Category: Travelling

Earning While Living In Mexico

Everyone has Skills to Work Remotely!

So, there is the dream right, living somewhere more adventurous, more historical, more like Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Whatever your great escape dream is… how can you actually make the change and continue to live life comfortably with a stable source of income.

Most people have heard the term “Digital Nomad” by this point. I mean we are everywhere, working online in the digital space while traveling to places we love without having to save to go on vacation. Where ever we roam that is where rent is paid. Its a pretty great deal if you ask me. One I have been searching for since I was just 16years old going to high school in Toronto Canada. In fact I was laughed at, has sand literally kicked in the face of my dreams. Good friends whose opinions I valued and respected questioning why I wanted to uproot myself and move to California. I would not be legal to work, how would I live.

Fast forward 20 years later and I was moving to California after working remotely for 6 months on a new contract. Suddenly I had a huge “Ahh Hahh” moment. I coulD move there, live and work because I had my own business and well… The dreams of a young rock and roll kid who wanted to surf and see where the bands they loved came from! The picture below is the 16 yr old rocker. I never smoked really, I just thought it was cool!

That same 16 year old rocker who finally ended up in California also had a dream to one day live in a small house on a beach in Mexico. Well, its not a beach house, but I have designed a life that places me in close proximity to a turquoise blue incredible beach on a tropical island off of the coast of Cancun Mexico. It’s simple. That digital nomadic lifestyle I discussed earlier.

I have designed my business so that no matter where I am I am able to work remotely. The start of this is having my own business. I began back in 2002. My ex wife and I started an online agency creating email campaigns and designing websites for companies in Canada and the US.

My company is ShiverMedia, we are an agency that builds websites and designs campaigns and content that produces results for our clients. I have served clients from David Tutera to Sunrise Records. I specialize in entertainment and small business marketing. Hit me up if you want to implement some campaigns.

If you are looking for small business or creator content coaching, I can help. I have experience building and developing traffic for all levels of business. But enough about me. Watch the video see what I do and get inspired to do something you can work on where ever you decide home base is.

Mexico earning digital nomad digital marketer online work work remotely travel adventure Isla Mujeres nomad nomadic

July 2, 2022
My First Surf Lesson – Cancun Mexico

Written By Sam Martin

Several weeks ago I ventured across to Cancun to take my first official surf lesson!!! Yes!!! The great Bucketlist adventure is underway. I left the house feeling excited, a little nervous and most importantly like I was finally doing something I had always wanted to do.

Yea it’s true, I have ridden several waves in my day. From the tiny fresh water breaks at Wasaga Beach in Canada to the shark riddled Daytona Beach waves on boogie boards and finally body surfing Huntington Beach and Waimea Bays shore breaks. All when I was much younger and much more fit!!! Things are much different now.

Walking from the ferry to the meeting spot, the heat, my knee, my excess weight all contributed to my having a more difficult time than I even imagined. The nervousness I experienced gave way to despair as I wondered if I would make it to the lesson!

Inside was the 10 year old Sam. Brazen, fearless but not reckless, ready for any challenge. This was step number one on the road to my best life ever exploring Sam sized beach breaks! While my inner child was alive with adrenaline, my 54 year old self was mustering up every ounce of energy to push through. There were great feelings of failure, embarrassment, and hopelessness. What was I thinking?

We arrived at the meeting spot and shortly the lessons were underway. First we learned the cardinal rules of surfing. 3 basic rules that covered respecting the ocean and others in the water, falling away from the board so it does not hit you and always watching where are going. Of course there are more rules a beginner surfer should know. There are plenty of lists online. View Surf Rules for Beginners

After stretching we practiced pop ups and then got in the water. Wow. first I realized my front foot was my left and not my right as on a skateboard. It’s like playing hockey all over again. I shot left!! I struggled getting my knees to move fluidly, this was on shore. In the water I did not try to get up. Instead it was like riding giant boogie boards. I did not even try and every walk out was taking the last of the little energy I had left. Remember it is important to respect the ocean and the waves.

The two waves I rode boogie board style filled me with a familiar feeling. The rush of catching a wave and letting it propel you through the water towards shore. Suddenly I forgot how much pain I was in, how the trek back to Isla Mujeres would feel after. At the end of that second ride I stopped the lesson and let them help my ex who was having more success then I. She of course was in much leaner healthier shape!

Will there be a second lesson? Of course there will. In fact the intention is to take 5 more there in Cancun. However, first there is some training to do! Some that has begun, but more that starts immediately. Through a series of rabbit hole researching I have isolated the muscle groups and exercises required to perform the motions required to pop up and ride the wave. More on this in a future post.

For now know this, as difficult as that first lesson proved to be, it was a learning experience. There is an abundance of gratitude that I feel for the opportunity. My desire for better health and my Bucketlist adventure got me to try and appetite the company who came along!!! The experience.

