Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT US
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
  • Australia
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  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT US
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
  • Australia
  • Travel
  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
  • Travel Insurance
Author

Nick & Raychel

Nick & Raychel

    Living in the Okanagan Valley, Canada (What It’s Like)

    by Nick & Raychel May 29, 2020

    If you’ve been following along with us this month, you know that we’re talking about so many of the beautiful places that we’ve lived in in this world in the past few years. We’ve really taken the month to review these places, and have spoken on Sydney, Australia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Vancouver, Toronto, and now diving into our time living in the Okanagan in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.

    We should start by saying that we know that the Okanagan isn’t one city. It consists of multiple cities, including Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon, Lake Country, West Kelowna, Summerland, Peachland, and more! That said, we are going to be dissecting the Okanagan in general, based on our experience living just outside of Vernon, and working in West Kelowna as well as Summerland.

    Find this blog post in video format over on our YouTube channel!

    The Okanagan Valley is absolutely beautiful

    You’re surrounded by mountains, and I mean, if you’re not surrounded by them, you’re living on one. There Okanagan is also famous for it’s many beautiful lakes. It’s abundant with spots to swim, go boating, fishing, paddle boarding, anything that you can imagine.

    The quality life is vey good

    Living in Canada, you reap all the benefits of the great health care, education, and all that that we mentioned in our Vancouver blog here.

    The Okanagan Valley is very different from Vancouver (+ the lower mainland)

    If you haven’t had the chance to figure out Canada’s geography yet, you may be surprised that Kelowna isn’t very close to Vancouver, and it is a very different place. If you’re planning on moving to Kelowna or you’re considering visiting Kelowna, it’s not in the Greater Vancouver Area. We’re talking two totally separate areas of British Columbia.

    You can, of course, drive there or you can take a bus there, and you can take a plane there as there is an airport in Kelowna. That said, if you’re planning a trip or a move to British Columbia, it’s really important to mention when you say Kelowna or the Okanagan, we’re no longer talking about Vancouver, the lower mainland, or even further away in Vancouver Island.

    They are very different in appearance, climate, and lifestyle.

    You really get all four seasons in the Okanagan 

    We’re talking eally hot summers, really snowy winters, crisp autumns & rainy springs. 

    Sadly, with the hot summers comes wildfires, which is something that you have to consider when you think about living in the Okanagan in the summer time.

    For more information on wildfires, please visit bcwildfires.ca

    & there are activities for every season!

    We said this in our Vancouver blog too, but there are activities for every single season. It really is a playground for people who love the outdoors. If you’re a snowboarder, skiier, snowmobiler, hello paradise! If you love beach volleyball, boating, tubing, water skiing, the Okanagan has you covered. 

    If you’re a winter sport person, and then you’re also a summer sport person … guess what. You can have it all!

    The Okanagan is the wine region of British Columbia

    Good for those of you who don’t want to take part in sports! Just kidding, you can do both.

    The Okanagan is the the wine capital of British Columbia. This valley of Canada is abundant with vineyards and is highly regarded for the delicious wine that is produced every single year.

    Yep, that means wine tours & tastings. We mean a lot of them.

    Are you sold yet?

    Kelowna is really – not that big … or cheap

    Within the Okanagan, Kelowna is really the main city.  A lot of people work in Kelowna, but they live outside of Kelowna in other areas of the Okanagan.

    Back in our day, moving to Kelowna from Vancouver as a young adult was a cheaper option to living in a major city in Canada. As of lately, however,  the cost of living in Kelowna has been creeping up. We still wouldn’t say it’s quite as expensive as living in Vancouver, but it could definitely be compared to the the greater Vancouver area.

    When you’re living in the Okanagan, it’s easy to fall into the mindset that Kelowna is the big city – because, well, It’s the biggest city. However, in comparison to large cities throughout the world, it is very small – both in land mass and population.

    Sure, we’ve got an airport – but don’t count it to be a huge international hub. 

    But we LOVE Kelowna

    It really goes to show how diverse the Okanagan can be. If if you go up North, you’ll find lush forest, wildlife. bears, you get the vibe. Just a short ride down south, you can go to Osoyoos which is Canada’s only desert.It’s also the hottest place in all of BC, I mean, at least on their signs.

    It is so beautiful and interesting. We love the diversity of British Columbia. 

    There are plenty of jobs for expats

    The Okanagan is a large tourist attraction for many people from all around Canada and over the world. It makes sense! Because the Okanagan is abundant with orchards, vineyards, ski hills, golf courses, restaurants, and hotels, there are many expats who come to the Okanagan to take advantage of the job market.

