Category Archives: Trip Reports

close-up of a currency note

The Era of Visa-Free Living in Mexico is Over

Buenos días everyone,

If you’re thinking about spending a significant amount of time in Mexico or even making multiple trips over the course of a year, you should be aware of a change in practice by Mexican immigration authorities.

For many years, it’s been very easy for U.S. citizens (and certain other nationalities) to spend a virtually unlimited amount of time in Mexico. Visa-free entry with a tourist permit (the cost of which is automatically included in your plane ticket) is granted for up to 180 days (six months) and for years the standard practice has been to grant virtually everyone a 180 day entry permit regardless of their trip plans and travel history. (Land border crossings have different rules if you’re staying in the border area.) As a result, it was common for foreigners living in Mexico to just travel to the US or Guatemala (or another nearby country) at least once every six months and live in Mexico indefinitely without a resident visa. Continue reading

a logo for a university

Last Day to Register for FTU Virtual Seminar on Saturday, January 22 ($25) or Free with Online Annual Membership

Good afternoon everyone, happy Friday!  If you have no plans tomorrow (Saturday, January 22), I highly recommend attending the FTU Virtual Seminar (tickets available for $25) or free if you have the FTU Online Annual Membership.  The seminar starts on Saturday, January 22 at 8am PT / 11am ET.  I have attended all of the FTU Virtual Seminars over the last year and they are always well done, educational, and entertaining – and I am sure this seminar will be no exception!  Here is the schedule and lineup of speakers:

a screenshot of a phone

Continue reading

a logo for a university

Attend FTU Virtual Seminar on Saturday, January 22 ($25) or Free with Online Annual Membership

Good afternoon everyone, I hope you are having a great MLK Jr. weekend.  If you have no plans this Saturday (January 22), I highly recommend attending the FTU Virtual Seminar (tickets available for $25) or free if you have the FTU Online Annual Membership.  The seminar starts on Saturday, January 22 at 8am PT / 11am ET.  I have attended all of the FTU Virtual Seminars over the last year and they are always well done, educational, and entertaining – and I am sure this seminar will be no exception!  Here is the schedule and lineup of speakers:

a screenshot of a phone

Continue reading

a logo for a university

Last Day! Buy a $69 Frequent Traveler University (FTU) Online Annual Membership & Attend All 2022 Virtual Seminars for Free

Updated at 4:50pm PT on 1/1/22: FTU has extended the sale by 2 weeks, so you have until January 14 to lock in the $69 FTU online annual membership.


Good afternoon everyone, happy New Year’s Eve – wherever you are celebrating it this year!  I have been a long time fan and attendee at Frequent Traveler University (FTU) and got a ton of value this year from my FTU online annual membership.  My 2021 membership just ended, so it is time to buy my 2022 membership.  If you sign up for an FTU online annual membership by December 31, 2021, and use promo code 60_OFF_FTU_ONLINE, you can get your membership for $69 for the whole year (regular price is $129).  Today is the last day to sign up and use the discount code.

a screenshot of a website

Continue reading

a close up of stamps

Have you Read my Most Popular Posts of 2021?

Good morning everyone, happy New Year’s Eve!  Every year, I like to check out my stats from Google Analytics to see which blog posts were the most popular.  I created 2 lists by looking at all blog posts written in 2021 and then I looked at which posts were read the most in 2021, but written in previous years (#stayingpower).  I will list the blog posts from top to bottom based on pageviews, share the original published date, and provide a short summary of each blog post.  If you are curious, here were the most popular posts from 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

2021’s Most Read Posts (Written in 2021)

Continue reading