A Sideways Life: The honest guide to living & working abroad

Welcome to A Sideways Life, where we uncover the hidden gems of the world, far away from the usual tourist hotspots! Hey, Sideways Lifers! In today's episode, we're taking a detour from the usual travel guide. Forget Paris, New York, and Bali - we're diving into destinations that are equally enchanting but way less crowded. We're talking about places where you can truly immerse in local cultures, untouched nature, and unique experiences. Get ready to add some new spots to your travel bucket list!   First up, let's trade the iconic spires of Prague for the charming streets of Bratislava, Slovakia. Often overlooked for its more famous neighbour, Bratislava is a hidden jewel nestled along the Danube River. Imagine strolling through the compact old town, admiring the mix of medieval and communist-era architecture, and enjoying local delicacies at a fraction of the price you'd find in Prague. Don't miss the stunning Bratislava Castle, offering breathtaking views of the city. It's a culturally rich, yet relaxed alternative to the bustling tourist hubs   Next, let's swap the crowded beaches of Thailand for the serene shores of Laos. Ever heard of Luang Prabang? This hidden paradise in the Mekong River is where tranquility meets adventure. Imagine kayaking with river dolphins, exploring waterfalls, and watching sunsets on quiet riverbanks. It's the perfect place for a peaceful retreat   Listen for our 6 other recommendations!   That's a wrap for today's off-the-grid travel suggestions! Remember, the world is full of undiscovered wonders waiting for you. Stay curious and keep exploring! And don't go to Bali.

Hey there, listeners! We're back with "A Sideways Life" after a good nine-month break. Thanks for hanging in there with us – we've missed you all! In our latest chat, we get real about the ups and downs of our nomadic life. Turns out, even we can get a bit tired of moving around all the time. We spill the beans on our recent Italian escapade, where we hopped around Italy and Sicily for 90 days. It's funny how life works – this trip unexpectedly led us back to a place we can't get enough of: the Balkans, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina. We dive into why Bosnia has stolen our hearts, sharing stories and laughs about our adventures there. This episode is a mix of travel tales, a bit of nostalgia, and a lot of love for the places that have touched our souls. So, grab your favourite drink, settle in, and join us for a laid-back, heartwarming journey through our lives and the places we adore. Here's to more adventures, more chats, and more unexpected joys in life. Let's get this journey restarted!   PS. Email us you fckers! Tell us what you've been up to the last 9 months. asidewayslife@gmail.com 

OK - let's address the elephant in the room. We haven't posted an episode for about six weeks now and we're really really sorry. The thing is we've got a new podcast it's really taken off and we just don't seem to have the time to do this one. Which is why we're looking for anyone who is interested in guest hosting this podcast for the next few weeks whilst we sort our shit out - we would love to hear from you. So have a listen to this, and if you can do better than us (you most certainly will be able to do) then get in touch here's our email: asidewayslife@gmail.com  

What an episode! You clearly want to live abroad (or why are you here?!), but one of the biggest questions we get is, 'Where is the best place to live?' Our fantastic guest today is Jennifer Sontag, founder of Italian Citizenship Concierge, who says it's Italy! Join us as we talk about: What visa do you need? Can you get a job in Italy? What's the difference between the North and South? Is it REALLY just 5% tax? Is there a path to citizenship? Jennifer is offering our listeners a free 30 minute consultation to ask any question you like. Just go here to book your free session.  -- NOTE: This is following our new format of podcast episodes that are either about: WHY you want to live & work abroad HOW to live and work abroad WHERE to live & work abroad --- The roadmap we mention can guide you through the questions you need to ask before starting your own adventure. Want to get involved? It's completely free - just go to ASidewaysLife.com/roadmap. --- As ever, get in touch on Instagram (@asidewayslife) or email asidewayslife@gmail.com. We genuinely would be thrilled to hear from you.    

Welcome to day 25 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... We did it! 25 straight days of podcasting, and we're knackered. Tune in tomorrow for Day... wait! We're done. So don't bother!

Welcome to day 24 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... On today's episode, we just chat about what it's like to spend Christmas away from home, why gravy is an essential part of the Christmas dinner and how to construct the easiest Christmas Cocktail ever (plus Leanne has a story about a pig's head. Yes, really.) Tune in tomorrow for Day 25! It's Christmas day!

Welcome to day 23 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... On today's episode, we hear from the coolest couple from Canada ever. Catherine and Tommy Milburn run Tiki Grove, the coolest bar on the tropical island of Gili Trawangan, in Indonesian. They might be our newest best friends. Lovely people - hear what they say about what they wish they knew before they lived and worked abroad.    Tune in tomorrow for Day 24! It's Christmas eve!

Welcome to day 22 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... On today's episode, James continues to discuss the biggest mistakes people make when they travel around Europe. From language barriers to cultural faux pas, and from bringing too much luggage to packing the wrong items, James has done it all. Tune in as he shares his personal stories of travel mishaps, as well as giving tips on how to avoid making the same travel blunders! Tune in tomorrow for Day 23!