Patience outshined the pain by a long shot. In fact am now even more inspired to be healthier!!! Thank you so much to the team at Highlife Mexico and watch for 5 lessons next.

March 7, 2022
Endless Summer Bucket List Adventure

Written By Sam Martin

The 2022 Decision to Live my Best Life Ever!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome to 2022!

I for one am grateful for the lessons, experiences and time spent with loved ones during 2021, however it is time to wish that year so long in more ways then one.

Confident there are others who feel the same, 2021 was a year of loss and loneliness. For me, the loss was first acknowledging the sheer number of lives that were taken from around the globe because of a virus seemingly out of control. Then there was the personal loss. A change in a 5 year long relationship, and my brother, passing at a young 48 years old. Incredibly appreciative he reached out and told me, though wishing I had more time, made different choices. Hind sight and that 20/20 thing.

By the time 2021 started winding down, I had moved back to Isla Mujeres, the little island off the coast of Cancun, to live a simpler, easier life. I wanted to determine what I wanted next. I started to feel a little healthier, dropped some excess weight and in general, felt my head beginning to clear. This past week, the fog really started to clear and there was a pang of excitement that was building inside.

As a child growing up in rural southern Ontario, I somehow managed to fall in love with the gitchy surf jingles of the Beachboys, and the equally gitchy Frankie and Annette surf movies from the early 60s. Believe me when I say I have watched almost every surf movie since then. My little world became filled with dreams of long boards riding the waves in Malibu in boardshorts, with a sweet betty on the beach waiting to ride tandem with me. Yes it was all about the Sun the Sand and the Surf. That magical warm water A Frame beach break!

I cannot say when I first watched the Bruce Brown movie “The Endless Summer”, I only know that I could probably recite the monologue by heart. The number of times watching the original or Endless Summer 2 is almost as often as I have told someone one day I would create my own endless summer. That always kind of looked like following the world tour. Now it’s more about actually chasing an endless summer of adventure, not unlike the fellas in the Bruce Brown films did.

At almost 54 years old the idea of an endless summer surf tour is a lot different. However, it is something I am going to complete starting this year. Remember, there was a reason I chose Isla Mujeres as my home. First, you can easily get out on a paddle board anytime of the year. The water is a little cooler this time of the year, but it’s still warm ocean water. The second is I wanted to travel and see more of the world, Cancun is an international hub for tourism. That is when it came together for me. The Endless Summer Bucket List Adventure.

The plan is to start chasing my dreams. Just really chase the things that have resonated with me my whole life. From childhood aspirations to adult dreams that I am confident can now become a reality. A step ahead of my time I was creating Wake/Surf and Jetski content back in the early 2000’s. Admittedly, the quality was not the greatest and there was no monetization, yet I am so proud of what I accomplished with SlidingGlass. Now I am inspired by role models who have made creating content a lifestyle. They are younger creators living life according to their own compass, forging a career from it and making their dreams a reality.

2022 is going to be a very different year. Even if the COVID continues to rage, there is a path to my dreams regardless of the adversity. This year I am embracing a new mantra to live my best life ever and that means making my dreams reality. This year I am embarking on a sun sand and surf adventure to ride warm water beach breaks around the world.

ENDLESS SUMMER BUCKET LIST ADVENTURE

Today is January 1st 2022. The journey begins today! Everything in my life will be focused on working towards my dreams. Reconciling childhood dreams with what is possible in a world where anyone can be a creator as long as you have a story to tell. I know what my story is, I know what my passions are, I can see it all clearly and it is fantastic. Join me on this journey if you are interested to see how it goes. All of it will be documented. The ups, the downs, the bureaucracy, every last thing so you can see what it takes to live your best life ever and start chasing your dreams. It does not matter how old you are, as long as you have the desire.

Where Does the Adventure Begin?

Before I can start moving freely around the world, the first item on my endless summer list is to get healthy. Surf Fit!. That means losing some weight and getting fitter. This morning I was up and headed out to the beach to do some stretches and swim.

Watch for the full list coming in a few weeks. If you happen to follow me on Patreon, you can find the list of items on my Endless Summer Bucket List Adventure tomorrow.

Follow Me On PatreonGet EARLY ACCESS to more content and videos that are not released publicly until after Patrons see the updates first.

December 6, 2021
Wandering Around Barcelona

Written By Sam Martin

A City Rich in Culture, Picasso, Dali and Cronuts!

Barcelona is a city rich in so much history, in art and architecture. From the works of Pablo Picasso to Antoni Gaudi, to the incredible food in the markets and on the streets. Any visit to Barcelona is sure to delight the biggest connoisseurs of cultured big city travel.

