Digital Nomad Life: Month 100

Wow, I can’t believe it has been 100 months since I left Sydney on what was meant to be a one-year trip… and just kept going. I may not be wholly a Digital Nomad anymore but I still love this transient lifestyle of travel that I have cultivated.

Month 100 was spent entirely on the road between four countries (five if you count Northern Cyprus) including two that are new to me: Sweden and Cyprus.

I began the month with three nights of housesitting in London before catching a train north to stay with a friend and her husband in the Peak District for five days of hiking and cozy pubs in the beautiful English countryside.

After a quick stay in Manchester, I flew to Copenhagen to stay with a friend there for four nights and to explore the city. From Copenhagen, I caught a bus to Sweden’s second city, Gothenburg, for three nights where I enjoyed the relaxed and non-touristy vibe. I also squeezed in a day trip to the magical island of Marstrand.

Next up I caught a train to Stockholm for five nights where I stayed on a boat and loved exploring the museums and the old town. My cousin met up with me on my last couple of nights and we sampled local beers at a few of the local beer halls and a Viking-themed bar.

I finished the month with nine days on sunny Cyprus, visiting the Turkish-occupied North for a couple of days before renting a car and exploring the coastline, ruins, and mountains in the south.

Now onto the stats!

Countries Visited: 

Places Visited:

• United Kingdom: London, Bradwell, Castleton, Chester, Thorpe, Hoar Cross, Ashbourne, Bakewell, Chesterfield, Grindleford, Manchester
• Denmark: Copenhagen, Freetown Christiania
• Sweden: Gothenburg, Marstrand, Stockholm
• Cyprus: Larnaca, Nicosia, Ayia Napa, Kalopanayiotis, Moutoullas, Pedoulas, Pano Platres, Laneia, Lofou, Omodos, Paphos, Latsi
• North Cyprus: Lefcosia, Girne

National and State Parks, Monuments, and UNESCO Sites: Paphos and Painted Churches of the Troodoos Mountains UNESCO sites and Akamas National Forest Park in Cyprus.

Islands Visited: Marstrand, Koon, Djurgården, Södermalm, Stadsholme, Riddarholmen in Sweden, Ayia Napa Island in Cyprus.

Days on the Road: 30 days.

Best Meals: Chicken, stuffing, and chips from Wyndhams in Borough Market in London; Halloumi fries with yogurt, pomegranate, and mint from Camden Market in London; Homity pie (cheese, potato, and leek) from The George Pub in Castleton; Cinnamon bun from Juno the Bakery in Copenhagen; Veggie burger with fried chanterelles and fries from Poppl in Copenhagen; Smoked salmon smørrebrød from Lillian’s Smørrebrød in Copenhagen; Raggmunk (Swedish potato pancakes with bacon and lingonberries) from Berzelius Bar in Gothenburg; Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberries from Kaffegillet in Stockholm; Mezze, grilled chicken, vegetables and fried potatoes from Niazi Restaurant in Girne; Tomato soup with halloumi and tomato pitas from Elyssia Hotel in Pedoulas, Halloumi pita from Gyros Salonikiotikos in Paphos.

Worst Meals: Chicken and stuffing baguette from Upper Crust in Manchester Airport.

Best Craft Beer: Chula Vista Lemon and Sea Salt Sour and Cocoa Wonderland Chocolate Porter from Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell; Cloudberry and Elderflower beer at The Viking Bar in Stockholm; Cuddle or Die Smoothie Sour from Fermenterarna in Gothenburg.

