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Ruben Arribas

About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.

A Swiss Village Pays Families Around $60,000 to Move In: Albinen’s Rules Are Strict and Real

Every so often a headline goes around the internet promising that a beautiful Swiss village will pay you tens of thousands of dollars simply to move there, and for once the headline is basically true. The village is Albinen, a tiny, sun-drenched settlement high in the canton of Valais, and it truly does offer newcomers …

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How To Make Ragù Alla Bolognese: Americans Think Garlic Makes It Italian And Italians Strongly Disagree

The first time I made Bolognese sauce in Italy, my neighbor watched me reach for the garlic. She did not say anything. She just tilted her head slightly, the way you might look at someone about to step into traffic. When I asked what was wrong, she smiled and said, very gently, that I could …

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I Stopped Eating Like an American for 30 Days And Lost 12 Pounds: 30 Days of Italian Meal Times Made Me Question Everything About American Diet Culture

Imagine eating pasta, lingering over lunch, and strolling at sunset, and somehow watching your body get lighter. That was my surprise when I copied Italy’s timing, not Italy’s Instagram clichés, for one month. I did not count calories. I did not weigh chicken breasts or memorize macros. I moved the timing of my meals to …

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Portugal Is Cheap, Beautiful, and Safe: So Why Do Americans Don’t Last 18 Months in Portugal

cI keep seeing the same pattern. People arrive with bright eyes, pastel tiles, and a spreadsheet that says life will cost half. At month fourteen they are selling furniture on Facebook and arguing with their bank. I might have that 67 percent a little off, but the shape is correct, and if you read expat …

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Spain’s Emptiest Region Is Courting Newcomers With Real Incentives: Extremadura’s 2026 Offers

Tucked into the far west of Spain, along the Portuguese border, lies a region most travelers have never heard of and most tourists never see. Extremadura is one of the emptiest corners of the country, a vast, sun-baked landscape of Roman ruins, wild nature reserves, and quiet old towns, home to only about a million …

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The Traditional Vietnamese Breakfasts That Make American Mornings Look Boring

Vietnamese Breakfast – Vietnamese cuisine is one of Asia’s most popular cuisines so it’s very typical to be curious of what a breakfast in Vietnam looks like. A traditional breakfast in Vietnam can be a hot soup like Bun Bo Hue, Vietnamese coffee and of course, Banh Mi. If you think breakfast is just toast …

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The 7 Things You’ll Wish You Packed When Something Goes Wrong

Packing for a trip can be stressful, but having a well-organized list of essentials can make the process smoother and ensure you don’t forget anything important. Here is a comprehensive packing list for various types of travel. It’s a sinking feeling every traveler knows: you’ve just boarded a plane, or arrived at your destination, and …

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Portugal Isn’t Spain: 15 Unspoken Rules of Portuguese Life Tourists Learn the Hard Way

Portugal is often celebrated for its stunning coastlines, historic cities, and world-famous cuisine. Yet beneath the charming surface lies a rich cultural fabric woven from centuries of tradition, subtle social cues, and unspoken ways of life. For tourists, especially those visiting for the first time, many aspects of everyday Portuguese life may seem puzzling or …

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The Browser Trick That Can Stop Americans Overpaying for European Hotels: The Hotel Search Habit That May Be Making Your Trip 40% More Expensive

You open a hotel booking site from the U.S., click the same dates your friend in France clicks, and somehow your “same room” costs meaningfully more. This is not paranoia. It is also not always a scam. It’s a stack of small, boring mechanisms that compound, and Americans tend to hit the worst combination: different …

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Van Life Influencers Show Sunsets But They Don’t Show This Part: People Spend $80,000 on Vans to Discover They Hate Van Life

Van life looks glamorous on Instagram endless road trips, cozy camper setups, and waking up to stunning mountain views. But is it really as carefree and dreamy as influencers make it seem? Scrolling through Instagram, it’s easy to romanticize the #VanLife movement. Curated photos of boho-chic vans parked in front of mountain vistas or oceanside …

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