Social Question

Jeruba's avatar

Are you, have you been, or do you aspire to be something like a "grey nomad"?

Asked by Jeruba (56106points) July 28th, 2020

If so, on what continent? And what story does your lifestyle tell?

How will this lifestyle choice be affected by changes in workplace models due to the covid-19 pandemic?

Grey nomads: “Grey nomad is a term used to describe Australians over 55 years old who travel for an extended time — from weeks to months — and cover more than 300 kilometres in a day across semi-arid and coastal Australia.”

“Nomadism is a reward after a lifetime entangled in an economic and social system that keeps the individual tied to a stable workplace and place to live.”

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4 Answers

Zaku's avatar

Cover more than 300 kilometers per day? Every day, or just sometimes?

I dislike economic entanglement, enjoy working remotely, love travel, and would like to be free to do lots of traveling…but 300 kilometers per day sounds like a writer’s error. I’d love to be able to travel whenever and wherever I want, but I also like to be able to stay in nice places for as long as I like.

Covid-19 did make it more difficult to drift about, especially in the USA, but it didn’t make it prohibitive.

One nomadish person I know was in India when it started to pick up, and chose to leave there before it got too problematic.

JLeslie's avatar

The general idea, yes. I wouldn’t be traveling the desert crossing a lot of land daily, but I like the idea of traveling for weeks to months and living in new places. Maybe with a house swap, house sitting, AirBnB, or even a hotel sometimes. I’d like to do it in my 50’s, because I feel like I’m at great risk with my genes for things like sudden heart attack.

I can see my husband and I spending time in the English countryside, or a rural part of Italy. Spain interests me too. Rocky Mountains in the US or Canada. Possibly, parts of Latin America, not sure. I probably should consider Australia, it just seems so far. Asia feels far in general.

When you search home swap and house sitting all sorts of things come up. I haven’t looked during this covid time, but I’m not quite ready to do it now anyway.

I have a girlfriend in her late 50’s or early 60’s, I don’t remember exactly, who sold her house about 8 months ago with all the furniture. She is traveling the country. Right now she is renting a place for a few months in a new city. I think she literally can fit all of her belongings in her car. It reminds me of when I was in my 20’s. She’s a retired lawyer.

LuckyGuy's avatar

Romantic as it sounds, I couldn’t do it. I’m too comfortable here at home.
It is nice having everything I need right around me.
300 km per day. What would I be searching for? A Toto Washlet toilet? A family that I enjoy? Interesting foods? Good internet? It’s all right here.
I love to travel and have been most everywhere but I always come back. I guess I’m too lazy and satisfied to “nomad.”

Besides, who’d feed my fish while I was gone? 31 lives depend upon me.

janbb's avatar

I love to travel but three weeks is usually my top limit. Twenty one days and I’m ready for my own bed!

It’s a fine romantic idea like havin ghiked the Appalachian Trail but I don’t the reality would hold up.

I did once travel the world for 7 weeks but I was much younger.

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