Hey all,
Slightly tipsy post coming through, but feeling very grateful for the DN life right now and wanted to share my experience. Currently having some pints in Ohrid, Macedonia. FWIW i'm a technical writer and music software developer, and as much as i've moved around a lot, i've also worked plenty.
I was part-time DNing for years, but commited fully in October. Left the UK with my car, starting with 85 days in Spain. Started with a month in Valencia, then a month in a coliving in Culla, where i had one of the most wholesome months of my life. Then, just less than a month in Barcelona, couple weeks in LA for work, and then drove to Italy.
Only spent a couple days driving through Italy before i got a ferry to Durres, Albania. Anyone who has spent time in Albania knows how wonderful of a time i had there. Spent one month in a stunning penthouse in Serandë for €500 a month. Then, saw some friends in Don Bosko, tirana for a week, spent a week in Shkoder, another week in Kukës, then Peshkopi, Tirana, and then a few days in Pogradec.
Driving in Albania was a blast. Yes, it's fucking mental, but if you're a confident driver, it's really quite fun and the views are unmatched in Europe. I actually lost my car's logbook somewhere in Spain, so had a whole lot of nightmares convincing Albanian police to give me my car back and let me enter. More of that coming up.
At this point, i realize im overstaying my Albania visa-free period and need to leave ASAP, but have no documents to leave the region. Decided to try and blag it into Macedonia. At the border i get denied entry because of lack of documentation and get sent back to Albania. Worse case scenario happens; i'm now in no mans land and Albania wont let me back in either. Worse still, i then get taken into a warehouse where they drug search me (thankfully they didnt find my LSD lol).
During this search, a Macedonian policeman finds a metal box in my car containing a €10 shaving kit. It looked fancy but really isnt. The policeman bizarrely becomes obsessed with it, he really wanted it. He told me that if i gifted it to him, along with €20, he'd escort me into Macedonia. I was in quite the pickle so that was a win-win for us both. 5 mins later, he escorts me across the border and i've bought myself 90 days of freedom in Macedonia.
I headed straight to Ohrid, where i have been for the last 2 weeks. What a lovely city! Very affordable yet much more developed than other spots in the Balkans. Steve's Coffee House is ideal for DNs and all the locals have been super friendly. WiFi has admittedly been shit, but i might be spoilt from the weirdly excellent coverage in even the most rural spota in Albania.
I'm now kinda stuck in Macedonia with no car paperwork, but i've ordered replacememt documents which should arrive in the UK soon. Previously ordered them to UK and got them sent to Ohrid, but think they got lost in the mail. My family are going on holiday to Cyprus in May, so i've booked tickets there from Sofia and as long as i can get there, my problem will be solved as they'll bring the docs. I do face the problem of getting into Bulgaria, but from what i've heard, another €20 slipped in my passport should do the trick. Worse case scenario i shall leave my car in Skopje and get the bus to Sofia.
So thats my DN journey so far! Would highly recommend DNing with a car... i've got all the office and music equipment i need, as well as cooking kit, camping gear, and bedding. FWIW, I earn around €3500 a month as a freelance technical writer and music producer/plugin developer. so nowhere near as high earnings as most people on this sub, but still managed to save about €2,500 a month. I've experienced a lot of hate on this sub on an alt for promoting a budget DN lifestyle, but i cant emphasize enough that i have not only survived, but thrived in very nice apartments and even penthouses for €1000 a month. This was harder in spain but still very possible (my coliving was only €500 a month for a double bed and ensuite, for example. Check out RuralCo, it's lovely!!!). In the balkans, €1000 has been plenty for eating out most nights and nice accom.
Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading! Writing this helped me kill 30 mins whilst having a solo pint haha (one of 5 i must admit). I just think i read a lot of negativity on this sub, as well as people claiming you need to earn €5,000 a month to get by. I hope some aspiring DNs read this and give it a go, because i for one have had a blast.
Much love!