It was September 2020 when I sold my house, my things, and left my friends and home of 11 years behind to become a full-time solo traveling nomad throughout the U.S., Canada, and in 2022, Mexico. Now that I’ve had a year-plus on the road, I figured it was high time to compile answers to some of my readers’ most frequently asked questions.
This will be updated as more questions are asked. Still curious? Leave a comment!
Q1: What was the catalyst that drove you to choose a nomadic lifestyle?
Q2: Was there any city so great it made you want to stay?
There are cities I love, yes! But as of yet, I’ve not been compelled to stay in a place. There are places I’ll definitely come back to to spend more time in, however. I’m on this journey, and finding a place to settle in isn’t really the goal… the goal is to see a lot and experience a lot, and that to me means being more mobile.
Q3: Where do you see this nomad life going?
Q4: How do you decide where to go during nomad life?
I’ve also answered this question in a YouTube video!
Q5: How long do you typically stay in a place?
In year one of nomad life, I spent one to five weeks in each city/state. In some places, if I was not working that week, I could see enough of a place’s sights in a week. If I was working, I needed at least two weeks to do a place justice, and nearer to a month to feel more settled and connected.
If I booked too long, I felt intensely afraid of not liking a place, and therefore, of feeling trapped and like I’m “wasting time” (and indeed, there were a few locations I was meh about and happy to leave). I’ve often been at odds over wanting to “go Go GO!”, and thinking, “Man, things were just getting good.” The problem is, you never know what it will be like before you get there. But generally, my gut has done me well.
Q6: What do you do for work that allows you to be nomadic?
Did you know? I had a remote job the first 15 months of my fully nomadic lifestyle. As of December 2021, I am semi-retired. Read my update on that here!
Q7: Does the nomad life get lonely?
Q8: Do you think you’ll ever stay in one place long enough to buy a house again?
If you didn’t know, I sold my home in Phoenix in September 2020 before launching off on my whirlwind solo trip. I rented out my house for years while I traveled, and decided to offload it. Read more here.
Q9: How did you wrangle a digital/remote job arrangement?
Q10: Why are you single?
Q11: What are you looking for dating-wise?
Q12: Are you running away from something?
Q13: What is your biggest challenge as a nomad?
Q14: Second-biggest challenge?
Planning is fun, right? Not. Maybe if you go on a few trips a year, it’s fun… but when you travel 24-7 — it’s exhausting. It takes an incredible amount of emotional energy for me to weigh and decide and consider and evaluate where I’m going and when, where I’m staying that suits my needs and price point, and what all I’m going to do (ok, this is the only fun part, but still, I leave this to the last minute and let spontaneity drive me!). I’m checking multiple websites, I’m posting and searching in Facebook groups, I’m doing calculations in my head about driving time, proximity to sights, and cost per night. Sound like a lot? It is.
Plus, the moment I have finally nailed down the details? I don’t really get to relax, because… in another week or two I have to do it all over again. It’s one of the reasons I only plan/book up to one month in advance. I need to rest my brain, my budget, and my browser tabs!
Q15: Are you happy being a nomad?
Q16: Do you miss Arizona, your former home?
Q17: Does it cost a lot of money to travel how you do?
Q18: Where do you stay?
Q19: Do you have any regrets?
Q20: What’s next for 2022?
This little nomad is going to Mexico! ❤️ (Catch up with me in my recent blogs!)
Absolutely amazing Story!!! I would like to read more, watch more, learn more of and from your Journey.
I sent a message via FB messenger I believe and hope your able to receive/read it. Simply, I kinda did what you’re doing now last year when I took off by myself on my boat from NJ and toured the coast down and around Florida and back. I sold my home and going to get a much bigger boat and take off to limits unknown.
Stay safe and keep the Journey coming…