THE BLOG
The Life In Pai, Thailand
The journey to Pai is a 3 hour ordeal up & over a mountain, full of sharp turns, speeding vans and insane Thai drivers..
The Life In Pai, Thailand
Having heard on the backpacker grapevine that Pai was a must visit, Hannah & I booked our minivan and headed for the home-made hippie village in search of good food, chilled vibes and some great views.
The journey to Pai from Chiang Mai is a 3 hour drive up and over a mountain where you can expect hundreds of sharp turns, sped around at wheel screeching speeds by your insane Thai driver. You may want to pop a few motion sickness pills if that's your thing.
During the drive I spotted this monk getting a dubby. We overtook them seconds later!
The view over Pai from Yun Lai viewpoint; you'll need a scooter to find this place but its certainly worth it and its only 20 baht for entry!
Pai Canyons aren't so as big as you would expect a canyon to be, but they are certainly a great sight to check out. I have to say I had more fun exploring and climbing the narrow walkways with drops either side than the actual views!
Exploring Lod caves is really interesting and I would really recommend it! It will take about 2 hours to get there by scooter and there are some crazy steep hills going up and down.. But its so much more fun than getting a tour bus there, plus you can arrive a little later in the day and get the cave to yourself pretty much!! (We were joined by 3 people, normally the cave is full with 50+ people!).
Like what you see here?
Sign up to the weekly newsletter and get notified of new posts!
Mo Paeng waterfall is a really refreshing place to visit just outside of Pai, but we had more fun petting the SUPER friendly cows that live there; they just kept licking us and this one above was going in for a kiss with Hannah!
If you like animals, be sure to visit a elephant sanctuary and help fund the people saving elephants from torture & riding parks.
The White Buddha statue sits at the top of a big ol' flight of stairs, but once you reach the top the views are pretty epic and its a great place to watch the sunset. If your into temples, check out Bangkok's many grand temples!
This old western looking house, known as the 'Yellow House' is found on the road towards Pai Canyons. Its pretty interesting to stop off at and take a look around as there really isn't anything like it!
The food in Pai is amazing. We were treated to some of the freshest, most healthy snacks we've had in Thailand! There is a big hippie vibe in town and in turn, a lot of vegan and vegetarian places to eat, all cheap as chips too.
I urge you to rent a scooter (if your able to drive one safely) and just explore the area, turn off on random roads and just keep following them. We found some jems that we didn't even know existed just through a little adventure!
Our little red underpowered scooter!
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about Pai!
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
More Photo Journals:
My First Time: Observations from Solo Travel So Far
I am coming at this from someone in a relationship who hasn't been alone, or ever travelled alone, in pretty much 4 years...
My First Time: Observations from Solo Travel So Far
I embarked on my first solo adventure only a short a week ago.
From the warm comfortable bosom of Australia to the mildly chillier but breathtaking New Zealand, I flew toward the unknown, scared but mildly excited...
Wow. How can just one week stretch to feel like a lifetime? One roller-coaster after another of conflicting emotions.
During such a time of drastic change (from one half of a couple to a complete loner) each day has to be taken as it comes, with no one day being entirely good or bad, merely a mish-mash of moments, some where you felt great, some okay, some terrible.
I have to preface that I am coming at this from someone in a relationship who hasn't been alone, or ever travelled alone, in pretty much 4 years. That's a lot of attachment and co-dependence to try and negotiate through in a new country and a new city.
At best, its an inconvenient transition; there's nobody to aid you in yanking your backpack off the airport conveyor belt, nobody to hold something for you whilst you rifle through your stuff for your wallet, nobody to marvel at your new surroundings with, nobody to guard your collection of crap whilst you run off somewhere to pee, nobody to share a knowing look about something funny or silly.
At worst, its how these moments reflect the truth of your situation, that yes you may have had that someone, but for whatever reason or choice, for now, you are entirely alone and it's scary. You might make acquaintances and friends along the way, but nonetheless, you are the only person taking care of yourself, your stuff and your needs.
You are suddenly confronted with your own company, habits, thoughts and behaviours, independent of other peoples opinions or interference.
You might learn a truth you always suspected, that you are an out-right weirdo, and that no wonder you used to annoy people forced to be with you 24/7...or you might learn that really you're not that bad a person and you should cut yourself some slack.
You may also learn that you really appreciate cuddles.
Note to self, instead of sitting on my phone and doing isolating things when in the company of others, I will cuddle them instead.
Maybe up to this point, you thought you were semi-independent but not until that was the only mindset you could be, did you realize that you very much like having someone around.
Hey, its natural! It's natural to want balance, and to want to talk about the amazing things you are experiencing with a real live person that you love.
In their absence, you certainly do learn the ways in which you relied on that someone, and they likely were very helpful in every-day life.
You do miss that person who has come to know what you need and want in a practical sense, whether its helping start breakfast while you hastily shower, someone to decide what to cook for dinner when you might spend 20 minutes umming and aahing your way into starvation mode.
Someone to share the burden of mastering each day relatively smoothly.
Basically, solo travel is a whole lot more tiring.
These are not really complaints, just facts of what this transition feels like.
Amongst these observations I have had some real moments of positive clarity that reaffirmed my original reasoning for wanting to try some solo travel. I do feel satisfied that I did this.
I suppose I had a somewhat wistful view of how it might be from the off though.
I'd wake whenever I wanted, go take photo's of buildings, or stop in a coffee shop and people-watch, then meet lots of new people in the hostel, engaging with new experiences without my usual buffer of a boyfriend.
You might say, you could do most of those things with your partner, and more, which I have done and I always managed to have fun doing so.
However, there is an appeal to living out your day precisely as you feel like doing, with no consideration for anyone else. We all need these kind of days.
We all need alone-time and maybe I did take that to an extreme of sorts by opting to fly thousands of km's away for mine, but, it has been beneficial.
I hoped it would be, but at first, in my hostel in Auckland, I was just anxious and tearful, regressing to a child-like state of wanting my person (I'd say wanting my mummy but for a while its been Taran, no offence mum!).
It doesn't help that I do suffer generalized anxiety anyway, and I have been known to get overwhelmed even when I am in a fully supportive environment.
But mental health tendencies aside, I did fall into a semi-comfortable feeling amidst this solo travel lark, only really a couple of days ago though...
As cliché as it sounds to say, I have formed a better understanding of myself and I have become reconnected with some valuable truths, even in such a short time.
I'll never be social butterfly.
(Are butterfly's super social?). I'll never be gregarious and the life and soul of a conversation, and that's totally cool.
We all have our reasons for being solitary, or not.
I've had time to realize that I am naturally inclined to talk lots to random people about random stuff when my mood fits, but in general, my energy is better suited to recharging in a peaceful creative space and staying connected with people who know me well to stop me feeling lonely.
I haven't been completely isolated this past fortnight, thanks to good ole world wide web, I've also not pretended to be something beyond what I intrinsically am at my introverted core.
We are all different (shock horror) and as much as I have beat myself up for years about my differences seeming on the wrong end of that spectrum, I now know for sure that I am not inferior.
I got this far and I will get further, despite my insular nature being what some people perceive as a limiting factor.
Like what you're reading?
Join our email gang for bonus content and conversation.
Watching people eat alone makes me feel sad and this is a very silly thought.
When I'm eating my two-minute rice, its one of the happiest two minute segments of my day... maybe improved if it was something that took longer than two minutes to prepare but still.
Why would I assume anyone feels sad as they stuff their yummy's into their mouth?
I've learned not to get stuck in the melancholy of aloneness and recognize that myself, and others, choose and need moments where we can just be present, enjoy our meal or drink or book or Youtube video, and it doesn't mean we are sad inside (but sometimes we are because two-minute rice actually sucks).
Small gestures, a smile, a thank-you, just giving a little bit of help or guidance to a stranger are kindnesses worth doing every day where possible.
I smile and greet people more when I'm alone and I find myself more inclined to recognize when someone needs my help, no matter how small their problem is, and I respond to that instinctively.
We should look out for each other in all walks of life, be it in a hostel in New Zealand, or any place else, anywhere in the world.
I sure would of appreciated this when I got on a packed city bus in my donkey form laden down with baggage, to then be forced to stand in the aisle (the only standing person), and then proceeded to drop my change, at which people just stared at. Maybe they were all fricking jedi's and they were trying really hard to stare my change back into my pocket, but I don't think so. I think they just let themselves stay in their bubble of distraction and inaction out of habit. Maybe they thought 'dumb backpacker, coming here, spending all their money supporting my economy, gah'.
Well, solo travel has forced me out of this bubble, out of a place of thinking we should all fend for ourselves 100% of the time, and I don't intend to go back into it.
There's nothing that interesting on my smartphone that means I should sit alone eating lunch in a cafe in a foreign land, and not take my eyes off it.
I feel more engaged in my environment, more aware of my surroundings, not just from a safety standpoint but just because its the perfect time to think.
How many hours of our day do we try to stop our thinking, escape our minds wanderings, or distract ourselves, usually with our devices. We habitually do this, sometimes entering a state of disassociation from our environment so strong, so powerful, that we miss stuff that's really happening.
God forbid a puppy walk by without us stroking it, or an alien spaceship lands, or I don't know, we miss the opportunity to prevent someone's death.
I have enjoyed lounging around in my brain more. Thinking and observing, forming memories, snapshots of life around me, building understanding and insight.
If my smartphone failed to show me the meaning of life up to now why do I think just one more scrolling sesh is gonna change things. There's nothing wrong in being absorbed in a good book or article but if I'm paying to be in this city, paying to explore then goddammit I'm going to explore; I'm going to walk, look around, sit, eat and look some more.
There have been many more fleeting thoughts and minor revelations along the way, most prominently the fact that for me, solo travel can be personally impactful even if only done for a little while.
It is good to miss someone and let yourself miss them, but carry on functioning anyway.
In fact go beyond functioning and enjoy yourself.
It's fun to have little stories to tell for the rest of your life, coming from your own unique singular perspective.
It's okay to have something entirely for yourself.
I do prescribe to the words of Christopher McCandless (ultimate solo traveller, see the film 'Into the Wild') and his line, 'Happiness is only real when shared'. But maybe that's true of certain kinds of happiness, and maybe happiness is different in different circumstances.
Maybe he meant that we can go seeking something amazing and true, and feel exhilarated in the process, but when we find it, we wish we were finding it with someone.
Well I think that maybe we can become better equipped to build bountiful and beautiful shared experiences, in travel and in life, if we at first take time alone to reaffirm who we are, what we want and fundamentally, learn how we can bring the best of ourselves to that ultimate happy pairing.
In being a little selfish, a lone wanderer for a short period, we can actually end up becoming a more self-less partner, friend and family member in the end.
Happiness, in the ream of travel, really is a spectrum of different experiences. From tour groups to couple's travel to solo expeditions, it all holds the potential to make us feel, learn, love and grow.
Thanks for reading!
Want more reads like this? You can now find Hannah in her own online space, Good Intentions. Minimalism, mindfulness, conscious living and self-love; all the good stuff centred around being kinder to yourself, and kinder to the world.
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Latest articles:
Aussie Road Trip - Beauty Of The Outback
Thinking of venturing on an epic journey into the Australian outback? Check out some of the sights you could be seeing..
Aussie Road Trip - Beauty Of The Outback
Thinking of venturing on an epic journey into the Australian outback? Its a gigantic trip that requires some proper preparation, but the pay-off is experiencing untouched lands for as far as the eye can see, some insanely beautiful landscapes and some of the most famous landmarks in the world.
The rainy season in the outback can transform this red dry desert into a lush green oasis. Its still bloody hot though!
There are plenty of different routes to take depending on your desired end location, but be prepared to drive a couple thousand miles which ever way you go..
The emptiness of the outback can be extremely relaxing; you will lose track of days and suddenly the hours mean nothing, the only thing that matters is where the sun is located.
When the clouds make way for a clear night, the starry skies will blow you away.. Make sure you bring a camera for some long exposure photography!!
Coober Pedy is a small mining town in the outback which is famous for its rich stores of opal. The outskirts of the town a littered with open mines and their deposits sitting next to them. Be careful not to fall in one!
Massive 'Road Trains' dominate the outback highways and are quite something to see, especially if you get one overtake you..
Like what you're reading?
Join our email gang for bonus content and conversation.
Watch out for car-eating-cows in the outback... they're almost as bad as the drop bears!
Pretty pink salt lakes can be found dotted around the landscape in South Eastern Australia. It can feel like your standing in a massive strawberry milkshake, if only it tasted like one!
After long stretches of dry desert lining each side of the road, hitting a coast line with a beautiful beach will be one of those moments you will remember forever. Run along the sand and jump into the sea and feel yourself instantly refreshed!
Rust buckets line the outback highways as if warning you of a potential fate awaiting your own car, just be sure to bring enough water and food in case you do break down!
If you don't see an Emu on your road-trip then your not looking hard enough! You will spot so many different birds in the outback, including massive eagles and of course the famed Emu which can normally be see in groups of 3/4, just be careful if you do spot one!
Crossing the Nullarbor can be a bore (it includes a road that is completely straight for 90 miles) but it includes some insane sights like the crumbling cliffs that are slowly returning the land to the sea bed.
