No, this isn’t a review of the book, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, by Barry Schwartz. Though I would highly recommend reading it. Rather it is my paradox of choice. When I left Honolulu, I fled to the cheapest country I had on my list of places I wanted to visit. When I left Ecuador, I simply went to the next cheapest country on my list, Mexico. The rest of the countries I had planned on visiting, before my finances took a turn for the worst, are on the higher side.
I had all my plans to go to Ecuador finalized well before I left Hawaii, just as I had my plans to visit Mexico finalized sixty days before leaving Ecuador. Even though it is 74 days before I leave Guanajuato I am making my plans to head back to Honolulu now.
Leaving Mexico coincides with my yearly doctors appointments. I had considered finding new doctors in Houston, but I really like my old doctors, and I am missing Honolulu and all my friends there. Also, in the past I haven’t been satisfied with the doctors I have seen in Houston. I am starting planning my trip to Honolulu now, because I need to have the appointments I have already made confirmed, and make appointments with the other doctors, as close together as possible.
Once I have my appointments made, then I have to book flights and make sure I have a fallback arrangement in case I can’t stay with friends while I am there. So Honolulu is pretty well taken care of.
Now, here comes the paradox that makes my life even more inconvenient. I can go anywhere in the world that I can fly to for less than $2,000 round trip, and will cost me less than $1,800 a month to live on. You would think that it would narrow things down, wouldn’t you? Nope!
| City, Country | Pros | Cons |
| Mexico in General | I speak functional, though not conversational Spanish | |
| Easy flight to US mainland | Doesn’t add another country to my travel history | |
| Mérida, Mexico | Warmer than Guanajuato | Actually quite hot and humid. Might be better for winter. |
| Flight from Hono under $400USD | Flight is nearly 16 hours | |
| Cost of living Under $1,200 USD per month. | Slow internet | |
| Warsaw, Poland | A high school friend lives there | I don’t speak any Polish |
| Cost of living $1,700 USD per month | Round trip flight $1,337 USD (from Houston) Flight from Hono to Houston not priced yet. | |
| Querétaro, Mexico | A lovely colonial town | Weather is about the same as Guanajuato. It might be better to save this one for summer. |
| Flight from Honolulu $386 USD | AirBnb far too expensive, unless I get one with only a microwave and fridge. | |
| Cost of living $950 per month | ||
| Lviv, Ukraine | Cost of living $925 USD per month | |
| Cost of flight from Houston $1,022 USD | ||
| Osijek, Croatia | Cost of Living $982 USD per month | Not easy to get there, Train from Zagreb. |
| Cost of flight from Houston to Zagreb $1,033 USD |
The above are just the ones I had time to look at today. My head hurts!