In all the excitement of choosing a destination or route to travel on your nomad journey, it can be easy to overlook some of the basic necessities that you will need to flourish as a nomad. So before you board the plane, let's go over some absolute must haves for your voyage.
This is one of the most critical choices that will have a daily effect on your travels. Do you opt for a backpack or suitcase to carry everything you need? There are pros and cons to both, but ultimately it is a personal choice.
Backpacks come in a variety of sizes, so depending on what you decide to bring with you, you can should be able to carry quite a bit literally on your back. Travel backpacks often have lots of pockets and places to store things, as well as straps to help compress clothing and other items.
While backpacks are convenient, they also offer limited storage space compared to bigger suitcases.
Suitcases generally offer more storage space than backpacks. If you need to bring a lot of technological gear and accessories with you, a suitcase will likely provide that extra space.
Suitcases rollers can quickly wear out when constantly being dragged halfway around the world. What about stairs? You'll inevitably end up lugging that thing up many flights of stairs on your travels. If your suitcase is on the larger side, you'll probably have to pay extra to check it on any flights you take.
The wardrobe you choose to bring should be a reflection of where you've chosen to go on your trip.
If you're visiting the islands, you're not going to need lots of warm clothes.
Regardless of your destination(s), my recommendation is to bring no more than a week's worth of clothing with you at the onset of your trip. That includes socks and underwear. A week's worth of clothing will minimize what you have to pack, while giving you enough flexibility to not worry about constantly doing laundry.
For men, I would recommend one pair of long pants, and one or two pairs of shorts, with a variety of shirts/t-shirts to cover most occasions.
For women, I can't tell you how to dress, but I would also suggest minimizing your outfits, or bringing pieces that can be combined in various ways.
You'll probably also want to have at least one packable rain jacket for backup when the weather inevitably becomes less than idyllic.
As a digital nomad, you're going to be doing a lot of work while on the road. What critical items are essential for you to comfortably complete your work? What accessories will you need when you are adventuring off work hours?
Aside from the obvious laptop, here are a few other essential gadgets and devices you may need to bring with you:
There are of course a few items that would be nice to have, but aren't 100% critical to getting work done or surviving on the road. Some we suggest:
If you're really serious about working as a digital nomad, you're eventually going to have to deal with working in different time zones than the rest of your coworkers. And believe it or not, this can work to your advantage.
Let's investigate some possible scenarios, based on your time difference.
If you are traveling within only 1 or 2 time zones of your office or clients, then theoretically not much should change. You can simply adjust your normal working hours accordingly.
This is pretty typical for working as a digital nomad in your home continent. For example, if you are from the USA, Mexico and Canada are easy destinations to work remotely from, as they utilize the same time zones. Same for Europeans traveling their continent.
Even if you're only going to be on a time difference of 1 to 2 hours from home, its good practice to inform your work of this.
Here is where things get interesting with the whole time zone thing. Switching continents is going to open up a can of worms when it comes to being in sync with your team back home. It's up to you to make it work right.
Here's how I did it.
When I began my first digital nomad journey, I set off from San Francisco, California to Koh Phangan, Thailand. That is a +15 hour time zone difference. Yikes!
When it was "today" in Thailand, it was still yesterday in America. Crazy, I know, but stick with me here.
Prior to leaving, I discussed this with my manager. We were able to come to an agreement wherein I pledged to work 4 hours per day on the same time frame as my US based teammates, and the other 4 hours a day I was free to work whatever time I chose.
I opted to begin my day at 8am local Thailand time, and work until 12 noon. I would then work from 9pm to 1am, Thai time, which was equivalent to morning in America.
This gave me the required 8 hours per day of working time, with 4 hours on the same time frame as the US, and left me free to do whatever I wanted from noon until 9pm local time, before having to get back to work. Not a bad arrangement!
Having 9 hours per day free to explore my new surroundings was a perfect setup for me. I could wander around town, take a tour, visit a temple, or just spend time at the beach.
When it started to get dark, I had just enough time to grab dinner, then settle back into my hotel by 9pm, ready to work.
Now, some of you might be cringing at the thought of working until 1am, but for me it was a small price to pay for the freedom of exploring Thailand and Southeast Asia during the day light hours.
Its up to you to discuss these sort of things with your employers before hitting the road. It's certainly better than trying to work remotely with our their knowledge, and becoming unavailable due to some unforeseen circumstances on the road. The last thing you want is to jeopardize your job by being untruthful about your remote working location.