And of course there is the jewel of the outback, Uluru. Yes its surrounded by controversy and crowded by tourists in the peak seasons, but when you see it with your own eyes it really does blow you away more than any photo can.
Ready for the land down under?!
So now you've seen a sneak peek of what the Australian outback has to offer, start planning your own road trip and get out there! Its an experience that will relax you to the core but also one that will push you to your limits. At the end of it you will have learnt how to survive on your own in one of the harshest environments on the planet.
If your interested in our road trip from Cairns to Perth here's a playlist of our vlogs:
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, one half of NomaderHowFar. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, forcing Hannah to do crazy things, and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
More Travel Inspiration:
Life Recently: Remembering Why We Are Here
How does it feel when travelling is supplanted by working, and you spend your day's a stones throw from paradise whilst you slave away to have the money to grasp it?
Life Recently: Remembering Why We Are Here
Confession: I am really struggling to write this blog post. I have struggled with every post that I have begun writing in the past fortnight.
Every touch of a key is like completing a press-up. And I hate working out, Taran will tell you that.
In the past few weeks I have struggled to focus my time, my brain and my energy into anything other than working and saving, and the subsequent relaxing before and after.
I guess its like a throwback to my life of a few years ago, where it was all work, very little play and a lot of decompressing. There was little room for creativity or the mental capacity to express myself.
I lamented my frustration to a friend the other day, of how something I love as much as this blog has suddenly become an albatross around my neck. He very wisely responded with 'You can't really maintain a travel blog when you are not actually travelling', and he's right.
You don't feel like sharing the duller moments.
When you travel you have lots of free time, much of it filled with fun, excitement and relaxation. You cannot wait to share photos and stories, and we especially love doing so here on the blog and on our YouTube channel.
When you stop travelling to earn the money you need to travel some more, you undoubtedly lose momentum in general, let alone in the maintenance of a travel blog.
The sad thing is however, a life where you work more than you play is the reality for the vast majority of people I know. One day that may be my reality too. And in fact, its a reality I embrace the prospect of when I imagine doing a job I love or building on the next phase of my life.
But I still wonder, what will happen then, to my fundamental need to express, create, write and tell stories?
Will it fall by the way-side, taking my mood with it, like it has in recent weeks?
Will I sit wondering why I feel so flat, low and am endlessly seeking distraction, all the while knowing deep down, that it's because my hearts true creative desires are being quashed?
Having this conversation with you all takes me back to this post, where someone else so acutely and keenly summarized my feelings and I expanded on the point around not letting your job or need to work define you or how your life transpires.
But I made the big life change, I quit the job and left home, travelled some, and soon learned that I had chosen an exceedingly expensive country to spend 2 years in and so would spend much of that time working to support the lifestyle...
Caring a little bit less
As people we constantly chase time. We are acutely aware of each passing hour of each passing day because we always have to be somewhere, or complete some timely task. We live and die by the clock.
But just once and a while we need to care a little less about the things which seem so big and important, and stop perceiving them as so set in stone that we lose all sight of our inner truth.
I need to do this. I need to do it now, I need to do it in the future, when I have to stop and work again to support the travelling I so dream of doing.
I need to accept that there is no true relaxation, without hard work first. There is no freedom and abandonment of convention without adhering to it for a while first too.
I need to sweat the small stuff less, remember the bigger picture, and see myself as being in control, not beholden to some horrible boss or hectic schedule, because these things do not have to be forever, not for me, or you.
Am I saying that I'm unhappy?
No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I have itchy feet.
I never stop feeling the wanderlust even when the comfort of building a temporary home feels like a welcome respite from the constant movement.
I might feel relief at a steady income and a sense of financial security, but it isn't the feeling I chase, merely one I enjoy all the while knowing that I cannot wait to use those hard-earned wages to create more memories.
I need to always remember why we are here. We all need to remember why it is that we get out of bed each morning.
We have to place the pursuits and the people that bring us joy at the centre of the free time we do have.
We have to practise self-care before we practise chastisement, for feeling as if we aren't giving 110% to every facet of our complex lives.
We must try and grasp at our passions like balloons threatening to fly away forever, because whilst it feels hard, like a press-up for instance, it is the only thing that matters.
No matter if you're job demands the best of you, it isn't the best part of you and it doesn't mean more than your hopes, dreams or instinctive psychological needs.
I remember why we came here.
I know why when I look up at the green palms blowing against the backdrop of a pure aqua sky.
I know why when I laugh at something somebody has said, a somebody I never would have met if I never came here.
I know why when I realize that I might be a little bit lost, and in the mindset of searching, but where there's exploration and curiosity, there's always possibility.
Here's an insight into what we've been up to recently:
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Wanna keep reading?
Two Girls, 48 States & Zero Money
It may sound like the next viral reaction video, but this is in fact a triumph for the free travel movement!
Two Girls, 48 States Of America & Zero Money
This guest post is brought to you by Sarah and Lilly of Pretenniless, 2 ladies from the UK who just finished an adventure travelling all 48 mainland US states without spending a single cent. Not a penny. Spending 20 weeks on this major challenge, they are here today to answer their most asked questions!
So what was your trip all about?
We called the trip Pretenniless: meaning Pretend Penniless.
The challenge? To step foot in all 48 mainland US states without spending a single cent (on anything – food, travel, accommodation, ANYTHING!) along the way.
Did it work as you planned?
In terms of a route, that’s gone swimmingly as we’ve completed all 48 and made it back to Boston in time for our flight home. Food wise? That worked out a little differently. We were expecting mostly to be dumpster diving for our food, but as it turned out there are far more resources available than we realized, and plenty of opportunities to volunteer, ask for and scavenge leftovers *before* they hit the dumpster!
Expectation versus reality?
To be honest, we had no idea what to expect. It could easily have gone either way – five months of fun or five months of starvation. We had nightmares about both.
We’ve definitely found that when we first started, and definitely in the planning stages, we’d looked at the trip as a big picture, rather than drilling down to the day by day, hour by hour stuff. Reality hit us pretty hard when day one came around and we were starving with no idea where to even begin finding food! Luckily we’re quick learners.
What were the biggest Challenges?
The F word again…FOOD. Not having it, not being able to choose it, having to ration it… We’re definitely looking forward to food not being the number one thing on our mind. We really underestimated the power of a good meal when we started, and it’s crazy how quickly you get hungry again, even when it feels like you just ate a few hours ago…
Another challenge was us, and our ability to work as a team. Especially when hungry, or tired, or just plain in a bad mood, we had to keep the challenge in focus and not let the little things get in the way. Luckily we are both fairly patient, flexible people, and equally determined to succeed, so we found it easier with each other. Neither of us know anyone else we would have been able to do the trip with!
Best Experience?
We get asked this a lot and the answer has always ended up being the same…South Dakota! We were lugging our bags up a road – not even hitch hiking yet – in Rapid City when a woman pulled over in front of us. “What are you doing in this heat? You can’t be walking with those bags!” We explained our story, and that we were walking to the main road in order to hitch hike to Mount Rushmore. “Okay well if you come help me unload my shopping – I’ve hurt my neck – I’ll take you over to Mount Rushmore. I live in that direction.” Yes!
In the car we learnt her name was Angie, and she was one of the most loving, kind and open-hearted people either of us had ever met. Arriving at her ranch in the foothills of the Black Hills of South Dakota she explained that she had hand built it with her late husband: a beautiful wooden building with huge windows and a porch that overlooked an immense view of the hills and valley below. She asked if we would like to stay the night with her and, reluctantly, we said we were on a mission to go to the open day of an eco-village the next day, and would miss it if we stayed over. She dropped us at Mount Rushmore with all of our belongings and we sadly said goodbye and watched her drive away.
WHAT ARE WE DOING?! We looked at each other and instantly knew we were thinking the same thing – we HAVE to stay with this amazing woman! Screw the eco-village! Here we were with the offer to stay with and get to know this amazing woman in her beautiful home, and we were passing it off to see an eco-village that we might not even hitch hike to in time for the 1pm deadline. We text her to say we’d changed our mind, and she text back “YAY!”.
Back in her car, after we got over our excitement, she asked us the one thing we would do in the area if we were able to spend money. We explained that on the way to Rapid City we had driven along the edge of the Badlands, and, being the kind of people who like nature over anything urban, we had been longing to see them. Without a second thought she then outlined the plan for the day: she would drive to the gas station and fill her car, we would drop her at home and pick up snacks and drinks, and Lilly and I would take her car to the Badlands for the rest of the day to explore. We couldn’t believe our luck, and her generosity. She even told us to text her when we were on our way home and she would put dinner on. That evening, after an incredible day, we ate dinner and drank hard lemonade on the porch, watching lightning roll in through the clouds.
What made this our favourite experience was only partly the generosity shown from Angie – the rest came from her. We talked a lot throughout the day and evening and what struck us was a woman who had been through a lot, yet had come out the other side with a belief in love and life and people. Through everything that had happened she would be totally forgiven for being bitter or resentful or resigned to feeling like a victim, but instead it truly seemed to have brought out her strength, and ability to step back and recognize the good things over the bad. She was really an inspiration to us both.
Share an anecdote that isn’t on your blog…
When we were in Kansas City we stayed with a couchsurfing host, Brett, and his housemate Hunter. They had a lovely dog called Sasha. This lovely dog called Sasha was one of those dogs who would eat anything left out, so we made sure to close the door to our bedroom – where our food was stored – when we went out for the day. Unfortunately Sasha also seems to have opposable thumbs…
Whilst out, Sasha opened our door and helped herself to our – by this point in the journey – ample food supply, eating an entire jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread and around 10 protein bars. It was a little hard not to shed a tear when we thought of that hard work that had gone into getting that food and rationing it, whilst Sasha grinned and wagged her tail amidst the wrappers. Hunter felt awful and gave us $20 to replace the food, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to spend it (was it cheating?! Could we live without it?) so we didn’t. Suffice to say we received a text from Brett the next day that Sasha had seen the error of her ways after a night of shitting and vomiting out protein-y chocolate.
(NB: This wasn’t the first, or the last, time we were given money on our trip and we will be donating all to suitable US charities on our return to England!)
How would someone go about doing it themself?
We’ve put this in a bullet point list, as there’s a lot of important things to remember should you want to do this trip yourself:
BE FLEXIBLE
Put it this way – Lilly started out this trip as a vegetarian before she realized she might starve to death. Beggars can’t be choosers. We’ve slept on benches, eaten half munched wraps off the floor and been able to quickly accept when a plan or a chosen route isn’t going to work out. You have to be able to adapt to whatever is thrown at you. On this note…
BE RESOURCEFUL
When the plan changes last minute, you don’t always much time to find accommodation or a meal. Know where to look for things – like Craigslist, Couchsurfing, Starbucks for free internet, Urban Outfitters for free dry shampoo – and keep them in mind for quick use. That said…
BE CREATIVE
There’s lots of things out there designed to help on this type of trip, but there’s also lots of things that help accidentally. Be creative in how you look at things and use things. We used the cloakroom at Macy’s to store our big bags when we wanted to explore New York City, and Tinder came massively in handy when we needed a place to stay in Santa Barbara…!
BE DETERMINED
Don’t give up. There is always another option, and no that option is not to send nudes to a trucker on Craigslist in return for a ride. There is ALWAYS another option, even if it means changing your plan, or your route, or your destination.
We’ve got a resources list on our blog that goes into more detail, so check it out ✌
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
The Honest Guide To Hostel Etiquette
Are you keen on the prospect of waking up every day beside 10 other people? You saucy thing you...
The Honest Guide To Hostel Etiquette
Are you keen on the prospect of waking up every day beside 10 other people? You saucy thing you.
Okay, well would you mind being woken at 4am by the piercing brightness of a phone torch?
How would you like having to go the bathroom every time you wish to change your outfit?
And is it a dream of yours to listen to the snoring (and other ablutions) of not just one, but maybe 2, 3, 4 or 8 strangers?
Well then my friend, hostel dorm living is for you!
It's not all bad though....
Do you also like the prospect of having good, empathetic company, when you want it, and alone time when you need it?
Do you like sharing your stories and life experiences with like-minded individuals?
Well then, yet again, hostel living will bring something uniquely awesome to your travelling life.
For all the up's and downs, nuisances and annoyances that hostel life can bring, we have still contentedly lived in the same hostel for over a month now, and it truly has become home.
Some people hate every moment of not having their own space or being surrounded by people coming and going at all hours, but after 4 months in a somewhat lonely house-share in Noosa, we are firmly not in the hostel hate camp.
We have a unique situation here in Cairns in that we work for our accommodation; we get free access to everything in our well-equipped hostel in return for 4 hours work every other day. We might currently sleep in separate bunks, an interesting scenario for a couple...but we still feel like we are getting extremely good value for our small contribution of time.
Beyond the financial aspect of getting free or cheaper accommodation, and the logistics of having everything we would have in a house-share (and then some) its also just pretty darn cool.
You meet so many people who you bond with, or can just share a chat with when you want to. There are nights out that you don't feel obligated to go along on, but you'll be welcomed openly if you do.
There's a social atmosphere but no associated pressure or judgement; you truly can be yourself, do your own thing but also stave off homesickness or loneliness if you need to.
On the flip-side of all this, you certainly have to practise tolerance for the different levels of inconsiderate behaviour you will undoubtedly encounter.
