If you think there are problems telecommuting from home — ­the distractions, setting up a home office, communicating with coworkers — consider the potential hang-ups when you’re telecommuting from Bolivia to Buffalo.  Most telecommuters work from home one or two days a week.  You’re gone for weeks, months or even forever.  Nomadic telecommuters do not have a cozy home office to work from.  Their office changes from hotel to hotel every day.  You can dispel any thoughts of amenities such as ergonomic chairs and office romance.  I sometimes stick a pillow behind my lower back when using straight-back chairs without a cushion.

Obviously, an office in most affordable hotels, recreational vehicles or campsites is not for people who require a strictly ergonomic work environment.  I’ve typed on my laptop computer several hours a day for years on plain old tables without any physical problems.  Ergonomic experts claim the arm should be at a 90 degree angle when typing at a keyboard.  You might be able to improvise by resting your arms on a rolled-up towel in front of your laptop while typing or sitting on pillows to elevate you closer to the keyboard.  Few less than world class hotels in developing countries cater to business customers with amenities like data lines and office chairs, and they are usually too expensive for a nomad.

Hotel room selection is an important decision.  You need at least a chair with a back and a table you can work at.  A telephone may or may not be essential, depending on how often you have to contact your clients.  Some cheap hotels have in-room Internet but no phone, and that is much preferable to a phone but no Internet.  Try to get a place with in-room Internet, either cable or wi-fi.  If I can’t get that, I often choose a hotel because of its proximity to an Internet café.  Another option is to use space in the hotel office for a few hours day (at an extra fee, of course).  If you’re going to stay in a place for longer, rent a place where you can get broadband.

Posted by Wade as Jobs, Places, Plan at 7:51 AM EST

30,610 Comments »

From croc-filled rain forests to desert cattle drives, from beaches with the world’s best surfing, to the urban delights of Sydney’s world-famous opera house, it’s hard to imagine a more diverse and romantic destination.

In my travels throughout Asia I have met many Australians.  In fact, most of my friends – or mates, as they say — are Aussies.  I enjoy their easy-going, fun-loving attitude more than the occasional arrogance you might encounter from a Brit, Canuck or Yank.  If you happen to visit Australia’s wild west, where Perth is the largest city, you may have trouble understanding them.  I hung around with a couple Aussie miners from near Perth while holidaying in the Philippines.  They were great drinking buddies, despite my not being able to understand half of what they said. 

As for the women, I can’t speak much from personal experience.  Sailors I have spoken with raved about Perth as a favorite port of call.  They particularly enjoyed being greeted by the hundreds of young Aussie women waiting for them at the dock.

Romantic opportunities abound.  The urban centers of Sydney and Melbourne offer all the sophisticated city delights, from opera to casinos, one could ask.  Red meat lovers will find the quality of beef and lamb every bit as good as the American versions.  While Aussies may scoff at popular American beers such as Budweiser and Miller as “beer flavored water,” their wines are world class award winners.

If the seaside is your idea of romance, Australia is a vast dream.  It boasts more beaches than any other nation, including the world famous Great Barrier Reef.  Sample the local vintage in the vineyards of the New South Wales wine country.  Nature lovers may find relaxing at a spa in a rainforest more their style.  Escape the mainland, if you must, with a visit to the World Heritage site, Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island, and enjoy the many lakes and rainforest.

A stay in this diverse island nation with your Aussie lover will be an event you will never forget.

Posted by Wade as Places, Romance at 7:48 AM EST

4,370 Comments »

Web sites are appearing that can save you the cost of a hotel room. They match people who are willing to offer a free bed, couch or floor to total strangers. Vagabonds seeking a free place to stay register at sites like CouchSurfing.com and GlobalFreeloaders.com. Believe it or not, there are thousands of people around the world willing to let you sack out on their floor. Lucky folks might even end up in a bed. For example, I went to CouchSurfing.com and found 18 people in my current town, Chiang Mai, Thailand, willing to put up with you. GlobalFreeloaders.com lists over 14,000 members in the United States. I’m thinking about offering my extra bedroom.

Posted by Wade as Lifestyle, Places at 3:52 AM EST

22 Comments »

Full-time RVing is catching on these days. Do-it-yourself technomads, though, may find commercial RVs a bit flimsy. Boondocking technomad’s can put together their own with a bit of resourcefulness and dedication. I seriously considered spending a year or two RVing fulltime with my 12 year old daughter throughout North America. I was going to build my own, though. I planned to pick up a cheap used travel trailer for around $5,000 and haul it with an old Ford Bronco or something. Instead, I opted for Southeast Asia where boondocking is a bit less practical than in the States. If you do decide to take up that RV nomadic dream lifestyle, and build you own rig, check out Scott Bidstrup’s page at http://www.bidstrup.com/fulltime.htm. Boondocking is RVing by parking for free in places other then fee-based RV parks like Walmart parking lots or national forests. Scott spent six years as a nomad. He offers practical tips on everything from buying and converting a used U-Haul box to a home to the joys and practicalities of bringing the kids along. I’m sure you’ll find it interesting reading.

Posted by Wade as Lifestyle, Places, Tools at 1:00 AM EST

292 Comments »

I’ve been staying in this charming, fascinating Thai city since April. Not only is it an ancient Thai city, it is as modern as it gets when it comes to infrastructire and technology. With the thousands of foreigners, both tourists and expats, there are over a hundred hotels and guesthouses available for as little as 150 baht (under US$5). Many even offer free in-room wifi for your laptop or PDA, not to mention the bars and restaurants that offer the service. I rent a condo with cable braodband service for 800 baht (US$23), but I am a heavy user. There are several cheaper alternatives available, not to mention internet cafes, some for less than US$1 per hour. A relatively frugal nomad can live here comfortably for less than $500 if you can stay away from the bars and nightclubs on most nights.

Posted by Wade as Places at 9:06 AM EST

47 Comments »