    There are plenty of opportunities if you’re an expat wanting to come and explore British Columbia, but you’re looking for something a little different than Vancouver or the ever-popular Whistler. Ca-ching.


    We personally love living in the Okanagan. That’s why when we’re painting a picture for our future, we never leave it out. 

    Whether you’re considering Kelowna or the surrounding areas for your next trip or you’re planning on moving there, we really recommend it.

    Any questions about living in the Okanagan? Feel free to DM us over on Instagram and we’ll get back to ya!


    Still kind of considering Vancouver instead? That’s cool! We love both. Find our post on living in Vancouver here.

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  • Living in Vancouver, Canada | The Pros & Cons

    by Nick & Raychel May 23, 2020

    What’s it like living in Vancouver or moving to Vancouver? We’re about to tell you about our experience in beautiful British Columbia here.

  • Living in Sydney (What It’s Like)

    by Nick & Raychel May 8, 2020

    What it was like for a Canadian couple living in Sydney – and more adventures we are dying to share with you.

  • Honeymoon Destinations: Our Top 5 Ideas

    by Nick & Raychel May 2, 2020

    Picking honeymoon destinations can be tricky – especially if your bucket list is as long as ours. But we’re an adventurous couple running out of time, so we’ve got to pick soon. Join us?!

  • Things Worth Buying as Minimalist Nomads

    by Nick & Raychel April 28, 2020

    What things do we still consider worth buying as perpetual travellers? Well, you may be surprised to learn that we still LOVE to spend money. Let’s jump into it here.

  • Things We No Longer Buy

    by Nick & Raychel April 23, 2020

    We share the things we no longer buy to live a more simplistic lifestyle & how we save more money to travel.

  • Rainy Season in Cambodia: How Bad Is It?

    by Nick & Raychel April 4, 2020

    Can you still visit Cambodia during the rainy season? You sure can! In fact, we recommend it. Here, we’re going to talk about what it’s really like.

  • Working Abroad | 7 Reasons Why It’s The Best Way To Travel

    by Nick & Raychel March 30, 2020

    Living & working abroad changed our lives. Here, we outline the reasons why you should work overseas to inspire you to change yours too.

  • Move to Cambodia Without a Job | The Survival Guide

    by Nick & Raychel March 24, 2020

    Moving to Cambodia without a job? Yeah, we were in the same boat too. Here’s how we found the courage to do it.

  • How to Pass Your Teaching Demo in Cambodia

    by Nick & Raychel March 4, 2020

    If you’ve done your research on moving to Cambodia & teaching English, you would know that you will likely need to do a teaching demo as a part of your interview process. Hopefully your TEFL course has already set you up for this – but what if it didn’t? What if it did but you’re a bit rusty? Not to worry – keep calm and read our four major tips for passing your teaching demo in Cambodia.

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

Not Luxe

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ABOUT US

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian couple behind the shared name Not Luxe. In February 2018, we made a big leap and moved to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, without having…

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Instagram

  • This year, Kalamalka Lake froze over enough for people to skate on, which is unusual for Kal Lake. We also learned that it completely froze over from Coldstream to Oyama in 1964 - that would have been WILD to see. For a few days last week, it froze over right to the edge of the dock. 🤯⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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Tags: #notluxe #nickandraychel #explorebc #hellobc #lifeinkelowna #okanaganlife #okanaganvalley #coldstream #kalamalkalake #kallake #vernonbc #explorevernon #exploreokanagan #getoutstayout #adventureawaits #getoutside #ourplanetdaily #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #places_wow #northwestcreatives #explorepnw ⁣
  • ... but anyone who watches our vlogs knows I am the absolute worst on skates. ⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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Tags: #notluxe #nickandraychel #explorebc #explorekelowna #lifeintheokanagan #lifeinkelowna #canadiancheck #canadawinter #canadatravel #adventureculture #getoutandexplore #outdoorlife
  • Our little mobile life. ❤️⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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Tags: #notluxe #nickandraychel #vanlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #beautifulbc #explorebc #vanconversion #ambulanceconversion #vanlifecouple #tinyhomeonwheels #vanlifediaries #vanlifesociety #vanlifecanada⁣
  • Snowpants were necessary for this winter wonderland. ❄️ ⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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Tags: #notluxe #nickandraychel #okanaganlife  #explorebc #getoutstayout #dametravelers #girlslovetravel #winterhike #winterwonderland #rosevalleyprovincialpark #explorekelowna #westkelowna⁣
  • Any season, any country, any new wild idea with you - 🙋🏼‍♀️⁣⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣⁣
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  • What a journey this ol’ thing has taken us on so far. Words cannot express how EXCITED we are for summer and the adventures that are yet to come. 🚑🌲⁣
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📍 Unceded lands of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.⁣
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