What it's really like to be a digital nomad. Photo / Getty Images
What it's really like to be a digital nomad. Photo / Getty Images
Do you like the idea of getting paid to travel? Who doesn’t? Wandering traveller Ben West details the highs and lows of a nomadic lifestyle.
After an eternity chained to mortgages and rent, a couple of years ago work came up necessitating continual international travel, including the US, Dubai, Greece, Spain, Turkey, Italy, Iceland and more.
I haven’t regretted being a digital nomad one bit - it’s not surprising it is often seen as a dream lifestyle - but there are certainly some things to consider before taking the plunge, and quite a lot I’ve learned.
You don’t need lots of possessions around you
I used to have a big house crammed with stuff. When I’d travel, I’d worry about burglars removing it. I’ve since ditched many of my possessions. Travelling continuously, I thought I’d miss the books, vinyl, artworks, wardrobe contents and all the other things that make a home, but I’ve been surprised that I’ve hardly missed a thing.
When I embarked upon this peripatetic life I bought a huge case, reasoning that if I’m not going to have a permanent base, I’ll treat myself to a big choice of clothes and other things while on the move. On day one I realised this was a big mistake, as I dragged my heavy luggage along the cobbled streets by Amsterdam’s canals. I now take the bare minimum, usually just a backpack that fits under an aeroplane seat. It saves me a huge amount on airfare add-ons and I have much more freedom to explore each destination.
Be prepared for people to judge you
Do something away from the norm in life and you’ll find you’ll be showered with opinions. Lots of people thought my change in lifestyle was great, but others explained in detail why they thought I was crazy to have no base. One asked what I’d do if I got ill (well we can get ill at any time, anywhere) while another thought continual travel was mad. Her days were dominated by daytime TV, so she probably wasn’t best placed to dish out globetrotting advice.
Travel light. A backpack fitting under a plane seat could lead to more freedom and lower airfare costs. Photo / 123rf
Don’t lose touch with your roots
The distractions of travel mean it’s easy to neglect friendships and family connections. Make an effort to regularly keep in touch by text, phone, Zoom or - most ideally - trips back to your home town. It is surprisingly easy to lose touch with people, especially when you’re out of the loop, living on the other side of the world.
It’s not a holiday
Self-discipline is very important: I’ve often had to forgo exploring wild neighbourhoods, chilling on gorgeous beaches or enjoying a hotel’s great facilities in order to work. The planning and travel make work days even longer. If you treat this lifestyle as one long holiday, unless you have a good passive income or a trust fund, things will unravel financially very quickly.
The term ‘digital nomad’ conjures up working on a beach or hot-desking in some snazzy uber-modern office space with a bunch of buzzing friends, but the reality is so often grappling with dodgy Wi-Fi in a less-than-ideal Airbnb and times of a feeling of social isolation. And you’d be mad to take your laptop to the beach: the sand will get in and the bright sun will make looking at the screen a struggle.
While the digital nomad life might seem glamorous, it often involves dealing with poor wifi in sub-par accommodations and feelings of isolation. Photo / 123rf
Take care to keep healthy
Travel can be exhausting and therefore you need to stay fit, and with all the distraction of new exciting experiences it’s easy to let regular exercise take a back seat. Take your time travelling and adequately allow for delays so that you’re not permanently stressed about each journey. And it is harder to maintain a healthy, balanced diet on the move, especially if you have no access to a kitchen and are at the mercy of what the local shops and restaurants can provide, which in remote areas could be limited.
It can be hard to make friends
Accept you’ll miss old friends, family and stability, and unless you’re travelling together, maintaining a relationship can be a challenge. However, recognise what you’re gaining in return: a rich life discovering new cultures and destinations. But with possible language barriers, culture differences, being on the move and not knowing a new location well, it can be difficult to conjure up a social life. Opting for homestays, attending neighbourhood events, volunteering in local charity projects, enrolling in language lessons and hanging out in local rather than touristic establishments are all ways of meeting people.
How to do it yourself
Miniaturise your luggage
Instead of carrying a selection of books, carry a Kindle; instead of a bulky SLR camera, the latest compact cameras from companies like Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fujifilm and Leica offer fantastic quality - a lot better than most phones.
Get a water bottle
It’s amazing how much money you save ditching plastic bottles. So eco-friendly too. And travelling healthily means staying hydrated, especially in hot climates.
Be prepared for the unexpected
Good travel insurance is vital. During the Covid restrictions I paid extra for quarantine cover, and the peace of mind was priceless. Have several credit/debit cards, stored in different places in your luggage. When I was mugged in Barcelona I wasn’t left stranded with no access to cash as I had back-up cards.
Compact gadgets, like a Kindle or compact camera, can save a lot of space and weight in luggage. Photo / 123rf
Organise storage well
If putting your stuff in storage, place the stuff you won’t need at the back and things like clothes and important documents easily accessible at the front.
Check out tax and visa implications
Make sure you know how long you can stay in a country without a visa and where taxes will be payable.
Get off the beaten track
The more touristy and well-known the destination, or popular the season the more crowded, stressful and expensive. Quieter, less obvious places at off-peak times are likely to be friendlier and cheaper.
Being a digital nomad isn't a continuous vacation. Discipline is crucial, as work commitments can sometimes overshadow the allure of new places. Photo / 123rf
Accept things go wrong or at a slower pace
Your accommodation may be cancelled, a visa refused, a train may be late. It’s better to be as flexible as possible, and focus on a solution rather than get angry and resentful.
