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My 3-Yr Experiment on Find out how to Be a Digital Nomad

My 3-Yr Experiment on Find out how to Be a Digital Nomad

2024-01-03 14:31:04

A number of years in the past, I received a knock on my door in the course of the workday. It was Invoice, one of many guys who labored on the ranch. “A cow we didn’t know was pregnant simply gave beginning,” he advised me. “We’re naming it after you.”

Now, that may be a typical day within the lifetime of a rancher. However I’m not a rancher.

I’m a full-time software program engineer. I’m additionally a digital nomad and have been since 2020.

Why I grew to become a digital nomad

Working at Kapwing, which has a versatile distant work coverage, I’m in a position to work from wherever—so I do.

The best way I see it, there’s a lot pure magnificence on the planet and solely a lot time. With out being anchored to anyone location, I can get out into nature extra typically, see the mountains and exquisite views, and do it with out taking a ton of PTO. If I’m going to spend the workweek, nicely, working, I would as nicely do it someplace fairly.

That stated, the logistics of digital nomadism could be difficult.

Not simply when it comes to determining your arrange and routine. However relationships grow to be tougher, too. When individuals in my life have large life occasions that I wish to present up for, I’m typically not close to an airport and have to determine learn how to get again to whichever a part of the nation they’re in. Marriage ceremony season particularly is troublesome (IYKYK).

Honestly, changing into a digital nomad required quite a lot of trial and error on my half. Alongside the way in which, I would say I attempted out three completely different “types” of nomadic life-style:

  1. The Airbnb Nomad
  2. The Vanlife
  3. The Full-time Wanderer

There are stark variations and professionals and cons to every. So I’ll break down every method, how issues went for me, and share some classes I’ve gathered during the last three and a half years.

Possibility #1: Change into an Airbnb Nomad 🏠

That is how I received began.

I used to be dwelling in Philadelphia in early 2020, working remotely within the music trade. A number of months after the onset of COVID, I made a decision to ditch my lease and hit the street. I began by reserving 4-week stays, the minimal size required to get the 30% month-to-month low cost, at completely different Airbnb properties, touring on the weekends and dealing throughout the week.

Finally, I purchased a Tesla Mannequin Y to save lots of on lodging prices throughout longer journeys between areas. The Mannequin Y has loads of house for sleeping and could be outfitted with a custom-fit mattress pad, so it’s truly fairly comfy.

There’s sufficient house within the Mannequin Y to haul a mattress and my desk setup.

Why I just like the Airbnb Nomad life-style

That is in all probability the simplest solution to get began as a digital nomad. There aren’t any enormous investments you have to make up entrance, you continue to have the comforts of house at every Airbnb, and you may attempt it out with out an excessive amount of threat. You don’t even want to interrupt your lease in case you simply wish to test-drive nomadic life for a month or two.

Another excuse I actually favored the Airbnb route is that you’ve a built-in native information to hang around with, due to your host. I met quite a lot of cool individuals touring round this fashion (and had no less than one cow named after me). Plus, there are many nice spots in rural locations you may by no means usually go to that speak in confidence to you with this methodology of touring.

Charging up the automobile at my casita Airbnb in Tombstone, Arizona

What you want as an Airbnb Nomad

Like I stated, this methodology doesn’t require a lot when it comes to upfront prices or purchases, nonetheless there are some things that I extremely suggest.

1. An ergonomic desk arrange. I shortly discovered that I wanted an ergonomic chair and a superb desk with the intention to make this work. As a software program engineer, I’m sitting at my laptop all day. A hardback chair and eating desk on the Airbnb simply aren’t going to chop it. Luckily, my Tesla has sufficient room to convey each my desk and chair with me from place to position.

2. Supplementary WiFi. This won’t be vital at each Airbnb, however in case you’re selecting locations out in the course of nowhere, think about bringing a backup connection.

3. A automobile outfitted for automobile tenting. Having a automobile giant sufficient to sleep in actually elevated my vary of journey when shifting between Airbnbs whereas nonetheless conserving prices down. Plus, you may journey extra on the weekends together with your Airbnb as house base.

