Like living anywhere in the world, life in Cabo Verde has its pro's and con's. But in my experience of living on the island of Sal for the last twelve years, its not a bad ol' life.
Sure, its a small place, with little to do besides go to the beach, surf, hike, do Yoga in front of clear blue ocean, exfoliate in the salt lakes, dance to the beat of the local drums, drink Capirinha's and ice cold beers, eat amazingly fresh seafood, watch the loggerhead turtles lay their eggs by moonlight, take a horseback ride on the beach, go camping under the stars and catch your own dinner in the sea, learn to kitesurf with world champions, scuba dive, snorkel, go deep sea fishing, have a pedicure at the local fish spa, go sailing in the company of dolphins and whales, or ride a quadbike through the lunar landscape .... but other than that, there isn't much to do.
We don't have sun all year round either. Only, on average, for 335 days of the year. And it only rains for 2-3 days a year.
Other than the odd break-in, or petty thievery, crime is almost non-existent. There is no such thing as traffic, road rage, or traffic lights.
The kids still play with marbles, footballs and rolling tyres instead of tablets and play stations.
The government is one of the most successful democracy's in Africa. And all sorts of religions live peacefully together.
I know. Terrible place to live, right!
Admittedly, the government has yet to instigate recycling (new policies are introduced at the pace of snails), the Christmas street lights usually only go up the day before Christmas (shock horror), and copious amounts of paperwork is still a large part of any sort of beauracracy here.
But all in all, the pro's definitely outweigh the con's.
So if you're thinking of visiting Cabo Verde, don't think anymore about it. Just book it. You will relax, unwind, have fun, be welcomed by the locals and your pace of life will slow right down.
Namaste,
Have yourself a great day.
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