When you put 50+ people in a smallish space you are going to get irritated by the differing habits of others, but in trying to be a bit more understanding of my fellow travellers, I have a few tips for how to counter the moments where you want to commit a sass attack on someone who's doing an iphone light-show in your pitch-black dorm at 4.25 am (yep, it's happened, more than once).
The Basics
If you have never ever stayed in a hostel before, most of them are very similar in culture but often different in vibe.
The main two types you will come across are the party hostel, and the non-party smaller and cosier hostel that is still cultivating of a social atmosphere, and this type is our favourite.
To name just one like this in Australia, there's the Flying Fox in the Blue Mountains, which had pasta nights and a cosy sitting room with a 3 hour internet ban each evening to encourage social interaction which led to some hilarious conversation and games.
Our current hostel, Globetrotters in Cairns, doesn't go so far as to cut the internet cord but still cultivates a warm and homely atmosphere that makes people not want to leave.
Its TV/gaming area, sofas, pool garden, hammocks, quiz night and free BBQ/daily breakfast are all part of its appeal; its attention to these details of comfort are the secret to its success above the more party-oriented hostels in the clubbing mecca of Cairns.
Free BBQ!! They even include some vege stuff for us :D
Somewhere along the way you will find hostels with very little personality, well-run but often too big or tightly managed to feel like a home.
You will also find the hostels where cleanliness hasn't been made top priority and you feel dirtier after you shower than when you went in...
Checking In
When you check into a hostel you may need to hand over a deposit for your room key and also for basic utensils to cook with, and then in others you will find a fully-stocked kitchen heavily reliant on a guest trust system.
Many hostels have a free-for-all on fridge space and you find yourself squeezing your overflowing food bag into any free gap only for it to be moved by someone.
Our current hostel has a pretty cool system of having fridge lockers which mean your food is far more secure and yet easier to access when you need to.
Quite often hostel receptions have specific check-out and check-in hours and many do not have 24-hour receptions meaning its wise to research these things ahead of rocking up to a hostel door at 6am or trying to check out at a similarly early hour.
Security
It's always wise to make use of hostel lockers, so be sure to bring along a couple of your own locks, but if your hostel doesn't have these, then make sure you put your valuables out of sight, possibly locked away in your backpack under your bed.
If things are out of sight then of course you will detract the opportunist thief but it will give you piece of mind when you leave your room to go out for the day.
When it comes to food, the same idea applies, in that if you don't want a human or ant or cockroach to feast on your banana, keep it bagged up and out of reach. Often though, especially in fridges in kitchens far away from your dorm room, you might be the target of a thief, and they might just go for your new fresh nob of butter (not that I'm holding a grudge or anything...).
Short of putting locks even on your fridge bag, the best thing is to label all your food items clearly and then tie them up in a labelled bag. If your food has your name on it in big black marker pen it's going to dissuade the cheeky ones who will openly use stolen goods in the kitchen.
Like what you're reading?
Join our email gang for bonus content and conversation.
Late Nights
Some hostels have a strict policy against all noise/ in-hostel drinking at night and the threat of being ejected for being too rowdy is always there.
Our current hostel has a night manager throughout the evening so things are kept a close eye on, but some hostels we've stayed at before have let people run riot in the corridors and keep everyone awake all night; that's a frustrating and expensive night of absolutely zero sleep we've had the privilege to experience more than a few times.
Pro tip, eye masks and ear-plugs, but also be sure to read hostel reviews before you visit them as commenters will remark on if that hostel is a good one for sleeping or for partying.
Cooking
So as I mentioned earlier, many hostels require a deposit for utensils and others rely on a trust system of you using their stuff, cleaning it and not pilfering the silver-wear...
When we cook we always keep our stuff together and try not to sprawl out on the kitchen-side and put off anyone else wanting to cook; this isn't your own home, even if it sometimes feels like it, so don't act as if there's no-one else also paying for use the facilities.
Take your food scraps out of the sink after you wash-up, wipe the side down and don't let your milk leak in the fridge!
You might argue that hardly anyone else abides by these courtesies but in hostels you can very much lead by example; the dirtiest kitchens we saw were down to one person after another not doing even a cursory post-cooking clean and so nobody else wanted to either.
Showering
At home you might have favoured 10 minutes standing under the shower before you even began to wash your hair but if you do that in a busy hostel, you are gonna annoy people.
Many hostels suggest you stick to 5 minute showers which aren't always realistic but we try and aim to be done quick some days and then maybe have a longer shower another day, which is especially important in a dorm where 10 people are sharing one shower.
Don't leave behind your shower gels and shampoos for the next person to trip over (or nick) and grab those dirty undies too!
Luggage
Some travellers are content with one big backpack and a smaller bag which they can neatly squirrel under their bed, and then other travellers prefer 4-5 bags, and it's all good, we are all entitled to do our thing!
However, a dorm is not a walk in wardrobe as many think it is...it is a shared space where people don't want to have to side-step your case in the middle of the walk-way.
Its cool if you have a ton of stuff, just try to keep it to one zone and respect the personal space of others.
That's our room, the staff dorm. Our beds are the two in the centre. Taran on top, Hannah on the bottom...It looks cluttered but its kept tidy and clean!
Social Life
The best part about hostel life is of course the people you meet. There's an automatic common ground among the different nationalities and personalities in the melting pot of a hostel which makes it easy to talk and have fun.
There's definitely the feeling of all being in the same boat, doing similar trips and excursions and often living off noodles when your out of work, spending hours attached to a laptop trying to change that situation, and then of course the nights out where the drinks help bond you even further.
The only difficult aspect of this is that people constantly move on and leave, sometimes before you can get to know each other, and sometimes just as you've truly forged a relationship.
Thanks to Facebook and Instagram, its not like all contact will be lost, and you can still observe each others travels and lives from afar, but it still feels sad at the time.
Eventually you do get more used to the goodbyes which come as often as the hello's, and over time I think it makes you a more open, friendly and compassionate individual, which almost makes the wrench of constant change a worthwhile part of hostel life.
All of the above advice boils down to: don't be a rude idiot with no self-awareness...
I get that many people travelling for the first time don't set out to be the annoying or ignorant hostel guest; for some its a hard balance of being comfortable and yourself in a hostel space, whilst also remembering that you aren't in your own home or bedroom where your own rules apply.
We have found over time that you definitely don't have to live in a state of unease amidst concerns over all the above hostel issues, and eventually you will learn how to happily cohabit with a building full of different people to the point that you feel no desire to leave.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Cairns: A Different Kind of Settled Life
After a few weeks of breaking free from the routine of our house-share in Noosa and travelling once again, we...
Cairns Life: A Different Kind of Settled Life
After a few weeks of breaking free from the routine of our house-share in Noosa and travelling once again, we have already found ourselves settled, but this time, in the tropical North, in Cairns.
We did the whole camper-van-trip to explore Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest (both beautiful), eventually bringing our weary selves back to a hostel in Cairns to chill, armed with some of our best photographs (and memories).
An awesome Daintree sunset!
We didn't just stop for a few short days of rest however. What we ended up doing was joining a waiting list to get work for accommodation in a homely hostel called Globetrotters, and soon, began applying for paid jobs too.
Here we are 2 weeks later, and I've struck lucky already securing a job relatively quickly, and we also both now happily work in the hostel to pay for our beds.
Money, for once, isn't horrifically tight. In Noosa, because we were working and paying rent we had less margin for frivolous spending, or even just minor treats, which we have definitely been able to relax on whilst in Cairns.
Taran recently had his birthday, and I treated him to pizza at a traditional Italian restaurant, and then the next day, we took a ride on a jet-boat which was surprisingly fun and super invigorating.
Yes, we have very swiftly found ourselves establishing a repetitive routine of living, fixed to one place, but we have chosen to do this in a bustling hostel, where many other travellers have made a comfortable home. We have set up a new temporary base in an environment where we feel connected, in-touch with others, in a way that was sorely lacking in Noosa.
We have chosen a city that offers easy access to lots of outdoor activities and trips. If we hadn't already ventured into the Atherton Tablelands or traversed the Rainforest, we could easily do so, or if we want, we can do it again.
Just a few steps out of our hostel and we can walk along the busy esplanade, enjoy the surrounding green mountains, observe the occasional street performer and then relax at the weekend markets and watch a band play.
We have tried to cultivate this time to not simply work and save, as we did in Noosa, but to try and be social, build some less transient but more relaxed friendships, and enjoy truly being amongst our fellow travellers.
Many people here share many similarities with us. Many of them are British, but the thing most obvious to us is that those we have met here are like copies of us a year ago, or us 6 months ago; everyone is at a different stage of their own personal journey in Australia, some of which we have ourselves been through.
Some travellers have done their farm work, as we have, whilst others spend their days permanently attached to their laptops as they desperately seek that elusive job which will grant them a 2nd year visa.
Many are working hard saving up to enjoy parts of Australia that we have languished in for over 16 months, with tales of the places we are yet to see.
Our two weeks of non-stop travel satisfied the wanderlust that had grown during our quiet time in Noosa and so our new time of settled life is certainly feeling different to that phase already. We know we can do day-trips to the reef (already having snorkelled Michaelmas Cay) or trips inland to ride horses and explore waterfalls, if we truly want to.
This little guy posed so perfectly for us!
We are in the proximity of amazing activities, most of which we were able to do within our 10-day camper trip, but that doesn't mean we want to swiftly move onto the next thing. We just love the slow pace in our hostel, the hammocks in the palm-lined garden, and the friendly atmosphere amongst the long-termers, versus the hectic movement of some travellers on shorter itineraries and smaller budgets.
The way you view time during your travels is important; you could plan everything to the nth degree and leave no margin for free time, but alternatively, you could endeavour to experience more than just these tried-and-tested tourist experiences.
Travelling slower, pausing more and allowing somewhere to become home, can lead to something entirely more fun, relaxed and ultimately, help you forge a deeper connection to other people and their experiences, in-turn deepening your own memories beyond a reem of photographs and ticked-off to-do-lists.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
LATEST POSTS:
Chasing Waterfalls In A Spaceship
We have, until now, relied on hitching and ride-share's to get around...
Chasing Waterfalls In A Spaceship
Australia's roads are dominated by grey nomads in their swish motorhomes, holiday-makers in there 4x4's loaded with gear, and finally, by many a camper-van, hired or owned, shuttling travellers the length and breadth of the land.
With vastly warm and dry weather (outside of wet season) and a wide range of amazing animals and stunning sights to see, people are spoilt for choice of where to visit and park up for a spot of camping in Northern Queensland.
We have, until now, relied on hitching and ride-share's to get around, occasionally lucking out with a car such as when we did our farm work, but mostly, we have been without wheels and the freedom they can bring.
When it came time to leave Noosa behind and follow warmer weather up north, we knew based on all the beautiful things we were yet to see, that the time to drive had arrived. We didn't want to rent a car and use our tent, having spent so long recently camping in wet weather and feeling a bit fed-up by it, and so we began researching camper-van companies...
We happened across Spaceships, highly familiar for their bright orange people-carriers, seen up and down the coast. Offering great value for travellers, with a solid amount of positive reviews, we felt confident in contacting them.
Fast-forward 4 weeks, and the day came to pick up our own Spaceship and embark on a 10-day tour of the Atherton Tablelands and the Daintree Rainforest.
She's not the trademark orange, being a newer silver model, the Beta 2.
Fitted out with an adjustable queen-size bed, two large lockable storage units (underneath the bed) a top-of-the-range fridge (retail for $000's) plus lots of little nifty extras, she was the perfect vehicle to take us on a road-trip in the tropics.
Comfortable and roomy, secure and private, Stargazer (every spaceship has a name) is well designed and much improved on older model vans. With tinted windows, curtains to cordon off the whole bedroom section, plus automatic transmission and a smooth drive, we really lucked out with our little home on wheels.
Our Favourite Camping App
We exclusively used Wikicamp's, and a sat-nav (provided by Spaceships but usually costs extra) to get around and choose where to sleep. Most look-outs, rest areas and points of interest are very well sign-posted too, usually giving you plenty of time to anticipate them.
Wikicamp's is great for not just finding camp-sites for overnight stays but also locating toilets, showers, fuel stops, and things to see and do. You can download the map for each state in Australia, always helpful when you drive in and out of signal black-spots. You can buy the app for lots of extra features (as is required to after the 20-day trial period ends), but we used the free version, timing ir to last our trip.
The thing I like most about the app is the comments section where people leave brief but honest appraisals for their fellow campers, touching on the things you really want to know about free or paid camp-sites, like does the place have hot showers, and if its value for money.
We evidently loved having this app to aid us in our journey, and no, we don't need to be paid to express that!
Our Itinerary
Cairns > Atherton Tablelands
The tablelands are abundant in quaint small towns, sprawling green landscapes and the infamous waterfalls, including Millaa Millaa, with a safe (and completely bone-chilling) swimming pool.
We spent our first night at a site called Bonadio RV and Nature Park, which when we first arrived appeared to be a farm, with no other campers to be seen. It turned out our fellow road-trippers were comfortably nestled away in a paddock just over the hill, just a short walk from the Barron River where you can see platypus. Really friendly hosts only recently opened the site but seemed bowled over with the popularity of their little haven just off the highway.
