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My 3-year experiment as a digital nomad
- Ciotti 3y agoThis is pretty cool. I enjoy my routine so I could probably only enjoy this for a smaller stretch of time, but I'd like to try someday.
- lp4vn 3y agoIt sounds pretty nice but also exhausting to be honest, I don't think a lot of people would be able to have that lifestyle.
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- Throw839 3y agoIt is very easy lifestyke, just use a van with proper equipment, not freaking tesla.
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- davio 3y agoMy wife and I worked 150 days in an RV last year and both agree it's easier to be on the road than at home. The small space living forces both minimalism and being outside.
- wesleytodd 3y agoOf the past three years we have spent about half of it (full time for the first year and a min of 4 months each year since) traveling with our daughter in a 40ft fifth wheel. The small space has been even more impactful with a small child, it was GREAT! Between waking up and being able to walk her out to the beach, or when it is rainy not having a mess of toys all over a house, lots of things balance out the effort invested in the traveling portion. Especially when you get a rhythm with it like we did while we were full timing.
- hot_gril 3y agoI used to travel a lot while working, and yes it sucked unless I was not really paying attention to my work. What I'd rather do is stay in some other place for 1-3 months at a time, which is what actual nomads did.
- ghaff 3y agoWhen I traveled a lot for work I was mostly doing some small percentage of my immediate day job that needed to be done. I certainly didn’t try to do what I’d have been doing were I in the office all day.
- mrb 3y ago"With the extra weight, a charge will only last about 60 miles, rather than the standard ~300 it normally gets" A 5-fold difference?! Towing a trailer makes the Tesla use 5 times more energy per mile!? This can't be right... Author must have a trailer loaded with a literal ton of cargo. Edit: a Tesla Model Y is 4200 lb. The trailer is about 3000 lb empty (thanks LukeShu), say worst case 4200 lb loaded with cargo, so at most the weight difference can account for a doubling of the energy per mile. It seems hard to believe drag alone can account for another 2.5x increase in energy per mile, which is why I think there must be even more cargo. If not, I guess for me this highlights how good the aerodynamic design of the Model Y must be. This also means the author could get a significant range increase simply by choosing a better trailer with a lower drag coefficient. Or my preference would actually be getting a vehicle designed for that lifestyle in the first place, an actual camper van. One could even use the comfortable driver seat as the office chair, instead of transporting an actual office chair. Swivel it toward your desk behind it and, bam!, instant office desk: https://www.thewaywardhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Swivel-Seat-Mobile-Office-768x1024.png https://www.thewaywardhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Sw...
- asynchronous 3y agoAs a Tesla owner this makes sense. The cars are highly optimized to stock configuration. Doing any sort of extra load or mods quickly diminishes range.
- jdminhbg 3y ago> I have a kitchen, a full bathroom with a shower, two beds, and even a whole office space inside the trailer. With all that plus the extra drag, I'm not too surprised.
- LukeShu 3y agoThe trailer itself is about 3000 lb. (2023 version of that trailer: https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/ozark/1530VBK/6564 https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/ozark/1530VBK/6564 IDK what model year OP's is). Plus lotsa added drag.
- Throw839 3y agoA literal ton of cargo in a trailer is nothing extraordinary. Did you ever lived on a farm?
- tayo42 3y agoStill car limited. I like doing work-cations but I have a similar issue with the working space. A real chair, external monitor, key board is really essential for work more than a week. Flying anywhere with that is unrealistic. Ive never seen an airbnb or vrbo listing with office equipment in it. Would be cool and useful. It would probably get robbed though. My wife and I usually go through tons of listing photos looking for an somewhat adequate working space. Im curious how other software people do it.
- bethekind 3y agoWouldn't this be the ideal solution for we-work? Digital Nomads come and go as you please office solutions? (We-work doesn't have beds and the like tho) I know that most hotels have a survivable desk and chair, but that probably isn't an optimal solution. What would an idea solution look like? Airbnb but with a gaming setup room?
- xp84 3y agoWeWork is great and would be far more economical than paying day-pass rates assuming (big assumption) you are okay with working in major metro areas only. For instance there is 1 location in Sacramento and nothing else in Norcal outside the immediate Bay Area. For me I kind of like cities, but I suspect the author of this piece would feel pretty hemmed in by that footprint since he seems to like to actually be in nature daily (which is cool!). I haven't tried to do any coworking in smaller cities or towns, but I guess maybe there are indie coworking spaces in places like say, Santa Rosa or Auburn. TBH if I was designing a nomad project for myself (and wanting a significant nature/non-urban aspect to it) I think i'd do a literal van and have a real desk and chair in it. 5G internet isn't the greatest but I think it'd be easy enough, armed with a van, to seek out places within the area I want to visit with a good enough signal to make it workable. (Obviously add rooftop solar panels and a Jackery or whatever to satisfy power needs all day.)
