“Here today, there tomorrow, I’m hardly there, I have to go” – songwriter Hannes Wader perfectly summed up the lifestyle of permanent nomads. Long-term trips with a motorhome are not only adventurous, a break from everyday life and a departure from routine, they are also a completely different way of life. And it has to be well prepared. Six questions and answers.
If you start organizing your future life as a mobile home nomad, the first thing you should do is make sure of what you will live on in the years to come. There are essentially three options: save enough money before you leave, live on your pension, rental income or investments, or work during the trip.
You can secure the jobs before you travel. Or you can make a “career” as a digital nomad. The technological advances of our world have many advantages and disadvantages. But they are undeniably a godsend for anyone looking for alternative ways to finance their travels. The soaring of the digital nomads is unmistakable proof of this.
Over the last few years I’ve met traveling freelance accountants and accountants as well as writers of all genres, graphic designers, therapists, teachers, HR consultants, marketing executives and of course IT folks. The only requirements are internet access and a laptop. Many countries – also in Asia and Africa – have a much faster network and better coverage than Germany.
There are all sorts of tricks how to make the first “immersion” in a new country as stress-free as possible. Knowing roughly what to expect can reduce the risk of culture shock. This is especially true for exotic travel destinations outside of Europe.
Our trick? We stay in the first village over the border for at least a week before moving on to explore the rest of the country. So we can learn a few polite phrases and manners and observe how the locals act and react to strangers.
It is also advisable to start slowly from your home country instead of shipping the vehicle straight to Asia or South America to begin the journey there. The gradual changes in landscape and culture give the senses time to get used to and cope with the flood of new impressions.
I’m often asked if I’m not afraid of wild animals when I’m camping abroad. It is true that on a journey away from civilization one occasionally has unpleasant encounters with scorpions and snakes.
A young lion once made himself comfortable on my hood in Botswana, and bears are common in Canada. Luckily, such unpleasant occurrences are rare. In addition, it is not that difficult to obtain country information in order to be able to assess the risks before entering the country.
The Federal Foreign Office offers extensive safety information for various travel countries. There are also various travel websites, blogs and forums where you can find helpful information: Common interests, the desire for detailed information about countries and road conditions and the need to connect with like-minded people have created a huge social network on the Internet (overlandsphere. com/overland-forum/; expeditionportal.com/forum/; matsch-und-piste.de)
Questions and fears that arise before leaving often have something to do with financial and health security. From amoebic dysentery to malaria, diseases from which the locals suffer elsewhere can also afflict travelers.
In addition, long-distance trips with a mobile home are quite risky: the road conditions in many countries are anything but good, traffic accidents are common. So my advice: Even if international health insurance is not always mandatory on a long-distance trip, it would be frivolous to leave without one.
Fortunately, many well-known companies offer international health insurance with a term of up to five years, often for less than one euro a day. If you want to be on the road longer, you can also conclude a contract with an “expatriate insurer” (e.g. Mawista-Allianz or Globality-Luxemburg). For example, I pay 73 euros per month for full health insurance without a time limit.
No matter where you travel, there are medical centers run by international organizations. These offer first-class care at a fraction of what treatment in Germany would cost. You can get a list of the centers from the German embassy in the country you are currently in.
Some documents are essential on any trip around the world, others only on certain routes, and a few are advisable (but optional). You always need a passport and vehicle documents for border crossings.
Equally essential is the driver’s license from your home country and either an international driver’s license or a certified translation of the original. Some countries require a Carnet de Passage and some require car insurance to be taken out at the border.
Long-term travelers have different wishes and needs. Expenditure on daily needs also varies greatly from country to country. For example, you can buy almost 50 liters of petrol for one euro in Venezuela, two liters in Malaysia and one liter in Uzbekistan, while in Norway you don’t even get half a liter for it.
If you’re short on cash, you have to cut back on your usual way of life in expensive countries, drive shorter distances or spend less time there. If a country is cheaper, you can afford a little more luxury.
My partner and I are currently traveling in Europe on 600 euros per month and per person – despite the high fuel prices. That sum is enough for fuel and meals, propane gas for the kitchen, an internet SIM card, health and car insurance, vehicle tax, and sometimes a little more. We almost always spend the night “wild”, and I repair my mobile home myself.
We cannot and do not want to afford luxury, but we also do not turn over every cent several times before we spend it. Most permanent nomads agree that 500 to 1000 euros per person per month is enough for a life in a mobile home. Interestingly, our budget stays the same on average almost everywhere, no matter where we travel.
Information about Christopher Many, his books and travels can be found at christopher-many.com, and the Facebook page for his books offers direct contact with the author: facebook.com/Hinter.dem.Horizont.links.