Charter To Freedom – Our Slowmad Story

From digital nomad to slowmad…

Working from home became the norm during the pandemic and it evolved into an acceptable service lifestyle of millions of workers who didn’t return to the office when social distancing was over. Not all jobs needed a physical work address, as long as the work gets done.

Sadly though, many businesses also closed, workers laid off and many highly skilled individuals had to make innovative career changes or operate as freelancers. This led to a workforce with backpacks, laptops and plane tickets, entering the global arena of the digital nomad.

Some people like being a perpetual digital nomad but for some, constantly moving and adapting to a new environment has become tedious, disruptive to their work routine and very expensive.

And thus, the word slowmad, the economic version of “slow nomad” became the offspring of digital nomad where remote workers prefer to stay in a country for their total visa time. The good news is that many countries are now implementing extended digital nomad visas to encourage the slowmad lifestyle.

Gerrie at Belo Horizonte Airport in Brazil with our backpacks and laptop bags.

Our journey into the slowmad lifestyle - packing up in 2016

The idea to get rid of stuff didn’t come overnight but the moment we made the decision at 56 years of age in 2016, the stuff went fast. Our kids could take everything they liked in our house and the rest was sold.

We got the visas and bought tickets to New Zealand first.

However, two days before we left, the opportunity to sail and charter a 44ft catamaran in the Eastern Caribbean came our way. The decision was a no-brainer and it turned out to be the best introduction to our slowmad lifestyle of travelling and working along the way.

Six years on, and our travels took us to great cities and countries we only dreamt of visiting before. So far, the list of countries includes New Zealand, islands in the Eastern Caribbean (15 months), Calala Island off Nicaragua in the Nicaribbean (16 months), South Africa during the pandemic, traveling extensively with a car and caravan that we bought and sold again (28 months), Bali in Indonesia (2 months), New Zealand again for 3 months and at the time of writing this, we were preparing for another stint in the United States Virgin Islands.

At Tyrell Bay, Carriacou in the Grenadines and between charters: Gerrie’s enjoying a beer while building a website.

What we miss the most

• our families

• our sweet elderly parents

• three incredible human beings we have the joy of calling our children, their lovely spouses that we love just as much and two fabulous little grandsons

• just to be with our loved ones in general and missing out on special occasions.

Oupa Gerrie showing Thomas and Dandre photos of Calala in the NiCaribbean.

What we love

• we have time to do what we love most…travelling

• the wonderful freedom to explore and to come and go where and whenever

• spending time in nature

• taking pictures of simply anything, and even go back for more if we felt they weren’t good enough. It’s all about the memories

• pushing at our own boundaries a bit, it helps to keep the “old” man and woman out

• there’s no need to hurry. When flying between countries, we look at booking similarly priced or cheaper alternative flights with long layovers, that enable us to spend a few days in a city on route to our destination. And so, we happened to find ourselves during February 2020 in a NY winter with Caribbean clothing. We wore almost everything we had, bought cheap gloves, scarves and beanies, and just enjoyed every freezing moment.

Freezing my tush off during a jam-packed 4-day visit to NY, February 2020.

We learnt that…

• on a personal note, regardless of how bad the situation was at home in South Africa, we loved our roots, the people and what we had in SA

• after ages of being married, we still enjoy each other’s company, discover new things of and laugh at each other - and ourselves - and to look out for the other

• we need very little to make it in this world…to travel, eat, sleep and experience wonderful things on a budget

• we like being adventurous with local cuisine and how to stay healthy. Eating at local eateries that most tourists don’t know of, also helps the owners and their families

• speaking a few words in the local language, made us friends and people smile,

• smiles and gestures were really powerful even if nothing was said

• people appreciated one taking the time to say “no thank you”

• having the time to talk to locals, we could understand and appreciate new cultures and customs different to ours

• when meeting fellow travelers, they were keen to share their experiences that made planning ours easier in many ways

• with making friends everywhere, we were honored to be invited to special occasions like weddings and other ceremonies and be gifted with local treats

Guru, our host in Nusa Lembongan often spoiled us with local treats like these homemade sweets.

• being at a new exotic address is a delight and that there are endless stunning destinations more to explore

• we needed to travel light and now only use wheelie suitcases. We’ve had our share of airlines changing flight times or departure gates to make us sprint with bobbing backpacks

• while travelling with South African passports, we needed to be prepared to apply for lots of (expensive) visas

• we could adapt to new routines and acquired new skills like cutting each other’s hair!

• regardless of meticulous planning, we had to make quick decisions sometimes and live with the consequences

• at our age (60+) this lifestyle is definitely possible, and most things do somehow work out

• life and loved ones, and time and health are precious

• nothing should be taken for granted.

What we packed and what we got rid of

• I am the packer and the fear of missing something I didn’t pack or thinking to save on buying elsewhere pricier, made me guilty of overpacking in the beginning. Our very first trip to the Caribbean was an eye opener when my electric toothbrush and Gerrie’s shaver died very quickly in the humidity. Thankfully the tough survivors turned out to be the haircut kit, epilator, kettle and portable speaker. For us, these items add value to our slowmad lifestyle.

• We find an extension cord with multiple adaptors essential.

• No heavy shoes. We buy with purpose and weight in mind.

• No big fluffy towels, smaller and microfiber ones and sarongs work just fine.

• Only clothing that can be rolled up and still looks neat when worn, are packed.

• We fly with smart dark pants, a light but warm down jacket and slip-on shoes that can easily be removed and put back on at airport custom checks.

• I replaced my handbag for small backpack, hubby also carries one.

• Our foam travel-pillows keep their form beautifully but can be compressed and rolled up to half their size and into their own attached sleeves with toggled drawstrings. We hang them over the handlebars of our wheeled carry-on cases, allowing our hands to be free.

• Plastic clothes hangers and a few hangers with clips since we’re staying for a while and like to hang up our clothes or use them on laundry days.

• Other items we pack and have found handy many times are a small sewing kit, nail kit, domestic rubber gloves, good scissors, small set of pliers, small folding hairdryer and handheld mirror, a few sharp knives, vege peeler, can opener, 2 forks and spoons and a tea towel. If we make use of shared kitchen facilities, we buy cheap plates and a cutting board.

What we prefer when booking accommodation

• As slowmads we like to book for a month at least, and almost always get great discounts

• Decent Wi-Fi or cell phone coverage, our digital lifeline

• Our own bathroom

• We don’t mind sharing a kitchen as exciting conversations, foreign accents and a beer or glass of wine, are all wonderful ingredients of the simplest of meals

• Breakfast is not a prerequisite but a bonus if included. We have a kettle and enjoy an early brew to go bacon-and-egg hunting a little later.

Great company and a stunning view to compliment any breakfast.

What we don’t miss

• owning stuff like a house, a car, or big wardrobe and expensive jewelry etc.

• an office, as the job gets done anywhere.

As the spoken language is so dynamic, chances are we haven't seen the last of anything ending with “mad” yet and being 60+ boomers, I can imagine being called an unretired oldmad at some point but the shoe fits comfortably!