Early on in my life I was bitten by the travel bug. I was 10 years old when my mother sent me and my younger brother to Mombasa, Kenya. She is Kenyan and wanted us to experience our culture and meet her family, but her work commitments prevented her from traveling with us, so my brother and I were both minors. I traveled from Milwaukee as a solo traveler. I was just old enough to be amazed by the experience of airports, airliners, and landings in countries where English was not the primary language.
Back in 2013, I took my first major business trip as an adult. I’m a consultant who runs a software company, and a company in Sydney hired me to come to their office and train their team.
Author living in Sydney in 2013.
Flying to Sydney was a surreal experience. The customer paid for a premium economy seat on Virgin Atlantic, and my hotel had sweeping views of Sydney Harbor and the Sydney Opera House. This trip made me realize how much I love working abroad. The digital nomad lifestyle of working remotely from different parts of the country and world called to me.
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But I still couldn’t become a digital nomad
Three young children were waiting for me in America. It had a house, a car, and everything else needed for a “normal” life. I continued to travel for work, but it was only for short trips, which was enough to take away some of the frustrations of traveling. From 2013 to 2016, I traveled to 38 countries for corporate consulting training contracts, including Tokyo, South Korea, London, Dublin, and Cairo, and learned how to equip myself in case of unexpected setbacks. I learned what to do.
Later, when my kids grew up and started living with their mom, I started seriously thinking about becoming a digital nomad. As the possibility of a nomadic life became more and more real, moments of excitement were quickly replaced by a sinking feeling that I might be abandoning my children and family.
Therapy has helped me understand that two things can be true. That means I can live a nomadic life and still be there for my kids. My children have supported my lifestyle as a digital nomad. In 2016, I sold all my material possessions, sold my house, and moved to Medellin, Colombia to embrace a full-time digital nomad lifestyle.
Since then, I have lived and worked in Mexico City, England, Paris, Madrid, Nairobi, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Cape Town, Rome, Lisbon, Nice and Barcelona.
Digital nomadism has allowed the author to visit around 90 countries.
Pros and cons of becoming a digital nomad
What I love most about being a digital nomad is how free the lifestyle is. I like having fewer material possessions and being able to travel anytime and anywhere. And if you want to feel a little more at home, you can easily have your favorite American products shipped to you via websites like Amazon. I like experiencing new cultures, history, and food of other countries. Consulting and digital nomadism have allowed me to travel to 88 countries and live in over 10. I was able to set up my business and establish myself as a tourist. I work Monday to Friday and explore any country on the weekends.
The hard part about being a digital nomad is being far away from your family. Technology like FaceTime, Zoom, and social media has brought us closer to connection, but it’s not the same as hugging our kids and spending time with them in person. Fortunately, my nomadic lifestyle allows me to travel whenever I want.
8 unusual gadgets I always bring with me
For digital nomads, technology is essential to both work and life. Anything you can do if you have an office, you should be able to do in an Airbnb, hotel, or apartment rental instead. Some of my gear is obvious: my laptop (M3 MacBook Pro), smartphone (iPhone 15 Pro Max), and tracking tags (AirTags).
Author’s nomadic travel work hardware.
Below are some of my picks for nomad-specific gear.
This Bluetooth wireless audio transmitter receiver works with AirPods or wireless headphones. Connect your gadget to the entertainment center on your plane or train and you’ll be able to pair your wireless device. Create a Bluetooth connection anywhere there is a regular headphone jack.
I primarily travel with credit cards, but I also use a little cash. Always useful in other countries. A good RFID wallet gives me peace of mind. The Kings Loot wallet has RFID protection, but it’s also slim and comfortable, and even has a slot on the front for sliding an AirTag.
I spend a lot of time on airplanes, and it’s not always convenient to use a laptop, especially on local airlines in Europe. I travel with my iPad Air to work on planes, watch movies and streaming series, and make video calls. Apple’s Magic Keyboard sleeve is a cover for my iPad, but I also use it for keyboard functionality in tight spaces.
Since I run a business, I do a lot of media interviews. Good sound is essential, so I travel with the Audio Technica ATR2100x-USB Cardioid Dynamic Microphone. The microphone is portable and has multiple ports so you can connect it to your laptop or iPad.
Early on in my digital nomad life, I learned that I couldn’t rely on airports, hotels, or other locations for power. I travel with an Anker MagGo power bank to power my gadgets when a wall outlet isn’t available. I like this power bank because it has a usage indicator and 15 fast charges (compared to other power banks I’ve tried).
battery life Up to 20 hours ratednoise canceling Yes (ANC)multi point yestypes of headphones over ear wireless headphoneswater resistance No IP rating
I’m a fan of Bose headphones and purchased the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 a few years ago. I use these headphones to watch entertainment on the plane and at my destination. Bose Headphones fit more comfortably than AirPods.
Call me old-fashioned, but I also like to have a set of wired headphones in case something goes wrong with my regular AirPods or my Bluetooth device stops working. I am. If you decide to get these, make sure you have the necessary dongles on both your phone and computer.
I have all the adapters for overseas use, but I always travel with an extension cord because there may not be enough outlets at the place I’m staying. An underrated item in my opinion. This Anker power strip allows you to use one international adapter with an extension cord and connect all your other cables. Surge protection is also important, as power regulations vary by country.
Put travel technology to work for you
Whether you’re embarking on a long-term remote work trip or exploring a digital nomad lifestyle, the right gear will make your journey easier and more enjoyable along the way. Try out the setup on your next business trip to find what works best.