For $12.50 for the both of us, it was a great place to sleep under the stars, with clean and warm showers, a wildlife viewing platform and a peaceful country-setting.
Atherton Tablelands > Port Douglas
Moving from the tablelands further up the coast, we took the super beautiful highway alongside the ocean up to Port Douglas. Stopping at a few lookouts, and the famous spot where over the years many people have built little rock towers, it was such a pleasant section of driving.
Accommodation was really booked up, so we highly recommend booking ahead for this highly popular location. We did manage to squeeze into the Pandanus campsite for the slightly hefty price of $20 each, but the site itself has a nice pool, well-equipped camp kitchen, showers and laundry, and is a short walk from the beach and the town.
Port Douglas itself has a great vibe and felt like a more beautiful and atmospheric version of Noosa. A beach perfect for a dip, and a main street great for finding affordable eats, onto a sprawling park right beside the ocean and harbour, we know we will be returning to this place.
Port Douglas > Daintree Village
We couldn't wait to visit this part of northern Queensland, not only for the chance of spotting a wild crocodile but also to experience things like Mossman Gorge. We spent the good part of a day here, where they try to dissuade you taking the easy, flat, road-side walking route in favour of their paid bus; we are glad we walked because it wasn't tough or dangerous, at all.
It kinda bugged us that they have cut off the road which leads to the gorge so that their buses can exclusively use it and make money from it, although, the area has big ties to a small aboriginal community located there, so we understood the need to protect that.
For two nights we camped at the Daintree Riverview Lodges and Van park, for $10 each. A rustic but small site, situated right beside a great croc-spotting place on the Daintree river, we loved our chilled out days here. The hosts are friendly and welcoming, the facilities regularly cleaned and there are a few nice cafe's located just across the road.
Daintree Village > Cape Tribulation
The previous few days had been endless sunshine and nice temperatures, but this day, the rain came down full-force. Unfortunately this tainted our visit to the Cape, and we only stayed for one day, at the Jungle Lodge, which was $15 each for a roomy gravel pitch, with access to good facilities, a pool and a camp kitchen.
I think you could easily stop at all the short walks and lookouts available from the ferry, to the end of the main road at the Cape Tribulation, in one day, and it would all be a whole lot more photogenic on a sunny day. Still, the cape itself is a very pretty stretch of beach, frequented by many a croc (no swimming, obviously).
There is no phone signal (or free atm's or cheap shops) in the Cape so we recommend researching your accommodation before getting there, but when you take the ferry (costs $26 return) across you are provided with a great map which marks off all the spots and bays worth stopping at on the drive.
Cape Tribulation > Atherton
We didn't stay long in the cape, not just because of the weather but because there were still things we wanted to see in the tablelands. This day we stopped off at the Woolworths in Mossman (a good spot for getting supplies before going to the Daintree) and then headed over to a rest stop for lunch. We then parked up in the tiny town of Mount Molloy, grabbed a smoothie from the cool spot, Ka-Veh, then camped at a free spot for the night, the Rifle Creek rest area located nearby.
The next day we headed to the waterfalls circuit, where we visited Elinnja and Zillie falls, then headed back towards Malanda to grab lunch, then deciding to head to the coast again for that night.
Atherton > Mission Beach
Mission Beach is a small beach town near the Tully river, which is Banana country; lots of stops for fresh fruit are along the highway here.
We spent one evening here, chilling at a cool hostel, the Mission Beach retreat, with two resident pet dogs and a super friendly owner. $24 for a space in the parking spot and full use of the facilities, this was a comfortable stop after some free stays in random rest areas with cold showers.
Mission Beach > Babinda
Leaving Mission Beach, we headed up the highway again to visit Josephine Falls, where you can safely slide down the side of some huge boulders into the cold torrents below. We then headed to visit the Boulders, a pretty area similar to the gorge with its own swimming hole.
We again camped at a free spot, a really small site right next to the Boulders, which had only around 6 spots limited to 5 people per pitch. A clearly well-maintained site with cold showers and toilets, it was perfectly okay for one evening, with the mountainous setting providing yet more lush green views from the camper-van.
Mission Beach > Cairns
On our last morning we returned to Cairns, pretty tired from 10 days of doing things, driving and visiting unfamiliar places. We checked into the Globetrotters hostel which is an affordable but great value option at $28 a night, with awesome free wifi, free breakfasts, airy bedrooms, and lots of space to relax.
Later that day we took our Spaceship to a car wash and then returned her back to the office.
Walking away we felt a little sad, having bonded with Stargazer, who kept us comfortable and safe as we experienced the beautiful Australian country-side, at our own pace, for a really memorable week.
Stopping off to check out the view on the way to Port Douglas!
Our Spaceships experience was seamless, from picking up the vehicle to navigating the Aussie roads. So if you fancy a break from tent life and coach rides, in favour of road-trippin' affordably but super comfortably, getting your very own set of wheels is the way to go.
*Spaceships kindly supplied us with the van minus the daily rental fee. We also received camp chairs + table, a sat-nav and two awnings, at no cost. We did however pay the daily fee for car insurance and supplied all our own fuel and food, and paid for all camping costs*
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
LATEST POSTS:
What It's Like To Sell Everything You Own And Live Out Of A Backpack
35 pounds. That’s the weight of everything I own. A year ago, if you had told me that I’d eventually fit everything I own into a single backpack, I would have...
What It's Like To Sell Everything You Own And Live Out Of A Backpack
THIS GUEST POST is brought to you by Eric and Allison of The Endless Adventure. Currently in Europe they work on the road sampling all the delights on offer across the world, whilst living out of their backpack's. We wanted to find out just how they do it so we invited them to chat about their life as nomads.
35 pounds. That’s the weight of everything I own. A year ago, if you had told me that I’d eventually fit everything I own into a single backpack, I would have broken out into uncontrollable laughter.
Fast forward 12 months and my wife and I are sitting in Milan, Italy with no permanent home, no long-term plans and nothing but our bags to our names.
It’s a dream of many to 'sell it all and travel the world with nothing but a backpack' (If you couldn’t tell, that was meant to be read in a nice whimsical tone while looking up to the sky). But, in reality, it’s actually extremely difficult and not very glamorous (but it’s fun as heck!).
When we arrive at a new hotel or Airbnb, it quickly turns into a battlefield of clothes, electronics and… yeah that’s pretty much all we carry these days. And when it’s time to stuff everything back into our bags and move on to the next location, suddenly they become impossible to close!
We’re in a constant battle with our things.
With every single purchase, we have to consider the weight, size of the item, as well as what it will replace in our bags (since all bag space is pretty much spoken for). It can be easy to say “eh, this item’s weight is negligible” when making a new purchase. But you pay for that sort of thinking later on when you strap on a 50 pound bag to your back and trek through Milan for an hour searching for your AirBnB.
This isn’t good for your body and it isn’t good for your spirit. Trust us, traveling light will save you long-term back pain and potentially permanent damage to your body.
Naturally, when everything you own fits into a single carry-on, you’ve got to learn to be versatile with your items. We keep a small bottle of Dr. Bronner’s soap on us at all times. This stuff is literally magic. It can wash dishes, clothes, bodies, you can brush your teeth with it... okay maybe not that last one.
It’s also important to pack clothing items that can be mixed and matched. This is typically easier for us guys. 5 t-shirts, 5 underoos, 5 shorts/pants 5 socks and boom, you’re covered. But for the ladies, it’s not that simple.
Here are a few tips from Allison:
Stick with a general color palette. For me it was blacks and grays as these photograph well and show less stains.
Take an outfit that can be dressed up with a pair of nicer flats, but make sure they’re both appropriate for everyday wear so that they’re more versatile.
Avoid taking any items “special occasion” items. Chances are you won’t need them and they’ll just be dead weight.
Pretty much every top should be able to mix with every bottom. It’s fine to take some bright colors or patterned items, but keep them either all on top or bottom. That way you can have fun skirts/pants to mix and match with basic tops or vice versa.
Check out her minimalist packing guide for even more tips!
Talking about becoming homeless and actually making the leap are two very different things. For most people, it’s easy to put up with uncomfortable beds and weird showers for a week, maybe two. But, when you have no permanent home and travel is your life, you have to learn to accept that your home is wherever you are for the night.
If you’ve got a bed that’s too small for you and your legs hang off the bottom, that’s home. If the people on the street outside your window are partying until 6am, that’s home. Once you realize that home is wherever you are, it’s easier to accept your circumstances for what they are.
Before setting out on this endless adventure, we had an apartment in San Francisco, 2 cats and a whole bunch of stuff that we needed to sort out. We gave ourselves 5 days to figure out a new home for all of it (yeah, I know, we’re idiots).
We decided to sell anything that we thought was of value. We seriously had about 20 separate listings on Craigslist at a time. Everything from workout equipment, to old records to Magic the Gathering cards. Surprisingly, we were able to sell most of it and put about $1500 into our pockets. Everything that was not-so-valuable went to Goodwill.
Parting with all of our things was tough, but I wouldn’t say it was emotional. We had put a 'lot' of thought into this decision beforehand. And we had actually taken an 4 month road trip around the USA leading up to it, so we had already lived without these items for a while.
On the other hand, parting with our sweet little kitty cats was very emotional. We didn’t want to have strangers taking care of them, but most of our friends and family were like “hell no” when we asked if they could take them. Luckily, we found a friend who was willing to take them in. Now they have a lot more room to roam and I’m sure are much happier!
We also decided to try and scrub the heck out of the apartment to see if we could get at least some of the deposit back. Most of our friends said we were dreaming and should just consider that money gone. But the jokes on them! That place was so clean we got almost the entire deposit back, around $1400!
For the most part, we’ve gotten used to living out of a single backpack, but we’re also constantly looking for potential improvements. We’ve tried tons of different packing techniques, we’ve shipped boxes of stuff back to our parents to decrease our weight, we’ve tried booking rooms close to the bus station or airport so we didn’t have to walk too far with our packs on. No doubt, this lifestyle is a constant learning process.
I don’t know how long we’ll be living out of our backpacks (we honestly haven’t made any long-term plans). But, for now, we’ll travel the world with everything we own strapped to our backs, with home being wherever we lay our heads for the night.
I'm currently travelling the world and searching for adventure with my wife, Allison. We're vlogging our daily travels on YouTube, subscribe here to follow along! Have you ever tried living out of a backpack? Do you have any tips or stories to share? Leave a comment or reach out to us on Twitter. Thanks for reading!
Latest Posts:
Bungalow Bay Koala Village: Best Island Hostel In Australia
There's something special about very much still being the same planet as everyone else, but feeling just a tad detached from everything, in a really refreshing way...
Bungalow Bay Koala Village: Best Island Hostel In Australia
When we read about Magnetic Island, a lush green mountainous expanse, home to many an Australian animal, and only 20-minutes by boat from Townsville, we knew we had to visit it.
We are definite island hoppers having spent 2 months living on Fraser Island in a tent!
There's something special about still being on the same planet as everyone else, but feeling just a tad detached from the goings on and ups and downs of normal life.
Researching all Magnetic island had to offer, we stumbled upon Bungalow Bay Koala Village, and of course, the thought of getting up close to some furry Koala goodness (among many other amazing creatures), combined with the fact they offer a great budget camping option, we were really excited to head over, and set up our tent for a few days.
We used Fantasea cruises (passenger and vehicle ferry) to transfer to the island, an absolute steal at $13 a ticket (one-way).
On the island, everywhere (its a pretty small place) is served by the bus route, which can cheaply move you from the ferry to all the main points of interest. There are also taxi's, hire vehicles and the popular mini moke.
Bungalow Bay is located in the beautiful Horsehoe Bay, where we witnessed a ridiculously vibrant sunset sky and enjoyed some top-notch takeaway burger and chips.
Beautiful Camping and Bungalows
Technically a YHA hostel largely frequented by backpackers, we camped alongside many different people, from families to couples and friends, with its spacious and natural setting in the bush, amongst palms, open green space and of course, abundant wildlife.
Accommodation ranges from camping to cabins, with lots of outdoor and undercover spaces to relax, ample room to set up your tent or camper-van, plus facilities (laundry and bathrooms) and a well-stocked camp kitchen. The kitchen is pleasantly large and cleaned regularly, which is really good to experience when you live your life on the road as we do.
With the beach nearby, plus small cafes and restaurants, and everything else only a short drive or bus-ride away, its the perfect spot to feel like you truly are on an island; bush walks, mountainous tracks and numerous stunning bays, there is so much to see and do, with Bungalow Bay the perfect base from which to do it all.
As we set up our tent on a powered site, a roo hopped by us, the first of many we'd see in the coming days. This brought back memories of our time at Melaleuca Surfside in Port Stephens, where the resident rescue roo Josie would keep us company (and try to eat our guide ropes).
That place too had the same feel, one of being very mindful and conscious of the environment in which its operating, treating it kindly and allowing it to thrive whilst allowing others to enjoy it.
There are signs near the well-kept and large kitchen, asking you to kindly not feed the resident animals: wait until 4.30pm in the afternoon and you get to hand-feed the Lorikeets!
A Responsible Wildlife Tour
On our first day, not long after setting up camp, we booked ourselves onto the next wildlife tour. Tours run 3 times a day ending at 4.30pm.
