Great news! I’ve just confirmed my flights to Lisbon, Portugal! With the dates set for my trip, I can now inform my employer about my remote working arrangements. I can also begin the process of preparing all necessary documents, including permissions and insurance. It feels incredibly rewarding to finally take the steps I’ve been planning for years.
No more catastrophic surprises, please!
In December 2019 I had arranged a trip to the Garda Lake area in Northern Italy for spring 2020. My intention was to spend two weeks unwinding, focusing on my music, and writing purely for enjoyment. However, just a week before my departure, Covid-19 hit Europe hard. Travel recommendations changed and especially Northern Italy was categorised as a place not safe to travel to. So I had to cancel all the plans. This also meant that I lost some of the money used for booking hotels.
Undeterred, I resolved to try again last year. Having diligently saved money and secured approval from my employer to work remotely from Portugal in November 2023, I diligently completed all necessary travel paperwork and booked my flights. Unfortunately, unforeseen financial challenges befell my employer. That lead to the loss of my job a mere five months before my scheduled departure.
Faced with this setback, I shifted my focus to securing new employment. Fortunately, I landed a position with a new company and started in new job just two months before my planned trip. However, this fresh start necessitated another cancellation of my travel plans, as my new employer requires a minimum of four months’ notice for remote work arrangements from abroad.
But as they say, third time’s the charm! I’m thrilled to finally be on the verge of making this long-awaited trip a reality. Gonna document on this blog whatever happens next.
PS. If you are interested to learn about the costs of a 3 week remote work trial in Portugal, here is my budget and updated list of actual expenses >>
