Madeira almost killed me
Hey Freaking Nomads,
My first hike ever as a nomad was in Madeira.
I happily wore trainers. Brought half a bottle of water 'cause why bring heavy stuff ?? And I looked at the trail on Google Maps, thought looks short, so I set off completely confident.
It was not short.
By hour two, I was slipping on wet levada stones, shoes completely useless, wondering how I'd managed to survive this long as a human being lol
I made it back. But it was one of those experiences where you think, okay, something needs to change.
The thing is, I also didn't want to become a gear person. I travel with one bag. I wasn't going to start showing up to destinations with trekking poles strapped to my backpack.
So I just slowly figured it out. Trip by trip.
Bansko was next. Trails going up into the forest that almost nobody was on. Beautiful, actually. That's where I finally got proper trail shoes, my trusted Salomon X Ultra (they also have it for women). I genuinely don't know how I hiked before them.
Also learned in Bansko that merino wool socks are not a luxury. They're just correct. One pair, washed overnight, dry by morning.
Then, a couple of years ago, I went to Dali in Yunnan. Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Two days. Real elevation. The kind of trail where you look down and immediately stop looking down!
That's where the rest of the kit earned its place.
Packable trekking poles. I own this foldable pair, which basically collapses to nothing and lives in my bag. Most places rent them but honestly having my own means I never have to think about it.
A packable daypack. Not a fancy hiking pack that could cost you hundreds of dollars, just a lightweight one that folds into its own pocket. For day hikes it's all you need.
A reusable water bottle. After Madeira, this one felt personal. I use it at the coworking space anyway, so it doesn't even count as hiking gear.
Compeed blister plasters. Always. A small strip in the bottom of whatever bag I'm carrying. The difference between finishing a hike and calling it quits at kilometre three.
Everything else I rent or figure out when I get there!
The thing nobody told me in Madeira is that you don't need to pack for hiking to be someone who hikes. You just need a few small things that travel with you, and the willingness to look slightly underprepared until you're not.
Do you hike when you travel? And if so, what's the one thing you always bring? Hit reply.
Luca
🗞️ What's new in the nomad world?
🌍 Fresh from our Blog
💼 100% remote jobs handpicked for you
Who is hiring this week? Here are some top roles to check out:
🧑💻 The Nomad Resource of the Week
Most US nomads don't realise that even when you stop living in a state, some states will keep taxing you as a resident until you actively prove you've moved domicile elsewhere.
It's one of those things nobody tells you until it's too late.
SavvyNomad helps you establish Florida as your official domicile. No state income tax, straightforward process, and they handle pretty much all of it for you.
Here's what they do:
Florida residential address that works for banks, government agencies, and the IRS. Not a P.O. box or mail forwarding gimmick
Automatic state residency filing, so you don't have to figure out the paperwork yourself
Mail forwarding and scanning so your IRS notices, tax documents, and cards actually reach you wherever you are
Access to staff CPAs for quick questions without paying full consultation rates
Compliance monitoring so you stay on the right side of things as rules change
Tax filing discounts and resources for credits like the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
Check out SavvyNomad at savvynomad.io
(Disclaimer: Not tax advice and we are not tax professionals. Just a resource we came across while researching this ourselves.)
🙏 Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend who might like it and help us spread the word. This would help us a lot to spread the word about it!
💖 Join our Community Hub! Discover & review digital nomad places, find workspaces, track your countries and connect with like-minded people who are nomading just like you → Create your profile for free here.
📚 Want more digital nomad guides? Read our articles on all things nomad, including travel tips, budgeting & finance, legal and taxes, community, productivity and more.
If you haven't already, you can also follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Threads for more no-BS digital nomad content (and plenty of memes!)
We'll see you there, Freaking Nomads 👋
Find places, workspaces, events and a community that gets you.
Get Freaking Nomads Pro
Freaking Nomads is supported by you. Clicking through our links may earn us a small affiliate commission, and that's what allows us to keep producing free, helpful content. Learn more
