This article first appeared on Future Freedom but the site has been taken down.
The world has changed and now for the first time, you realize you can work and travel simultaneously! A long-term overseas tour may not have been high on your to-do list because, other than a few weeks off a year, you never gave it much thought.
This is a blessing and a curse. Where do you start? How do people know where to go and how to link countries, cities, and travel opportunities together?
A professional recently asked on Instagram how to choose travel destinations. For the first time in her career, she was planning a life of travel and was getting overwhelmed wondering where and how to start.
If you are faced with the same concern, it’s much easier than you might think!
“You’ve always had the power, my dear. You’ve had it all along.”
It just requires a deep dive into your preferences because successful travel starts with you.
Here are questions you may not even know you have, the answers that will reduce your travel overwhelm, and get your nomadic lifestyle started on the best foot.
Ruby slippers not required.
10 Pressing Questions and Answers for New Digital Nomads
What kind of traveler am I?
Knowing what kind of traveler you are will help you narrow your choices to the style of travel and locations you’d appreciate most. Ask yourself the following questions because the answers will give you a solid place from which to start your adventures. Grab a pen and paper or take notes on your computer as you read.
Are you going to travel full-time?
Perhaps traveling quarterly seems more doable. This is your life; you can decide how often and how long you want your trips to be.
Do you like the idea of having a fully planned itinerary or do you prefer more impromptu travel?
Depending on the countries you choose to visit and whether visas are required, unscripted travel can face some challenges, but you can always leave room for spontaneity.
What motivates you to travel?
Look at the vacations you’ve taken over the years and determine what the similarities are. Perhaps you visited foreign cities because you were interested in their culture or their history. Did you taste your way through a location, discussing the prevailing gastronomy of a region? Perhaps you love the great outdoors and are drawn to locations because of their natural resources: soft-sand beaches, hiking vistas, or opportunities to test your sea legs.
Maybe your motivation can be found closer to home. Is local fun all about the pull of a fishing line, playing bucket-list golf courses, coming face-to-face with sea creatures, or scrambling a challenging crag? Whatever you love to do where you live, can usually be done in locations around the world, too.
Finances always play a part in travel, whether we are a budget traveler looking for the best deal or prefer luxury resorts. A combination of the two can be the travel sweet spot.
How do I like to live while traveling?
Knowing the type of stay you prefer will help refine where and how you travel or mix it up and try several of the following types of housing during your trip.
Resorts are often the most luxurious opportunities to experience the finest natural resources with easily accessible activities. Resorts give the illusion of experiencing a country but typically offers little opportunity to completely immerse yourself in the local culture and people.
Hotels run the gamut from neighborhood offerings to resort-like stays and are often the easiest places to book stays from overseas. You know what amenities you are going to get, are assured of privacy, and having someone always available to answer questions.
Personal Rentals refer to housing such as Airbnb.com or vrbo.com. They typically offer discounts for longer stays. These offer an opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture of an area. Read the reviews to look for comments about nuisances such as noise or lack of hot water before booking.
A fun and affordable way to get overseas, when you own real estate, is through a service such as homeexchange.com. Be sure to research the location and use Google satellite to investigate the surrounding neighborhood.
Hostels are not just for gap years! They are a wonderful opportunity for the adventure-seeking budget traveler. Some have private rooms and others have shared dorms.
If you enjoy animals, trustedhousesitters.com is an opportunity for the budget-conscious or culture traveler to immerse themselves in another country. It can be challenging to string together multiple short-term contracts when long-term pet-sitting contracts are harder to come by. Keep in mind you’ll have to plan for your own transportation while you are there.
There is the opportunity to rent RVs or camp your way across a country, too! This can be more affordable if your goals include experiencing natural resources, although there are luxury camping opportunities, as well.
How long will I stay in each location or country?
Many details can impact your length of stay, the most obvious two being finances and visa requirements. If you are planning a short stay in a location, plan to hit all the popular highlights the destination is known for.
Longer stays allow you to meet locals and find hidden gems. Hidden gems are the highlights the crowds don’t bother to stay long enough to discover. That little family-owned restaurant down the alley, or the secret hike to the crystal cave. Did you know that one of the most photographed locations in the USA was a local gem until it began appearing on social media? Fifteen years ago, you would only have found out about Horseshoe Bend over beers with a local in Page, AZ.
Now comes the fun part! Where do I want to go?
Finding your perfect location should be easy to research now because your answers to the above questions should have narrowed your search.
Online websites & blogs offer a plethora of travel information, but keep in mind some details may not be up-to-date or may be skewed for promotion purposes. Review more than one website or blog about the destination that interests you.
Instagram is another great tool for visual information on a location but keep in mind these formats may only share positives. Choose alternative resources to get more thorough information. For example, insta-photos are often taken at angles that hide how busy the location truly is.
Travel books are still the most thorough & organized information sources if you are traveling by country.
Now you know what type of traveler you are, the types of housing you’ll be looking for and you might have a good idea of where you want to go. Eventually, the following questions will arise and cause you some stress.
How do I know I’ll be safe?
Safety while in another country is a legitimate concern. By following some of the rules you may follow in your known destinations will alleviate much of the danger. Don’t walk down dark alleys, don’t wander around by yourself at night. Keep these things in mind until you know more about where you are visiting.
