In 2022 I had the opportunity to travel in Europe for three months with our daughter, whose entry into Norway for grad school had been delayed by the pandemic.
While the company I worked for was remote-friendly (even before the pandemic), six days before we left on our trip I learned I would not be able to continue my full-time job while working from outside the U.S. My employer and I worked out an amicable arrangement, but I didn’t have much time to process the full implications of this change.
Four days before we left, I broke out in hives. My palms began itching and soon both my arms were covered in red welts.
Two days before we caught our first flight, we were still trying to decide what to put in storage and what to leave in the house we were selling furnished. (I later discovered that in my haste I left behind a number of things I had intended to keep.) We had downsized significantly several years before and reducing my possessions this time was even more difficult.
The night before we flew to London I was ensconced in a bathroom at 3 am trying to talk with someone via Skype about our mandatory COVID tests that had gone missing due to a shipping snafu. My arms were still covered in welts.
And then, finally, we were in London and our three-month adventure had begun.
It wasn’t without challenges, but soon our days were filled with sightseeing, while work hours shifted to the afternoons and evenings. It wasn’t long before the welts disappeared and I was marveling that I was living the life I'd dreamt of for years.
It was the trip of a lifetime – the first of many more, I hope – and though in hindsight I may have done some things differently, I have no regrets. (Update: the next year we spent seven weeks in Crete Greece and I followed that with two weeks in Tirana Albania.)
Since so many friends and colleagues have asked about our travels, I will share highlights of my travels here.
I love research, and this site is mainly dedicated to sharing the resources I've found helpful in my journey as a home free digital nomad. I hope you find it helpful!