The Wild

Trip planning continues, and today was a day to take care of necessary housekeeping chores. I am fortunate to be in a situation where I can leave without worry over the care of my house.

For many people the idea of being abroad for months at a time is not only unpleasant, but also unaffordable. If you own a house it is absolutely necessary to have someone taking care of it for insurance purposes. In a cold climate this is even more essential, as cold weather or loss of heat can lead to catastrophic damages.

If you are a pet owner this is also a limiting factor. Of course its possible to have a pet or house sitter, but these things almost always cost a significant amount of money.

There are services out there that have evolved to help connect people who want to travel with people who want to house sit. Workaway is one example, and if you are traveling and want to have a working holiday there are even more options, such as the WWOOFing network.

I always knew that my path could lead me to the life of a digital nomad, and I have planned and arranged my affairs to accommodate such an eventuality. But enough about that. How about a travel hack?

If you are budget travel inclined (not judging) you will know about the great deals that can be found on airlines. You will also likely know that these deals often mean long travel times, and lengthy layovers in multiple airports. For those of us who care more about the journey than the destination such things are acceptable. Even more so if you are not working to a frenetic schedule.

One of the things that you often run across when among the budget crowd is the necessity of sleeping in less than ideal situations – for example in airports. Or busses, trains, overnight ferries, or even on long flights.

My first tip is to be of moderate or less than average height. Being “vertically moderate” makes it easier to fold oneself up into those cramped spaces. Tall, long or lanky? Its ok, you can still take steps.

First up I would suggest getting fit. To accompany this I would suggest a specific set of exercises. Stretching. Allot of stretching. Not only does flexibility make it easier to get comfortable in unusual spaces, it also means less cramping and sore muscles after spending a night like a pretzel.

Next up is a good quality sleep mask. It makes such a difference, but only if you get one that provides complete blackout and is secure and comfortable. I went through at least 3 before finding the one I use now.

After that, some earplugs. I like the old school wax ones, but whatever does it for you. I have also heard great things about noise canceling earbuds, but cannot speak to this directly.

Lastly there are websites out there that can help you find options for sleeping while in transit. This time out I plan to try an airline lounge for one of my overnight layovers.

Stay Wild!