One quick side note here. Many nomads and computer users in generally use a technology known as a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to mask their computer's true IP address. This can also be used to make it look as if your computer is some where its not... like its in the States, while you're in Europe.
Some may recommend this as a workaround for a company that denies you the ability to work remotely outside your home country. While I do recommend using a VPN for safety and anonymity reasons, intentionally deceiving your employer to work abroad can potentially cost you your job.
My advice is to always talk with your boss, manager, supervisor, whomever BEFORE making plans to leave the country and work remotely. If you're worried they will say no, prepare a strong case for why you'd still be effective at your job, even working around the world. It also helps if you've already proven to be reliable and good at your job.
It's always better to have the blessing of your employer, rather than opening up yourself for a potentially nasty situation further down the line if you miss a meeting or are otherwise unable to connect and do your job.
Perhaps the most important question on every would be nomad's mind: how to stay reliably connected to the internet while traveling? Truth be told, this is something that you'll always need to stay on top of and prepared for. After all, your job depends on it!
Here are some of the basic ways nomads stay connected.
Most hotels, Airbnbs, or hostels that you stay in will have their own wifi connection. However, this isn't a 100% certainty. The further off the beaten path that you travel, the less likely it is for you to find reliable internet at your place of accommodations.
Even if the hotel does have wifi, will it be strong enough to meet your needs?
To conduct a Zoom call or other type of video conference, the absolute minimum internet speed you need for a decent quality call is going to be around 1mbps for non-HD video. To conduct a call in 720p HD, you'll need 2.6mbps. For 1080p, you'll need 3.8mbps or greater speeds.
Now, your internet doesn't always have to be the fastest possible, but it does need to be consistent. There are few things more frustrating than logging into an important meeting, only for your signal to drop, leaving you stuck with a slack-jaw freeze frame.
Consider reaching out to your hotel, hostel, or Airbnb host via email before booking your stay to inquire about the property's internet speeds.
Ask them if they can run a quick speed test and send you a screenshot with the results. This simple step could save you a lot of headache when it's time to get to work.
In most cases, using a local cellular network in your host country is going to be the best option for getting data. Virtually any country you visit will have their own domestic wireless providers, so do your research on which one is considered the most reliable before you arrive.
Once in country, you can typically buy a local SIM card that can be slotted into your smartphone, giving you access to the local data network.
While you can usually use your own phone as a hotspot, it's highly recommended that you purchase a specific mobile hot spot device for this purpose. Using your primary phone as a hotspot can cause problems later on down the line. Dedicated mobile hot spot devices usually have longer battery life and can connect a greater number of devices.
If available, you should consider opting for an unlimited data package. It can be hard to tell just exactly how much data you use during your working hours, and you don't want to run out of data in the middle of an important meeting.
If you're only going to be in country for less than a month, you may be able to get away with a smaller data package. Just be sure to keep any documentation you receive with your new SIM card that includes information like the phone number assigned. This will be needed if you ever have to "top up" or refill your data.
This is a newer option of staying connected abroad, and might be a great fit for nomads, however as of this writing, I have not personally used this service.
GoogleFi Wireless offers an "Unlimited Plus" plan, which promises unlimited talk, text and data in the US, Canada, Mexico, and over 200 other destinations.
This sounds pretty sweet, and is seemingly priced comparable to other major carriers in the US, but I cannot fully vouch for the reliability of this service.
If you've utilized this service as a nomad, let us know what you think!
Starlink is Elon Musk's satellite internet service, which has been a game changer for folks who need internet in remote locations. With nearly 4,000 satellites already in orbit and more to come, Starlink is an attractive option for nomads looking to make the great outdoors their office.
In the summer of 2022, I was able to get a Starlink system on the RV plan, and was able to test it out in numerous far flung locations in the western US.
Starlink was able to provide outstanding internet speeds in excess of 100mbps from places like Joshua Tree National Park, Lake Tahoe, Alabama Hills, and others, where catching a cellular signal was not possible.
For working nomads with a travel trailer, RV, or just living the van life, Starlink is a no brainer.
However, for those traveling internationally, it's not quite yet practical to be lugging around a Starlink dish with you everywhere you go. The current models of the dish are still too large to be carried around the world.
In time, this might be resolved as the technology gets better, and it becomes possible to receive the Starlink signal to a mobile phone or hotspot. As of now, it's not quite there for those purposes.
If you are considering Starlink for your RV/van, there are only two caveats to be aware of:
Currently, Starlink Roam is available for a monthly fee of $150 USD, and will get you internet anywhere around the world. Billing is month to month with no contract, so you can activate it while you're on your trip, and then place your service on hold when you're not using it.