Barcelona Highlight Gallery

Barcelona Architecture Gallery

Barcelona Highlights

Barcelona was a spontaneous trip planned in the name of love. Travelling since early Christmas Day from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, exploration began Boxing Day 2016. I awoke early, excited to get out and explore the area that would be home for the next month. The apartment rented from AirBnB was located a few short blocks from Las Ramblas, called El Raval. What made it perfect was we were so close to everything we needed.

Right below us was our staple, a little bakery that had the best samosas and pakoras. Plus beautiful baguettes for only 0.33 Euros each. Every few mornings one of us would go downstairs for some bread and produce we could find on the street. If we could not find something on the street, a grocery store and the Mercat del la Boqueria was only a few blocks away. Like most major cities there was always something great within walking distance.

The Mercat de la Boqueria was one of the first places we walked to check out. The closest thing I have ever seen to anything like this was St Lawrence Market in Toronto. A park sized covered farmers market filled with everything from Jambon to pescado, baked goods, produce and so much more. At first it is a little overwhelming, so many of the merchants offering the same thing, eventually you just have to decide and buy or move on. I think my favourite thing was the stacks fo fresh made fruit and vegetable juices. There were just so many to choose from.

The same is true of olives. There were so many. Tara said she liked the saltier ones, you know the black wrinkly olives. I chose a simply plain traditional olive. Branching out into new things is part of the journey right? Either way, we returned often to this market area, often not to shop there but for what became one of our two biggest food obsessions in Barcelona. burgers (I will get into that later) and CHOC. OMG, this place was a little piece of pastry heaven. Seriously…

Assorted Choc Cronuts

Latte love!

All the Cronuts!

“You’d have a hard time finding anything better than Barcelona for food, as far as being a hub.”

— Anthony Bourdain

The Streets of Barcelona are Rich in History

Once you have filled your belly with all the fine food Barcelona has on offer, well next up is the art and architecture. Barcelona is well known for some pretty famous artists. I mean it is after all the home of Pablo Picasso, as well as the two artists known as the “mad artists”, Salvador Dali (also my favorite artist) and Antoni Gaudi.

We spent several hours on multiple days exploring the works of Antoni Gaudi. The first was a walk from the neighbourhood where we were staying through the streets of Barcelona to the Sagrada Família. A fantastical looking Roman Catholic Church that reaches up high into the sky. The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia designed by Antoni Gaudi has been under construction since March 1882. It was 2018 and we were barely able to see much as it was covered by scaffolding and construction materials. We never went in for this reason. Apparently we missed out.

Another day we were off to Park Güell, a wonderful homage to the works fo Antoni Guadi. This was by far one of my favourite days out exploring. We wondered through the park for hours exploring all the different installations and pieces. In one section a band played, while a man danced. We stopped and watched for a time and then moved on, still listening to the music until we were out of earshot.

“There no reason to regre that I cannot finnish the church. I will grow old but others will come after me. What must always be conserved is the spirit of the work, but its life has to depend on the generations it is handed down to and with whom it lives and is incarnated.”

— Antoni Gaudi

I discovered there was not just music in Parc Guell, music seemed to stream from all around Barcelona. Live intoxicating music from the streets, creeping in as you walked around your feet shuffling to the beats. Especially in parks on sunny Saturday afternoons. The day we wondered over to the area Pablo Picasso hung out in. In fact a friend sent me on a hunt for a store that was known for its cats in the exact area. Unfortunately the owner of the cat place was gone at the time.

I could feel the history coursing through the streets as we walked the same cobble stones, took in similar old building (not as old then) and talked about the beauty in the architecture. The courses I took in college on art history were nothing compared to being there, following the same roads greats like Picasso and Dali. First of all, the documented rivalry between the two that spanned decades and created some fo the most incredible pieces on the art we have. There are few artists who could complete with their influence on modern art. Well, maybe Van Gogh.

In a small art shop close to the area I purchased 2 SalvidoreDali prints and 2 Pablo Picasso prints. They were small so I could get them in my carryon. They were also pieces I was not overly familiar with. One currently hangs in the hall on the way to the bathroom.

LGBTQ Positive in Barcelona!

There is a thriving very liberal community in Barcelona. As a very queer looking person I totally felt comfortable. Not once did I get that feeling I am sure we all experience one and a while, of course this is not the mid West USA, this is Barcelona Spain where they even held a March against the US electing 45!

One thing I will say about Barcelona… We went to go to a club for NYE and well, we discovered that clubs don’t open until after the midnight hour. We missed out on that part. The evening ended with drinks in the apartment. Through the night we heard celebration until the early morning light. Next time I will be more prepared and have an afternoon nap!

The other thing I absolutely loved about Barcelona was the doors. I found myself taking so many pictures of architecturally beautiful doors, or secret tiny doors, or painted garage style doors. Eventually I had enough pictures for a whole gallery!

October 18, 2020