A few reflections on digitial nomadism: it's probably not for me!

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(Edited)

I've had an enjoyable couple of weeks at Kohub in Koh Lanta, wound aside!

I'd expected the digital nomads here to be mainly 25-40 somethings, well educated and mainly working in computer related development or online-marketing, and what I've discovered is that most of the digital nomads here are 25-40 somethings, well educated and typically working in either computer related development or online-marketing!

There were a few surprises: a life coach, a couple of PhD students, a writer in his 50s, and all very nice people, just collectively nothing really surprising - we're just the privileged global middle class enjoying a cheaper cost of living in the sun.

Germany seems to be the most represented country, the UK is probably second. Then a general mix of Europeans and a few Americans, hardly any Australians which is a surprise given the short trip, maybe they're just all in Bali?

As to work, this may be just this particular co-working space, but everyone else seems to be very good at just sitting there in front their lap tops for 3-4 hours at a time just working, whereas I'm the one getting up every 30 minutes for a coffee/ water/ wander.... maybe it's because I've got an entire office to myself at home and this collective space is just a massive distraction by contrast, or maybe my head's just not in work mode this month?

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The view from one of the desks at Kohub

Could I be a digital nomad?

Probably not!

I've found this life just too unsettled, too emotionally draining even in the two weeks I've been impostering as a digital nomad. Half the conversations I've had are the basic 'getting to know you' type conversations, and this all fine, but it gets a bit much when it's just constant and then they're gone! A rapidly fluctuating population is not for me - I think I need more permanency.

Maybe this would change if i stayed a month and actually developed some proper ties, which has kind of started to happen in two weeks, but if I stayed longer, developed stronger friendship bonds... then what...? i leave, they leave, I think I'd find it all a bit emotionally draining.

There's quite a few nomad couples here, I think that might be a good way to go about this lifestyle: then at least you've got someone to ground you!

I'm not sure that Thailand is the place for me... something I've really struggled with here is the heat. Although I like it, I've found I've had to slow down quite a lot.... my pace of walking has definitely become local, it has to if you want to avoid sweating.

And running is much more difficult here - my number one 'keep me sane' activity would have to be done before 8.00 a.m.... but even then slower than in the UK. I have seen runners out, but they don't look like they're having much fun!

I've also learnt these past three weeks that I've got a powerful connection to home in England, may even South East England, maybe even my actual home town where I grew up - a love of my Heimat,

A few nomads I chatted to actually expressed jealously at the fact that I felt at home somewhere, something they didn't have, however most others have a 'home' and are just taking a few years out.

Anyway, that's where I'm back off to now, back to the Welsh borders - rain and 6-8 degrees centigrade rather than 28-31 degrees which is here.

Screenshot_20191122125101_BBC Weather.jpg

But that's home, and, as they say back home, it is what it is!



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31 comments
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Its a shame you didn't go to the closing dinner, we did a Team UK photo, would have loved to have you there.

Safe trip back home !

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Yes I'm sorry I missed the last couple of days, Bangkok was just too much, had to escape to the island life!

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BKK doesn't really compare to the Islands imo.

Well, you gave it a go. Have to say that I would trade places if I could and the ever-changing environment + crazy heat go on my positives list!

Safe travels back to the cold!

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Hopefully will see at the next one Ash, we were a bit short with Brits reps

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Thanks, I really hope so too and think it's very possible as long as I get my saving boots on :)

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Maybe it's just the phase of life i'm going through - in the mood for some introspection in the dark when I get back to the UK!

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Certainly heading for the right place then!

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Although now I'm back and just nipped outside London Paddington for a quick cig break (brought on by the Heathrow shuttle delay making me miss my connection and a 2.5 hour wait now at Paddington), the cold was nice for about 3 minutes, but the novelty's already warn off.

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Have to agree with you; digital nomadism sounds like a dream, but it comes with its tradeoffs, especially in Thailand where I can't bare to do much exercise outside either, I like my exercise without getting a heat stroke. This is perfect for a holiday, but no way would this be healthy long term, drinking sugary drinks all day and laying down by the beach. I have also adjusted to the local walking pace :P

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I know what you mean about the exercise. I'm actually looking forward to breathing in cold air when I step off the plane in a couple of days!

On the sugary drinks thing - someone I met here has learnt the Thai for 'less sugar' - to the great amusement of restauranteers. The phrase should be in any Thailand guide if you ask me!

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They actually sometimes ask if I want added sugar, but it's hard to say no, even though I'm very disciplined with sugary drinks back at home where I don't have the urge to buy them to begin with because it's not a habit. Here though, drinking something cold and sugary gives so much satisfaction that it's not healthy.

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Have you got a tan yet fella? Surely sitting in a hammock beats the half our of daylight in the homelands at present?!

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I have gotten some color, but honestly I don't care, I'm more concerned about protecting it with sunscreen, because just a single day without, coupled with midday sun - burn. Have burned my skin enough times already.

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Fair enough - sunburn will ruin things pretty quickly!

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(Edited)

Everyone is different. No rights, no wrongs. This is what makes us all human and unique. Don't be hard on yourself , we all have a simple responsibility to do what makes us happy and content.
Have a safe trip home and I hope the legs heals soon.

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Hey well said, thanks man,

I think all that's happened this trip is that it's just had reinforced what i already knew about myself!

Good to have a change from the routine, but now back to it!

