Hi Fellow Traveling Rebelz,

Apologies for the lateness of this newsletter — we’ve had a lot of moving around lately, which made this past month a bit more challenging and has impacted us getting the newsletters out timely. A plan has been set and we will be better. We spent the last month back in Quito after our Chile and Argentina tours (don’t worry, those blogs are coming) before the weather started to cool down. With about a week left before our Airbnb reservation ended, we decided that instead of hanging around unnecessarily, we’d take a much-needed trip to Manta, Ecuador — a quiet coastal city along the central coast.

The flight was supposed to take an hour but ended up being only about 25 minutes from takeoff to touchdown. Can’t beat that for a getaway. We decided to extend our stay to two weeks instead of the original one we’d planned. So far, we’ve been enjoying good food, great drinks, and an overall beautiful time here. This time of year, there aren’t many tourists, and it truly feels like a calm, local beach town — no long waits for restaurants, no crowds, and plenty of room to just breathe and take it all in. We are taking plenty of notes and will share some insights with you in an upcoming blog.

The Strategic Traveler

Lately, we’ve seen a lot of content online about travel stories gone wrong—people moving abroad on one-way tickets and getting stuck with little money, or those making grand international moves without properly vetting a location first.

Someone has to say it, so we will: like every other genre of life, travel has been hijacked by influencers.

As your resident marketer here, let me emphasize that influencers are usually paid, trying to be paid, or looking for a freebie—all of which means they often have an ulterior motive to get you to take a particular action.

Update on Our VPN Situation

Not all VPNs are created equal.

About a month ago, we told you we were using CyberGhost VPN as our go-to choice. We’d relied on it for years—traveling through Cuba, Mexico, and Europe—with no issues. But lately, we’ve learned that sometimes one VPN just isn’t enough.

Here’s what happened: CyberGhost doesn’t play nice with our Firestick, so we started using ExpressVPN for streaming. Everything was great… until we realized ExpressVPN doesn’t always work when logging into some of the accounts we use back home to manage our investment property.

So, we brought CyberGhost back into the mix. Now, CyberGhost handles our business activities, and ExpressVPN remains the go-to for our viewing pleasures.

All this to say—life on the road is full of little adjustments. What works one month might not the next, and sometimes it takes a bit of testing, tweaking, and reconfiguring to keep everything running smoothly while living and working abroad.

Rappi: The Unsung Hero of Travel Convenience

In today’s world, delivery apps have become an everyday essential. In the U.S., we lean on services like Instacart and UberEats for everything from groceries to takeout to random last-minute items—like that Bluetooth speaker we once forgot on a beach trip. Since music sets the vibe for ocean cocktails, we ended up ordering one through Rappi.

If you’ve spent any time traveling through Central or South America, you’ve probably used Rappi—or at least seen its drivers weaving through traffic on motorbikes, balancing orange delivery bags like pros. While UberEats exists in the region, Rappi is hands-down the local favorite. It’s not just for food either. You can order groceries, cleaning supplies, or just about anything you’d grab from a corner store.

Our routine is simple: whenever we land somewhere new, Rappi is one of the first apps we open. We’ll usually place an order for water, snacks, cleaning products (if they’re not already provided), and a few basics to get us settled. The service is fast, reliable, and makes those first few days in a new country a lot easier.

When it comes to restaurant orders, though, results can vary—and that’s usually on the restaurant, not Rappi. Some kitchens just don’t handle takeout well. Our advice? Check reviews or try the spot in person first before ordering delivery.

One last note: Rappi drivers often can’t deliver straight to your door. If you’re in an apartment or hotel, expect to meet them in the lobby or outside. Small inconvenience aside, Rappi has been a life saver for handling everyday necessities while traveling through Central and South America.

Until next time,

Stay roaming. exploring. learning.

Albion + Maurice