Lessons Learned from Two Years of Nomad Life

April 12, 2024

Two years ago, I sold my home and most of my possessions to embark on a life of more adventure, higher happiness, and less stuff. I’ve experienced a lot and am still figuring it out. Here are some of the things I’ve learned along the way.

There are no Rules

Everyone has an opinion or wants to throw out an acronym. Did you FIRE? Are you a Slomad? Some people give up all their possessions and live out of backpacks, while others keep a home. I’m somewhere in between. I no longer own a home but have a car and rent a storage unit. And no, I don’t sleep in my car.

The reality is—who cares about labels? Do your own thing. I initially considered living as an expat in Spain. I soon realized I preferred moving around and experiencing different cultures. Additionally, I love my friends and family in the US, so I spend about half my year here.

If you’re thinking of giving it a try, do just that. Try it out. Maybe you can take a leave of absence and go on an adventure. I have been an enthusiastic traveler my entire adult life. As a teacher, I could take long summer trips once my kids had left the nest. I had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into. Living as a nomad is different than taking a ten-day vacation, though.

This lifestyle isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay.

Don’t Make Big Plans

Plans change. That’s the reality whether you live a nomadic life or not. When I returned from an extended visit to Europe in December 2022, I found my sister in an unhealthy state. I dropped all my plans to take care of her. Sadly, she passed away from pancreatic cancer a few weeks later. But I am happy I could be with her in her final weeks.

I do, however, make general plans. It’s April, and I have a skeleton plan for the rest of my year. That’s partly my personality and partly that I get requests for house sits. Would you turn down two weeks taking care of a cat in Hawaii?

Housesitting is a Huge Budget Saver

I first learned about housesitting over a decade ago, and it has been part of my retirement plan ever since. I have to say, I mostly love it. I enjoy meeting new people and their pets, and pet parents are grateful for the service. I also get a free place to stay with furry roommates.

I have completed nineteen house sits in the past year. Six have been for friends, thirteen from Trusted House Sitters, and two have been “no pet” sits. The length of sits has been between three days and seven weeks. A couple pets have been a little challenging, but it has mostly been a positive experience. Some people leave snacks, and some invite me for dinner the night before the sit. In total, I have stayed for free 165 nights over the past year, and I’ve made new friends, too.

Get a Credit Card (or Two) to Support Your Lifestyle

I have one card that gets me free hotel stays and one that racks up airline miles. Some people continually open new credit cards to get free points. That’s not really my style. But again, I’m not making the rules.

Call in Your Support People

I am fortunate to have friends and family members who support me in various ways. I have a home base and permanent address with a family member. Several people in my life have offered me a place to stay, whether I’m traveling around the western US or needing a place to crash between house sits.

When I travel outside the country, I have a family member and a friend who allow me to park my car on their property.

Not everyone has such good fortune; I am grateful for their support.

You Meet a lot of Interesting People

I strike up more conversations with strangers than I used to. I believe I am more open, given my lifestyle. Another aspect is my “dog magnetism.” Ever since I started pet sitting, I tend to chat with dog owners, even when I’m not walking a dog.

While abroad, I’ve met some fellow adventurers and have started meeting up with new friends in other countries.

Find the Combination that Works for You

As I stated earlier, I like to spend part of my year in the Western US near friends and family. I love southern Europe and will never tire of Spain, Portugal, and Greece. But there are many parts of the world that I have yet to see. This year, I will be checking off more bucket list destinations.

I look at my budget as a yearly number. House sits don’t cost me much. However, a little apartment in Oslo is more expensive than one on a Greek island. It all evens out in the end.

The nomad life isn’t for everyone. I’m still figuring it out, and my lifestyle continues to evolve. Sometimes, I feel like I need to do more; then, I remember the high-stress life I was living before I made this change. I haven’t worked in nearly two years, but I don’t know if I’m fully retired. I am open to working remotely, part-time, or seasonally in the future.

So, two years later, am I living a happier, simpler life with a lower stress level? Yes! And the adventures continue.

