my knowledge :)
In the meantime, here is the Canadian website regarding Taxation for Canadians traveling, living, or working outside of Canada
5) RAMQ (for Quebec residents)
So, Quebec authorizes residents to leave for over six months every seven years without impacting their RAMQ status. For those from Quebec, here is the link for more information: https://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/citoyens/absence-quebec/informer-ramq-depart-quebec/r1q1r1q2r3
6) One thing I always do as a Solo Woman Traveler
Traveling alone as a woman can sometimes be challenging. I traveled to over 13 countries alone, and here is something I always keep in mind or do. I believe men should also do this :) :
I make sure I have an internet connection in the arriving country (not only wifi). I use the GPS to track the taxi driver or bus to ensure we are headed the right way.
I share my location with someone I know within or outside the country, but at least someone has my location.
I hope this helps and that you'll be able to benefit from some rebates :)
Let me know if you have any questions!
- Stephanie El-Chakieh