Explorer Genes

In many cultures around the world, the number eight is one of the most positively regarded… symbolizing strength, abundance, balance, and the idea that actions lead to results.

With that acknowledgment, it seems a fitting year for some reflection.

Eight years ago today we departed the US on a journey around the world on $50/day.

It was supposed to be two years. We would then buy a property abroad and “settle down” to open a bed & brewery.

COVID changed everything.

It helped us realize that dream was not ours anymore.

In fact, we wanted nothing more than to continue this life.

So, we took the seed money we had for that property, and did something else.

Some days, we’re still incredulous, and always grateful, that we found a way to make it work, and though we’ve slowed down substantially, we’re still going strong.

For us, it’s an integral part of who we are.

It’s the explorer gene.

A gene that 20% of humans…maybe you….also have??!

It keeps us exploring.
It keeps us learning.
It keeps us sharing….

That said, thanks to YOU, our 7.5k followers, all who have joined us organically through this page, and continue to follow us through our monthly blog newsletter .

We sincerely appreciate all the comments, shares, fellow travelers/nomads, and armchair explorers out there from around the globe. But, whether you’re contributing or lurking, we’re glad you’re part of the journey. We also value all the friendships and relationships we’ve made because of this page, so if we might cross paths, please let us know!!

As you might have noticed, we have chosen to never monetize our content for fear of it changing how we write and share our travels; as such, our content will always be offbeat, free and without clickbait, memberships, or advertising…on our social media, (so long as we can control it) and on our website, which is packed with all our archives.

We will also not serve as brand ambassadors, though we do sometimes share brands we truly love.

Finally, we will be authentic…written by us, and not AI, though we do use it for research and historical fact-checking purposes.

With that said, if you feel charitable and would like to give thanks in support of the efforts that go into our posts and website, you can now make a contribution through Ko-fi via our website, (comments) or by simply using any one of our referral links. Your support genuinely helps us, motivates us, and keeps us doing what we do. 🙂

Regardless, Thank you, Merci, Gracias, Danke, Hvala, Grazie, Obrigado, Děkuji, Blagodarya, Mulțumesc, Köszönöm, Terima Kasih, Teşekkürler, Tack, Càm ón, Khapunka, Rahmat, Shukran, Arigato….and the list goes on….to ALL of you!

And…Happy 8th Nomadaversary to us!

Photo: Kiev, Ukraine, year one, 2018

(July 1) En route to Bosnia & Herzegovina, we paused in Valjevo mostly to slide in some hiking in the Gradac Gorge, which caresses one of Serbia’s most pristine and inviting rivers.

It combines crystalline waters, dramatic limestone cliffs, dense beech forests, historic monasteries, caves and swim holes, which all feel relatively untouched.

No tourist center. No fees. No overdone signage. No crowds.

That said, according to a local we met, the gorge (which he also amusingly called “The Amazon of Serbia”) has increased in popularity significantly since people started traveling locally during COVID and now every weekend during the summer is filled with day-trippers from Belgrade.

Fortunately, we went on a semi-rainy weekday and mostly had it to ourselves.

The best part?

You can wander there directly from the town (about 15 minutes) and go for miles in a variety of directions.

Unfortunately, we had a late start due to some torrential rains, but we still managed to fit in 14k and see many beautiful views and sights, as well as douse ourselves in some much needed forest bathing.

***Click photos for details

(July 1/2) En route from our one month in Subotica to our next five weeks in Sarajevo, we wanted to check out some other parts of the Serbia, so we settled on Valjevo. It was convenient to access by train and offered hiking in a beautiful gorge, which we were desperately hungering for after a month in pancake-y terrain.

The town of 56k sits where the Kolubara and Gradac River unite and also offers Tešnjar which is one of Serbia’s “best preserved cobbled old quarters,” according to Serbia Travel.

Our final conclusion was that it wasn’t really worth the side trip, especially because getting out of Valjevo and heading to Sarajevo wasn’t so straightforward.

Still…it was a pleasant stop for three nights and we really enjoyed our hike, which we’ll get to in the next post.

***Click photos for details

Where are we now?!

We’ve returned to Sarajevo, another “Known Known” for the next five weeks!

Here’s our post from our 2019 visit.

In the meantime, we’ve still got a bit to catch up on in Western Serbia and Eastern Bosnia & Herzegovina!

Unpacking Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina - Explorer Genes Before we arrived, a few things came to mind when we thought of Sarajevo, etched in our brains from early history lessons and events. Mostly, involving war…the one during the Clinton years, a siege we knew pretty much nothing about, and the beginning of World War I kicking off thanks to the assass...

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(June 2-30) Our one month chapter in Subotica, Serbia has sadly come to a close. It’s been a terrific base, repeatedly reminding us how much we enjoy living in this part of the world.

Here’s a glimpse into our daily life while in this livable city…

For our first one-month stay in Europe this year, we returned to a “known known”—a city we first visited on a day trip from Novi Sad in 2019.

Subotica, Serbia’s northernmost city of about 120,000 people, sits just a few kilometers from the Hungarian border. Despite its size, it feels much more like a small town, and it captivated us from the moment we arrived.

A month long stay confirmed it; we’re still just as mesmerized.

There are countless reasons we love this multicultural city. Its flavors feel far more Central European than Balkan, which makes perfect sense given its rich history of shifting empires and cultures. Today, it’s common to hear chatter in Serbian, Hungarian, English, and several other languages as you wander the streets.