For $29 (adult price) you get 2 hours with a knowledgable guide who takes you through the small animal sanctuary, allowing you to handle and interact with an array of exotic animals. For an extra $18 you can be photographed holding a koala, alongside your family or friends. You can also bring your own photography equipment in, but just be sure to let the guide do their talking and respect where you put your lens!
I was most looking forward to seeing my first crocodile, and the only other animal we had yet to see in Aussie, a wombat.
The tour group was small which we really liked.
We are very conscious about attending animal-oriented tourist outlets, because we believe animals should be kept out of the wild for solidly valid reasons, such as providing sanctuary and conservation to an at-threat species, or keeping a sick animal alive that could not survive in the wild.
Its important to then utilize these facilities to educate others on these animals so that they care a little more about the natural world around them and the role they play as the keepers of it.
We appreciate that when well-managed and organized, animal sanctuaries such as this one at Bungalow Bay, are pivotal in cultivating an informed respect for these animals, but in a selfish way, we also love that for a brief few moments, we got to carefully handle these stunning animals.
Set slightly away from the other camp buildings, surrounded by bush, the sanctuary is home to only a few animals, which really appealed to us; less animals means more focus and time on their individual care and well-being.
This is not a zoo in any sense, and there is none of the usual sadness when you see vibrant animals living a life of miserable captivity. This is not anything resembling that.
It appears as a well-maintained haven for a range of animals, many of which are living so openly during the day, you wonder why (or how) they haven't yet escaped. But we mused, they clearly have all they could want or need in Bungalow Bay.
I got to hold Pebbles the koala, whom whilst not the first one I've held (since our random rescue of a baby from a road-side) this interaction was in much better circumstances.
Her heavy little body supported by my hand and held still, she was as docile and seemingly content as you would expect of the famously relaxed Australia native. Yes, the urge to rock her like a baby was big, but we were succinctly instructed on how exactly Pebbles should be held, with her welfare clearly of primary concern.
We observed as we held the different animals, some which appear threatening, either with dangerous looking spikes or sharp claws, are all actually, fundamentally vulnerable. They are literally soft and smooth in fact, and many of them, are so small, timid, and completely unassuming.
They are vulnerable to other animals but most importantly to us.
We are the ones who have taken over the running of this planet but we are not secondary to the beautiful variety of species that we inhabit it alongside.
We felt this acutely whilst at Bungalow Bay, as we walked from one side of the camp to the next, we were greeted by a possum, a group of nibbling wallabies and a bush-stone curlew (a funny-looking long-legged nocturnal bird). The nature here is of course widely tame, used to humans and the little tasty treats we inevitably leave lying around for them.
But still, it feels so good to be living amongst, if only briefly, such an array of animals, whom all live side-by-side, mostly in peace, and approach us with a curious yet reserved respect.
Treating Animals How They Treat Us
If we regard animals the way many do us, we would treat them with slight fear and curiosity, but ultimately we'd be kind and gentle, and of course, many of us already do this. Many of us are animal lovers and desire to be close to nature, in fact, what's the first thing many of us say out loud as we slowly approach a wide-eyed creature?
We say 'It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you'.
Amongst the mentality of regarding animals as they would us, there is a complete absence of mindlessness, malice or the prioritizing of ones own needs over those of the small and large, furry and spiky beings, whom we share the environment with.
Bungalow Bay re-instilled this in our minds, despite it being something we have always believed, so we really hope it has the same effect on other visitors.
A Comfortable Stay with A Conscience
This place was a real experience, but also one where the comfort of the accommodation is not sacrificed in the face of the wider ethos of the place.
We camped happily for 3 days, and had everything we needed. Despite a freak weather-front of windy rain, we never felt like we wanted to leave. In fact, we had some of the best experiences of nature, from seeing a wild koala, to holding a crocodile, to watching the most richest red sunset.
In fact, our Magnetic Island visit turned out to be one of our favourite excursions in our whole time in Australia.
You should probably check it out, because we think you might just love it...
*DISCLAIMER: All these thoughts here are our own, and we only ever review things and places we love. Bungalow Bay kindly allowed to us to camp for free. We both purchased the tour tickets and photograph holding a Koala ourselves*
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Latest Posts:
Noosa to Townsville: An Ode To The Road and The Mountains
We have gone back out into the world, left behind Noosa, a bubble of abundant wealth and neat beauty...
Noosa to Townsville: An Ode To The Road and The Mountains
We have gone back out into the world, left behind Noosa, a bubble of abundant wealth and neat beauty. Rich man's playground and poor man's workplace.
I sit in the back of an old if not determined commodore, head resting against the solid mass of my backpack, the place I stow all my worldly possessions. Well, the ones I choose to bring along on this journey.
My leg is twisted awkwardly, resting along the window edge. A steady flow of cool air kisses my face, coming in from the driver-side window.
Its the blackest night, punctuated by the occasional reflective sign, made less quiet by the sound of music of every genre.
Daniel, our driver (found via a Facebook ride-share group), a fun and kind-spirited German dude, plays some of his own recordings. We move between our home-grown favourites and some other classics.
The road is ours and ours alone, or so it feels.
In our metal cocoon we fly along the highway, feeling each bump and hump as we soar.
The conversation is real and interesting, truths being spoken with open ease.
I rest my eyes and let sleep take me in short bursts, waking not to see if we have reached our destination but to stare back out into the black.
Is there anywhere more peaceful, suspended from real life and real time, than being out there on the road?
You are moving away from one part of your story, running toward the next chapter. But you are merely a passenger, along for the ride, letting the road deliver you forward. Your mind can wanderer faraway, or stay right there, immersed in the moment before the next thing begins.
Who knows what comes next?
Townsville
Arriving in Townsville at 7am, the sun just rising in the sky, the car slowly moved toward the strand, where we could stretch our tangled limbs and dip our toes in the ocean.
In the distance sat the tall and lush green Magnetic Island; we would be heading there tomorrow.
We made our way to sleepily find food and eventually check into a hostel, at which point Daniel would be going off on his own way. We hugged and said goodbye, aware that we might not see him again, most likely won't.
That's the nature of many of the connections you make on the road; brief but often really awesome and memorable.
Tired and bedraggled, we thought, lets not just sit around and relax, lets climb Castle Hill, the imposing orangey-red rock-face visible across the whole of Townsville.
There isn't a lot to Towsville, other than being the gateway to Magnetic and home to a lot of industry, but its flat range of buildings are encircled at the edges by more lush green mountains, making the climb up Castle Hill well worth the hike.
I decided to take the hill at my own pace, allowing Taran to go ahead by himself. Sandy stones crunching underfoot, the path edged up toward the uneven and steep steps.
I felt out of breath and languid in my legs almost right away. 4 months of sitting behind my laptop working on the blog plus not having the most difficult hospitality job meant my fitness has definitely gone down-hill, no pun intended.
Quarter of the way up the walk a man twice my age past me heading down, and seeing my puffy red face asked if I had water and made sure I was stopping to drink it. The fact my woeful fitness was trumped by someone much older than myself did little for my confidence in climbing the hill.
In reality the hill isn't that tall or difficult a climb, not for anyone of reasonable health, not at all. But its the same with all challenges or obstacles in life, some of us take a little longer to surmount them.
Yet this was a challenge I chose to take on, because I knew I would find it difficult but I knew the pain would be worthwhile.
Most importantly the desire to do what deep down I knew I could do, was stronger than the voice in my head (and my aching limbs) telling me what I couldn't do.
I kept my eyes on my feet, as they moved upward, taking each step at a pace I was comfortable with. I didn't look up at what I still had to climb nor did I look back at what I had already done. I kept entirely present and focused.
Sometimes if we focus on the main goal and not the incremental small tasks and successes, we just don't even bother trying.
I took the climb one step at a time and I can't think of a better metaphor for how to live your life than that.
Reaching the top, walking the last few steps up to the viewing platform, I leaned over the edge of the railing and felt a great whoosh of fresh breeze embrace me. I could see everything, 360-degree views of this small slice of Australia, looking out to Magnetic and behind to the distant mountainous walls guarding the city.
It was understandably worth it. My mind quietened having spent the past hour talking me in and out of finishing this hot uphill trek.
Cramped, long-distance car rides followed by steep and hot midday hikes, might sound uncomfortable and painful, but in reality these things can be as wholly simplistic as they are unexpectedly beautiful.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Living With Anxiety - How To Cope And Thrive
So, you've read the title, and now, you know the truth. My big secret...
Living With Anxiety - How To Cope And Thrive
So, you've read the title, and now, you know the truth.
My big secret...
Although,it's not really a massive revelation is it?
I have certainly alluded to the fact that I am not an infallible and unflappable lady, and have indeed had 'issues' in the past.
But I want to make it clear in this post that my anxiety is very much alive and well, as is my nomadic lifestyle.
Hiding my truth like its a third nipple.
For most of my travels, and indeed my life, I have withheld information about myself from those around me and in the last 2 years, those who read my blog.
The kind of anxiety I dance with daily is not generalized, natural or normal every day worries, its a state of being and overthinking that alters my behaviour, decisions and daily choices.
For me it reveals itself in a few different ways. It comes out in OCD tendencies (which I don't want to over-focus on) as well as times when I wake up with an inexplicable and wildly overpowering feeling that something is about to go horribly wrong. It sometimes makes me feel completely empty and void of passion for anything, other times it makes me miserable and unkind.
Anxiety comes forth when I am making changes in my life, like when I start a new job or plan a new venture. It tries to dominate my mind at every turn of my life's path, and it almost succeeds at making me recoil and retreat from the things, and the people, that I love.
I wrestled with my anxiety so hard throughout 2013/2014, that it made me physically ill and nearly stopped me from coming travelling.
Seriously, it wasn't until the week before I left that I let myself believe it was going to happen and I was going to like it.
Anxiety is trendy.
It's not suddenly cool to suffer a mental disorder, but its certainly popular to talk about right now.
More people, from everyday folk to other bloggers and creatives, are speaking up about how anxiety affects their life beyond the usual idea of being a 'Worry wart'.
The reason I have held back this truth, the reason I don't admit it to people who have actually witnessed me having an anxiety attack (I just tend to cry and sob then refuse to say why, just a tad alienating) is because I feel shame.
I don't shy away from much, but I have sat down to write this post approximately 8 times, each occasion talking myself out of it. I have walked to work mentally writing it out in my mind and then mentally sent it to the trash.
The thing with anxiety is that you feel anxious admitting to suffering with it... nature of the beast an all.
Why do I feel shame? Well, I don't want certain people to perceive me as weak; be it in my job, in my freelancing or amongst my peers. And even by Taran.
The belief that I should quash down this part of me isn't helped by the fact that someone, not long ago, made me feel incredibly guilty for not being at my best. I was made to feel pointless and useless, because they couldn't deal with my humanness.
I get that there are people in society who marginalise those with mental illness and many of them do so because they suffer in silence or have a loved one who's mental illness might have negatively impacted them. These people might try to cut down those who represent a hard truth, one that threatens their self control and ability to keep it together.
And then there are those who are simply uneducated or bigoted. Those people are indeed the weakest of us all.
Their knowledge and understanding is weak, their desire to know more and care more is weak, but I don't judge even the most closed minded, because anxiety or not, I'm gonna do my thing and I'm gonna do it well.
This isn't mind over matter or ambition over adversity, this is evidence based thinking. I know that despite my anxiety I have succeeded at many things that have truly mattered in my life so far.
I bet all of you have done amazing things, and mundane things, just perfectly, despite your powerfully anxious thinking.
I was able to start and grow a new loving relationship. I also struck out alone and started my own small business.
I have also then gone and jacked that in, in favour of travelling indefinitely...
I haven't exactly made life easy for my anxiety and its punished me by laying the worries on heavy and thick!
So I know that I might have up until now, felt this horrid inhibiting shame and not wanted to share a large part of my truth, but regardless of that shame, I know that nobody can call any of us sufferers, failures or weaklings, because we live our lives the best we can despite our mind and physiology fighting us.
We aren't sufferers, we are fucking warriors.
We try hard, time and time again. When we do focus on ourselves, and ignore the judgement and treatment we receive from others, we recognize that we can have a fulfilling life, we just have to work a little harder to get there.
I no longer care what someone thinks of this part of me. In honesty, I am usually proud of the fact that I am not them. I would rather be emotional and sometimes frightened, and endure my afflictions, than be a nasty, vacuous or close-minded individual.
Awkward when you suck so much someone would rather live with a mental illness than be remotely like you, the supposed embodiment of strength and success, HA.
Anyway, truth bombs dropped, let's get specific.
Anxiety warriors tend to prefer routine and predictability as a way of coping and I am no different. Sometimes they desperately want to try new things but spend months going back and forth in their head before they do it, or they just simply never end up feeling able to.
The last 4 months have been marvellous in that I have had time to unpack, settle and just stop; stop having to plan our travels or deal with tent-living or force myself to interact with new person after new person.
And yet, it has also been a time of challenge, with my work not being overly steady, my income being way less than hoped, and just the fact that our brief period in Australia being sucked up by our need to be employed.
It's been a mixed bag of emotions and I am now so ready to go and travel again that I am chomping at the bit to get going.
