Diary Day 4 (Saturday, April 19, 2025) – 164 Days Until Departure: A Promising Find With a Catch! 🇵🇭🇵🇹❤️
The sun is shining extra bright over Lisbon today, but my thoughts are already drifting toward the tropical landscapes of Cabantian. It’s Saturday, April 19th, 2025 — and on our personal countdown calendar, it marks another important milestone on this wild and beautiful journey we’ve chosen. To be exact: 164 days until our planned departure on September 30th. Time flies — or maybe it drags, depending on your level of excitement. And ours? Through the roof!
The last few days have been a blur of online research, timezone-defying phone calls, and juggling endless to-do lists. But then, out of the blue — the message we were waiting for: We’ve found a property in Cabantian that really matches what we’ve been dreaming about! 🤩
The location is perfect, the size works, and the first virtual impressions were beyond promising. It’s starting to feel real.
"The Coconut Canopy" is slowly taking shape — for now in our minds, but hopefully soon on solid ground.
⚠️ The Catch? A Fast Decision Needed!
As always, every silver lining comes with a small cloud. The property is available — but only briefly. The potential landlord (or seller — still unclear!) is pushing for a quick decision and an even quicker handover.
Translation: We need to move — fast. 🔥
We were still mentally in the cozy “planning phase,” and suddenly it’s time to hit the gas.
164 days might sound like plenty. But once you start looking at the list of what still needs to be done, those months shrink down to weeks — maybe even days:
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Logistics of the move: What do we bring? What do we leave? How do we ship our belongings across the world? 📦✈️
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Visa & residency permits: Are all our documents in order for a long-term stay in the Philippines? 🛂
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Financial planning: How do we budget for the transition and the first few months there? 💰
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Cultural prep: Even with Penky’s roots in Mindanao, everyday life might surprise us. What do we need to be mindful of? 🤔
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Health & insurance: What vaccines do we need? What kind of health coverage works best abroad? 💉🏥
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. At times, it feels like running a marathon in sprint mode. 😅
🥝✈️ Flight Ticket Roulette – and Our Secret Weapon: KIWI.com
One area that keeps shifting like quicksand: plane tickets. Prices change by the hour, influenced by forces we can barely follow. We’ve spent what feels like entire evenings comparing flights, routes, and departure dates across different platforms.
One site that’s saved our sanity more than once? KIWI.com.
Its user-friendly interface, flexible search options, and price alert features have made this part of the planning less stressful and a lot more strategic. If you’re planning a long-haul adventure and are open to creative routes, this platform is worth checking out.
📢 A Little Gift for Fellow Travel Dreamers!
Because we’re such fans of KIWI.com, we’ve set up a little surprise for our readers:
Get USD $10 off your next flight booking through our exclusive referral link:
👉 Use our link
Use this bonus to kick-start your next adventure — or come visit us in the Philippines! 😉🌴
💌 The Most Important Document (and a Bit of Portuguese Romance)
While all the move planning and property scouting is going on, we’re still waiting for one special thing: a very important document from the Philippines. Just a simple piece of paper, but it’s the final requirement to book our civil wedding here in Portugal.
Yes, you read that right. Despite all the chaos and stress, we’re still planning to say “I do” in Lisbon. ❤️
Portugal will always have a special place in our hearts — not only as the launchpad for this life-changing journey, but also as the place where we’ll officially begin our next chapter as husband and wife.
The red tape is frustrating at times, but the thought of standing together, exchanging vows against the backdrop of this city we’ve shared for so long? That’s more than enough motivation. 🥂🇵🇹
Each day we wait for that document feels like a tiny test of patience — but we’re hopeful it’ll arrive soon, and we’ll be able to take that next step.
🎢 164 Days: A Countdown Full of Emotions and Expectations
164 days. More than just a number. It’s a symbol of the growing excitement, the urgent anticipation, and the intense preparation ahead.
Every single day brings us one step closer —
To Cabantian.
To “The Coconut Canopy.”
To our dream life in the Philippines. 🇵🇭🌴
It’s a time of extremes: the chaos of organization paired with a deep sense of joy. The stress of decisions and the peace that comes from knowing we’re in this together. ❤️
We’re so grateful for this moment in time — and for all of you following our journey. Stick around. The next 164 days are going to be unforgettable.
And we’re glad to have you with us for every step of the way. 😊🌴✈️🇵🇹🇵🇭
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