It's not always go, go, go !
Down time is just as essential... (time to chill)
I recently saw a lament from a fellow nomad who was bored after spending three weeks in Barcelona, Spain. I didn't know her story, as far as how long she had been on the road, or where she left from, but she was in a Facebook group geared towards we nomads over the age of 50. I shared a response that basically encouraged her to look at each new stop as being a place to LIVE, not just check off the list of attractions in the area. We actually spent quite a bit of time in Barcelona, and there ARE lots of attractions, but just the city itself is a pleasure.
“How can you be bored?” I wondered—even though yes, WE do get bored sometimes, too! But after 6 years, 43 countries, hundreds of cities, and too many churches, ruins, museums, and attractions to count, I think I get it on one hand, but on the other hand, I don't. I know, it's confusing!
The nomadic life IS about LIFE and living, and not always about "doing things." Sometimes the mundane--taking an early morning walk, going to the gym, medical visits, haircuts, shopping for food and other things...the list goes on and on; they’re all such unique experiences when you do them in strange new places. Dealing with new languages or customs, or local foods is the experience. And that list is really no different than anyone's list, no matter where they live. I believe that many nomads, or those that want to be, think that life will be "different," but in many cases the only thing that's different is where you sleep; and eat; and do all those mundane tasks. Granted, there IS a Spiritual Awakening part for those seeking, and I believe that life on the road changes us whether we want to change, or not.
When we got to Valencia, Spain in 2019, our first location, it took me awhile to unwind and relax. Living in Orange County, CA., was always a go-go, rush-rush life, and we had to always take traffic into account. Living in Valencia forced me to slow down. Traffic? Who cares, I don't have a car! But I did have to learn the metro and public transportation, since we still had to get around.
During our six weeks there we visited a lot of great attractions in the city, including the best aquarium ever, a great architectural area near the beach called “City of Arts and Sciences,” and a Bio Park Zoo, which allowed us to get up front and personal with jungle beasts. We discovered our first “mercado,” which are the local markets to get fruit, veggies, fish, etc…, and to enjoy a local meal among locals. Mercados are in many places we have been (called “wet markets in Asia), and the one in Valencia was a great one. Between the newish and the old, we got a heaping helping of churches and cathedrals!! But some of the best memories of life there was of me making breakfast in our apartment while Kat went out to get her coffee treat, and I would usually meet her later and participate in some of the best pastries ever!
Valencia also offered not just one, but two train stations in town, and I found regional trains easy to figure out. Our phone apps allow us to search out destinations and buy tickets online before getting to the station. We rode up to San Sebastian (Donostia), Basque country, in the north, and stayed there for two heavenly days, plus stopped in Zaragoza on the way up. Along the return trip we stopped in Sagunto, which was just 30 minutes from our home base, and we found it to be spectacular, with old forts and amazing local markets. Our six weeks went quickly.
Did we get bored? Sure, but boredom is part of life!
Our recent, planned, five month bike trip got altered with the theft of our bike in Italy, so we had to adjust our schedule. We’ll be in Tirana, Albania for the next three months instead of one, which is fine since Kat wanted to nest a bit and create a “home” environment. I’ll have more about this amazing city—and country—later.
Life on the Road is a continual learning experience, and there are always new lessons around the corner, and certainly in new locations!
Just for fun, here’s a few prior blogs that may relate to this topic:
Chapter 177: 18 Days at Sea: The Voyage of 5000 miles (Honolulu to Sydney: 5,071 mi) shares our 18 day reposition cruise experience, plus stops along the way
Our 18 days on a cruise ship forced us to SLOW DOWN since we had nowhere else to be!
And here’s some that speak to the option of living long term or moving to another country:
Chapter 149: Are you a Tourist or a Traveler? Plus Residency insights (It really matters if you want to pull off this whole nomad thing!)
https://travelyounger.com/chapter-131-residency-in-a-foreign-country-yes-or-no/
https://travelyounger.com/chapter-125-eu-passports/ (Right of Descendancy)