Skip to Content

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.

Spain Pays Salaries Fourteen Times a Year and December Is the Big One: The Paga Extra Americans Do Not Understand

An American who takes a job in Spain runs into a puzzle on their very first payslip. The salary was quoted as a yearly figure “in fourteen payments,” which already sounds odd, and then, twice a year, something strange happens: the paycheck roughly doubles. Once in the summer and once at Christmas, a second helping …

Read More about Spain Pays Salaries Fourteen Times a Year and December Is the Big One: The Paga Extra Americans Do Not Understand

Forget Paella: How to Make Portuguese Seafood Rice That Tastes Like the Coast

Our guide on how to make Portuguese rice with seafood is for you to try at home. Portuguese Rice with Seafood (Arroz de Marisco) is a comforting, flavorful dish that combines the rich flavors of the sea with a hearty, tomato-based rice. It’s similar to Spanish paella but typically more brothy and served in a …

Read More about Forget Paella: How to Make Portuguese Seafood Rice That Tastes Like the Coast

She Had $400K at 60, Moved to Italy: By 68, Only $89K Was Left, The Expenses Nobody Warned Her About Changed Everything

She did not move to Italy to live like a millionaire. She moved to stop feeling like her life was an endless bill. At 60, she had roughly $400,000 in savings and investments she could actually access. No private jet money, no trust fund, just a careful nest egg. She picked Italy because it looked …

Read More about She Had $400K at 60, Moved to Italy: By 68, Only $89K Was Left, The Expenses Nobody Warned Her About Changed Everything

I Ate Cheese Every Day for 30 Days Like the French, Then Got My Bloodwork: The Honest Numbers

The French eat more cheese than almost anyone on earth, along with plenty of butter, cream, and rich food, and yet they have long had lower rates of heart disease than you would expect from all that saturated fat. This puzzle even has a name, the French paradox, and it has fascinated researchers for decades. …

Read More about I Ate Cheese Every Day for 30 Days Like the French, Then Got My Bloodwork: The Honest Numbers

The Pasta Sauces Italians Really Use at Home: 7 Pasta Sauces Italians Actually Eat And the One They Can’t Stand

In certain parts of the world, every Italian pasta dish seems to come with cream carbonara, Alfredo, even amatriciana if someone’s feeling adventurous. But in real Italian cooking, heavy cream is notably absent (or minimal). Below are 7 classic, no-cream sauces Italians swear by, each with a quick recipe so you can ditch the dairy. …

Read More about The Pasta Sauces Italians Really Use at Home: 7 Pasta Sauces Italians Actually Eat And the One They Can’t Stand

They Chose Lake Chapala, Mexico Over Florida With $180,000: The Largest American Retiree Town You Have Never Heard Of

When most Americans picture a modest, affordable retirement, they picture Florida. But Florida has quietly become expensive, hot, and crowded, and a growing number of retirees who do the math are quietly choosing somewhere else entirely, a place most Americans have never heard of despite it being, improbably, one of the largest concentrations of American …

Read More about They Chose Lake Chapala, Mexico Over Florida With $180,000: The Largest American Retiree Town You Have Never Heard Of

Spanish People Do These 9 Things in the Bathroom Without Thinking: Americans Are Horrified

And why stepping into a Spanish bathroom feels like stepping into an entirely different comfort threshold For most American travelers, adjusting to new food, new schedules, and new public etiquette is expected when visiting Spain. But there’s one space where culture shock hits harder than anywhere else — and it’s not the plaza, the market, …

Read More about Spanish People Do These 9 Things in the Bathroom Without Thinking: Americans Are Horrified

This Is the Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe to Learn Once and Keep Forever

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the most beloved dishes to ever cross borders. While its origins spark debate some claim it as British-Indian fusion, others argue it has roots in the Indian subcontinent what’s undeniable is its global appeal. With its bold spices, tender marinated chicken, and rich tomato-cream sauce, this dish has earned …

Read More about This Is the Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe to Learn Once and Keep Forever

Why Airlines Hate When Passengers Know These 10 Booking and Boarding Tricks

Whether you’re a seasoned jet-setter or gearing up for your very first flight, the truth is that flying can be overwhelming, chaotic, and downright exhausting if you’re not prepared. From overbooked flights to long security lines and jet lag that lingers for days, modern air travel is often more stressful than it needs to be. …

Read More about Why Airlines Hate When Passengers Know These 10 Booking and Boarding Tricks

Americans Overpack for Every Trip: The French Packing Rule That Makes One Carry-On Feel Like Enough

And What It Reveals About Elegance, Efficiency, and a Quiet Rejection of “Just in Case” Culture If you’ve ever watched a French traveler arrive at a train station or airport, one detail stands out immediately: They pack light. Impossibly light. No oversized roller bags. No bulging backpacks. No “maybe I’ll need this” panic.Just a compact …

Read More about Americans Overpack for Every Trip: The French Packing Rule That Makes One Carry-On Feel Like Enough

The Travel Insurance Your Credit Card Already Includes and You’ve Never Once Used: What It Actually Covers

Millions of people dutifully buy a travel insurance policy for every trip, or quietly feel guilty about not doing so, without realizing that they are very likely already carrying a bundle of travel protections in their wallet. If you have a decent travel or rewards credit card, there is a good chance it quietly includes …

Read More about The Travel Insurance Your Credit Card Already Includes and You’ve Never Once Used: What It Actually Covers

The 9 Items Italians Never Pack That Americans Somehow Always Bring

And What It Reveals About Confidence, Simplicity, and How Italians Travel With Less but Live More There’s a moment in every airport, train station, or hotel lobby when the difference becomes obvious. The Americans: overstuffed duffels, backpacks bursting at the seams, roller bags with zip-on compartments and “just-in-case” gadgets peeking out of every pocket. The …

Read More about The 9 Items Italians Never Pack That Americans Somehow Always Bring