Hikes/Walks:

• Regents Canal from Camden to Little Venice in London, UK 2.5 miles
• Loop from Richmond to Twickenham via Thames Path and St Margarets in London, UK 2.8 miles
• Curbur Gap hike in the Peak District, UK 5 miles
• Dovedale to Ilam Rock hike in the Peak District, UK 6.5 miles
• Chester Roman Walls walk in Chester, UK 2 miles
• Marstrand Island loop trail in Marstrand, Sweden 2.8 miles

Watching: Shelter, Mammals, The Lost King, Anatomy of a Scandal, How To Get Away With Murder, Fall of the House of Usher

Reading: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

New Posts: I wrote a couple of new posts this month, a super detailed Annapurna Circuit Trek Guide with everything you need to know if you plan to hike the circuit independently or with a guide. I also wrote a detailed lightweight packing list for the Annapurna Circuit.

Highlights

Visiting Lots of London Markets

One of my favorite things about London is all the markets, it is definitely one of the best cities in the world for markets and I try to visit as many as I can when I’m in town.

On this visit, I went to my favorite food market, Borough Market, a new-to-me market – Maltby Street Market, and another one of my favorites – Camden Markets.

A Day Out in Richmond

Richmond in London is one of my favorite places in the world after living there for a year on a houseboat and I always make sure I have a full day to visit when I am in London.

On this visit, I walked around the cute town center, walked along the river to Twickenham, hired a bike, and biked along the other side of the river to Teddington Locks, Ham, and through Richmond Park, had lunch at my favorite pub, The White Swan, and had a beer at The Cricketers on Richmond Green.

Hikes and Pubs in the Peak District

I visited my friend Mel in the beautiful little village of Bradwell in the Peak District for five days and although the weather was quite rainy for most of my stay, I really enjoyed spending time with my friend, visiting different villages, doing some hiking, and eating at lots of cozy pubs.

Spa Evening in the Peak District

After a windswept walk, we spent an evening getting warm and relaxing at a lovely spa – Hoarcross Hall. We did the Twilight Spa evening with access to saunas, steam rooms, multiple pools and jacuzzis, and a light dinner. It felt very luxurious and was the perfect way to spend an evening with friends.

Spending a Day in Chester

When I was staying in the Peak District, we took a day to visit another friend in Chester, a pretty historic city known for its city walls and Medieval buildings. I enjoyed having lunch at Chester Market, walking the walls, and visiting the grand Chester Cathedral.

Exploring Copenhagen

I spent four days in Copenhagen visiting my friend Heidi and exploring more of Copenhagen after initially visiting for a weekend in 2010.

I managed to fit a lot in including visiting different food markets and neighborhoods, the iconic Little Mermaid statue, walking the walls of the Kastellet Fortress, and touring Rosenborg Castle, as well as eating at POPL – the elevated burger joint started by Noma Chefs.

Visiting Freetown Christiania

I had wanted to visit Freetown Christiania in Copenhagen since I first heard about it more than 15 years ago and I finally made it there this month. This self-governing community is a hippie haven of colorful homes and interesting characters. 

It isn’t so safe on the main street of Christiania these days with a criminal element involved with the drug trade so I moved through that area quickly and focused on the quieter part of the community. It is peaceful and beautiful and I enjoyed wandering around there.

Marstrand Day Trip

When I was staying in Gothenburg, I took a day trip to the island of Marstrand and it turned out to be a highlight of my Europe trip. It was a pain to get there off-season and my journey, while it only took around 75 minutes each way, involved a train, three buses, and a short ferry trip.

But it was so worth it. The island is peaceful, the light was incredible, and there weren’t many other tourists there at all. I hiked around the island and marveled at the gorgeous coastal scenery, wandered around the small town center, and had lobster soup for lunch.

It would be amazing to see it in summer when you can swim in the cool, clear water at various points around the island, but it was special to be there off-season when it felt like I had the island almost to myself.

Wandering the Medieval Streets of Gamla Stan

There were so many reasons why I loved Stockholm – the food, the world-class museums, my boat hostel, the fact it is built on multiple islands – but the thing I most enjoyed about my time in Stockholm was aimlessly wandering the narrow, mazelike streets of the old town – Gamla Stan.

I took so many photos during my wanders, popped into different beer halls, cafes, and shops, and at times, felt like I had stepped back in time.

