56: "Where do you sleep?"

Critical Transit

Regular listeners may know that I’ve been hesitant to commit to more frequent episodes (or blog posts) as I’ve struggled to keep it up when working or traveling. One of the main reasons I’m not a location-independent “digital nomad” is that I prefer not to spend large chunks of time at my computer. However, due to popular demand, I am starting a podcast series to answer common listener questions such as … “Where do you stay on tour?” I know I’m not the only nomad with a blog but hopefully my experience and perspective can add some value for some of you.

There are different types of travel lifestyles, and every traveler needs to figure out what works best for them. The first thing to understand about a nomadic/travel lifestyle is that it’s not what most westerners imagine when they think about travel — hotels, restaurants, museums, guided tours and souvenirs … When I talk about a sustainable travel lifestyle, those things are not inherently bad, but they give you minimal cultural exchange and would make it impossible for you to travel with any frequency or for more than a week (or to go without an income source for a while).

Most travelers spend at least half their budget on sleeping, and most of the rest goes to food. I still stay in hotels in certain situations, but most nights I sleep elsewhere (often for free or very low cost, even in America). Depending where you go, travel can cost you anywhere from US $5 to US $500 or more.

This podcast summarizes the different types of places to rest, recharge and sleep while you’re on the road. It’s an overview and more detail will come in the future, but feel free to ask questions or share your own experience.

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• What is a sustainable “travel” (nomadic) lifestyle?

• Types of nomads and travelers

• Options for free or paid accommodation

• Expectations: why free is not always better

• The importance of good budgeting, knowing your options, and having a backup plan, emergency fund and safety net

For more info on the free options, check out How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World from an actual digital nomad.