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Today’s PrideNomad™ Quiz:

In Today’s Email:

Destinations: More places. More fun.

Nomad Hacks: Lower your travel costs

Nomad News: Bulgaria announces a new digital nomad visa.

DESTINATIONS:

🌍 A Few More Places Worth Lingering

One of the things I love about the Pride Nomad lifestyle is that we don’t really believe in “retirement” the traditional way.

Most of us are already living as if we’re retired — just with Wi-Fi.

We work, yes. But we also design our days around enjoyment, culture, food, walks, conversations, and the freedom to stay put long enough to actually feel a place instead of just passing through.

I came across an article this week about cities people are choosing for long-term or semi-retirement, and it struck me: these are also excellent places to slow down for a few weeks (or months) while living and working abroad.

Some may sound familiar from past issues — that’s intentional. When places keep showing up on different lists, it’s usually for a reason.

Here are a few worth considering if you’re looking for somewhere comfortable, affordable, and easy to settle into for a while:

Lisbon

A favorite for a reason. Walkable neighborhoods, good public transport, great food, and an easy rhythm for day-to-day living. Ideal if you want Europe without the intensit

Hanoi

Affordable, layered with history, and full of café culture. Hanoi is a place where weeks slip by quietly — perfect for focused work mixed with deep local flavor.

Bangkok

Chaotic on the surface, surprisingly livable underneath. Great transit, endless food options, and plenty of neighborhoods where you can settle into a routine. My home-base for 10 years.

Budapest

Elegant, affordable, and slower than most European capitals. A good choice if you enjoy long walks, cafés, and soaking in a city’s history.

Medellín

Comfortable climate year-round, strong infrastructure, and neighborhoods that make it easy to live well without trying too hard.

Bali

Yes, it’s popular — but for good reason. If you choose your area carefully, it’s one of the easiest places in the world to balance work, wellness, and beauty.

The common thread here isn’t “retirement.”

It’s staying long enough for life to feel normal — just better.

That, to me, is the real PrideNomad advantage.

Adventure outside the ordinary

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NOMAD HACK:

Use this to make your travel life a bit easier.

Here’s something that feels illegal the first time you use it:

If your flight price drops after you book, you can often get the difference back — even on “non-refundable” tickets.

Airlines quietly changed the rules.

Most travelers didn’t notice.

✈️ Here’s how it actually works

1. Book your flight like normal

   Don’t wait. Waiting is how prices go up, not down.

2. Check the price again 1–3 times before departure

   Especially:

   • Tuesday–Thursday

   • Late at night

   • After schedule changes

3. If the price drops, rebook the same flight

   Many major airlines (Delta, United, American, JetBlue, Alaska) will:

   • Issue a flight credit for the difference

   • Or let you rebook instantly online

No phone call.

No begging.

Just click → rebook → credit appears.

The Deets

• Works on economy tickets

• Works even when the ticket says “non-refundable”

• Credits can be hundreds of dollars

• Airlines count on you not checking

This isn’t a loophole.

It’s policy — buried quietly so only frequent flyers use it.

🔍 Pro Move

Use Google Flights and toggle:

“Track Prices”

You’ll get an email when your flight drops.

That email is basically free money.

Bottom line

Most travelers hunt for the perfect price before booking.

Experienced travelers book early —
then let the airline pay them back later.

That’s leverage.

VISA NEWS:

Bulgaria Just Launched a Digital Nomad Visa.

Should You Care?

Depends.

Do you value cheap rent and fast Wi-Fi over… pretty much everything else that makes a place feel like home?

Then yeah. Maybe.

But if you’re gay — and you actually want to live somewhere (not just exist there while you Zoom into meetings) — we need to talk.

What Bulgaria Got Right

The visa itself? Solid.

Bulgaria is now offering a one-year digital nomad visa, renewable once. The income requirement is around $30K/year, which is far more reasonable than places like Portugal or Spain.

The process is straightforward: apply abroad, get your Type D visa, enter the country, register locally. Done.

It’s designed for remote workers earning money outside Bulgaria, which means no competing for local jobs and no work-permit gymnastics.

And yes — Sofia has good coffee.
Bansko has mountains.
Plovdiv has charm.

Your dollar (or euro) goes far.

So far, so good.

What They Conveniently Leave Out

Bulgaria is not a queer-friendly country.

I’m not saying it’s dangerous.But I’m also not going to pretend it’s Amsterdam.

There’s no marriage equality. No civil unions. And outside Sofia, public attitudes toward LGBTQ people are… let’s call them cool to cold.

In Sofia, there is a gay scene.
A few bars. Some community groups. Pride once a year — with heavy police presence.

It exists.

But it’s small. And quiet. And very much “don’t make waves” energy.

Outside the capital? That disappears fast.

This is not a place where you casually flirt at brunch or hold hands on an evening walk without checking the room first.

So What’s the Verdict?

I’m not here to tell you what to do.

If you’re introverted, work-focused, happy flying under the radar, and just want a quiet, affordable base for a few months — Bulgaria might work.

But if you need to feel seen…
If you want to walk into a bar and immediately find your people…
If you’re done shrinking parts of yourself to keep others comfortable…

This isn’t it.

That’s why Bulgaria isn’t on the PrideNomad Index — and in our 2026 edition, it would rank in the lower percentiles. Better than places like Dubai, but nowhere near destinations where you feel at home.

Not tolerated.

There’s a difference.

Paper might say you’re allowed to stay.Your nervous system knows better.

So before you Google “Sofia apartments,” ask yourself:

Do I want a visa… or do I want a life?

Because those aren’t always the same thing.

P.S. If today’s issue hit you in a good way, hit reply and just say ‘yes’ — I love knowing you’re out there

Answer to Today’s Quiz

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