- fragmede 3y agoWith Starlink it's workable.
- rgmerk 3y agoAs much as I can’t stand full-size pickups, a Chevy Silverado EV has the towing range to make towing the trailer a lot more practical. One potentially interesting option that the author hasn’t tried is a yacht. Anybody seen any accounts of a cruising digital nomad?
- mcrwfrd 3y agoHundred Rabbits[0] have been an inspiration for me for a while. They work from their sailboat! [0] https://100r.co/site/off_the_grid.html https://100r.co/site/off_the_grid.html
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- aiiane 3y agoYou might be interested in Hundred Rabbits (https://100r.co/ https://100r.co/).
- atrus 3y ago100 Rabbits are fairly well known, and they use a boat to sail around the pacific. https://100r.co/site/home.html https://100r.co/site/home.html
- wffurr 3y agoMicroship is the OG digital nomad and switched from bicycles to boats at some point: https://microship.com/ https://microship.com/ Sarah Steenland the Cruising Cartoonist has been working a digital artist job and raising a family on sailboats for years in the South Pacific: https://www.sarahsteenland.com/ https://www.sarahsteenland.com/
- jiveturkey42 3y agoSo much wasted energy from the source of generation to the EV motor.. Diesel engines are optimized for towing
- wesleytodd 3y ago
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- shrubble 3y agoI tried it with both a van and a trailer but ultimately I found I wanted 'too much stuff' around me to make it practical, like retrocomputing stuff. If I was younger and truly had less stuff, no reason it wouldn't work.
- devoutsalsa 3y agoI spent 4 years traveling as a digital nomad where literally everything I owned fit into a carryon suitcase and a backpack. You'd be surprised what you can get rid of.
- ghaff 3y agoIn general if you’re traveling, you’re not bringing much in the way of non-essential physical gear like retro computing equipment. Maybe it’s more than a couple of bags especially if you’re camping but you’re probably not carrying a home lab with you unless you have a trailer dedicated to that purpose.
- cwiggs 3y agoVery cool stuff. This type of life is why I originally got into tech. Few thoughts: - I wish this guy had a personal blog that I could subscribe to. I like that post, but I could care less about the rest of the blog posts on his employers site. - I'd be interested in why he has stuck with a Model Y, seems to not be a good fit. I'd love to see him switch to something better (probably an ICE even though I know tech people love EVs). All in all kudos to this guy for all the work he has put in to make this life work, love the iterative approach.
- davio 3y agoThat hitch mounted floating office is hilarious. I'm in the RV-based remote work universe and I've never seen anything like that.
- survirtual 3y agoI was doing this starting in 2019 with a Tesla Model 3, before anyone knew this could be done. I will tell you, it is actually really amazing. A/C or heat all night, autopilot for long stretches, instant torque and true AWD, it was a beast on rough roads. People were often shocked at seeing it places they'd only see trucks and jeeps. 200k miles and 5 years later, I only stopped because I am continuing in Brazil, after having explore every state in the US (except AK) and nearly every national park. I am missing the Tesla a lot in Brazil.
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- Aperocky 3y agoEven the good old steppe nomads did not uproot their yurts all the time, usually just a few times per year or at the far end a dozen times a year. This is rather more like full time traveling setups.
- 627467 3y agoWas he really sleeping in a model Y over multiple days?
- dollyworld 3y agoreally cool photos of AK and CO. surprised OP didn't get more use out of the Tesla display
- Animats 3y agoKapwing. Hm. Bing search for "Kapwing layoff" returns this, from Glassdoor: "Kapwing Reviews: What Is It Like to Work At Kapwing? Oct 18, 2023 · I joined a company in August, but soon after, they started big layoffs. My team was scattered, and my boss, who was supposed to find me a project, didn’t. Four … But the link from Bing doesn't lead to that review. It shows only three reviews, two of which are from the CEO (!).
- lifeisstillgood 3y agoThe issues of finding shower and basic amenities in / near work spaces is, I think, a growing issue for commuters as well as nomads - basically most of us will be doing some form of mixed remote / office work. And trying real hard to give up petrol cars. Just being able to cycle / run some of the way, train or otherwise some of the way is a real freeing option
- karaterobot 3y agoFeels like the Tesla is the weird part of this. I suppose that having an electric vehicle was important for philosophical reasons, or he just thought they were cool, but they aren't the most practical choice. Today, there would be a few more options for a vehicle you'd want to live out of even with the restriction that it had to be all-electric. The E-Transit, or even the F-150 Lightning come to mind, but I bet there are even better ones.
