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| Photo credit: Bruce Mars |
Before you become a digital nomad, the vision those words bring to mind may need to be more accurate. You may think of hiking through acres of untouched forests and watching the sunset behind mountains that man has never conquered. While this may be part of it, if you choose it to be, this is more along the lines of a homeless backpacker traveling on a shoestring than a digital nomad. Yes, DN’s are about experiencing places they have never seen before, but they are more likely to take an off-road luxury SUV with all the amenities than a hike with a machete.
Since the 1960s and before, people have strapped on a backpack and hit the trail with little more than a Swiss army knife and canteen. They wanted to take on the world with their bare hands and emerge victorious. Today, our aspirations are different.
Today’s Digital Nomad
Technology and science have taken mankind to levels in recent years that our “hippy” ancestors could not have imagined. We can turn on a computer that fits in our hand and read news from around the world, listen to music from any era, and play games with people who do not even speak our language. We can get a degree from our house and if we have a bad heart, the doctors can give us a new one. We do not have to “take nature on” because we are advanced beyond what it would take to succeed. |
| Photo credit: Mohamad Hassan |
Preparing to begin your new lifestyle
There is not a checklist of things to do or not to do to adopt this lifestyle. But there are some things to consider. For example, if your talents are easily transformed into freelance work, you will want to make that transformation so that you can work from anywhere via your computer.Becoming a digital nomad requires a mental change. You must really condition the way you think. As a digital nomad, you may not have a home somewhere that you pay for. The money that others spend on lodging goes to one place. The money you pay for lodging goes to many places.
Other things to consider is health care, insurance, and regular medication. Of course, if you are hurt while traveling, you need health insurance for remote workers to ensure you can get the care you need, but there is more to consider. If you take a daily medication, you need to make sure it is available where you are traveling. Do not count on being able to take the medication with you. Each country has its own rules and regulations about medications. Some are restricted and some are illegal. This can carry some serious consequences.
Combining travel and lodging
Instead of flying to the country of your choice, consider taking a cruise ship. Because of your lifestyle, you can take any dates so you can take advantage of deep discounts. Skip the alcohol and the wifi packages to save big. Use the various ports of call for their wifi to conduct business. You get food, entertainment, housing, and a lot of social opportunities as well as seeing places of interest for one low price. |
| Photo credit: Pixabay |
Luxury Private Jet For Cheap?
We spoke to industry leaders, such as Stratos Jets, about using a luxury service without paying the full price. One way to do it is to watch for “Empty Leg” flights. An Empty Leg flight is where someone has booked a private jet for a one-way destination. The return flight for the jet is empty. They would rather collect something than nothing, so you can usually get a great deal by grabbing one of these flights. Other private jets offer similar deals.A digital nomad doesn’t just see the world. They experience it. They taste wine in Italy. They bicycle across France and they rent private islands for themselves and their friends. They eat the best foods and sleep on the finest sheets. They are a new way that the rich and famous choose to spend their downtime. DN’s take this concept to a higher level. The freedom they experience starts a fire deep in our hearts. After all, isn’t this how we were all meant to live? Maybe someday, the rest of us will catch in, and freedom will be the rule instead of the exception. Perhaps we should all get started now!