That's why I am a traveller right now. I want to explore and I want to live outside my comfort zone but that small part of my anxious mind would prefer it if I didn't.
Like what you're reading?
Join the email gang for bonus content and conversation.
How I travel with anxiety, and in spite of it:
I don't follow this advice like I've read it in a book or adhere to it like a diet pan. But I do try to remember these things each time I am on the brink, and it often helps me nip an anxious thought in the bud before it builds momentum.
I hope this advice can help any and all my fellow warriors, not just the ones living out of a backpack.
Balancing Today with Worries Of Tomorrow
I worry about money, an awful lot, and the only way I have found to counter this is to try my damnedest to be present and mindful.
As a particular worry grows in volume, I will tell myself 'Take life one day at a time' because that's all anyone can ever do.
If we don't at least try to do this, we either make impulsive emotional choices, afraid of some imagined future event, or we simply retreat into ourselves and ignore the positive things happening right that moment.
There is a right amount and wrong amount of time to spend thinking and planning for the future, and we tend to end up on the wrong side of that.
But when we recognize that we can indeed cross our bridges when we get to them, and not a month before, we become more present and more calm.
Accepting The Worst Case Scenario
For me, right now, the thought of having to prematurely return home is a big anxiety trigger. The thought of my dream being cut short due to financial reasons feels akin to someone cutting my oxygen supply.
So over-bloody-dramatic! Get some perspective woman!
Travel is a privilege and it is not the only avenue to feeling happy, but my anxiety would have me believe that the alternative is way worse than it is.
The best way I have found to overcome this and actually enjoy the travelling I am doing is by making sure I stay in contact with my loved ones, stay engaged with what's happening there and remind myself that home is never ever the worst place I could end up.
Not Trying So Hard
By this I mean caring a little less about those steadfast ambitions that feel as if they are the be-all and end-all; yes, I want to be a successful writer and one day a published author, but my goodness, if it doesn't happen, is that the end of the world?
Unless your life is truly horrible as it is, and unless you are trying to recover a lost career or even your health, having a dominant and all-consuming ambition is draining and frankly, its self-inflicted stress.
Why can't ambition be a slow process, one that has things in perspective and recognizes that no dream is worth sacrificing your now? Are you living and breathing for the right things?
What if you work so hard you get burnt out in the process and end up loathing what you once loved?
Just something to think about, applicable even to someone who isn't trying desperately to be anything other than a travelling bum.
Revelling In Joy Wherever I Can
I LOVE my morning walk to work with my headphones and 30 minutes of podcast time. I GO CRAZY for hugs from Taran. I INHALE chocolate and BATHE in cups of tea. And when we are on the road, I jump out of planes and rescue Koala's...
The little things AND the big things; I'll take them both.
I don't just feel the hard shitty parts of my day, I wholeheartedly enjoy the simpler moments, the ones which are able to happen because I am alive, healthy, and okay.
Anxiety can feel like it taints the good things we seek out in life and takes us far away from feeling the joy, but like I said, even the simplest of practises can bring us contentment.
Turning Down The Volume
When you have a headache because the TV is too loud or suddenly the radio is just super annoying, what do you do? You turn down the volume.
What do I do when my thoughts are vying for hours of my time and emotions, I turn their volume down.
I distract myself with writing, reading or listening to meditative podcasts, or even watching a movie. If my mind and my attention is taken up with things other than thinking, it stops the worry in its tracks. It might not erase the worry but it makes it quieter for a while, until some time when I deem it relevant to actually confront that worry.
This isn't about escapism or suppression, it's about giving yourself needed breaks from over-thinking and the havoc it wreaks on your behaviour and those closed to you. Inevitably you will still spend large chunks of your time given over to anxious thinking but a few periods of distraction amongst that will help.
Viewing My Weakness As A Strength
I find that I am usually the most organized person in my relationship and I have always been known for being reliable and trustworthy; my anxiety simply won't let me be any other way.
I am never late to anything because the idea fills me with dread; I might not turn up at my perkiest but I sure as hell will turn up.
I make provisions for the future to prevent my worst case scenarios actually happening, by being frugal and thrifty where possible.
I might try to live one day at a time, accept my worst fears, take it easy with my goals, revel in the small joys and distract my busy mind, but I also thank my anxiety on occasion, because it isn't all bad.
I'm not all bad. Neither are you.
Anxiety makes us feel acutely aware of the negative things in life, in people and in the passing of time.
We are all complex individuals with different motivations and differing amounts of time in which to achieve our goals, but at our core we are a beautiful concoction of processes.
I could see my anxiety as an indicator of the scary world in which I inhabit, or I could see it as a reaction to wanting to so desperately be part of the beautiful world which I also inhabit.
My anxiety makes me reach out, give love and accept love, because I fear losing the chance to do so. My anxiety forces me to weigh up decisions carefully and whilst it might have nearly stopped me coming to Australia, it also helped me prepare for it properly.
I treat my anxiety like a parasite; I feed off it and convert its strength into mental energy for myself.
It is possible to take the bad, with the good, and thrive in spite of what our mind fears or what actually happens to us; anxiety can be painful and feel impossible but anxiety also means we care and that means we are able to feel hope, faith and love. That means we live, not simply exist.
Thanks for Reading!
Want more reads like this? You can now find Hannah in her own online space, Good Intentions. Minimalism, mindfulness, conscious living and self-love; all the good stuff centred around being kinder to yourself, and kinder to the world.
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Want more?!
9 Reasons Why You Must Travel While You Can
If you asked me a couple years ago, what my biggest fear was, i'd probably have said spiders. Then once i'd thought about it, i'd of said, spiders and being unemployed...
9 Reasons Why You Must Travel While You Can
Updated 2016: This post was originally published in April 2014, and we are now over a year into our Australia journey. You can read more about our recent adventures here.
If you asked me a couple years ago, what my biggest phobia was, I'd probably have said spiders. Then once I'd thought about it, I'd of said spiders, and being unemployed.
I have always been scared of the things most of us are: instability, unpredictability and struggle.
Most of you might agree, that you too are terrified of not having a regular income and a secure job, and not being able to comfortably live and enjoy life with a healthy bank balance.
I personally have always played it safe and feel much more secure when I am paying each bill, in full, every month, and so, financial peril has always been just too unnerving a prospect to think about; I have always made sure I was never unemployed.
But I have now left behind the relative relaxed lifestyle I had, where I at least had enough money to get by, stay out of debt, and live fairly happily.
I became a nomad in March 2015 and I have been unemployed (or casually employed) for much of the last year, and guess what, I'm doing okay!
It has not always been an easy or wondrous experience since arriving in Australia, but as of yet, none of our fears or obstacles have made us quit. And neither should they stop you from travelling in the first place.
If you really need convincing as to why travel is awesome, beyond the fact that it's fun, eye-opening and life-altering, keep on reading...
9 Reasons To Travel While You Can:
1. Life is short, too short, and sometimes really crappy
Okay, interesting and negative place to begin, but, what I mean by this is, life, from many angles, is frustrating, stressful and endlessly unfair, which is why we have to carve out beauty in our lives as best we can.
We have to try and squeeze out as much joy from each day, which for some can involve taking our little selves across sea, land and sky, to see it all, before we no longer can, before we are old enough and cynical enough to regret not having done so.
2. Routine leads to predictable (and boring) results
Our daily lives often become made up of routines and habits, rarely deviating from a normal range of actions and emotions. It can feel like nothing is that exciting or inspiring when we are lost in unfulfilling ruts.
If you ALWAYS work a Monday to Friday, and ALWAYS eat spaghetti on a Wednesday, and ALWAYS sleep in on a Saturday, is it really possible to ever feel anything other than entirely predictable feelings that are okay and fine, but they are just that, fine.
Travel is unpredictable, in a good way; everyday can bring something new and never-before experienced, and it can completely reinvigorate your senses and alter your world-view.
It can make you fall back in love with life, enough to not need the safety (and dullness) of predictable routines all the time.
3. Your career or job does not define you
You are not the achievements you have built up on your resume or the promotions you have gained or the title on a name badge.
Yes, you should absolutely strive for success and be proud of your achievements but if you choose a different path, even for a short while, that's okay, and it isn't a regressive move.
Maybe some people enjoy living to work, as opposed to working to live, but I know which kind of person I am, and that's one who wants to see the amazing stuff and DO the amazing stuff.
I fully appreciate that one day I will likely settle down and that will likely involve regular work. But I like to think that first I can focus on selfish exploration and adventure, and that I don't need the outward markers of success to feel good inside.
4. Babies are cute, but they can wait
Many of us millennials are ready to pro-create, because its the done thing. People do it all the time, and that's totally cool.
But babies turn into children and children turn into teenagers who turn into adults; having a baby is not a short-term thing and you have to be truly ready to grow, birth and then build that human for, well, the rest of your life.
So when you start popping out mini-me's, it will inevitably make it harder to simply leave your home country for an unlimited amount of time and do whatever the hell you want.
There is a lot more to think about when children come into the frame; education, health, stability.
All the things you would need to provide your children, are not as easy to manage when you're living a nomadic lifestyle, so maybe travelling now is better than later, before chubby little humans take over.
5. Life is unpredictable; but you can bet on death and taxes
Our lives take the oddest and harshest of turns at times. I have always had a tendency to ruminate on the worst possible scenarios that could befall me.
But its possible the saddest thing that can happen to anyone is not living life to the absolute fullest because of the fear of what could happen.
You really have to ask yourself the question, whether the bad things come or not, what can I do to build solid foundations and powerful memories which will build me up when I need to recover from whatever life throws my way.
Like what you're reading?
Join our email gang for bonus content and conversation.
6. See the world without financial commitments elsewhere
People might associate travel with needing a lot of money in the bank to begin with, when that's really not the case. However, you do kinda need to not be paying for 5 different bills, from loans, to credit cards to mortgages.
What you do need is limited financial commitments and some healthy savings to launch yourself off on your way.
Thanks to the thousands of people who travel, and who thus demand better deals on all things associated with it, it is becoming easier to afford your backpacking adventure. But there will still be times where you will have no regular income, and during that time, you really don't want to be worrying about your bank balance at home.
Fantastic websites such as Workaway and Couchsurfing are evidence of a whole sect of services geared at making travelling easier on the bank balance, but it helps to have few financial burdens to begin with.
7. If you don't use it, you lose it
This is true of a lot of things; if you don't actively engage your mind, it turns to mush. And here I apply that idea, as well as physical health and fitness.
When you go travelling, you are often constantly seeing and doing new things, potentially challenging your mind and body, and so there will inevitably be health benefits that will come with these experiences.
Whether its slightly tighter thighs, enviable calf muscles, or simply, a clearer and less stressed mind, what else is going to shake up your life so radically, from the inside-out?
8. You deserve fun before the serious stuff sets in
Many people focus their everyday life entirely on the things that will come down the line, as mentioned above, like babies, marriage, a home.
But of course none of these things are guaranteed so much as they are wanted and expected.
Then again these things CAN wait, because if you are like Taran and I, still young enough to be mildly terrified of babies, marriage and mortgages, that's because you aren't yet ready for them and you should be using your time to grow and have fun!
The awesome clear waters of Noosa river.
9. If not now, when?
People often see happiness as a destination, as a place they will eventually reach, if they just get THAT job, buy THAT car, buy THAT house, marry THAT person.
But what if you get all the supposed markers of fulfilment and still feel dissatisfied?
Life doesn't have to be merely the ticking off of a list of things you believe you need or want, with a deadline attached to each milestone.
Instead, you can focus on the now, and make choices each day that make you happy, instead of gearing your every move towards an imagined and unpredictable future.
I believe that travel is an option for anyone, whilst acknowledging that it's not necessarily an easy one.
Many of us choose to live our lives guided by an imaginary timeline put upon us by societal norms. We feel like we should follow a certain path according to a certain method and we often break our backs trying to conform because we believe it will make us happy.
Or, we can do things differently whilst it makes the most sense to.
If life really is one long list of deadlines then maybe we should defer some, and appreciate that life is more than a tick-list of actions we must undertake based on the opinions and behaviours of others.
From our experience, travel has helped us appreciate life differently, and become more open-minded but most importantly, more present and mindful, focusing on the joy to be found from one moment to the next.
More Travel Inspiration:
1. Budget Travel Will Turn You Into An Adventurer
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Latest Travel Inspiration:
7 Things We Wish We Had Done Before Travelling
We wouldn’t change any part of the trip so far, even the crappier times, and so, this isn't a negative retrospective, more of a list of the things we have thought of and discussed along the way.
7 Things We Wish We Had Done Before Travelling
I’m not big on having regrets in life. If I wake up most days feeling basically happy with my decisions and I retain perspective on my good fortune, regrets are pointless and silly.
Yes, we've had 16 months of new experiences, learning opportunities and true challenges, all of which balance out to create a story of immense awesomeness...
Yet that doesn’t mean however that we must ignore hindsight and not acknowledge the few select things we wish we had done differently before we left the UK (Beware, our blog was in its infancy when we posted that), because it’s possible we’d have made the journey even better.
We wouldn’t change any part of the trip so far, even the crappier times, and so, this isn't a negative retrospective, more of a list of the things we have thought of and discussed along the way.
But still, if you are yet to embark on your travels, the things we wish we had done, might be the things you still have time to implement, to help you avoid some of the difficulties we have faced.
The 7 Things We Wish We Had Done Differently:
Built A Larger Savings Account
I know that it can feel like you will never have enough savings when you begin travelling, because no matter how much you have it will still run out one day.
Plus, if you spend too long saving then you put off travelling even further into the future. Still, we wish we had been even stingier and amassed larger savings accounts.
The benefit would have been that we could have left more behind in the UK as emergency money instead of all our money being in our current account out here.
We also could have purchased a vehicle when we got to Australia.
We went back and forth about this and now know it’s too late to buy one...
We didn't have enough money to get one and now cant afford to, but we felt we could travel just fine without one and it would force us to be more imaginative, but in a way, not having one has been a restriction.
SOLUTION: PLAN FOR YOUR BIGGER TRIP EXPENSES BY INDULGING LESS AND LIVING ON A BUDGET.
Had a Second Income Source
To have been able to save more we would have needed to work more. I worked as much as I could as a dog-walker during the day but still had free time I could have filled with extra work, be that by beginning my freelancing career or getting a small side-gig.
Taran only did a little part-time job with a side-business of selling his art.
I sometimes think a little bit of overworking and suffering in the short-term would have benefited us in terms of savings.
It might have better prepared us for the hard work and long hours we would end up doing out here as well as helped us appreciate, even more, those first blissful work-free months in Australia.
SOLUTION: TRY TO FIND SHORT-TERM OR PART-TIME WORK WHERE POSSIBLE.
Gained Different and Varied Work Experience
It turns out we both came to Australia with very few of the skills and experience really in demand from backpackers and working-holiday makers.
I had never worked in hospitality before this trip (I had worked in retail, banking and self-employment) whereas Taran had done a little bit of bar work and waiting, around 5 years ago.
We have struggled to find jobs that we could even apply to let alone the issue of competition from fellow travellers and Aussies.
The upside has been that we have been given chances and have come to learn lots of new valuable skills, with me finally understanding what a Latte and a Cappuccino are (and also randomly how to service a bloody tractor!) whilst Taran learning how to properly prune trees.
Thankfully going forward we are better equipped for a variety of jobs but we wish our arsenal of experience was a bit broader from the get-go.
SOLUTION: RESEARCH, TAKE COURSES OR FIND PART-TIME JOBS IN THE FIELDS RELATED TO THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY YOU ARE GOING TO.
Got Rid of More Clutter
When we visited home in February I realized just how much stuff and clutter I had held onto despite my love for minimalism and my belief that I had shed a lot of things in preparation for nomadic life.
It turns out I could have shed a lot more, and most importantly, I could have sold more stuff to free up cash for my savings.
I hate to think that my bedroom at home is a treasure trove of random stuff that is getting no use or love and I wish I had felt unafraid of letting go of certain luxuries like my TV.
SOLUTION: DONATE OR SELL ALMOST ALL OF YOUR REPLACEABLE BELONGINGS.
Like what you're reading?
Join our email gang for bonus content and conversation.
Purchased A Good Camera
It wasn’t until a good 7 months into our travels until we invested in our Canon G16, meaning our photography of the first pivotal days and weeks of our adventures have been captured on less than stellar smart-phones and our go-pro.
Had we saved more money and considered how much use we would get out of a camera then we would have a full library of equally brilliant photo’s.
Our new camera in action!
SOLUTION: SET ASIDE SOME TIME AND SAVINGS TO RESEARCH AND PURCHASE A GOOD CAMERA (AND ENSURE THIS IS COVERED BY YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE).
Brought Smaller Backpacks
Now of course we can change our backpacks at any stage, throw away a ton of stuff and downsize, but I like my current backpack (and it cost quite a lot) and I know all the little quirks of how to best use it.
We have gotten used to having a certain amount of stuff whilst travelling and have become accustomed to having the room that we have.
Taran however wishes he had a roomier bag as his is quite small inside and he'd prefer to have less clothes and more room to store camping gear.
I almost wish we had been more restrictive from the beginning, buying smaller bags which would force us to carry less and make it easier to travel with the important things we have gained on the road.
SOLUTION: TRY OUT BACKPACKS OF A SMALLER SIZE BUT NOT A LESSER QUALITY, AND BRING LESS CLOTHING.
Enjoyed Home More
We spent a lot of time in the build-up to travelling almost just waiting around, not making the most of the final weeks of time with friends and family.
We realize now we could have spent that time better and not worried that it would take us away from our tight spending mindset.
I wish I had seen certain family more often because you can never have too much time with your loved ones, but you can certainly have too little.
SOLUTION: PLAN TIME TO BUILD GREAT MEMORIES WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY PRIOR TO YOUR TRIP.
Evidently some of our regrets are incongruous with one another; its unlikely we could have worked more, spent less and also had plenty of family and friend time.
But maybe even just a couple of these ideas will help you realize that the time before your trip deserves as much attention and thought as the time spent on your travels.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!
Latest Posts:
Budget Travel Will Turn You Into An Adventurer
Travelling on such a small budget will force you to make crazy decisions that you might never have made if you...
Budget Travel Will Turn You Into An Adventurer
When you travel long-term, life becomes a whole lot more unpredictable, but in a good way. You open yourself up to seeing and experiencing things that make you feel incredibly alive. That's why it becomes addictive, knowing that you are going to have your mind blown and your heart made full, exploring beyond your immediate surroundings.
When you know how it feels to travel, how it truly makes your senses heighten, and your stresses melt away, you will never want to stop.
And the best thing about travel, is that it can be done on a budget!
We came to Australia with about £3000 which may sound like a lot of money.. but we made that moolar last 6 months before we did any sort of paid work; in turn I know people who have spent that amount on a 2 week holiday!
Travelling on such a small budget will force you to make crazy decisions that you might never have made if you could afford the comfortable alternative.
When we first landed in Melbourne we set to work researching all the different ways we could travel the 10 hour journey to Sydney, as we knew we weren't going to hop on a Greyhound coach, not just because of the price, but because we kinda feel it takes the adventure out of the experience. We also didn't fancy spending hours sat on a cramped bus, catching brief glances of Australia out the tinted window, not stopping anywhere but at the designated drop-off's.
During our search we found a website called Co-seats, which is a kind of pre-arranged and paid hitch hiking deal; drivers can advertise their car journey, or you can advertise your preferred destination, and you then look for a match, send a text or make a phone call, and agree to pay a certain small amount towards fuel. It really is a super simple process. We got ourselves a ride with a really friendly young couple, who picked us up just after sunrise from a street corner, at the beginning of another busy day in Melbourne.
Over the next few months we continued to look for cheap and alternative ways to travel; we spent a month living in a two man tent and working for accommodation in Byron Bay, at the same hostel featured in the Inbetweeners 2 movie. Hannah cleaned toilets 3 hours a day, and I helped do some basic maintenance across the site, we worked 2 days on, 2 days off.
This saved us so much money and we made some great friends during our time in Byron Bay. We also got into the habit of hitch hiking as much as possible and although we've had some long waits and some strange people pick us up, you just cant beat the unpredictability of it.
We love the idea of the sharing economy that makes up so much of travelling; opportunities to get food and accommodation in return for a few short hours a day of work, plus the social nature of hitch-hiking, where people often love to pick you up just to hear your story.
One of our most memorable experiences so far was the time we met a hippy named Spartacus in Bellingen, who told us about a festival coming up in Nimbin called Mardi-Grass. He offered us a lift in his van (which is also where he and his son Apollo call home) for the 4 hour trip it would take to get there.
It was pouring down with rain that day, and it just didn't stop for the whole journey. We were diverted from a main road due to a massive accident, and pointed in the direction of a small one-way back-road. Headed down a narrow road more akin to an English country lane, after a few minutes of trying to see the road through the windscreen wipers, a feeble effort with the lashing rain, we spotted something sitting on the side of the road.
A cat? Surely not out here in the middle of nowhere..
We wish we could of got a better picture!
We stopped the van, and jumped out as Spartacus said excitedly, 'it must be a Koala!'
We both got a bit excited as we had been yet to see a Koala and weren't really keen on going to a zoo just to hold a docile one for a quick photo op. And then before we could even actually prepare ourselves, Spartacus had wrapped it in his jacket and was bringing it back to the van!
We grabbed some towels as it was really wet and cold, and then we got our first look at it before we wrapped it up like a little baby! Hannah then proceeded to cradle the baby Koala in a state of disbelief and cute overdose, while we drove to the nearest town after contacting a Koala rescue team.
This was such an amazing experience and we still look back at it and cant believe it actually happened.
There's very little chance something like this would of happened if we had just hopped on the Greyhound bus!
Watch the video below if you wanna see how it all went down:
We're not telling you that something like this will happen to you, as we are very aware it was extremely lucky for us to have had the experiences we've had. But we do believe that when you seek out cheaper and more adventurous ways to travel, amazing things can happen, and you get to see a side of a country you probably wouldn't have otherwise.
Like what you're reading?
Join our email gang for bonus content and conversation.
If you stick to the pre-arranged tours and activities that are peddled to you as a backpacker, you will only ever experience the same thing everyone else does; you will stay in an pre-determined comfort zone.
For example...
While on the East Coast of Australia, we were searching for a way to experience the famous Fraser Island. We had seen all the various backpacker tours and day trips and knew that we wouldn't be paying their crazy prices, and our plan had been to try and hitch hike around the island; we did end up doing this briefly while on the island, getting a lift down the beach, but lifts are few and far between with everyone's 4x4's packed with supplies.
In the end we got to the island because of a job. Way back in April 2015, we happened across an advert for a remote campsite on the island, and from then on, we sent our resumes multiple times each time the ad resurfaced on Gumtree. Finally, in October, we actually got a response and then a phone interview! We secured the couples position and looked forward to finishing up our farm-stay to start working and saving up again; and of course, visit the mythical Fraser Island.
To actually get to the island, we were treated to a 4 seater plane ride over the island with a beach landing. Long story short, we ended up spending 2 months living and working on the worlds largest sand island, living in a tent, spending every day without phone signal let alone internet access.
Two months of being totally disconnected, the only possible way to communicate with the outside world being a hike up a massive sand dune. Two months of living in a tent that needed constant repairs. Two whole months of being exposed to light pollution-free night sky's full of stars; this was an experience we will remember forever, and we know that going on a 2 day party tour of the island just wouldn't have been the same, nowhere near.
You must try and challenge yourself when you travel.
It doesn't matter what kind of traveller you are, be it a luxury hotel frequenter, a hostel bunk-bed addict or a camping master, you can still experience a crazy adventure and all you need is a little imagination and the right mindset.
By sharing some examples of our improvised travelling method, living every day way out of our comfort zones, we hope to inspire you to seek out the road less travelled; it's the best way to create a travel experience that's entirely unique, utterly unforgettable and completely life-changing.
Make sure to share this with your friends who you think will benefit from it :]
Do you seek adventure? It may be easier than you think (and cheaper) https://t.co/5RYWVVJwIK #adventure #travel pic.twitter.com/IfiN8uUSH2
— Taran & Hannah (@Nomaderhowfar) June 3, 2016
Need some more inspiration?
Thanks for reading!
Taran here, owner of Nomad'er How Far. I'm fond of psychedelic rock, photography & videography, anything to do with space and I'm also partial to the odd gaming session. Oh and I love to travel :P Get to know me here!
Be social and come follow me across the virtual world!
Latest Travel Inspiration:
10 Annoying Things About Australia: An English Person's Guide.
Australia has become home for the past year, and as much as we love it, it certainly isn't perfect...
10 Annoying Things About Australia: An English Person's Guide
So Australia is super pretty, breathtaking in places, and perfect for a first-time traveller. But with that good comes the annoying, and it can take some adjusting to when you're English...
There are numerous cultural similarities and on the East Coast you will come across many of your fellow Europeans, but still, Australia has its funny little ways and a bold specific personality of it's own.
During your time here prepare to pick up new phrases that will sound super odd if you utter them back in gloomy old blighty, and you will soon learn to live without TV because, well, it's really really poor!
10 Annoying (but totally bearable) Things About Australia:
1. Supermarkets close super early and don't sell alcohol. 5pm on a Saturday? There's simply no accounting for the desire that might strike me at 5.05pm whereby I require 1 fruity cider and a vat of ice cream. Distressing.
2. There's many big cars. Mildly intimidating as a foreigner driving around in rental cars, Aussie's love their pick-up trucks, and they love getting up your bottom on the highway.
That time we drove our own trucks around!
3. Hostels rarely succeed in having the backpacker trifecta; decent (hopefully free or cheap) wifi, air-con and a kitchen that actually has utensils in it. Hiring a saucepan for $10? Takeaway it is then.
4. Going back to that need for decent internet, WIFI in Australia is incredibly overpriced, especially for travelers trying to save a buck staying at camp-sites. Sort it out Australian internet bosses, or at least tell someone to hurry up on inventing those wifi tree's.
5. You are no longer English here, you are now a Pom/Pommy/Pommy bastard. Forget about even telling them your given name. And if you take a dislike to your new nickname, prepare for them to add 'Whinging', to that Pom.
