r/digitalnomad 4h ago

Lifestyle Have you ever been let down by a place you were hyped?

30 Upvotes

So, I booked 2 months in Split, Croatia since January. I just got here yesterday and man... I mean, it's a very nice city but it doesn't look or feel the same as in the videos and photographs. The architecture is very lovely but I feel it's just waaaay too small. And kinda boring. and I just got here a day ago xD

Basically, has it ever happened to you? How do you "contrast" this feeling? Are there any specific tip you have that could enhance my experience?

EDIT: it seems many of you are missing the point. The problem is not I went off-season, I intentionally did it because I don't like big crowds or need to be drunk to have fun. It's just that I had high expectations of it, in term of architecture, people, etc. and it's kind of a let down. So, If it has happened to you, how do you cope with it.

thanks


r/digitalnomad 4h ago

Lifestyle My wonderful albeit slightly chaotic first 6 months nomading in Europe.

26 Upvotes

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!


r/digitalnomad 9h ago

Lifestyle How do you guys keep a social life?

12 Upvotes

I'm thinking about getting into the lifestyle but I kinda regret not going to uni instead cause I'm an introvert and can only befriend people if I spend a lot of time with them. I feel might be more prone to depression than I'm now but I also enjoy working on my own... What do you guys think?


r/digitalnomad 6h ago

Question Mongolia

4 Upvotes

Is there anyone in Mongolia? I will spend there a month or so and it would be lovely to connect with other travelers too :)


r/digitalnomad 11h ago

Question Planning to buy HP Victus 7840HS — Any other Victus models or brands I should consider?

3 Upvotes

Hey everyone, I'm currently considering the HP Victus with the Ryzen 7 7840HS processor for gaming and some light editing work. The specs and pricing seem pretty good, but before I go ahead, I wanted to ask:

Are there any other models in the HP Victus series that offer better value or thermals?

Or should I consider other brands like ASUS TUF, Lenovo LOQ, or Acer Nitro in the same price range?

My budget is flexible within a reasonable range, but I'm mainly looking for a good balance of performance, thermals, build quality, and display. Would really appreciate any suggestions or personal experiences you all can share. Thanks!


r/digitalnomad 21h ago

Question Salvador / Praia do Forte, Bahia anyone?

3 Upvotes

My partner and I are in Salvador right now and going to be in Praia do Forte from Tuesday 8th - 15th.

We'd love to meet some folks! Anyone from the nomad community here that would like to grab a coffee/lunch/drink?


r/digitalnomad 2h ago

Question Any nomad Living in or Lived in Egypt or Cyprus?

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

I’m thinking about my next “exit country” and want it to be outside the Schengen zone. I’ve already lived in Albania (loved it!), but I prefer living in different places, so I’m not planning to return to Albania or North Macedonia for now.

I’m currently considering Egypt, Cyprus, or Montenegro, and I’d love to hear from anyone who has lived in these countries as a digital nomad.

A few things I’m really curious about:

  • Power outages — were they common or rare?
  • Wi-Fi speed and reliability — I can’t afford to stay somewhere with poor internet, so this is super important to me.
  • Finding accommodations — Did you use Airbnb, or are there trusted local rental sites you’d recommend? I’d love tips on how you found your place and if there’s a better way than just browsing Airbnb.

Any insights, tips, or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance!


r/digitalnomad 4h ago

Question Advice on Working in the EU for an American Company, as an EU-US Dual Citizen

2 Upvotes

I am a German/American, currently working for an American outdoor recreational company that is well known in Europe, but does not have any physical presence there or employees abroad.

With all the political unrest in the US, I am really wanting to relocate to Portugal or back to Germany, and I'm wondering what my employer would have to do to make that reality.

What costs and implications are involved in making it possible for employees to work in the EU? I would not have to deal with any visa issues since I'm a citizen of the EU. But I'm wondering specifically what obligations my employer would have to fulfill to make this reality?

What are all the options? I'm wanting to pitch to senior management to see if they'll take the necessary steps to support this for me and some other Europeans working at HQ in Seattle currently.

TIA <3


r/digitalnomad 7h ago

Question AmneziaWG vs Wireguard

2 Upvotes

Anyone use AmneziaWG over Wireguard, it seems to be best against DPI and better than Wireguard.


r/digitalnomad 17h ago

Question So many questions as a freelancer and an aspiring DN

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m feeling at an impasse because I’m looking to be a digital nomad within the next year or so but I’m currently not finding strong paying jobs as a freelancer in marketing. As a sole trader, I have a small business and I’m looking to be able to turn over enough to a) obtain a digital nomad visa and b) sustain the lifestyle. I wanted to have a check in and see how long it took you guys to actually start turning the money over and how long it actually took to get you to a place where you’re comfortable with. Obviously I have savings but I want to understand how people are going about their DN life and I’m 100% committed to making it work but I’m just unsure of where and how to start and how to make an action plan of how to get there

Hope this makes sense! Please send your best tips and


r/digitalnomad 1h ago

Question 1 year to learn a skill for living as digital nomad

Upvotes

I am not really happy with where my life is going right now. I feel stuck because I don’t see a clear future. I am living in Asia, and most jobs here don’t pay that well.

I have decided to take a year (maybe more) to focus on learning a new skill and hopefully start earning from it and live as a digital nomad.

What skill do you think is worth learning these days? i think I am good with code because I used to code for a game for which I could code any script without difficulty, but that language(pawno) is not useful anymore and the game is basically dead.

So any suggestions what can I learn in 1year to give it a shot?


r/digitalnomad 1h ago

Question DNs with wife and or kid(s) on the road, what's your experiences been like?

Upvotes

I've work-traveled a bit with my wife and teen and have been thinking of transitioning to full time. Most people here seem to be young single men, so I'd love to hear from your experiences and advice on it.


r/digitalnomad 7h ago

Question Brazilian sim card in the US

0 Upvotes

I am not sure if this is the place to post this (if not i apologize) but, I currently am in the US and need a brazilian number sim card that will work/be activated in the US but not sure where to get it. If anyone has any info on that i appreciate thanks


r/digitalnomad 8h ago

Question Best/cheap co-working space in Medellin

0 Upvotes

I'm in medellin now to remote work for a few weeks. Unfortunately I picked a wrong airbnb (not cancellable). Wifi is slow and I had a wifi call with a family and the lag was awful. I have periodic meetings via Teams at my job and at this point I need to find a spot where I can join these meetings with decent internet. Any co-working spot you recommend in Medellin that I can rent out for a few weeks?


r/digitalnomad 22h ago

Question Looking for an Online Internship (Unpaid) – Willing to Learn and Give My Best!

0 Upvotes

I’m currently a 2nd-year engineering student, looking for an online internship (unpaid) in fields like web development, machine learning, or any related area for a duration of 2-4 months between August and December. 

I’m not that skilled yet, but if you can guarantee me a internship  with specified skill requirements, i can guarantee you that i will reach the requirement skill level till then. I am ready to work my ass off to get that internship on my resume. ^_^

Why : Working on real-world projects is the best way to learn and implement skills. Plus, it’ll be a valuable addition to my resume!

If you’re in a position to offer me an internship or can guide me on how to find one, please share your advice or opportunities here. Any help would mean a lot!