- flashback2199 3y agoF-150 Lightning is 3 fold worse pulling a trailer, which is still really bad (edited)
- karaterobot 3y agoSeems like it's almost twice as good, given the weight estimates I see in this thread (~115 vs. ~60 miles) https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-f150-lightning-electric-truck-towing-test/ https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/ford-f150-lightning-elect... But I was really talking about the car camping phase of his experiment—the part where he's living out of his car, not the towing part. I didn't make that clear enough in my comment.
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- flashback2199 3y agoI wouldn't want to sit and charge every 115 miles any more than 60, both are not good.
- paxys 3y agoAgreed. It's weird to live this way with a Tesla and a storage trailer and then having to charge every 60 miles and shower at gyms. There are plenty of vehicles that are specifically built (or can be modified) for this lifestyle.
- adam_arthur 3y agoOP should try a "truck camper"... basically a living quarters that sits in the bed of a pickup truck rather than towed. Seems like it would be a lot more functional than his current approach. Though I found the article and evolving process very interesting!
- atleastoptimal 3y agoI admire digital nomads who stay in higher income countries over ones who move to the lowest COL country they can find to live like artificial kings. There's a certain sociopathy to white dudes who move to Thailand so they can enjoy the disproportionate sway of their 160k remote job + sexual privilege.
- ozr 3y agoThat's reading a lot into nomads that go to low COL countries. There are plenty of reasons to do it beyond an artificial crown and 'sexual privilege'. You're able to take jobs that you may enjoy more for less pay. You can keep your personal burn rate lower while you're working on a startup. You might even just like seeing different parts of the world.
- hot_gril 3y agoYeah, way too many assumptions in that other comment. I know people who moved for lower costs, and it wasn't to act like a king.
- robocat 3y agoThere's a certain sociopathy in your assumptions. Making stereotypical assumptions based on someone's skin colour and even worse is your condescending "poor native" take.
- golergka 3y agoSo, you wish people from higher income countries would not bring their money to lower-income countries and boost those economies?
- hot_gril 3y agoIt doesn't really matter if only a few people do it. If it's a lot, I'm not convinced that it necessarily helps the area. In theory the influx of money should get distributed to the local market and ultimately be used to import more goods, but it's not that simple, especially if the influx is very sudden. Like, prior landowners win, but maybe just a small group (or the govt) controls the land rather than the actual people, so if the area is already dense then people are gonna get priced out. I moved to Silicon Valley and lived there for 5 years, starting 2014. This was my example. It seemed like there were too many software engineers, myself included. Not enough people building houses or baking pizza. Everything tangible was under-supplied and overpriced. Yeah the economy was adjusting to it, but in 2020 it got jerked the other way.
- aaronrobinson 3y agoI don’t understand why he didn’t invest in a van equipped with shower, kitchenette, bed and working area. What a restriction the EV was.
- paxys 3y agoLet's be honest the post wouldn't get clicks if there wasn't a Tesla involved.
- hughesjj 3y agoWe have a cheapo Subaru and just use those collapsible silicon buckets, a sous vide, and a cheapo Amazon pump+shower combo. Entire setup is less than $120 and now we have a sous vide too. You can run the heater off a battery bank (we have an eco flow with the panels). Much easier Also, towing and road trips are like the number one reason I think most outdoorsy people should be going for plugin hybrids for now. You can be 100% clean (local utility dependent, limited to 'fuel' and not other maintenance) for like 95%+ of your trips but still have that extra oomph if you need it
- dcdc123 3y agoSpent three years as an AirBnB nomad with my wife. We are back in our house between tenants getting ready to start out as van life nomads. We’ve also spent months at a time overseas and will again but don’t want to do that full time. This article has very little depth but it does give a decent high level view.
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- gwbas1c 3y agoSeems like a small RV that can tow the Tesla would make a lot more sense.
