Around El Salvador in 45 days: A Bitcoin-only travel story
El Salvador adopted Bitcoin (BTC) as legal tender over four months ago on Sept. 7, 2021. Bitcoiners around the world have been watching with intent as the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, attempts to “orange-pill” an entire nation.
The president regularly buys the dip, has promised a low-tax Bitcoin “Citadel” in the form of Bitcoin City, and is exploring renewable energy BTC mining using volcanoes.
But what is it like for those living day to day in the smallest Central American country, known as “the land of volcanoes”? Moreover, what’s it like trying to live off only Bitcoin?
An Italian couple, Rikki and Laura, have done just that. Rikki is a Bitcoin podcaster and human rights activist, active in the space since 2016. Laura works as a community manager in the blockchain space and has been laser-focused on crypto since 2019.
After the Bitcoin Law was passed, Laura came up with the idea of traveling all around El Salvador for 45 days. The challenge? Living off only Bitcoin. No bartering, no euros and certainly no U.S. dollars.
Their experiences offer fascinating insights into the country’s history, its charming landscapes and, of course, its laser-eyed Bitcoin future. The stories of their travels can be read in English and Italian, and their podcast is called Bitcoin Italia Podcast.
On the flip side, Rikki and Laura also stumbled across weighty challenges arising from being orange-coin-only, including gaps in education and difficulties transacting with Bitcoin. They chatted with Cointelegraph via video call from Santa Ana, a coffee-rich region of El Salvador, on Jan. 24.
They are now bona fide fountains of knowledge for Bitcoiners looking to try out a BTC-only trip to El Salvador. Here are their top tips for crypto
Read more on cointelegraph.com