Travel Timing

May 29, 2023

When planning a travel itinerary, sometimes it takes effort to guess how much time to spend in each place. At times I make adjustments, but I rarely wish I had spent less time in an area. That’s how I feel about Northern California.
It’s hard to know how many days to allot if you’ve never been to a place. I’ve visited California several times, but all but one visit was to the coast. I had always heard about the beauty of Lake Tahoe, and I knew I’d easily be able to fill a week there. That part of the itinerary was spot-on.

Snow hiking above Lake Tahoe to Eagle Lake on Mother’s Day 2023

Paddle Boarding on Lake Tahoe in May: Gorgeous!

It was the travel from Tahoe to Oregon where I short-changed myself. I had a mere afternoon to see Lassen Volcanic National Park. I could only get a little way into the southern entrance since the main road through the park was still snow-covered. I didn’t even make it to the northern entrance.

I was also in a rush at Lake Shasta and Mount Shasta. Although I did well with my limited time (one day), I would love to return and see more of the area. In fact, that day at Mount Shasta, I yearned to get a camper van. I could picture myself chilling out for a few days at one of the campgrounds there.

The main reason for my pressed itinerary was a dog-sitting gig in Bend, Oregon. I knew setting myself up with no-cost accommodations for Memorial Day weekend would be wise. And, indeed, it was a good idea. My canine companion was a sweetheart. I visited local sights like the Newberry National Monument, the Deschutes River, and the High Desert Museum.

Lava Butte at Newberry National Monument near Bend, Oregon

Benham Falls, Newberry National Monument

Obsidian Flow, Newberry National Monument

Tomorrow, I will start making my way back to Washington, my home state. More dog sitting on the agenda, and a Celebration of Life to honor my sister next Sunday.
It will be good to be “home.”

Can I Please Take This with Me?

November 24, 2022

Now that I have been travelling for five months, I can tell you some of the biggest challenges of moving from place-to-place and, well, not having my own home.

Number one: The bed. I am a girl who needs a good night’s sleep. Period. As I have gotten older (I’m in my 50s), I have come to appreciate a mattress with a bit of give. I’m not talking totally squishy, but I love a pillow top or some memory foam.

For the last five years, I had been spoiled with a Sleep Number bed, and I loved it. I loved putting my feet up and taking a rest after a good hike or a day of skiing. I loved making it a little softer when my body needed some recovery time. And I loved the massage feature; it could get me back to sleep when I had those random 3:00 AM wake ups.

As you can imagine, not every hotel or short-term rental apartment has the best bed. The worst are the firm ones. I can’t say I’ve had one that was too soft yet. When I stayed in Valencia for a month, I got lucky. I really couldn’t have asked for a better mattress. (Well, except for that Sleep Number.)

Number two: Low quality or missing utensils. I like to cook and bake. For some reason making a delicious dinner with few ingredients while travelling is highly satisfying. Sometimes, it’s just throwing in one more thing, like the chopped Italian pancetta that I added to the sauteed vegetables and chicken breast tonight.

The problem is that I rarely have a sharp knife to work with, and ugh, sometimes the cutting boards are far beyond the day they should have been replaced. Yuck. Do I really have to eat food that has been chopped on this bacteria-ridden nightmare?

I also don’t understand why so many places have metal spatulas with nonstick pans. Don’t people know better? Don’t they understand that’s why their pans are all scratched up?

Number three: Lack of little comforts. My current journey started in Portugal and Spain in September and October. The weather was fabulous, in the 70s and 80s with very little rain. Then Daylight Savings time ended, and I was in the mountains of Andorra a week later. It was nearly freezing and pouring rain the day I arrived. After that, the days continued to be colder and shorter. In the evenings, I was longing for my favorite throw, the one that is like sheepskin.

Bathtubs are a rarity in hotels and rentals these days. When I get one, I am a happy girl. That room in Andorra did have a tub. It was on the small side, but I didn’t care. A couple of week later, I spent the night in Barcelona before flying to meet a friend in Italy. I was grateful to have tub that night because I ended up walking more than expected that afternoon and evening.

Still, I wouldn’t trade the little annoyances or discomforts for the joy of my nomadic lifestyle.