Possibility #2: Change into a Vanlifer 🚐

After some time, I noticed that sleeping within the Tesla was completely comfy and gave me far more freedom. That’s after I moved from being an Airbnb Nomad to being a Vanlifer. Though I by no means had a van. Simply my Tesla.

If you have not heard the time period, automobile tenting (or “vanlife”) is once you depend on the general public for facilities like showers, meals, and a spot to work. You possibly can substitute the mattress in your Airbnb together with your automobile tenting setup, however you continue to have to discover a place to bathe, eat, and make a dwelling. Fortunately, it’s fairly widespread to search out cities, even rural cities, which have a Planet Health, coworking house, and even an EV charger.

Why I just like the Vanlife

As a full-time worker, utilizing coworking areas is essentially the most handy solution to be a digital nomad. Relying on what sort of setup you’ve got, you may discover vanlife much more interesting.

With simply the Tesla, I used to be saving fairly a bit of cash on lodging, however spending extra on meals as a result of I didn’t have a cooking setup, which was a particular downside. Plus, you get bored with consuming out after some time. When you’ve got a full van build-out, although, you may need a kitchenette that fits your wants simply positive.

Though I discovered it considerably annoying needing to be close to a metropolis always throughout the work week, the elevated mobility made up for it. I used to be in a position to transfer every day if I wished to as a result of every thing I wanted was self-contained inside my automobile. I additionally didn’t want to order the weekends for touring between areas, anymore, which meant I had extra time for exploring.

Off-roading with the Tesla in Dotsero, CO.

Working from a coworking house or espresso store, I’d get all of my human interplay throughout the week, then on the weekends I had the vary and off-road capabilities to get out into the wilderness and simply be alone in nature.

What you want as a Vanlifer

Right here’s my really helpful starter package for changing into a vanlifer as a full-time worker.

1. An appropriate automobile. I’m calling it vanlife, however you don’t even have to purchase a kitted out Sprinter van to make this occur. I did it with simply my Tesla Mannequin Y. At minimal, you’ll want a automobile, truck, or van you could comfortably sleep in.

2. Planet Health (or comparable) membership. Until you’ve got an RV or Airstream, you want someplace to bathe. Once I was all-in on vanlife, I had a membership to Planet Health, as a result of these gyms are nearly all over the place, which made for straightforward bathe and toilet entry wherever I went.

3. Entry to a coworking house or place to work. That is extra a logistical consideration. Does the town you’re headed to have a coworking house? Generally you may get a membership, though then you definately’re even additional restricted to that particular coworking franchise’s areas. I like to recommend simply sticking with the day charge. If there aren’t any coworking areas, you may at all times submit up within the native library or espresso store.

4. Entry to automobile charging or RV hookups. Relying on what sort of automobile you’ve got, you may have to take this into consideration, too. Driving the Mannequin Y, I wanted to verify there was at all times an EV charging station within the cities I visited.

Informal glacier views in Hyder, AK.

Possibility #3: Change into a Full-time Wanderer 🥾

The ultimate evolution of my digital nomadism, no less than thus far, has been full-time wandering with a trailer setup.

Establishing camp exterior the Valley of Hearth

Whereas vanlife was handy, I discovered that I missed having the ability to get out and away from the cities for prolonged durations. Whereas I loved my minimalist setup with simply the Tesla, I made a decision towing a trailer would give me that additional self-sufficiency I used to be searching for.

Why I just like the Full-Time Wanderer life-style

Much like after I was doing long-term Airbnb stays, it’s good to have all my creature comforts with me wherever I’m going. My every day routine appears just about the identical as most individuals’s now, as a result of my trailer has all the standard house facilities.

My trailer setup with photo voltaic panels exterior of Monticello, Utah

I’ve a kitchen, a full rest room with a bathe, two beds, and even an entire workplace house contained in the trailer.

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One factor that’s not tremendous optimum, sadly, is that I’m towing my trailer with an electrical automobile, one thing it’s not likely designed for.

