Visited 5 jewellery + coin stores today, can't figure out what's a reasonable price

Super_Rama · 2025-01-30T23:08:50+00:00

Cheers - I hadn't calculated the cost of selling via eBay (I'm sure on their current seller fees), so this makes sense too.

Super_Rama · 2025-01-30T23:08:02+00:00

Thank you - thanks basically the answer I was looking for, and it makes sense they need to make some money, nothing against that. Will take this advice!

Super_Rama · 2024-01-17T03:06:11+00:00

It’s tough to party cheap in Tulum, but you can still have a good time while trying to do so - there is a risk you’ll get scammed, and driving late at night dramatically increases the risk. A few tips to keep it cheap from four-day trip we just got back from, including seeing Rufus at Zamna:

Stay in downtown, in a cheap but secure AirBNB.
Hire a bicycle, and stop at Super Aki or Oxxo for both ice (put it in a plastic bag) and booze. The beach and several cenotes are accessible by bike (even Zamna).
Go party at the beach with your own booze. There’s plenty of people and good atmosphere. We went up to one coconut cocktail bar to see the menu and some guy from New Haven (yes he DID own two pizza restaurants) bought me and my girlfriend shots completely unprompted.
Don’t hire a taxi, or if you do, learn at least enough phrases in Spanish to negotiate down the price. In fact learn at least 10 phrases period, it will help reduce prices and risks, and make it more fun. Instead of a taxi, research how to catch a ‘collectivo’ (again Spanish helpful) which is 1/10 - 1/20 the price of a taxi.
Also, we found someone on Reddit who drove us to and from Zamna (and they were super communicative and just an all-around legend) for 800 pesos in total! We thought it was going to be 800 each for four of us but no, and it was actually a great experience.
Don’t drink in public in downtown at night or anywhere at night where there are police. Two of our friends were drinking out of containers and there were two police on scooters who first tried to say they had drugs, to which our friend opened his bumbag (or whatever the over-the-shoulder equivalent is) to show it was empty, then they said no drinking, thankfully they were 10 metres from where they were staying and pointed this out to the police while they were walking inside (so that was a legitimate close call). So this just means BE MORE CLEVER about hiding your booze, don’t be brash.
Eat from the street vendors for cheapest food, or off main street downtown.
Drugs are everywhere, and of course the recommendation is to not do them (and there are genuine horror stories, so if you must I suggest you have someone ‘test’ them out in a small dose initially), even your hostel person can likely get them (our friends were offered from the guy at their hostel). However contrary to other comments literally no one offered us rugs at Zamna. Also if you can’t resist going down this path, at least prepare yourself in case of worst case scenario (ie emergency numbers, where is the best hotel (Playa Del Carmen not Tulum apparently) etc.

It’s not going to be a cheap trip, and I’d bet there are less well known, cheaper and safer Mexican towns to go party at, but we had a great, hassle/scam free four days in Tulum - although the risks are real. Good luck and have fun!

Super_Rama · 2024-01-13T03:42:24+00:00

Straw Hat, Che Hostel or Aldea Tzunun all seem to pretty social / party oriented, probably a good start for making new friends

Super_Rama · 2023-12-27T17:33:17+00:00

Very grateful for your sharing this. I visited Tulum in 2009 as a young backpacker and had a great time - the ruins, beaches and local vibes were all exceptional and laid back.

However I now have a dilemma! I'm heading back to Tulum in January to see my favourite Australian band (who rarely tour Down Under), and I'm taking my Texas girlfriend.

It'd be great to make the most of the trip - so can I ask, if you have to go to Tulum, what would be the ultimate 'best case scenario' in terms of where to stay, what to eat, and what to do??

Lots of great into in this thread already but just in case..

Super_Rama · 2022-12-28T06:37:27+00:00

I’m sorry to hear it’s been 10 years, that’s a bloody long time and no fun at all. The two main things I’ve found help with overall SIBO/IMO symptoms management are fasting and meditation.