We’re also addicted to its whimsical, storybook Art Nouveau architecture…

…the warmth of the people (especially when you attempt a little pigeon Serbian)…

…its peaceful pace, while still offering just enough to keep life interesting…

…and the tree-lined streets that radiate from the center, wrapping you in a welcoming embrace around nearly every corner.

But this post is really about the city’s beauty.

Next time, as we usually do, we’ll share more about what daily life here has been like.

***Click photos for details

June 2026 Budget Update
$1667 ($8 UNDER) of $1675; (Two people: $55/day or $20,075/year)

We spent the entirety of June in Serbia, mostly in the northernmost province of Vojvodina. We had a wonderful apartment, we ate and drank well, and did several outings. All in all, a great value!

Below are the breakdowns for the month.
All prices in USD and are rounded. As always, let us know if you have questions! 🙂

ACCOMMODATION: $708
(1) Belgrade FREE night at Hyatt Regency thanks to our Chase Sapphire Preferred card. U.S. travelers, there is currently a 100k sign-up bonus for this card, so it’s a terrific time to apply! Please use our link in comments
(28) Subotica, one bedroom apartment on Airbnb for $672 or $24/night
(1) Valjevo, Airbnb, one bedroom for $34/night

GROCERIES: $508
Overall, Serbia seems to be about average globally for food prices, which we will discuss more in upcoming posts. It is slightly cheaper than what we experienced in neighboring Bulgaria this time last year. We predominantly shopped at Lidl, Maxi, Idea and did a weekly produce run to the local market

GENERAL: $161
We felt that it was easy to fit in many add-on expenses this month without undo stress to our budget.
These included:
$55 Toiletries
$34 Sightseeing/Entertainment
$26 Haircut (Mandy) A really good one which I never splurge on!
$16 Swimming pool (for laps, ~$3/visit)
$12 Tailor to hem two pairs of pants
$5 Tello for US phone number

RESTAURANTS: $157
We usually choose to eat out while on day trips or out of necessity. Other than this, we cook at home and reserve this budget for treats like drinks out, or dessert. It was very tempting to have an excessive amount of these because they were very good value in Serbia.😋
(1) nice meal out in Szeged (Hungary) for $28, including two glasses of wine
(1) pizza meal in Palic for $13, including a beer
(1) breakfast; omelets in Subotica after our bloodwork, including two lattes ($15)
(2) sit down meals while in transit ($30) no drinks
(12) treats, which is excessive for us but when 1/2 liters of draft beer are $2.50, wine is the same, and gelato is $1/scoop, it results in challenges in this department 😆 But they were also so great in the heat!

TRANSPORTATION: $132
$32 Gas in Switzerland to fill up the fuel efficient car we drove for 7 hours
$90 This included five train rides, varying from 1-3 hours in length (one way). Overall, transportation in Serbia is phenomenal thanks to their efficient and inexpensive train network.
$9 Two local bus rides in Subotica round trip, which were about $1.20/ride

Our “OTHER” Buckets
ANNUAL SPLURGE: ($1000/annually)
We spent $0 from our splurge bucket

MEDICAL: $3000/annually
We spent $380 from our medical bucket, which included….
($173) complete bloodwork (both)
($70) two ultrasounds, thyroid and breast
($84) two dental cleanings
($46) stock up on prescription meds; some of the cheapest we’ve found, available without prescription.
($8) contact solution

(June 26) While in Subotica, I was excited to have the opportunity to meet Gordana for coffee, a gal I met through the Host a Sister Facebook Group.

Little did I know I was meeting not only a local friend, but a powerful force of betterment within the community.

In addition to sharing a little bit about her life in Subotica and some of the current challenges and realities of the region, she introduced me to the organization she co-founded called Klara & Rosa.

This community arts and cultural association is a program-packed venue that promotes inclusion, creativity, and social change by creating spaces where diverse voices, dialogue, and community engagement can thrive through drama, concerts, fine arts, discussion, workshops, and even an experimental women’s retreat coming up in August.

According to their website, it’s a space that belongs to everyone…

…and defies the alienation, fear and polarization often all too prevalent in today’s society.

Not to mention, many of the programs are free or donation based and offered in English!

What an ideal activity to check out while visiting this beautiful city!

***Click photos for details

As the currently news-centric “heat dome” invaded Central and Eastern Europe, we eagerly hunted for a bit of aquatic relief and hopped another readily available and inexpensive train to the tranquil town of Senta, or Zenta as it’s known in Hungarian.

In Senta, perched alongside the Tisa River we were transported to a very different side of Vojvodina…one that is famous for the 1697 Battle of Senta, a decisive defeat of the Ottoman Empire by the Hapsburgs, shifting the balance of power in Central Europe.

On our visit, however, we witnessed nothing but serenity.

This predominately agricultural community sits in the heart of the Pannonian Plain.

It’s fertile. It’s rural. And, it’s undeniably sleepy.

A waitress we talked with was astonished to learn two Americans had wandered into her “boring” town.

Why not? It’s very pleasant.

And, there was plenty to entertain us for about six hours like swimming in the Tisza, checking out the riverside promenade, absorbing more Hungarian influences, and of course, stopping for our obligatory day trip treats.

***Click photos for details