Are you looking for inspiration for your next trip? Then you should read this wonderful Aruba travel report by, Michelle Texeira, who is now living the island life.
Aruba Travel Report
Reading an Aruba travel report can be a wonderful way to find out how other people discovered Aruba. How many times per year they visit. What they do while on the island. Where they go to eat. And so much more…
Michelle decided to visit Aruba many times after she first discovered the the island.
Now she’s retired and living la Vida local!
Let’s find out how it all started by going back to the beginning…
How I Discovered Aruba
It all started 3 years ago…
My daughter, boy friend & I were all set to spend New Years in the Bahamas.
But as fate would have it that didn’t happen – we had to cancel our vacation.
Because a week before our trip my daughter had an emergency appendectomy.
I promised my daughter that we’d go on our annual mother & daughter trip as soon as she recuperated form the surgery.
The next couple of days after the surgery we scanned the internet for places to go.
We have heard of Aruba (from our online research), after our research we decided to go to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. However, before we finally decided on Cabo San Lucas, something told us to cancel and pick to visit Aruba.
It turned out the be one of the best decisions we made!
Our First Impression about Aruba
The first morning we woke up to the best sunrise ever…
We were so excited about the island that we started making plans to return before we even left.
We returned 30 days later to celebrate my birthday at the Hard Rock Café.
Me next to the famous I love Aruba sign
I Retired and Moved to Aruba
After working 30 years for a mayor bank in Toronto I had an opportunity to retire early (given my amount of years in service).
All I could think of was being retired and spending most of my time in Aruba.
And I did it – I retired (lucky me)!
How To Live La Vida Local
So at 54 years old I decided to retire and live la Vida local in Aruba.
But how do you transition from working in Toronto to living the island life?
I didn’t know where to begin, but me and my boyfriend figured it out!
At first we decided to skip the Toronto cold winter and fly to Aruba after retiring (this was my start of 6 months of island living).
Together with my boyfriend in Aruba
We decided to rent a condo near palm beach.
You might think, what are you going to do for 6 months in Aruba?
However, living la Vida local is not so bad (it’s actually pretty sweet).
There’s always something to do in Aruba…
I spend my days with relaxing times on the beaches.
I enjoy the best sunsets at the end of each day.
Aruba has beautiful sunsets
Since being here for a while I got my favorite beaches already like Palm Beach, Malmok, Boca Catalina, Arashi, Eagle Beach and Manchebo beach.
We like to go out to eat. Some of our favorites include Barney’s, Local Store, Gianni’s, Salt & Pepper, Linda’s pancakes and Chalet Swiss.
We also like to drive the north coast of the Island to Natural Bridge, Arikok National Park & the natural pool.
I also enjoy going to yoga classes…
me (front row, 3rd, blue shirt) & my yoga friends.
We tend to walk a lot here since everything is close by to our condo, but if we want to venture out we take the bus (for about $2 one trip) or rent a car from the multiple car rentals that are on the island or our local friends pick us up (we’ve got life pretty good figured here in Aruba).
We have made so many friends here from locals, to tourists some of which have become family to us!
Our Old life in Toronto
My family and friends back home in cold Toronto often ask if we ever get bored here…
How can anyone get bored living on this happy island?
We have a couple of weeks here, before we go back to Toronto.
I can’t wait to see 4 of our friends that will be traveling here for their first time in March.
I can’t wait to see their faces as they experience their firsts here, first sunset, first SUP class, firsts of many with so many memories to be made and I know they will be back next year to visit us again.
We are truly blessed to be living the dream!
If you’re looking to book a vacation, don’t think hard about it.
Pick Aruba – it should be on the top of everyone’s bucket list!
Bon Bini mi Dushi!!
Click here to read Aruba trip report from first time visitor turned Ambassador.
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I would love to move there
I am so jealous!! I am a Canadian too – live about 65 miles west of Toronto.
How was Michelle able to move to Aruba? I thought you could only stay for a short period of time?
She can stays for 6 months out of the year. If you want to live here – you should. There’s plenty of room and enough sun for everyone 😛
Thanks Angelo! How do you stay for 6 months – is there someplace to find information? I sure would LOVE LOVE LOVE that!
Hello Colleen,
I will find out about this and post about it, because many people are asking this question.
Thanks
I moved to
Aruba 5 years ago Bought a house and love it
Hi Lorraine,
Life must be good in Aruba 😛
Thanks for signing up for my newsletter..
I have been in the states and I am coming back next week planning to stay,
We visited Aruba for the first time 3 years ago, loved it so much we sold up in the UK and purchase a villa on the island, we visit as often as we can and plan to move to Aruba full time in around 18 months.
Hi Debbie,
Yes you have a remarkable story! Congrats on getting to live full time here 🙂