Meaning my vary whereas hauling the trailer is fairly restricted. With the additional weight, a cost will solely final about 60 miles, fairly than the usual ~300 it usually will get. Meaning shifting from location to location takes fairly a bit longer, so I reserve that for weekends. Lately, I used to be hopping backwards and forwards between Grand Junction, CO and Moab, UT—a distance of 113 miles. I needed to go about midway, cease, unhitch the trailer, then return and cost the Tesla up once more earlier than ending the journey. It makes journey days very sluggish.

I like lingering in a single place longer anyway, so I don’t have to maneuver the trailer all that usually. Plus, with the Mannequin Y I nonetheless have the choice to go automobile tenting with the Tesla. I simply drop the trailer as a house base and may make a number of little journeys across the space and even additional afield.

Generally I simply arrange my desk exterior, wherever I’m and work in nature.

Lately, I’ve added some photo voltaic panels to my setup. I don’t generate sufficient energy to cost the automobile, however it would run my trailer’s electrical plus my web, which makes being self-sufficient a lot simpler. I are inclined to observe the solar to optimize my photo voltaic panel utilization and some different logistical causes, so it’s at all times fairly good climate wherever I’m going which is a pleasant bonus.

What you want as a Full-time Wanderer

Your expertise with the full-time trailer life-style will in all probability differ in case you’re not making an attempt to tow it with an electrical automobile, however there are a couple of necessities you’ll want:

1. Dependable web connection. With Airbnbs or coworking areas, you usually have entry to quick, dependable web. Taking the self-sufficient trailer route, although, you’ll want to produce your individual. I exploit Starlink, which meets my wants more often than not. I’ve discovered to have a couple of redundancies in place, although. Cell sign to energy a hotspot is good, however not at all times accessible. Starlink is a bit more temperamental however it’s sooner and nice for areas the place you may’t get a cell sign.

2. Temperate climate. There are seasonal limitations to dwelling out of a trailer. Particularly, you may’t let the pipes freeze. I spent the summer time and autumn visiting the extra excessive climates, however as quickly as temperatures began to dip I took the trailer to a extra temperate space. At the moment, I’m simply exterior of Las Vegas.

3. Entry to a water fill station. A part of self-sufficiency is getting access to operating water inside your trailer, which suggests you want someplace to refill your water tank. I’ve discovered that I can fill my tank on the weekends and that can final me an entire week with sufficient water for showering, cooking, and consuming.

Digital nomad setups I’ve tried that didn’t work

With almost 4 years of trial and error, there are certain to be some issues that didn’t work for me. Listed below are a few failed experiments from my time on the street:

1. Utilizing my automobile as an workplace.

I assumed possibly the Tesla show might work as an additional monitor, however the chair isn’t in the precise place for hours of labor. I’ve talked about earlier than that I actually hauled round my very own desk and chair to completely different Airbnbs as a result of an ergonomic setup is so essential in my line of labor. And dealing from my automobile simply wasn’t ergonomic in any respect.

You possibly can see how cramped the workspace setup was within the entrance seat of the Tesla.

So, yeah, skip the Tesla show when constructing your digital nomad battle station. Your again will thanks.

2. Constructing out a floating workplace.

At one level, I attempted constructing a floating workplace onto my tow hitch, my thought course of being that it could free me as much as journey farther with simply the Tesla, since I might have a cellular work station. I received so far as a working prototype earlier than realizing that it wasn’t going to work. At the very least, not with out far more effort and customization than I used to be prepared to place in.

The principle downside was that I couldn’t scale back glare, wind, and climate sufficient for practical work, regardless of the assorted umbrella configurations I tried. It additionally wasn’t ergonomic—my toes would form of dangle within the air whereas I used to be sitting on the desk, so not a superb long run resolution.

Consider it or not, I drove down the freeway with this contraption affixed to the again of my automobile.

It was round this level that I began wanting into simply getting a trailer.

What’s subsequent for me as a digital nomad?

I’m at the moment ready out the winter season with my trailer parked right here in Nevada, planning to journey round a bit with out the trailer. Subsequent summer time, I’m taking the trailer all the way in which as much as Alaska.

With so many various methods to be a digital nomad accessible to me, I don’t at the moment have any plans to return to a single, everlasting house base. It is a considerably distinctive life-style that takes work to drag off, however it’s one I am actually having fun with.

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