Where's home? Where do you return to?

Question

Hi there!
I’m sorry if this question has been asked before, whether in disguise or directly, but I couldn’t find its own dedicated topic and I find it very interesting to talk about.
One of my issues with the remote working world is the lack of knowledge of where to return to. After a one/two/ten month stint living and working somewhere else (say Airbnb’ing or a short let, meaning a place that is NOT yours by any means), where do you return to?

Do most nomads own a place that you rent while you travel?
If not, is this something that you consider doing?
Do you return to your home country before deciding where to go next? Or do you jump directly somewhere new?
And when you return, do you find the need to be in a personal, private space? (ie, not sharing with strangers 24/7 365 days a year)

Speaking for myself, I’ve gotten rid of my apartment in Portugal 2 years ago and moved to London simply for the pursuit of new and interesting opportunities. I’m now, at last, working remotely and I plan on working and living for a few weeks/months in random European cities, but not knowing where to return after to after this… is killing me! (I still own too many possessions to carry in a backpack. Not too many, but moving is a hassle).

Those of you who travel without a set of keys on you, how do you deal with this thought? I’m really curious to get to know your views on this.

Thanks in advance. This forum has helped me a lot convincing me that this is a leap I need to make sooner or later  cheers!

jb510 · Accepted Answer

Personally, I rent a home in Maui, Hawaii year round.  That is home for us.  When we’re away (about 6 months / year) we try to rent it to friends, otherwise we leave it empty.
It is our home and not setup to be AirBNB’d and we don’t really want to do that (at least not yet).
I love going new places, but it so much easier to go somewhere I know well and where I know exactly what it’ll take to sit down and get to work in a productive manner.
Top of that list is Chiang Mai.  Over the last 8 years I’ve easily spent 12 months JUST in Chiang Mai.  I usually stay in the old city at a guest house I’ve been staying since my first trip.  I know the staff, I know the laundry people, it’s super cheap and comfortable for me.  I’ve occasionally stayed in Nimman, but I never like it.  I was really trying to find somewhere over there closer to Punspace, but now with the Thae Pae gate location I’ll stop exploring and remain happy in the old city.
Ubud…  about 6 months.  Not quite a “Second home” yet, but it’s getting there.  I know a lot of people (locals and DNs), that makes it comfy to land in.   I need to explore North Kuta/Canguu.  As much as a love Ubud it’s too far from the beach and a few to many yoga tourists…  Not bad, just not quite perfect for me.
Koh Phangan - Again, 6 months cumulatively  and because I’ve figured out how to live and work from a beach without road access (well there is a dirt road and truck/taxi now, but still).
All of that is really to say…  I return to places I find comfortable.
Once I convince my soon to be wife we’ll either let go of the home in Maui or at least put it into AirBNB land when we’re away…  putting our priceless things in storage.
One last sidenote for those looking to put things a back home in storage.  A good full-time DN friend of mine keeps a small office, which comes with a parking space.  For him having a place to park his car, a mailbox to receive mail is priceless.  He has an assistant check in on things about once a week.  Having someone check in on a small office is way easier than checking on a whole house

levelsio · Answer

Many nomads have home ‘bases’ in different places. A lot of nomads primary base is actually their parents (haha yes yes this generation never leaves their parents, I know).
Many people have their favorite spots that they keep returning to, that start to feel like home.
Others who have saved some money have bought real estate in a place or multiple places, and AirBnB the houses out when they are away. That’s smart financially and gives you free living in a few places.
I’d love to have 4 home bases, e.g. in Amsterdam, Sao Paulo, Bali and Boulder

magalhini · Answer

Thanks for your insight, Jon! It must feel pretty good to have such a solid comfort with the place and the locals already, over there in Chiang Mai, every time you’re around. Curious to hear that you’re thinking about letting go of your house in Maui — but it seems that you’ve got no shortages of places that you can call home anytime 
Cheers for the inspiration!

krompson · Answer

We have to return to the states at least twice a year for my husband’s job and we spend Thanksgiving and Christmas in the states with family. We don’t own our own home base, so family helps us.
We use my in-laws’ house for a mailing address and a tiny bit of long term storage (silverware, photo albums) in Tennessee. We use my parents’ house in New Jersey for a little bit of short-term storage (seasonal items such as ski equipment).
We use the trunk of our car to store things we like to have when we’re not traveling by plane like board games  because we fly with only carry-ons. We leave our car with my parents in New Jersey or with my husband’s relatives in Washington D.C. (depending on which airport is easiest to fly in and out of.)
So we tend to pass through the east in between stints abroad to rotate out supplies and visit family.

wanderingdev · Answer

I’m permanently homeless.  I have a few things stored in a closet at my mom’s house, but it’s not home and I don’t return there. I just keep going.  I’ve no desire to have a home base in a permanent location though I do miss having a consistent personal space. so i intend to get one that I can move with me.

jasoncookdesign · Answer

I own property in Los Angeles but I rent it out so I couldn’t go back there even if I wanted to, unless I wait until the end of my tenant’s lease and don’t let them renew it.
I’m considering buying a place in Bulgaria (a studio apartment costs less than I paid for my last car in the States) so I could use that as “home,” but I know that if I leave it unoccupied for too long, I’ll want to rent it out because I feel it’d be wasteful not to.
So to answer your question…um, yeah, like nowhere I suppose. “Home” is wherever I am.

tkrunning · Answer

Personally I don’t feel the need for having a home. All of my possessions fit in my backpack. Except for some gear I use for Burning Man, which is stored at some friends’ house in the Bay Area.
I do return to certain places, and more and more places feel like home now. E.g. Lisbon, Copenhagen, Berlin, San Francisco, etc.
I tend to visit friends and family in Norway once or twice per year, usually when I’m traveling between Europe and the US or Asia, as it’s often the cheapest routing anyway. Especially after Norwegian started their long-haul operation. But Norway is no longer home, I don’t store stuff there, and I never plan on moving back there. But as long as I still have one living grand parent I’ll probably return quite frequently.
For snail mail, I use virtual mailboxes.
I have considered renting a place long term, and sublet it via Airbnb most of the year. But in the end I decided it’s more hassle than it’s worth. I for one prefer to move around without a set of keys.

nomadicme · Answer

My home has been SoCal (which is where my storage facility is).  But it is definitely not home as I don’t really like the place all that much (although the weather is exceptional!).  I wrestle with having a true home base from time to time but the places I love are super pricey and I am truly nomadic (never staying in one spot all that long).  It would be nice to have a few places sprinkled about but across Europe/Asia/America - but it surely would prove costly and I’m not all that sure I’d use them all that much.  It would provide peace of mind though and emotional comfort.  Weird that, as humans are a nomadic people we have become so accustomed and tied to a place and stuff.

loniklara · Answer

This is a big struggle for me as I don’t have a home base and keep all my possessions with my parents (there’s not that much though). One reason I like to travel and check out places is to see if I could potentially own or rent a home there at some point in the future when I can afford it.
If there’s no particular place that you’re attached to, the traveling helps you to find out what kind of things you prioritize and where you might prefer to live more permanently.

waylandchin · Answer

I use my mom’s home as a permanent address, but I don’t go back there. I guess I can say I’m permanently homeless as well. The need for adventure supersedes my need to feel secure in a permanent home.

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