On top of basic safety smarts, be sure to review your country’s travel information site for the latest travel safety warnings before you go. In the USA, it’s travel.state.gov. Be aware of any travel advisories for the countries you plan to visit. Check again before you depart.
Ensure your passport is not close to expiring, countries may require it to be active for up to six months past your visit. If you are ordering a passport for the first time, leave enough of a buffer to receive it long before your trip. A rush visit to Washington DC, days before departing is an adventure in and of itself.
Check the equivalent travel site of the country you are planning to visit to determine if visas are required. Install Google Translate to read foreign websites and add the app to your phone. Remember to download the language before traveling!
What will I do with my house?
You need to ensure your home is taken care of while you wander the world. An obvious option may be to sell your house and use the money to travel. Keep in mind it may be difficult to get back into the market if you return.
Another popular option is to keep your house and rent it, so you have the income to do the things you want, or to pay an existing mortgage. You may want to hire a property manager or ask a family member to handle the details in your absence.
Turn off the water and have a friend or family member check on it frequently to ensure the status quo if you choose the let it sit.
If your home is in a desirable tourist area, house trading is a viable option as well.
How do I get my mail?
This may not even be something you’ve considered yet! The logistics of receiving packages and mail can be a challenge when you are abroad. It’s best to ask when staying longer than a week or two if you can have packages delivered to that location. Be clear on the address format and how the package will need to be addressed.
You have a few options for handling mail delivered to your home. You can ask a family member to open your mail and call with details. If you don’t have phone service or the expense for calls is high, use skype, Facebook, messenger video, zoom, or WhatsApp instead. The post office can hold your mail until you return, or you can pay for a scanning service. Set up a permanent address if you’re traveling full-time or temporarily route your mail to an address offering a scanning service. RVers use Escapees.com but there are other options such as postscanmail.com, too.
How do I get calls and connect to the internet?
You will likely need reliable, secure internet and phone service for banking or working while you’re abroad. Have a clear understanding of how much data you typically need if your requirements are more than checking email and uploading the occasional file.
Most hotels and private rentals offer free Wi-Fi, but hotel coverage is often spotty. Read the reviews to determine how good their connection is. If you use a significant amount of data, you might have to deal with slower speeds in some areas.
For additional daily fees, your existing provider may offer service in other countries but watch for data speed limits.
Another alternative is to buy a SIM card at your location. You won’t receive text messages or calls since your home provider’s SIM card is no longer installed but it will allow you to access the internet and make local calls in that country. To get your calls using this option, pay a small fee for a skype number and your domestic calls can be forwarded. SIM cards are often sold right at the airport; you can buy them when you land. Unlimited internet has yet to be truly unlimited, but you can usually top up the card. You will require an unlocked phone for this option; your provider will be able to confirm this or unlock the phone for you.
To keep your banking information and other sites secure, purchase a Virtual Private Network like expressvpn.com.
If you are working full-time and high-speed internet is a priority, you may want to travel to cities during your workdays and leave off-days for travel to more remote locations.
What if I get sick?
For simple illnesses like an ear infection or rash, visiting the local clinic will often prove to be less expensive than home if you are American. In the event of a more serious accident or illness, purchase extended healthcare.
Before you get on a plane, you’ll want to check the CDC website for info about the country you are visiting and to determine if there are any vaccinations you’ll need. In the USA, Passport Health is a good resource for this. Book an appointment and take your itinerary, including every location you will be staying.
GeoBlue Travel Insurance is a good place to start for travel health insurance but understand whether you need to have health insurance inside your home country first.
Plan how to get access to prescriptions if you are traveling long-term. You may be able to buy some medications over the counter or via a prescription from a clinic in the country you are visiting.
How do I keep all this information straight?
Record keeping is key to a smooth trip, especially if you are traveling to multiple places and multiple countries.
Create a document to record all your research and the links where you found the info in case you need to refer back to it. Include apps to download before you travel for use in that country. For example, in some countries, Grab is preferred to Uber and Agoda to Airbnb.
Create a second travel document with all the key information you will need on your travels. Visas, vaccines received, travel insurance, locations of consulates, flights, transportation preferences, address of stays, and any information you might need quickly while traveling. Before you go, print a copy to take with you as a backup.
Use your Brain, Experience with your Heart, and Discover Courage
The most important thing to pack is an open mind! You are stepping out of your comfort zone and going to countries that are quite different than what we’re used to, so things don’t always happen in a manner that seems logical. To get the most out of your adventure, set aside preconceived notions and travel with positive intentions. You will develop a much better understanding of the culture and people welcoming us as guests into their country. Allow them to show you the true wonder of their home.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Pat! I’ve been a full-time digital nomad & minimalist since 2016. I launched a web development agency over 20 years ago, but it wasn’t until 2006 that I saw the potential to be location independent and reorganized my company to allow for nomadic living. As soon as my sons were off to university and internet connections became more mobile, I hit the road to travel North America in an RV while spending part of the year overseas.
Connect with me:
Instagram: @pat_cletch
twitter/ X: @cletch
facebook: /cletch
Biz: CyberCletch.com
Don’t hesitate to reach out with any digital nomad questions you may have.