6. Australian TV is basically American TV. Adverts every 5-6 minutes, programmes that take basic concepts to their extremist of lengths, and just a bizarre slew of programming, you better hope you don't run out of movies on your hard-drive on those quiet or rainy days.
7. The fish and chips vastly suck. How many times I have longed for fat soggy chips laden in salt and vinegar, delivered in a hot soggy bag, and I've been given dried out skinny fries in a box. Endless disappointment.
8. The Australian weather is incredibly overzealous. 25 degree's at 7am? Cheers sun.Then again, waking up to sunshine is pretty nice...
9. People talk funny and are mildly confusing. Be prepared to be told you are "too easy" but don't be offended, it just means "that's great". Or is it "not a problem", I can't be too sure.. and then there's the shortening of every word in the world, which usually results in the addition of syllables plus a 'y' at the end of each word.
10. The sea has this way of being so warm, like a bath, that it's almost not refreshing you know?
AH, WHO AM I KIDDING, Australia is actually pretty bloody brilliant!
10 Awesome Things About Australia:
1. The people are friendly, chatty and outwardly positive. Maybe its all the sun and warm weather they get because they are far more chilled and easy-going than people back home.
2. Waking up to blue skies is the norm, and when you do get storms, they are usually quite spectacular and often short-lived.
3. Life is lived outdoors all year long, whether its taking in the beach views, or catching the waves when the swell picks up. The lack of TV or other entertainment as a traveller on a budget is more than made up for by the numerous fun outdoor activities on offer, from adrenaline exploits to a relaxed stand-up paddle-boarding stint.
4. People have more space and room to move and breathe, unlike the more over populated areas we both come from, crammed side-by-side in little old England.
5. Healthy (and tasty) food options are abundantly available, with food market culture alive and thriving.
6. Its often easy to move place to place, with some public transport working out incredibly cheap; we travelled 2 hours out of Sydney to the Blue Mountains for $3 each at the time.
7. Its a traveller/tourist paradise, fusing modern attractions and numerous tour options, with its natural wonders and national parks.
8. It has a rich indigenous culture and sparsely untouched beauty lies intact, making it a land of diverse geography and history.
9. The contrasting wild-life on offer combines cute with deadly,from roo's, possums and Koala's, to snakes, spiders and croc's.
10. Its such a perfect place to begin your travels, as you are able to ease yourself into experiencing different cultures by first being amongst one, very much like your own, but with an entirely different landscape and lifestyle on offer.
What do you love (or hate) about Australia?
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
WANT MORE?
We Found Heaven on Earth (Whitehaven and the Whitsundays)
Camping on Whitehaven beach was a privilege and an amazing experience; we never wanted to leave!
We Found Heaven on Earth:Whitehaven and the Whitsunday's
There are corners of this world where the beauty is so pure and breathtaking, you find your anxieties, fears and your entire reality, disintegrate.
They're just too perfect, too natural and real, for any of your everyday concerns to matter. One corner that has had this affect upon us is Whitehaven Beach, the Whitsunday Islands.
Soft white silica sands, and a haven in every sense of the word, this sun-soaked azure paradise was somewhere we really wanted to visit before arriving in Australia.
Famous for the crystal waters, abundant with turtles, dolphins and other sea-life, if you only have a short time in Australia, it is a must-see.
We may have only just returned from a stunning island (Fraser, lower down the Queensland coast) but we knew this one would be special, so we headed here as soon as we could.
There are the usual backpacker tours that run all around the Whitsundays, most of which involve 2 days of island-hopping, with everyone crammed onto a boat, unable to experience anywhere for too long.
We got pursued by one of the tour salespeople whilst walking along Airlie Beach main street, vying for our business. He tried to say that you couldn't camp on Whitehaven, but we just smiled and walked off, knowing that the next morning we were booked onto a boat bound for the island, and the permits were all in place. Ignorant or just trying to fool us into handing over cash for the easy option of a backpacker tour, we were so glad that we had done our research into this place.
Getting the independence to camp on the beach seemed pretty amazing compared to spending $500 to share a tiny boat with 12 others, and only getting to spend around an hour at each destination.
We used a water taxi to get to Whitehaven (we used Scamper, who arranged permits for us, which cost $155 for a return trip, plus $40 for a camp kit which has everything 2 people might need, plus $15 for stinger suits) and pitched up for two nights in the small camping ground. By camp-ground I mean the patch of land set back only a few steps from the waters edge, with space for very few tents, sheltered by a smattering of trees, and frequently visited by guana's and wallabies.
The site itself is $5.50 per night, a standard permit cost in a national park in Australia, which is super reasonable considering you get the privilege of sleeping, eating, drinking (and using a relatively luxurious long-drop toilet) on one of the most pristine stretches of beach in the whole of Australia.
Some curious guanna's made their presence known straight away, trampling around the site to see what goodies we had brought.
During the day we snorkelled and just revelled in the beautiful warm ocean. At one point a boat which was anchored just off the shore, was also providing shelter to hundreds of little fish, all of whom went crazy for the fish feed that was thrown overboard at us!
We truly were away from it all, wrapped up in the quiet sounds of mother-nature, the gentle lapping of the ocean, an expanse so clear it doesn't feel real.
Hannah with a fish for a head!
In fact it feels so smooth and clean to swim in, it's a struggle to get out. Although you wear a full-body stinger suit if your going to swim out properly, as this area is notorious for the Irukanji, a deadly jellyfish. It may look a bit daft but the last thing you want on an island is sting!
I know its probably odd to bring a laptop to a deserted island, but I knew once the dark evening descended I'd probably feel inspired to talk about it all!
We were 3 of only 5 people in the camp-ground, and thus the only people on the whole island overnight, bar a few boats moored just off the shoreline, the only things punctuating the landscape with their lights and engine noise.
Like what you're reading?
Join the email gang for bonus content and conversation.
DAY 2
On our second day we did a 2hr walk along the beach to reach the end point, a famous expanse of shallow waters often seen on postcards and mostly photographed from Hill Inlet. We didn't fancy the mountainous climb in our flip-flops so we just did a pleasant flat walk, followed up by more snorkelling.
We saw lots of stingrays but they are so flighty we could never get too close. We also saw some tiny sharks! Tiny as in the size of large fish as opposed to the size of a boat...
We both got a bit burnt on the walk back, the sun beating against our backs. We decided to brave a quick swim without our stinger suits and its just ridiculous how water can feel so smooth and soft.
That night after dark we walked again down to the edge of the sand, dipped our toes in the dark gentle waters, and just marvelled at the beauty around us. I even got a bit teary-eyed. It is simply stunning beyond what I could of expected or what I can get across. You really have to experience it to understand that its more than just a pretty beach.
So I guess you could say we quite liked Whitehaven, just a bit.... it truly has stolen our senses and given us some peace, if only for two days, but we'll probably think about it forever. It will be the happy place we go to in our minds when we're on another 13 hour coach ride (we travelled from Rainbow to Airlie overnight and our feet are still swollen from the long trip).
It truly is the most beautiful place we have seen in Australia, alongside the Blue Mountains and Port Stephens.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
WANT MORE?
![Letting the Future Control the Present [The Time is Now]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/535a8b5ee4b00a1a8a7975e6/1467865535247-6H751CRKNDR4YWYKUCHR/mountain+2.jpg)
Letting the Future Control the Present [The Time is Now]
I remembering receiving details about my pension scheme in the post, and it felt like a big scary sad joke. I had one of those 'Is this it?' moments.
Letting the Future Control the Present - The Time Is Now!
I've spent a lot of time lately being very present, immersed in the here and now.
Living on a farm in the middle of nowhere, a rather beautiful nowhere, certainly helps. Our goal at the moment is to gain our 2nd year visa days and so we are just making the most of our little temporary homestead.
*UPDATE: We got our visa's and then went on to work on Fraser Island!*
It's a bit of contrast to 3 years ago. Back in England I was working at a bank. I hated my job, there wasn't really a thing I liked about it. Maybe the hot chocolate machine wasn't so bad.
I remember receiving details about my pension scheme in the post, and it felt like a big scary sad joke. I had one of those 'Is this it?' moments.
Plenty of people my age are in stable fulfilling jobs, and are thinking about, or already have, invested in buying a home. A part of me always wanted to be able to buy my own home, forever watching 'Grand Designs' and 'Homes under the Hammer'. Then since my mind started changing a bit over the past year, I thought about it differently. It occurred to me, the notion of 'investing' money in a home, and the commitment associated with that, is quite a frightening prospect.
We work hard, save up, and then take the plunge, assuming one day that we will see a return on this investment, basing this hope on the assumption of a future. Morbid I know. But nonetheless we make this big commitment in the hope that in the future, this thing will work out exactly as we want and need it to at that given moment, even though the world will be a very different place. We make huge sacrifices now, towards a future based on very little or accurate foresight.
There is a lot of sense in planning for the future – but is there sense in giving the entirety of your best years to the preparation for it? Maybe that's why I don't regret walking away from my own business, and from that path of heading toward owning a home.
That doesn't mean I have dismissed the notion entirely. If I can forge a career I love, a career that enables me to save or contemplate a mortgage or another financial commitment, then maybe it will make sense for me then.
But travel is my foremost priority, living for the whim and spontaneity it brings. But back when I was working at the bank, I was driven toward planning for the future. I was to go through with a set of motions to reach certain outcomes in my old age. A sense of predictability, even comfort, can be found in that. Most people centre their job choices or even select a certain career purely because of how it will work for their distant future.
As someone who has worked since the age of 16, and feared unemployment like the plague, to find myself removing that concern from my mind, well it feels like a mid-20's rebellion. I am resisting something which is sensible and pragmatic, something which works for plenty of people.
Like what you're reading?
Join the email gang for bonus content and conversation.
What got me considering all this?
I saw an item on the Australian news the other night, about a retirement community with a difference, 'co-housing' it's called. Residents live together in a semi-independent, semi-communal fashion; they cook together, socialize, share some of their living space and amenities. So it's basically university halls of residence without the sambuca and bed-hopping (as far as I know).
In the news report, the retired people, lithe couples in their mid 60's to 70's, all looked super healthy and very relaxed. And I thought it looked great. They were doing yoga for god-sake. And then I remember the way some older people live back in England. Confined to small but perfectly fine flats within special units.
I have older relatives who have suffered from depression and felt lost. Many were living alone, with their husbands or wives long gone, they're children forging ahead with their lives. In theory they have the time, the funds and the ability to enjoy life and yet they can't. There most mobile years where freedom was possible are simply past them.
Many of them are suffering numerous health issues, issues that prevent them enjoying any financial freedom they might have obtained through years of hard work. Essentially, the end result of the game of life isn't always great. Its sometimes mundane, difficult and not always satisfying. There is no guarantee of a fulfilling and easy old-age. Some people avoid retiring and work themselves to the point of exhaustion, pushing the limits of their body, reaching the age of 70 yet still working like a 30 year old. There's a fear for what might happen once they retire, even if they spend plenty of time thinking about their twilight years. Do they fear a loss of purpose? Having little reason to have any get-up and go?
And yet some absolutely relish retirement, doing things they never dreamt about doing before.
My great aunt for example, she holidays abroad 2-3 times a year, but hadn't stepped on a plane until about 6 years ago. She is using her time and money to enjoy her life the way she wants to. I admire her bravery as a widow, her sense of hope for what enjoyment there is to be found in her life, even if it has not turned out as she imagined. I hope that if I reach her age, I look half as good and live half as well.
And yet, might she wish she did the things she's doing now before she got a knee replacement? Before she developed a chronic lung condition?
Do our older relatives envy our ability to explore our options thoroughly, far beyond the imagination of their own post-war world? Many were brought up with simpler aspirations, and have lead a good, if humble, life. But at the age of 25, whilst I feel good, and my noggin seems to be firing on all synapses, I want to make the most of it.
I want a good quality of life if I get to reach old age, but I also don't want to hold back in doing what I love, giving it all up for a 9-to-5 for 40 years. It might be the secure option, to buckle down, work, and save. But life is so utterly unpredictable no matter what measures you take to control and prepare for it.
My mind boggles at the concept of my present being entirely geared toward a distant future. There's so much more I want from my now, that has little if nothing to do with retirement. And then again, maybe I will be satisfied in my later years, pleased that I followed my heart whilst I had the freedom to?
I want to do stuff that terrifies and exhilarates me. I want to feel myself sick with nerves before I do something crazy and confront my fears. I want to become more tolerant of my own idiosyncrasies as well as other peoples. I want to fight the inner battles not deny them until they become bitterness. I hope I can see as much of the world as possible. I am not entirely sure I could do all that whilst pulling a 9-to-5.
I want to see the world though my clearest eyes, and I don't want to feel like I can't because I might be harming the comfort of an imagined distant future.
Whilst I'm backpacking Australia, a pay-check doesn't mean pension, it means more travelling, sky-diving, snorkelling the great barrier reef, camping on the Whitsunday islands, and maybe eating a lot of subways.
That simplistic, maybe reckless choice, is what's working for us right this minute. That's the shape of our life at current; maybe it will change one day.
But all that truly matters is what's happening now, and now is so full of possibilities beyond the life I had 3 years ago, or the life I might have in another 33 years.
Thanks for reading!
Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!
WANT MORE?
Taran & Makoto here, together we form Nomader How Far photography.
Check out my photo journals