- belter 3y agoI am highly skeptical of this story, even if am all for the principles behind the lifestyle. Issues I did not see mentioned, that make me skeptical. Lack of Permanent Address: Difficulty in receiving mail, opening bank accounts, or completing certain official documents.Lack of permanent address and the legal issues that come with it. If you do have a permanent address, then you are not a digital nomad just somebody who travels a lot. Sleeping in a Vehicle in Cold Temperatures: Risk of hypothermia, vehicle battery drain, and legal issues in areas where it's prohibited( Most of them). Sleeping in a common transport vehicle (Tesla or not Tesla), under negative temperatures sounds challenging. Mechanical or Electrical Issues: I have heard of Tesla owners in Europe, having to wait sometimes for weeks for repairs, due to lack of spare parts. Due to increased stress on the vehicle any minor problem, will send you out of your "home". Inconsistent Internet Access: Reliability and speed issues will cause work productivity and communication impact. It is already challenging when travelling between business hotels. Healthcare Access: Navigating healthcare provider support across large distant locations ? Legal Issues with Remote Work: Withing the US some specific laws regarding remote work for non-residents in a certain state can impact your tax liabilities. Heck...New York can even create tax liabilities for you even if do not live or work in the USA and just visited for a few days a year... Security and Privacy: Out in the wild outside of camping parks? I see untold risks. Maintaining Work-Life Balance: Blurring lines between work and personal time, would look like a load instead of a relief... Equipment Safety and Maintenance: Risk of damage or theft to essential gadgets like laptops and cameras. Accommodation Issues: Unreliable bookings, substandard living conditions, or scams. Travel Burnout: Constant moving looks like physically and mentally exhausting. Insurance Coverage: Ensuring adequate insurance for health, travel, and equipment.
- golergka 3y agoI'm also a digital nomad (an airbnb one, using the terminology from the original post), so I can clear some of those things up. > Lack of Permanent Address: Difficulty in receiving mail, opening bank accounts, or completing certain official documents.Lack of permanent address and the legal issues that come with it. I just put an address of some Hilton I stayed once. I never need to get any paper documents; if I do, I use DHL or other delivery service to actually get them delivered to me. (No comment on issues related to sleeping in a vehicle — I don't even drive). > Inconsistent Internet Access: Reliability and speed issues will cause work productivity and communication impact. It is already challenging when travelling between business hotels. Most airbnbs have pretty good internet, and all have at least a decent one. Usually it's enough to just buy a local simcard to fix these issues. > Healthcare Access: Navigating healthcare provider support across large distant locations. I don't live and nomad in US, but in many other countries across the globe it's just easier to pay for healthcare services out of pocket. I've recently signed up for Safetywing, but when a visit to a (pretty well educated) doctor costs about $10 or is just completely free, I wouldn't even bother with it. > Legal Issues with Remote Work: Withing the US some specific laws regarding remote work for non-residents in a certain state can impact your tax liabilities. Heck New York can even create tax liabilities for you even if do not live or work in the USA... Also US-specific thing. I'm not a US citizen (but work for american companies), and not having a tax residence anywhere saves me a lot of money on taxes. I effectively pay just 1% on all of my income. > Maintaining Work-Life Balance: Blurring lines between work and personal time, I would look like a load instead of a relief... That's true for any kind of remote work, regardless if it's nomading or WFH. Upsides are worth it 100%. > Equipment Safety and Maintenance: Risk of damage or theft to essential gadgets like laptops and cameras. Theoretically yes, but somehow neither I not most of my friends who chose this lifestyle encounter this — it feels like you can have your stuff stolen from a coffeeshop next to your house just as easily. > Accommodation Issues: Unreliable bookings, substandard living conditions, or scams. This happens. But on the contrary to what HN crowd have been saying, I've found Airbnb support to be stellar at resolving those issues. I have checked in badly cleaned apartment once, and 20 minutes later I already had it reversed, with $400 of compensation. > Travel Burnout: Constant moving looks like physically and mentally exhausting. Yes, this is a thing and it sucks. But you don't waste this emotional energy — you spend it on acquiring valuable new experiences and memories that will be with you for the rest of your life. Overall, the only reason I don't go around advertising this lifestyle to all my friends is because having a well-paying and remote-friendly profession that suits it is not a luxury most of them have.
- paxys 3y agoSo you either spend every day of your nomad life within reach of a Planet Fitness, or just never shower? Something doesn't add up here...
- its_ethan 3y agoWhen you're camping alone at a camp site, you can go a day or two (or five) without a shower. There are camping "shower wipes" to stay hygienic but you really can go a few days without showering and be OK.
- paxys 3y agoWhen it's a 2 week camping trip, sure. When you are on the road for three years I'm pretty sure baby wipes aren't going to suffice.
- joosters 3y agoIs this just an advert for Tesla? Why does the car feature in almost every photo?
- sudhirkhanger 3y agoWhich monitor is that?
- endigma 3y agoOne critical detail not mentioned is income requirement. AirBnBs are expensive, man.
- KenArrari 3y agoI've always wanted to do something like this but never quite been brave enough to do it. Feeling quite stuck in my life where I am now and would love to get unstuck.