Someone Once Asked Me What It’s Like to Be a Nomad

Hi friends – someone once asked me what it’s like to be a nomad and I appreciate you stopping by to read my thoughts.

How do I explain that my definition of normal quietly slips sideways somewhere around the third country and never fully recovers?

Because, if you, too, become a nomad, eventually…

You will become emotionally attached to backpacks.

You will learn how to do laundry in the shower by squirting shampoo on your clothes and stomping on them.

You will get used to staying up past midnight checking flight schedules and weather apps.

You will consider “good WiFi” a personality trait.

You will stop unpacking because psychologically there’s no point anymore.

You will own clothing specifically chosen because it dries overnight on a hostel chair.

You will think, “This airport floor is actually pretty comfortable.”

You will become an expert at visas, travel insurance, and baggage fees.

You will have deep philosophical conversations about the Schengen shuffle.

You will learn that every charger you own is wrong for the country you’re currently in.

You will know exactly how many days of medication remain by shaking the bottle beside your ear like maracas.

You will become strangely proud of fitting your entire life into one carry-on bag.

You will treat free breakfast like a competitive sport.

You will plan entire travel days around access to bathrooms.

You will develop the ability to sleep through barking dogs, roosters, traffic, fireworks, and one suspiciously loud ceiling fan.

You will stop asking why the shower is beside the toilet.

You will reach a point where finding hot water with decent water pressure feels emotionally significant.

You will have at least one minor public meltdown over SIM cards or your eSim hitting a dead zone.

You will learn that “five minutes away” means absolutely nothing in some countries.

You will become a WhatsApp expert.

You will cross borders carrying snacks like a survivalist squirrel.

You will forget what day it is, but know exactly what country you’re in.

You will become deeply invested in weather apps because rain now affects your laundry, transportation, mood, electronics, and possibly your passport.

You will refer to a plastic grocery bag full of charging cables as “my system.”

You will eventually realize you no longer measure wealth by possessions, but by whether your accommodation has bedside electrical outlets.

You will ask why your suitcase never gets lighter even though you keep getting rid of things.

You will become a master at cramming heavy items into your pockets before flights to keep your suitcase below the maximum weight.

Because eventually this stops feeling like a vacation…

and starts feeling like the strangest version of freedom you’ve ever experienced.

And now for a little fun! Drop me a comment and tell me which backpack you like the best. The backpack on the left is my Gregory Kalmia 60L where I keep pretty much everything I own. The backpack on the right is my Gregory Jade 38L that I wore on the Camino de Santiago.