Life as nomads, savoring one vacation after another, isn’t the carefree existence we once imagined when we first set out in 2012. Back then, it seemed like an endless holiday, filled with leisurely mornings, spontaneous outings, lazy late afternoons visiting pubs, and evenings spent lingering over meals in charming local restaurants. And yes, there are moments when it feels exactly like that. But those moments are woven between a steady stream of responsibilities that mirror everyday life, just packaged differently and constantly in motion.
The most significant difference is that instead of maintaining a house, we are perpetually maintaining our future. While others may plan a single annual trip, we are always working several trips ahead, sometimes years in advance. The logistics are ongoing and often complex. Flights must align with cruise dates; accommodations must be secured in unfamiliar places; insurance must be updated; medications must be refilled; and financial details must be managed across borders. It is a continuous cycle that never quite pauses.
There is also the matter of preparation before each move. Shopping becomes less about convenience and more about necessity. Electrical adapters, suitable clothing for varying climates, replenishing travel-sized toiletries, and occasionally replacing worn luggage all require attention. Thankfully, the internet has simplified much of what used to require guidebooks and maps, but it has not eliminated the time involved. If anything, the abundance of options can make decision-making even more time-consuming.
Our daily lives are structured to balance routine with the unpredictability of travel. Each morning begins with the quiet focus of preparing for the day ahead. By late morning, I am deep into writing, sorting through photos, and refining the story we will share. Tom carefully reviews each post, offering edits and suggestions as soon as it’s uploaded. This process alone can take several hours, and by the time it is complete, half the day has already slipped by.
In between, there are meals to prepare. Even in a temporary kitchen, the familiar tasks remain. Washing, chopping, and assembling a large salad, planning the main dish, and sometimes spending an hour or more on a favorite recipe provides a sense of normalcy. It grounds us, even when everything else is constantly changing.
Laundry, too, becomes its own small adventure. In many places without the convenience of a dryer, we rely on portable racks, clotheslines, and patience, hoping it doesn’t rain. On humid or rainy days, clothes may take two days to dry indoors on a rack, gently reminding us that not everything can be rushed. In the United States, for our usual three-week stay, using the hotel laundry room can take half a day, requiring timing and a bit of luck to find available machines.
By early afternoon, after writing, meal preparation, and exercise, we finally step out into the world around us, weather permitting. This is when the magic happens. We explore, take photos, and gather the moments that will become tomorrow’s story. There are emails to answer, reader comments to respond to, and financial matters to tend to. Even something as routine as setting up monthly bill payments requires careful attention when you are always on the move.
Despite the constant activity, there is a deep sense of accomplishment in keeping everything running smoothly. Our taxes are completed and paid, and our bookings stretch well into the future. At the moment, we are scheduled through May 2027, including a series of back-to-back cruises that we are eagerly anticipating.
But having everything planned does not mean we can simply relax. There is always another departure on the horizon. Right now, we are thinking about packing for our next journey, which leaves in just a few weeks. The process begins early, slowly organizing all of our belongings and ensuring nothing is overlooked.
Soon, we will make our way to a new city, settle into a hotel for a brief pause, and then continue on to the next destination. There is a certain comfort in those short stays, a chance to catch our breath before the next leg begins.
And then, finally, there are those moments that remind us why we chose this life. Sitting with a cup of coffee, watching the world drift by, striking up conversations with fellow travelers, and feeling that quiet sense of freedom that comes from knowing this is our everyday life.
We hope, of course, that this next stretch will be smooth and uneventful in all the right ways. No unexpected illnesses, no missteps, just the simple pleasure of waking up each day somewhere new, ready to begin again.
We are happy. We enjoy each day, grateful for its simplicity and for what is yet to come. We are grateful.
Be well.
Photos from ten years ago today, March 24, 2016:
