Best ways to get travel/nomad companions in different locations?

Question

Hi,
Do nomads like to travel together? I mean, not in each other’s pockets, but look for accomodation together, meet with each other daily or regularly, help out in new cities, motivate/inspire each other in the business?   I’ve done nomad lifestyle in the past in 2009/2014 and this time I want to collaborate and support with other people, each on their own mission.  I love this nomad endeavour but to be honest I admit it can be quite time-consuming and lonely.  
*Message on NomadList locations?
*Message on Couchsurfing groups? (without sounding like Tinder!)
*Message on other??
I’m currently in Portugal and heading back to Estonia for January/February (I’m from Australia).  Later in 2017 I am open to places, though I’m not keen on high pollution, high humidity, high cost cities.
Feedback, interest or ideas welcome!
Thanks,  Madeline

eduardo · Accepted Answer

I’ve been running a coliving space for the last year and a half and what I learnt is the importance of family feeling in the house. Coworking spaces, Couchsurfing meetups, etc. none of them makes you belong to a group of like-minded people as a coliving space does.
That’s my opinion and recommendation

playworking · Answer

@madelineb we get a lot of people coming through our coliving in Montenegro and there’s definitely been instances where people left here together, or met up later.

ani_goes_tweet · Answer

That would be hard for me to say as I make a point of living as close to local prices as I can. Currently I spent €250 per month (or €58 per week) on rent and all bills (water, electricity, etc.) Then I spend around €200 a month (~€47 a week) on groceries… But I would want to get my own groceries and take care of my own food as I’m a vegetarian and I like to eat when I feel like it (I’m very adverse to scheduling). I’m about to move somewhere where I’m going to spend more on my rent - €340 a month (about €80 a week), but it’s very, very nice and I will no longer need to rent a desk in a co-working office. That’s the upper range of my normal budget. If I’m going to splurge, I can go up to €700 a month (€163 a week), but when I do that I can’t do anything else (other than buy my groceries and even there I have to be careful), so it makes life pretty miserable.
I would have been a nomad anyway, but I should point out that one of the reasons I left home (the UK) was that I simply could not afford to live there. I’m a creative - as in a creative in the literature industry, not marketing (which is far more lucrative) - so my income is not great and life can be precarious at times!

ani_goes_tweet · Answer

I would be interested in doing this with compatible nomads. I’m 50, non-smoking, and want mountains to hike!

flyonthewall · Answer

Going to meetups has worked for us. Couchsurfing meetups and nomad meetups for the most part. These aren’t there in every city but on the plus side, locals in smaller places are friendlier so you can actually hang out with them 
Also, coworking spaces have worked well for meeting people. But to travel together… hmm… doesn’t happen often for me.

jacob_tr · Answer

I’ve just started my Nomad journey, started in 20 days ago. Have gone from Singapore, Finland, Iceland, London and tomorrow too Barcelona. - So far it has been good, I am starting to feel the lonely feeling as my week of being completely alone in London comes to an end. - I am also from Australia. - What the most isolating part I find is that your walking around a city full of people working and doing the 9-5, at some points here in London I felt home was more nomadic like.
I haven’t brought myself to going to Nomad co-working spaces, I am not good when there is a big room of People, it daunts me. I prefer 1 on 1 interactions. - I could do it though if I went with someone. There is a company called roam.co, very tempted to try them - I just feel this pressure to be bright and energetic / excitement and confident if I ever go to one of them, so I feel these nomad groups really only fit certain types of personalities.
I’m starting to get inspired to start something that is less pressure, something that’ll get those working in cafes alone, working together. Hmmmm

madelineb · Answer

@flyonthewall Thanks! I’ve found meetups and coworking spaces great for meeting people.  For travelling together, I guess I could just ask people there!

madelineb · Answer

@theunis that’s great you had a good time there! Thanks for the feedback. For now I’m staying put in the one location for awhile. That place had been put in my bookmarks for the future  .

theunisk · Answer

@madelineb @Jacob_Tr before you write off coworking/coliving spaces, I’d really recommend checking out @edu’s coliving project (sunandco).  I spent a couple weeks there last year and had a fantastic time. I’m totally a 1-on-1 person and still had a great time meeting (and hiking, cayaking, dining etc etc with) some interesting, open people (with varied personality types).
Edu & Jon take great care of the place & their guests and they are really well priced.

eduardo · Answer

@Ani thank you so much for such a lovely paragraph in detail.
I love to see honest people. The primary asset of a coliving space is neither the bedroom nor the coworking space with fast internet; it’s mainly the community of like-minded people and the work of the hosts taking care of the people and making guests connect to each other.
I think that’s the main reason why is more expensive a coliving space than renting your own apartment.

madelineb · Answer

@edu Your coworking space is cheaper than my current expenses! Tempting, if it doesn’t work out for me in Estonia…

ani_goes_tweet · Answer

I avoid co-living set-ups as I find them very expensive…

madelineb · Answer

@jonnaro I wasn’t sure if people are interested in travelling together, so good to hear!

startupblink · Answer

Ani:

1

I think it’s hard to plan to travel together as every nomad has their own preferences on how they spend the day, hours of work, length of stay and budget.
The only nomads I have seen traveling together are couples. Interesting topic though, I struggle with it as well.

eduardo · Answer

@Ani what would be a reasonable price, let’s see, 1 week in a coliving space?

eduardo · Answer

Hello @madelineb & @Jacob_Tr
I hope you’re doing great.
Things are going very well here, a lot of learnings, work and fun 
I just wanted to know what your future plans are.  Is Sun and Co. part of them? 
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Edu

madelineb · Answer

@jeffrey I didn’t think of that, thanks! I googled your coliving space in Montenegro and it looks great!  I’m looking for cheaper options at the moment as I’m living entirely off savings, and my diet is very restrictive, but it’s still a fallback option for say a fortnight.

jonnaro · Answer

No offense, but isn’t that the purpose of this site?

playworking · Answer

@madelineb Sure, let us know, we have flexibility in the program and can also exchange work which we’ve done. Not sure which way your diet goes but raw food is excellent in Montenegro and cheap. We live close to vegan, and serve a vegetarian menu
.

madelineb · Answer

@ani I’ll send you a message in the next day! On another note, I wonder if a Slack channel should be created, e.g. _travelcompanion or _nomadpartner

playworking · Answer

@ani I suppose everything is relative; we’re trying to make a very simple option for people by including delicious meals and activities and taking a lot of the work out of living well.

madelineb · Answer

@jeffrey I love good quality produce and am vegetarian. Great to see healthy options for digital nomads that give good food, community, fresh air, exercise, and nature.

madelineb · Answer

@elid1979 Definitely agree it’s hard to travel together. Sometimes having a “partner in crime” can be really beneficial (like a gym buddy!). I’m a bit of an idealist and think there are some things to agree on though… like where to live in the city, how often to meet up (unless renting together), what weekend trips to do together, etc. Just needs two (or more) people with common location and compatible personalities.

madelineb · Answer

Hi @Jacob_Tr! You’ve been to alot of places in the 20 days!  I assume it’s for work.  I can understand about what you’re saying about coliving or coworking spaces that it doesn’t suit everyone. I’m also more 1-on-1 person but need social interaction. In Australia the work environment is more “socialised”, aka camaraderie, which has its good and bad points, but different to Europe. I find that I need to mix my work locations between coworking spaces, home and cafes, in order to get the most productivity and feel comfortable. It’s more expensive however because I’m paying for a coworking desk that I don’t always use. Some locations offer part-time desks.
Your idea is like Tinder for workers with flexible work conditions at cafes? Sounds good.

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