Welcome to day 21 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... On today's episode, James discusses the biggest mistakes people make when they travel around Europe. From language barriers to cultural faux pas, and from bringing too much luggage to packing the wrong items, James has done it all. Tune in as he shares his personal stories of travel mishaps, as well as giving tips on how to avoid making the same travel blunders! Tune in tomorrow for Day 22!

Welcome to day 20 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... After the success of our 100th episode where our other podcast took over A Sideways Life, we're doing it again! So today you get to hear our other (more serious) podcast and we ease you in gently with an interview on Leanne's background. NOTE: Our other podcast is called 'Truth Lies & Workplace Culture'. You can find it in all the podcast apps or go to https://truthliesandwork.com/listen. Tune in tomorrow for Day 21! That's the end of the takeover, BTW...

Welcome to day 19 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... Today we talk about the problems we leave at home when we live and work abroad. Our guest is Kath (from our friends Kath & Dave) who explain that it's not quite as simple as getting in your car and driving to a new life. Tune in tomorrow for Day 19! 

Welcome to day 18 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... Today we talk about what to buy someone who lives and works abroad. I don't think anyone ever reads these show notes. If you're reading this, send us a message on Instagram (@asidewayslife) and say 'Otter Offal' and we'll send something special to you.  I bet no fucker sends us a message.  Tune in tomorrow for Day 19! Help - what do we talk about?

Welcome to day 16 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... Today we listen to a voice note from Fani, the other half of Andrew (from Day 16). Today we cover: Offsetting Carbon for Podcasters The FOMO of a Christmas away Electrical Adapter hell The Catholic Church - yep, really... Tune in tomorrow for Day 18! 

Welcome to day 16 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... Today we listen to a voice note from the amazing Andrew from Carbon Poditive (offset the carbon from your Podcast with him). Today we cover: A man dressing up as a plant and jumping out at people Andrew's very stoic way he lives his life  Why Fani (Andrew's partner) is amazingly salty  Lea's attempt at a Forest Gump impression Tune in tomorrow for Day 17! Oh my God... we're almost done. We will never complain about a weekly podcast schedule again...

Welcome to day 15 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... Today we listen to a voice note from the lovely Gal from @smoozitive who injects some much-needed positivity into our episode (poor Lea has a cold and is grumpy AF). Today we cover: Why Leanne wants to move to Utah The Utah Saints (Leanne is too young) Why we're glad Sarah Beeny has gone through the menopause Why moving abroad is NOT going to fix your problems Tune in tomorrow for Day 16! It's likely to be just as shit...  

Welcome to day 14 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... It's the 100th episode and our other podcast is taking over A Sideways Life! So today you get to hear our other (more serious) podcast and we ease you in gently with an interview on Al's background. SORRY FOR THE AUDIO QUALITY: Somehow Al messed up editing this episode - our other podcast usually has much better audio quality. Can you tell Al is obsessed with audio quality..? NOTE: Our other podcast is called 'Truth Lies & Workplace Culture'. You can find it in all the podcast apps or go to https://truthliesandwork.com/listen. Tune in tomorrow for Day 15!   

Welcome to day 13 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... The first few episodes are themed around, 'Things We Wish We Knew Before We Moved Abroad'. Today we talk about why starting a podcast can have such an impact when you live and work abroad. We also tease tomorrow's episode which is gonna be quite different. NOTE: We mention our other podcast which is called 'Truth Lies & Workplace Culture'. You can find it in all the podcast apps or go to https://truthliesandwork.com/listen. Tune in tomorrow for Day 14! TRIGGER WARNING: It's gonna be about an hour long!  

Welcome to day 12 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... The first few episodes are themed around, 'Things We Wish We Knew Before We Moved Abroad'. Today we talk about finding friends when you live and work abroad. As ever, it's a heady mix of idiocy, obvious advice and Leanne giggling in the corner. Tune in tomorrow for Day 13! Will it be an amazing episode? Maybe, 'cos we have some guest segments...  

Welcome to day 11 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... The first few episodes are themed around, 'Things We Wish We Knew Before We Moved Abroad'. Today we have a guest segment from Austin & Monica who talk about what your friends and family say to you when you travel. You can find their podcast on all the major networks: Search for 'Profitable Nomad Couple' or go to https://profitablenomadcouple.buzzsprout.com/ Tune in tomorrow for Day 12! Will it be another amazing episode? I somehow doubt it...  

Welcome to day 10 of Podmas!! (25 days of podcasts in December). We’re going to bring you an episode a day in December right through to Christmas Day... The first few episodes are themed around, 'Things We Wish We Knew Before We Moved Abroad'. Nothing to say really. Just watched England crash out from the World Cup in heartbreaking style. We're now officially Croatian fans. Back tomorrow with a much more upbeat episode. Tune in tomorrow for Day 11! It's gonna REMAIN messy.