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(Edited)

Hi mate 👋 good to see you posting again 🙂

I think the digital nomad thing is great if you can see everything (including the people you meet) as an experience without getting too emotionally attached, it's certainly not for everyone. Having said that I do think it takes months to become acclimated, both to the heat, and the gypsy lifestyle 🤣

With more time you might get used to it.

Everything is a journey m8. Even if what you got out of this trip traveling is the realisation that you're not a natural traveler... that's worth the journey.

How did you find steemfest?

p.s. the exercise thing, swimming is the way forward in hot countries 🤣

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Yes I'm quite happy to be back posting, I think I've got a new eco-village related thread to focus on now.... I honestly think I could do the whole digital nomad thing, if I was with someone, it's just too lonely on my own!

Funnily enough, being isolated in my house i don't feel lonely, when I see so many people coming and going, and worse - all these couples getting lovely dovey (airports are actually the worst for this) then I feel lonely.

I might even put up an e-harmony profile advertising specifically for someone to come travelling with me, I think it's the only way it could work for me.

I could probably get used to it, but you're right: 3 months minimum is what you need to acclimatise to a new way of life!

Having said that, I'm looking at this new eco-village thing going on and if it's that a goer and they'll have me, I'm straight to Portugal and buying a yurt!

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I bet you won't get the same view at work. I guess some people go there for a cheaper lifestyle and accept the compromises. I am very attached to my homeland. At least you got a taste of other options. Hope to see you again soon.

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(Edited)

I'd like to try it again without the wounding which knocked a lot of my confidence and general strength out me.

I actually feel that now I'm back in the UK I've kind of drawn a line under this pretty disastrous trip and cold just get straight back on a train again. Of course I probably won't do that!

Hopefully another UK steem meet soon!

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I hope you got some good stuff out of the trip. It seems it may not have been as big an event as the last couple, but you still had a core of top people there. It's a shame your plans did not work out, but I expect you will come up with new ones.

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have a safe trip back towards the rain! And actually this was a brilliant my to find out for you if Thailand was an option to settle in...and to conclude that you love England as well...!

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Hey cheers! I actually had really nice flights from Krabi to Doha then Doha to LHR - front row seats to myself and no delays, the second leg even got in 15 minutes early.

Then a 20 minute Heathrow to London shuttle delay made my miss my local train connection by 1 minute, and now I'm in the middle of a 2.5 hour wait at London Paddington.

Trust British Rail to fuck me.

Need to be careful how I phrase 'I love England' these days.

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It's funny to read this, because I actually feel exactly the same, but the other way around. I've always felt more at home anywhere else than in my own country. However, SE Asia, and mainly Thailand, is where my heart is.
We had a 4-hour stopover in London Heathrow, and I was hating the fact that there didn't seem to be a way out. Then something happened that hadn't happened on our trip so far: we got on each other's nerves. The kids were arguing and tired, I was at my wits end and tired and I nearly bit some guy's head off when he asked me 'if I was alright' in a very British accent that seemed to annoy the crap out of me at the time, lol. The poor guy, he's probably never going to ask another person that question again!
We were all hungry, ate the crappy airport food and all felt sick after that. It's amazing how healthy food and mango juice every day can change someone's system in just two weeks. (2 weeks of streetfood and never an issue, western food once, and it's done).
We've been back for a little more than two weeks now, and I am already making plans to get back to Asia as soon as we can.

For now it's still just a dream, but soon...

Either way, hope to see you again next SF!

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Crikey that sounds like one shitty layover. Poor guy!

Now I'm back I don't actually feel like I belong here either! I'm making plans to leave too, probably for Southern Europe.

In the meantime it's just grit my teeth and get through this winter.

Happy travel planning! Sure I'll be at the next sf!

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(Edited)

I kinda felt bad about 10 minutes after I had bitten the poor guy's head off, but the damage was already done. I love to travel, but not the moving part of the travel. Airports bring out the worst in me. And to be honest, I was sad, irritated and closer to having a meltdown than anything else because I already felt like I wanted to go back and felt homesick for Asia, so somehow being a bitch seemed like the better option. Ah well, I am hoping the guy understood that travel can do this to people...

Yeah, being in other parts of the world can do that. I never really felt at home in the Netherlands. Probably due to the fact that I spent a large part of my childhood elsewhere. But after I traveled to other continents, this feeling of 'not belonging' only got stronger. I don't like being in Ireland anymore, well, at least most of the time, but I still feel more at home here than in my own country.
I would never consider going back there, even if they paid me to.
In the past I used to tell people I was born in the wrong country, and because I was such the tall baby, the stork couldn't hold me anymore on his way to a tropical paradise and dropped me in the wrong place 😂.

Southern Europe sounds good. Personally I wouldn't mind spending a bit more time in Portugal. I think that has to be my favourite so far. Such a lovely place.

Good luck getting through the winter! I'm sure it can be quite harsh on your side of the pond. Here it's just a lot of rain...

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We need a new tag = #betteroffabroad

Funnily enough Portugal is top of my list!

Good thing about winter is that it will, eventually, come to an end!

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Haha, I like that tag! Yes, winter will come to an end, but it always takes a long, long time here, and we don't have much summer to make up for all the coal/turf dragging, wood cutting and cold mornings in my opinion. And weirdly enough, I would love to spend some time in Canada, but I guess it's just different when there's snow instead of just the promise of it with nothing but rain to show for hehe.
Yes, Portugal is somewhere on my list too. Some day...

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