Can we talk about coffee?

Hey Freaking Nomads,

As the title says... Can we talk about coffee?

Not just the drink, but the whole thing around it. The ritual. The obsession. The way every digital nomad I know seems to be one caffeine shot away from either Nirvana or existential despair.

I say this with love, and as someone who’s way too deep in it (I'm afraid to admit it!) I’ve chosen Airbnbs based on proximity to cafes with decent Wi-Fi 🙈

But for us nomads, coffee isn’t just coffee. It’s structure. It’s routine. It’s the closest thing we have to a consistent morning.

When you live out of backpacks and change places often, you start clinging to the little rituals that help you feel grounded. Coffee is one of them. That first sip is the only predictable part of your day before the chaos of time zones, dodgy internet, and whatever fresh hell your inbox has planned.

Even if you don’t drink coffee, you probably still spend a weird amount of time in cafes. Because that’s where remote work happens sometimes. Where friendships randomly start. Where you sit next to someone else working and end up talking about visa runs, burnout, or which South East Asian island has the best coworking.

Cafés are the closest thing we have to third places: not home, not work, but where community happens by accident. They’re our default social layer. Our accidental community hubs.

Personally, I realised how deep this all ran when I started getting stressed in places without decent cafes. Like… irrationally stressed. So now I carry a tiny espresso gadget in my backpack. Yes, I became that person. But this thingy has saved me from instant coffee, overpriced airport orders, and my own caffeine meltdowns more times than I care to admit.

So if you’ve ever walked 20 minutes just to find a coffee that doesn’t taste like disappointment, or silently judged a city by its coffee... You’re not alone.

Coffee is culture. Coffee is coping. Coffee is community.

Until next week,

Irene

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🧑‍💻 The Nomad Resource of the Week

In case you were wondering about that tiny espresso gadget I mentioned earlier... It’s called the WACACO Nanopresso. It’s one of those weird little things I didn’t expect to rely on so much, but do.

It’s a small, hand-powered espresso maker that doesn’t need electricity or batteries. Just hot water and ground coffee (it works with pods too, but I mostly stick to grounds.) It’s not fancy, but it gets the job done really well.

☕ 18-bar pressure: Makes a proper espresso with crema

🎒 Super compact: Fits easily in a daypack

🛠️ No electricity: I’ve used it in airports, hostels, even on buses

🧽 Easy to clean: Comes apart fast easily

It’s obviously not for everyone, if you’re not into making your own coffee. But if you’re someone who needs that consistent caffeine ritual wherever you are (hi, same) and want to save a few bucks along the way, it’s totally worth it in my opinion.

Check out more travel-friendly tools in our full gear guide or browse all our recommended resources.

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We'll see you there, Freaking Nomads 👋

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