When preparing for extended European travel, it isn’t just where to go, it’s also what to bring. It can be stressful deciding what makes the cut and what doesn’t. Liana and I recently returned from three months backpacking in France and Italy. When it came to our own packing lists, we had to make some additions and subtractions along the way. In the end we felt we had the perfect packing list for long term travel in Europe. Pin this…
Sicily. A place I’ve always wanted to visit. This desire may have stemmed from my vision of sitting at a small table in a mountain village and gorging myself on local cuisine, fresh olives, and carafes of wine. Maybe I was intrigued by the 50 times I watched Michael Corleone spend two years there—his father’s homeland and birthplace of the mafia. Or maybe I just wanted to see how you ride a train to an island. Whatever it was that…
The Work Vanlife Balance, Volume 6 Slow down? That’s right, I said it. I’m officially old. Next thing you know, I’ll be telling you to, “Stop, and smell the roses.” Don’t worry, I won’t go that far. Unless you go to a botanical garden or something, then you should probably stop, and smell those roses. We’ve talked a lot about how to be a digital nomad. Disconnecting from things, finding a career, technology needs, and mobile workspaces are all import…
The Work Vanlife Balance, Volume 5 You’re living the digital nomad dream. You’ve secured a few gigs and your first deadline is on the horizon. Its time to grab your computer, find yourself a picturesque forest, mountain, or seaside view, and queue up “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” Wait, are those rain clouds? Where’s the bug spray? WTF, did that raccoon just try to pee on me? That’s right, while the digital nomad lifestyle sounds great (and looks great on Instagram)…
The Work Vanlife Balance, Volume 4 Congratulations! You’re going to do what you’ve been dreaming about for years – traveling the world and taking your career with you. Say goodbye to florescent lighting, office politics, and smelly lunches in the microwave (oh, wait that last one was my bad). Also, say goodbye to your company computer, software, and internet (not to mention donuts). That’s right! It’s now on you to get online and work from your own equipment (and supply…
The Work Vanlife Balance, Volume 3 You want to travel long-term. Be free from daily commutes and office lighting. Watch sunsets by the ocean, count the stars in the Milky Way, and sleep by mountain streams. But you don’t want to starve. You don’t want a vehicle break down or medical emergency to end all your travel plans. And, admit it, you still want an iPhone with unlimited data. That means you need to find a career conducive to travel….
The Work Vanlife Balance, Volume 2 Being a digital nomad has its benefits. Not having to participate in the 9 to 5 grind. Removing yourself from office politics. New experiences while traveling the country or world. However, there are some considerations. The first installment of the Work Vanlife Balance covered 5 Things to Consider if you want to be a Digital Nomad. While taking your career on the road may be an exciting prospect, you must consider you’ll be taking…
The Work Vanlife Balance, Volume 1 Long term travel and a career—the life of the Digital Nomad. To work remotely and leave behind the 9 to 5 grind. To hit the road and travel the continent (or more!). While either one of these accomplishments may be what some employees dream about while sitting in their 6 x 6 cubicle, balancing a life of travel and the responsibilities of work can be tricky. That’s why we’ve started the Work Vanlife Balance…
The Olympic Peninsula. Home to Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest, 24 State Parks, 73 miles of protected primitive Pacific Coastline, amazing beaches, and the most northwestern point in the lower 48. That’s over a million square miles of mountains, coast, and rain forests! Yeah, I sound like an infomercial, but it’s really that awesome. It seems like you could never stop exploring the Olympic Peninsula. We only scratched the surface in the 8 days we were there. Our most…
Glacier National Park. The park that we were most excited to explore. Amazing lake hikes, beautiful waterfalls, and the most spectacular white peak mountain views. Glacier is also the park that kicked our asses. We cracked the radiator getting here. Our computer broke. Stan popped a tire on the bumpy roads and needed new brakes from all the mountain driving. And I suffered a mild case of Bell’s Palsy. Part I of our adventure had its ups and downs. Determined…