Now that you're packed, it's time to start thinking about how you will actually be working as a digital nomad.
This is another big decision that you'll have to make as a digital nomad. The nature of your job may influence your decision. Do you need peace and quiet to get your work done, or can you work with the noise of a busy cafe?
Let's take a look at your options.
If you need peace and quiet, your best bet is working directly from your hotel or Airbnb type accommodation. You'll have distractions kept to a minimum, and can easily take phone calls or meetings with out fear of interruption. You also don't have to worry about paying additionally for a workspace.
Many hotels include a small work desk in the room, while Airbnb's may have a dining room table or comfy couch to work from.
You might also be able to work pool side, or from a roof top deck for that genuine sparkly nomad-feeling.
Should you be staying at a hostel, it may be a little tougher getting some privacy. However many hostels have cozy common areas, so look for a couch, or unused room with a table that you can set up a work space for a few hours each day.
Some hostels, such as the hip and trendy Selina chain of hostels, offer specific co-working environments aimed at working nomads. You may even be able to pay to use such facilities even if you're not staying at the hostel. More on co-working spaces in a bit.
Seemingly the quintessential space for working nomads, the cafe or restaurant is popular because it allows nomads to "see and be seen", as it were. It's a great way to meet other nomads and engage in casual conversation while getting work done.
But, let's be honest about one thing here... if you're going to plan on spending your day working from a coffee shop or other establishment, you're gonna have to lay down more than just a few bucks while you're there.
These businesses do not particularly want bands of marauding digital nomads coming to sack their establishments for their precious wifi, without receiving something in return.
Have your cup of coffee, enjoy a meal, and maybe even have a cocktail towards the end of the day. Just be sure to actually patronize the business... before you get asked to leave.
A relatively new trend, co-working spaces are designed specifically for hard working nomads. It's the closest you can come to recreating an office environment, outside of actually going back to your office.
Most co-working spaces charge by the hour or day, and include access to fast, reliable internet, as well as a (hopefully) comfortable desk and chair to work from. If you're sticking around town for a bit, ask if a weekly or monthly work pass is available.
Co-working spaces can be a worthy investment of your hard earned money, particularly if you're staying a hostel or small hotel room. The nicer ones typically include sound proof booths for taking calls/meetings, and conference rooms.
Co-working spaces also offer networking and socializing opportunities by connecting with other nomads. Overall, they're a great way to get some work done, and will usually be cheaper than eating your way through a local cafe's menu while you work.
Most of us have probably dreamed of working from the white sands of a post-card perfect blue beach. I'm not trying to piss in anyone's cheerios, but, like many things in life, the reality is often far different from the dream.
Yes, you can book a lounger at a beach resort and fire up your laptop to get some work done, but there are some distinct disadvantages to working like this:
That terribly annoying beach sand getting everywhere... and I do mean everywhere (particularly in the cracks of your keyboard).
Limited internet access. You may be able to pick up some wifi signal on the beach, but is it consistent or strong enough to do what you need to do?
A lack of outlets, or access to power. Sooner or later your battery will drain, and you'll have to move inside or find another place to power up.
Stifling heat and/or humidity. It's usually pretty hot at the beach, hence why people are half naked and plunging in the water. An air conditioned room is probably better for your comfort during working hours.
The fact that water and computers don't mix particularly well. If you're gonna jump in the water, make sure you're well and dry before cracking the laptop back open. Consistent exposure to the salty beach air may also effect the health of your computer over time.
Bright sunlight can make it hard to see your laptop screen. Even under the shade of an umbrella, you're gonna want to crank the brightness up to max, which will only drain your battery faster.
As with working from a cafe, working from the beach is probably not something that you'll realistically do all day, every day. However a few hours here and there can really make you feel like you're living the authentic digital nomad lifestyle. Give it a go and see how it works for you.
Lastly, it's important to remember that even though you may be in paradise, you're still a working nomad.
It can be easy to find yourself distracted in a new place, with so many sights and sounds to see, but be sure you don't neglect your work duties. Whether you are working for a corporation, or working for yourself, it's important to keep yourself accountable while on the road.
Get the time zone thing figured out for your destination, because that won't be an excuse for missing a meeting.
And while it may be tempting to sip cocktails from your beach lounger while you're on the clock, try to save it for after working hours. If your bosses or clients find the quality of your work slipping while being on the road, don't be surprised if they call you back to the office... or worse, terminate you!
You've got a good thing going. Try to keep it going, by keeping professional while on the clock!
