2012 - Finding my feet.
The year I kept building my nomadic life, becoming sustainable in all aspects except economically.
Rocks, Pebbles, Sand
We all want to do great things with our lives, but unless we know what they are and put them ahead of everything else, we won't get there. This post is a guide to how to do this in time for a brand new year of possibilities!
Airline Patron
Nomads fly a lot and therefore need a good airline patron to keep their travel flexible, cheap and smooth. But they come with certain risks.
Tarot
Through the power of Tarot, my future has been revealed to me. But I’m greedy, and so I want your interpretation too.
Mission Statement
In this post, I elaborate on geo-independence, sustainability and eudaemonia, the three principles of my mission statement and a successful nomadic life.
The Paranoid’s Guide to Backups
Afraid you might lose your data? You should be. They are out to get it; you know they are! This guide to backups might just save you from their evil schemes.
Blank Canvas Paralysis
Nothing can paralyse like a blank canvas. Non-artists face similar situations too, especially nomads.
This post explains why we freeze like this when starting something new and suggests ways to deal with it.
Switzerland
I spent a month and a bit in Switzerland. This post is a personal recap of what I got up to there as well as some fun facts about the country.
The Matryoshka Cage
Ever noticed how your personal growth comes in bursts, often after a period of frustration with the status quo? This post explains this using a metaphor of nested cages which we must escape to keep growing.
From Switzerland to Buenos Aires
An update on where I've been, what I've done and with whom I've done it during my three weeks between leaving Switzerland and arriving in Buenos Aires.
Moving to Buenos Aires
An update on my first three weeks in Buenos Aires, where I am staying and how I'm settling in. The post includes a video walkthrough of my new place and a video of a crazy hailstorm that ripped holes in our skylight!
Falling
Is your life on-track, or are you falling helplessly towards a messy end? What if you can’t even tell anymore? You may not if you’ve moved far enough from your normal frame of reference, and that is where the real adventure begins.
Spreading the Word
My main writing goes into The Modern Nomad, but I occasionally write articles for other sites or give interviews. This is a round-up of the recently published items that I've been involved with.
Mental Monsters
Our minds sometimes turn against us. This post explains why nomads in particular need to worry about these mental monsters and how best to deal with them, no matter if you are a traveller or not.
Nomad ≠ Tourist
Nomads and tourists share a love for travel, but the way they travel and what they get out of it is very different. Any budding nomad should be clear on these differences!
Mendoza
Photos, videos and random observations from my long weekend in Mendoza, the wine country at the foot of the great Andes. Expect dead dogs, overcome police barriers and serene beauty.
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia is a day-trip from Buenos Aires that offers a UNESCO World Heritage historic centre, crumbling cobbled streets, vintage cars and a history of war and conflict. What more could you want? How about a renewed Argentinian Visa?
The Language Barrier
Living in a country where you don't master the language is difficult. The practicalities can be dealt with, but the social problems are much more insidious.
Tango
Tango is like a dominatrix - sexy in its strictness, as well as sumptuous, sensuous and seductive! Click through for your tango survival guide and a video of my progress as a tango dancer!
Nomadic Fitness & P90X
You can get into great shape without going to a gym. P90X, a 3-month home fitness program which I've just completed, is a great way to do so, and it's perfect for nomads. Click through for a review, before/after photos and a video guide.
Iguazu Falls
The Waterfalls of Iguazu are one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and for good reasons! Click through to see why this should make your list of places to see before you die.
Salta
Salta is a popular tourist destination in the north of Argentina, but does it live up to its reputation?
Leaving Buenos Aires
A personal retrospective on my five months in Buenos Aires. I go over what I've accomplished, where I struggled, the friends I made and what I plan to do next.
Buenos Aires in 4 Days
My travel guide to Buenos Aires, designed as a four-day itinerary sprinkled with some social commentary.
Audiobooks
Audiobooks are a fantastic way to read. You can read while e.g. commuting to work, and a masterful narration will breathe life into any book! You’ll never be bored again!
Burning Man 2012
My personal experiences from Burning Man 2012, including a Black Rock Cock, two sad goodbyes at the Temple and a talk on nomadic lifestyles. (and lots of pictures!)
Year Finances 2012
Can you afford to be a nomad? What does it cost? Am I broke yet? Find out in this financial review of my first year as a nomad!
2-Stepping Biker Clowns at Gay Disneyland
My Los Angeles weekend including a motorcycle ride, charity work as a sexy clown, Gay-days at Disneyland and country-western dancing!
Carbon Footprints
Is a nomadic lifestyle inherently bad for the environment? Many think so, but I disagree. Read on for details on the carbon footprints of a nomad and a wider theory on how to avoid global warming.
Halloween Disappearance
Today, I do not exist; I am trapped in the Twilight Zone! Click through to find out why. Happy Halloween!
An Empty Seat
Is the nomadic life doomed to forever be devoid of deep and loving relationships? Is a nomadic partner too much to hope for?
Hawaii
Naked paddle boarding, golden beaches, frozen mountaintop sunsets, Arrakis-styled wormholes and running over lava – it all awaits you in Hawaii!
Aloha!
Lessons from the Airport
I had a hellish journey from the US to New Zealand. But, hardships teach us lessons. Click through for seven unorthodox travel-hacks and a story of perseverance!
Glowworms & Mt. Doom
On a drive from Auckland to Wellington, I saw the glowworms of Waitomo, walked around Turangi, visited Mount Doom in Tongariro and fought Gollum over fish at Taranaki.
Income-Independent Identities
We are more than our work. Yet the question, “What do you do [for a living]?” is ubiquitous. Why is that? Are there consequences? What can we do about it?
Panorama Tutorial
Learn how to create impressive panoramic photographs using any digital camera and the free software Microsoft Image Composite Editor (ICE). It is surprisingly easy!
Merry Christmas
A Christmas greeting to all my wonderful, handsome, clever and funny readers, from a rather bizarre place.
Year Review 2012
A year review of 2012 where I look at where I've been, accomplishments, failures and the future of The Modern Nomad.