My Biggest Dilemma (Which Eventually Resolved Itself)

October 11, 2022

I’m truly enjoying my time in Valencia despite my aching feet. Since visiting with the Spanish family last weekend, I have probably been thinking too much about where I want to live when I return next year. In fact, I’m a bit obsessed. I keep researching smaller towns in eastern Spain. Then I look at the real estate sites. But do I really want to live in a small town? Won’t I get bored? Would I have social life? Is there a city that is big enough but not too big? If I were closer to the mountains, I could ski…

Then I worry about Valencia being too noisy for me. In some ways, I like the noise. I never feel entirely alone. Other neighborhoods would be quieter, though. I like the botanical garden. What if I could get an apartment that backs on the garden? That would be sweet!

My friends talked about the possibility of finding an area that was accessible by metro on the outskirts of the city. But again, I don’t want to live in the suburbs, and when people visit, they want to see the city.

Now, do you understand what I’ve been going through? I know. It has to be where I want to live. Don’t choose your home based on potential visitors.

How many Airbnb’s have a bookcase like this?

I fell in love with this apartment the moment I walked in. It has super-high ceilings, over ten feet, more like twelve. The desk sits in front of the “wall of windows.” I love the natural daylight, but I have the privacy of frosted and colored glass. Throughout the apartment, the walls are bright white with sparse décor. It’s clean and happy without being cluttered. The preserved original tile mosaic floors are charming, as are many other details in this turn-of-the-century home. I couldn’t imagine a better place to write. And the built-in bookcase has some interesting reading material. It would be great if the owner were willing to lease it to me at a lower rate for a longer term.

Sometimes the Universe, God, or our higher power hears us. Yesterday, I received a message from my host:

Hi Shannon.

Hope you are well, I wanted to ask you because I thought I understood that you wanted to stay longer in Valencia (maybe you were thinking of staying a year, or am I wrong?).

I mention it because I’m interested in long-term rentals and you might be interested in staying at my house longer.

We then proceeded to message back and forth. Me with questions and he with answers. He’s looking at the numbers and has promised to get back to me with a price and terms. I’ll stop obsessing for a while.

January 24, 2023

By the time my month-long stay in Valencia had ended, I had come to an important realization. I’m not ready to settle in one spot—adventure is what I want now.

When my host got back to me with a number, I had already decided to continue my wandering life. There’s so much more of the world that I want to see. I’ve loved Costa Rica for decades, but somehow, I have never visited. Machu Pichu, the Galapagos…the list goes on.

She Needed a Shower

October 6, 2022

Yesterday there was rain in the forecast. The skies were cloudy, and a few drops fell here and there. I enjoyed a three-hour Spanish lunch with an old friend from high school and three of her Spanish friends. The most expressive of the group kept joking about the threat of rain, saying things like, “I think four drops just fell.”

Murals in the neighborhood where we had lunch (near the port)

Throughout the afternoon, it was like that, a little spit from the sky here and there.

After I arrived home, I decided an early evening walk was needed to work off the three-course lunch. The spit turned into a steady sprinkle, and once I sat down for a light dinner of soup and salad, it was legitimately raining.

Making the most of the fresh produce from Ruzafa Market

It rained steadily through the night, and I woke up to that familiar pitter-patter of perfect rainfall this morning—not an out-and-out downpour, but pleasant, steady drops that require a rain jacket or umbrella.

Valencia needed a shower in the worst way. Just yesterday, my friend commented that the streets seemed dirtier than she remembered. She was concerned that her favorite Spanish city was going downhill.

At lunch, her Spanish friends told us about the rising electricity cost and water scarcity. I imagine people aren’t going out and washing down the sidewalks in front of their businesses as Spanish usually do. Also, dog ownership grew dramatically during the pandemic. Even though most people clean up after their pets, there is residue of poop and pee. It all made sense now.

The rain is supposed to taper off by 9:00 or so. After I finish this second cup of tea, it looks like a good day for the archaeological museum.

Valencia’s Archeological Musem is not to be missed. You’ll want to see what is under the water feature!

Thinking About Space

October 5, 2022

Do you ever think about space and what it means to you? No, I’m not talking about the stars, planets, universe kind of space—these days, I’m thinking about the spaces we occupy.

Why?

I sold my home a few months ago and have been traveling or staying with friends and family ever since. I’ve occupied various hotel rooms, condos, and bedrooms at friends’ houses. This is all by choice, mind you. Don’t get worried that this poor woman is desperate and homeless. I’m taking some time out, a self-imposed sabbatical, to see what’s next.

In Lisbon, Portugal, I recently stayed in a studio apartment that was smaller than most hotel rooms. There was just enough space to walk around the double bed; I’m sure it was less than eight feet wide. The kitchenette was on the wall opposite the bed, with a skinny bar-style table for two and a small desk in between. I’m not really complaining, though. It did have two big windows, which at least made it tolerable. It was also equipped with a safe in the entryway, a foot-long bar with six hangers, and an iron and ironing board, a rarity in European hotel rooms. Someone had put a lot of thought into making that tiny space efficient. And really, you’re in Lisbon. Get out and see the sights instead of hanging out in your room!

But I needed to take some breaks to rest, and I could barely stand in the room. It just wasn’t enough space. In contrast, I stayed in a studio in Porto, Portugal, that was at least double, possibly triple, the size. It was equipped with a Juliette balcony plus two large windows. The ceilings were at least ten feet high, and I loved it! The kitchenette was well-equipped, and I did quite a bit of cooking, saving the expense of eating out. (I’m also a health nut with Celiac Disease.)

Two days ago, I arrived in Valencia, Spain. This is the longest stay of my 90-day European adventure. I’ll be here for four weeks. I got lucky on Airbnb and found a super-cool apartment in a desirable area—Ruzafa. The host is particular about his renters. There is a minimum twenty-day stay with a maximum of two people occupying the apartment. It’s a rather large two-bedroom apartment, at least 1000 square feet. I think he initially rented to bigger groups and had some negative experiences.

The online pictures looked enticing, and all the reviews were five-star. That made me hopeful. I liked that the owner was picky; that meant he cared about the property. He had worked to preserve the original character of the apartment, which I appreciate. Of course, he doesn’t want someone trashing it.

From the man bedroom, access the balcony through this window.

When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised. It was even better than the photos had indicated. The owner should have shared charming features like the small atrium with plants on the wall. Each room has natural light. The primary bedroom has bay windows, and the smaller bedroom has a balcony attached, which can also be accessed through a tall skinny window in the master. The kitchen has been updated with new appliances and a sizeable refrigerator.

But the best part is the great room space. At least one wall was removed to create an open space. It has floor-to-ceiling windows, some with colored glass, about 12 by 12 feet. You read correctly, 12-foot ceilings! I’m sitting here typing at the midcentury desk, surrounded by plants, facing the wall of windows. The great room space is about 20 by 20 feet in its entirety. One corner provides the perfect space for my temporary yoga studio. The original tile mosaic floors in the dining area and those in the bedrooms and entryway have been preserved. I genuinely feel privileged to occupy this space for a few weeks.

For some people, space is insignificant. For others, it is everything. My twenty-something sons don’t care much about space. When my older son got his first job out of college, he moved across the country and lived in a one-bedroom apartment with no art on the walls that was furnished with a bed, a chair, and a TV. That’s it. The rest wasn’t necessary for him. He knew he’d only be there for two years, so he wanted to avoid investing further.

When I was younger, space wasn’t that important to me either. After studying in Spain for a semester, a friend and I traveled through Europe for six weeks with backpacks and Eurail passes. We stayed in some dumpy rooms with terrible beds and sometimes shared bathrooms. I’d never survive that now.

Since divorcing nine years ago, I have lived in several places (even before selling my most recent home). I now understand that I was searching for the right space. I lived in a two-story townhome-style condo for four years, which was tolerable. The downstairs had nine-foot ceilings and oversized windows with views of evergreen trees. Not bad. The main bedroom upstairs was large, but the ensuite bathroom was small. I renovated the bathroom, which made it more my space. Besides that, I haven’t lived in a place for over two years. It’s been a restless stretch.

