Ben cried on camera in 2022, saying, “I am a broken person starting from nothing.”
A few years later: he did 2,000+ km on a motorbike across Bali, speaks Indonesian, and has completely rebuilt his life.
This is what going against the grain actually looks like.
Things nobody tells you about paying with UPI as a nomad:
1. No Indian bank account needed
2. Cheq accepts passport + visa for KYC
3. Only works on merchant QR, not personal QR
4. There's a broken 2-step payment flow
5. Apple Pay button appears after a delay
I was nomading two weeks in India and couldn't order food via local apps.
Tried Zomato, Blinkit, Swiggy. I had no issues browsing, but checkout blocked me. Indian phone numbers only. No workaround.
In the end, a local friend placed every order on her phone.
India broke my digital nomad setup. Here's what happened.
You can visit 50 countries. Or actually know 5. One of these is a highlight reel. The other is a fulfilling life.
Fast travel in my 20s: many adventurous photos.
Slow travel in my 30s: many nomad friends.
Travel stories are worth more as shared experienced.
Only a fraction of digital nomads ever stay somewhere long enough to get invited to a local wedding. I was. And no other event cherishes the uniqueness of the local culture.
Hey slow traveler, yes, you, the one staying 3 months when everyone else stays 3 days. Keep rocking!
Your bonds with locals and nomads have enough time to flourish. That's priceless!
Staying in one city for 3 months isn't giving up. It's the unlock most nomads miss. Slow travel gives you space to:
1. Work better
2. Travel like a local
3. Hang out with nomad friends
Collecting flags is like Tinder hookups. Nobody cares how many countries you've visited. It's all about the quality of your relationships.
India welcomed me with open arms.
Its apps did not.
No food delivery.
No airport Wi-Fi.
No massage booking.
All require an Indian mobile number.
20 million tourists visit each year. None of them have one.
Full story in my latest article.
nerdontour.net/big-nomad-pr...
For nomads who are tired of having friends they'll never see again.
Sincere relationships are more important than selfies on Mt Everest. Cancel your flight. Prolong your stay or plan the next destination aligned with new real friends. They are the true hidden gems.
If you're a digital nomad who feels like you arrive nowhere, you're not alone.
Full-time traveling separated me from my home culture. Only once I had built solid friendships with fellow nomads did I find my "home". Not as a physical space, but a grounding feeling.
You don't have to keep moving to be a real nomad. Here's what I do instead. After trying many destinations, I found two where my social life thrives. Kuala Lumpur and Tenerife are my bases for most of the year. And when adventure calls, we go on a month-long trip somewhere new.
Slow travel sounds boring until you realize rushing is what's been making you lonely. Seeing the world is not a race. Stay for a month or two. Visit the same coworking will spark relationships you long for.
If you want to make friends as a nomad (in 6 weeks), read this:
Week 1: Research community-first hubs and book your stay.
Weeks 2-5: Prioritize offline activities hikes, board games, cooking.
Week 6: Reflect with whom you vibed the most and arrange plans to meet at the next destination.
You don't need a new hip travel destination.
Go back to the place you have been before and share it with your dear friends.
Nomading slowly will 10x your confidence.
Digital nomading IS for everyone.
Booking a flight, sipping a latte in a cute cafe, and posing for selfies. That's what anyone can do. Slowing down and building lasting relationships with the wonderful people you've just met. This is a feat.
Do you agree?
If you’re struggling with loneliness as a nomad, try this instead.
Book a 2-week stay in a community-first coliving.
In the past 6 years, I found my best friends in houses where we work remotely, share meals, and go out on hikes.
India skipped cards. Went straight to QR.
Now nomads can pay like locals via UPI One World.
I got a "PIN compromised" alert and found a stranger's email inside my account.
Still used it. Here's what happened.
nerdontour.net/using-india-...
Everything online can be fabricated. That’s why we long for offline connections. They show how precious the human touch is.
Is your Mac 5+ years old and still running great? Mine is. Long-term relationships are worth more. Both in business and personal life.
Gather round. Cherish sharing meals with loved ones. Holidays are reminders of what's vital. Your relationships will last if you keep this regularity and presence.
Offline in-person meetings are the next big thing. Hot take: they have always been big. We just finally realized the limits of digital life.
Reasons fueling my 20+ years of travel:
Action adventure video games
Long-form podcast convos
Sci-fi books
What inspires you to roam the globe?
People who moved abroad in their 20s handled all docs, bank accounts, visas, taxes, jobs, accommodation, and cultural differences.
These people can tackle anything.
How curiosity helped me?
I learned English.
Traveled the world.
Found my life partner.
Keep honing your curiosity. It'll lead you to fantastic outcomes.
My trip to India was fascinating but also exhausting. It's thrilling to be back in Malaysia with my daily rhythm of yoga, stand-up desk and AI projects.
Develop curiosity. Asking critical questions and learning practical skills fends you from AI's job displacement.