After traveling for five years full-time, people ask us for advice, often. The advice comes to us via our youtube channel, our Facebook group, and our Substack articles. I’ve gleaned the questions and itemized them here.
10 Pieces of Advice for Full-time Travelers
Start with English. (or your first language.) Accidentally, when we left Denver we ended up in Dublin on our first stop. Little did we know at the time that launching nomad life is very differnt than a vacation. Despite being very well-traveled, having our first months of Nomad Life being in an English-speaking (our first language) country made things much more simple. Starting your Nomad Life in a country of your first language is now a major recommendation for new full-time travelers. Question: Where should I go?
You’ll Downsize More. When Steve and I left Denver in 2021, we had our carry-ons we’d used for our sales jobs and two backpacks. Mine was a 25L and Steve’s was a 30L. We thought we had practically nothing with us. Afterall, the day before, we owned a 3500 square foot house and triple car garage. Five years later, we’re in smaller carry-ons and smaller backpack. Yet now, we feel like we have way too much. Question: What should I pack?
Nomad Tax Is Real. You know those times when you end up paying for something and you say to yourself, “if I would have known.” Those are moments of nomad tax. Examples include learning about cheaper bus passes, asking for cash discounts, taking the local bus instead of the Airport Express. You’ll pay lots of “nomad tax.” As you get more experienced with travel, you’ll get better at this. Question: Hidden costs?
Nomad Truths Grief Is Coming. In last week’s article, we mentioned the life cycle of nomad life. One part of that cycle is grief. At some point, you will have grief hit you. This grief is usually couched in the feelings of loss around your job (retirement anyone?), your house, your things, your routine, your identity. Afterall, you’re no longer “Chris the salesperson, mother, Central Park resident.” You’re a nomad who travels full-time. Different. Question: Do you have regrets?
Pace Will Change. Back when we launched, we told everyone we would travel a month at a time, hitting 24 different places in 24 months. That never happened. We’ve yet to maintain one pace. Sometimes we’re fast, sometimes we’re slow. You’ll experiment. Do your best to allow the pace you need to arrive on its own. Question: How fast should I go?
Boredom Is Real. If you’re been working and now you’re suddenly not, who will you fill your time? In Nomad Life, planning take a lot of time. More than you think. But at some point, you get used to it and become efficient. You also can’t/don’t/won’t go sightseeing everyday. So what do you do with your time? We write and create Nomad Life content for youtube/Substack/Facebook because we enjoy it—not because we need to make money. Question: What will I do?
10000 Step Days Are Real. Even if you’ve got a giant budget where you spend $100 a day on Uber, you’re still going to walk more than you have probably ever walked before. We can’t stress this enough. If you are not walking at least 5000 steps a day now, start. Get in shape for 10000 so your Nomad Life is more enjoyable. Question: Do you walk a lot?
Don’t Eat the Gelato. When we’re on vacation, we eat more. We enjoy the gelato. We get the extra glass of wine. But Nomad Life isn’t vacation. Sure, splurge on the things you’ve never tried before, but trust me, gelato is everywhere. Question: How do you not gain weight?
You’ll Become Irrelevant. I’m not sure how to say this without offending anyone. But the truth is, no one at home cares about where you are or what you’re doing. They’ll ask the obligatory “what’s your favorite place?” but beyond that, you’re irrelevant. They only way to share your travel stories is to incorporate them into something your friends/family say. Otherwise, no one cares about your gondola ride in Venice or your Patagonia hike. But you know who does care? Other nomads: connect with them. It’ll make you feel normal. Question: What about family?
It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint. We’ve said over and over that Nomad Life is not a vacation. It’s a lifestyle; thus, you’ve got the remainder of your traveling life to see the world. As our friend Cris at A Smile in a Suitcase, who moves around the world 2-3 months at a time, what’s your hurry? Question: When will you end?
"You’ll Become Irrelevant." What a great observation, Chris. Our friends and family really can't relate to, and fundamentally don't care about, our day to day life overseas. After a South Pacific cruise last year we invited our Costa Rica neighbors over for a slide show and even I felt my eyes glazing over! Real engagement comes when we talk to people who have traveled to the same places. Swapping stories and comparing notes is a fun shared experience, exposition really is not.
That said, our homebound acquaintances appreciate the concept of us as relatively unburdened citizens of the world. They want to know how we make it work and, more importantly, whether it is a fulfilling way to live.
I would also suggest that people prepare to change and be changed. My wife and I know we are evolving through this nomadic journey over the past 5 years. We are constantly learning and experimenting. As an example we are both detailed planners and thought we would have at least 6 months completely booked as we rolled forward. Today we only have confirmed places to stay out at most a couple months and are learning that flexibility adds to the experiences we want to have. It also allows us to meet up with other people who don't plan on a similar timeline. We have no regrets about our lifestyle and are looking forward to the adventures that are coming!