Sitting here now, I know what I need to be happy: natural light, ample space to move around, a well-equipped kitchen, and inviting spaces to read, write, and practice yoga. I don’t care how small the bedroom and bath might be. I don’t live in those spaces. It’s all about the space I occupy in my waking hours.

Trying Out Valencia

October 5, 2022

It’s nice to finally be here. After a month of traveling from place to place, I get a break from the daily pressure to see things or to move on to the following location.

I arrived two days ago around 5:45 PM. Disembarking from the plane was slow, but my suitcase was already waiting for me at baggage claim. The Valencia airport is modern and small, and I found the taxi stand easily.

My taxi driver, the first female driver I’ve ever encountered in Spain, was a real character. At first, she didn’t say much. Then she asked if I spoke Spanish. Once I responded, the floodgates opened! She was a talker. She told me about Spain, where to visit, and who spoke the best Spanish in the world. (In Spain, it was the people of Valladolid.) She also held the Basques in high regard. She described them as more rigid than other Spaniards with a stronger work ethic.

By the time we got through traffic, it was almost 7:00. My host was in the apartment awaiting my arrival. He, too, was excited and a bit relieved when I told him I spoke Spanish. He responded that it made explaining everything a lot easier for him. He’s clearly a meticulous fellow and takes pride in the apartment. The vintage apartment has mosaic floors in the bedrooms, entryway, and dining area. The windows are original, including the not-so-easy-to-operate wooden blinds. He’s taken steps to preserve the original beauty as much as possible.

Light and bright! The perfect place to write.

As soon as he left, I walked to the conveniently located Consum grocery store just around the corner. I find Spanish city grocery stores fascinating. From the outside, they often appear small, but when you walk in, most of them are amazingly huge! They go back deeply into the city block. Occasionally, you will walk into one that is two stories. My host had recommended this one because the prices were reasonable, and it is so close.

I grabbed as much as I thought I could carry (It was plenty.) and headed back to make a simple dinner of thin beef steaks, fried potatoes, and green beans. I also bought a tiny bottle of wine. I looked up the conversion, and it was 6.25 ounces, a glass for one. Not bad for 1.29 euros!

I slept well, as I usually do on travel days. Lugging that heavy suitcase around tends to wear me out. And the bed is comfortable. Yes! What would be worse than being stuck with an uncomfortable mattress for four weeks?

I woke up Tuesday morning refreshed but in no hurry. After breakfast, I walked to the Ruzafa Market. It’s not the prettiest Spanish market, but they had everything I could want. I walked the aisles, taking it all in, and decided to go with a mother-son team. Their prices looked good, and they weren’t talking on and on like some of the other vendors were. I know; it’s part of their social life, so I can’t complain. I also bought some olives, walnuts, and a treat made from sesame seeds.

…but they have everything you could want.

Back at the apartment, I did my laundry and made a big pot of chicken-vegetable soup. It was nice to cook again after staying in hotels for eight days. That had really started to get to me in Seville. I felt a bit trapped there!
I read a bit in the afternoon, relaxed on the sofa, and fell asleep. The rest was needed.

By 4:30, I regained energy and walked through the neighborhood and the Turia. I spotted a large health food store called Herbolario Navarros. What a find! They had more gluten-free items in one place than I had ever seen! They even had my brand of magnesium supplements, which I needed to refill.

Back at the apartment, I got on the computer and chatted with friends on Facebook. I’m looking forward to seeing my high-school friends, who will arrive in a couple of days. She lived in Valencia with her first husband and knows the city well.

I received a lengthy message from my host with suggestions and links to places to visit. He listed some of the more popular ones I have already seen, like the Cathedral, botanical garden, and Ceramics Museum, but there were many other places I had yet to see or would not have known about. So glad I have time to see them all!

I searched to see if any concerts were coming up at the Palau de las artes. Amazingly, there was a free concert the following evening. There were only about 20 seats left in the back, but one can’t complain about free!
Looking forward to that tonight.

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