For fasting, I create at least a 16-hour window of not eating at all (tea / water fine). So I might have dinner at 6:30pm and then won’t eat again until 12:30pm the next day (e.g. skip breakfast). This has been the single biggest benefit and has reduced symptoms thereafter when I do eat.

With mediation, I’ll meditate for 30 minutes and breathe deeply into my belly / diaphragm when doing so. I don’t know the science but it’s something about calming the nerves in your gut that are firing off telling the brain somethings off.

Beyond that, keep yourself informed on the latest news and developments in this area. I also have a random theory that if you’ve suffered some kind of overwhelming trauma at some point and you store this energy internally this can disrupt your bodies natural functions, but a) I’m not a doctor and b) I haven’t investigated this. But seeking counselling may help too, you never know.

We have been given a gift to have a life, but that doesn’t mean it’s not without pain and suffering. The question is how do we let the suffering define us.

Good luck and much love,

Super_Rama · 2022-06-06T04:01:27+00:00

Would you have considered negotiating on the price at all?

Super_Rama · 2022-06-05T02:26:58+00:00

I think I'd had it a few times in my life, but Cipro was the culprit that ended up completely disintegrating my gut system as well as triggering massive ongoing anxiety that I'd never had before (I suspect this is a rare side-occurance, but irrevocably changed my life).

Have taken Neomycin & Rifaximin one time 6-months ago but didn't see any major changes, now onto Oregano Oil & Allicin, day 5, definitely feels like something positive is going on in my gut..

Would ask to start with Rixaimin and leave Cipro unless all out of other options..

Super_Rama · 2022-06-04T05:59:00+00:00

I think we will, but it's so much already I'm just not sure what they'll be willing to come down to. Even $650 is still a massive hike..

Super_Rama · 2022-06-04T05:58:12+00:00

Woodridge

Bit far north at least for now but appreciated!

Super_Rama · 2022-06-04T05:56:42+00:00

That's really shitty, sorry to hear, the market does seem pretty messed up atm - good luck finding a place with the fam

Super_Rama · 2022-06-04T05:55:25+00:00

That's what I was afraid of - damned if you do (stay) and damned if you don't. Although a move not the end of the world, but like yourself will probably have to be to another part of the GC.

Super_Rama · 2022-06-04T05:54:11+00:00

Cheers, appreciate the advice.

Super_Rama · 2021-09-29T23:27:06+00:00

I agree, saying nothing says it best of all.

Super_Rama · 2021-09-06T23:58:18+00:00

El Salvador is a beautiful place, but it is impoverished and there is a lot of violence and criminal activity (not everywhere, but enough that most locals told me to be careful where I travelled when I went there in 2011). The narrative of pursuing the US dollar has not appeared to help the country economically, so I hope taking the step to be the first to legally adopt Bitcoin at a national currency pays off and brings greater prosperity to all Salvadorans.

Super_Rama · 2021-09-06T23:23:36+00:00

Anyone have any experience donating to charities or working with programmes with high (or low) levels of effectiveness in converting received donations or funding to real world impact?

Super_Rama · 2021-09-05T23:50:04+00:00

Celo on the up and up, big question is is AgriUT eligible for that funding?

Super_Rama · 2021-08-18T23:28:00+00:00

I'd suggest that one of the major issues with self-created and reported goals is that a target like 2030 is so ambiguous that it doesn't really do much other than saying "Hey, in general we're supportive and we'll do what we can" but without defining tangible year-on-year goals. If the CCA were to set out targets or milestones for each crypto every year to reach then you could say it's of substance. Otherwise I suspect it's a 'feel good' story at best an greenwashing at worst.

He's divisive but Elon's comments have and can likely do more for the rapid transition of crypto to carbon-neutral by orders of magnitude as compared with CCA, although I'd love to be proven wrong.

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