A Trip Back in Time at Skansen

Another place that made me feel like I had stepped back in time was the Living History Museum, Skansen. It is the world’s oldest open-air museum, and it’s a beautiful place with a historic village with interactive displays including glassworking and breadmaking, historic farmsteads, a recreated Sami village, and enclosures with native animals. It was also a lovely time to visit with the fall colors popping, and not a lot of other tourists.

I don’t usually like visiting zoos or anything where animals are in captivity so I felt conflicted about supporting this but it was interesting to see the animals and they did have large enclosures with lots of natural elements.

Visiting Friends in Europe

A big part of why I wanted to do this Europe trip was to visit some of my friends there, and the first part of my trip I got to do that, catching up with friends in London, the Peak District, Chester, Manchester, and Copenhagen. My cousin visited me for two days in Stockholm too. 

I do enjoy traveling by myself but I can get lonely at times so catching up with friends along the way made this trip feel perfectly balanced.

Village Hopping in the Troodoos Mountains of Cyprus

My biggest highlight of Cyprus was exploring the small villages in the Troodoos Mountains. There are numerous traditional villages with historic churches and monasteries, hiking trails, and gorgeous mountain and forest views.

I stayed in the pretty village of Pedoulas and visited Kalopanayiotis and its UNESCO monastery, quiet Moutoullas, forested Pano Platres, charming Laneia with its white-washed buildings and colorful flowers everywhere, Lofou with its mazelike cobbled streets, and pretty but touristy Omodos.

Cats of Cyprus

Cyprus is very similar to Turkey and Greece in that there are stray but well-cared-for cats everywhere. Some cats are scared and won’t go anywhere near humans, but then there are all the sweet love cats that will come when you call them, roll around in your lap, and chat with you with chirps and meows.

Cyprus is definitely a country to add to your travel wishlist if you are a cat lover like me. 

The Incredibly Clear Water of Cyprus

Cyprus may not have beaches with incredible white sand, but it does have some of the most beautifully pristine turquoise water that I have ever seen. My swimming highlights were Nissi Beach in Ayia Napa, the Blue Lagoon on the Akamas Peninsula, and Coral Bay Beach north of Paphos.

Lowlights

Sick in the Peak District

As much as I enjoyed my time in the Peak District, I did come down with a cold during my last couple of days there and didn’t feel great. Luckily it didn’t stick around for long.

Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport is one of the worst airports I have been to – it is laid out weirdly, has rude staff, and unnecessary lines. My flight was delayed too. I will definitely avoid it in the future. 

Weird Hostel in Girne

The hostel I booked for two nights in Girne was weird. It was mostly full of people living there long term and I found it quite unfriendly. I was in a mixed dorm that was a large open room and my roommates were a bunch of older men.

I ended up staying one night and then booking a hotel for my second night in town, I had to get out of there. There was a general feeling of being unwelcome during my time in Northern Cyprus, perhaps because of the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Israel/Palestine Conflict

I am not going to say much about this because I am not an expert, but it is very distressing to be witnessing a genocide that the U.S. is supporting. It is disgusting what Hamas did but it doesn’t justify the killing of innocent Palestinians – half of which are children. 

I don’t see how this conflict can be resolved with both sides refusing to admit any guilt in what is happening. It’s terrifying.

Depressing U.S. Prices

We had originally planned to visit Florida and the South this winter but after looking into RV life in Florida more, I was absolutely shocked by the prices. It is not a free camping/boondocking-friendly state and I am just not prepared to book months in advance for RV parks and to spend $100+ for a spot for one night.

We decided to pivot and we are going to be spending the winter in the southwest instead where there are lots of free wilderness sites and we are closer to family. I am feeling a lot better about our winter travel plans now.

Spending

I don’t include international flights in my recaps.

Total: USD$3030

Looking at how much I spent on food and drinks and accommodation this month, I thought this total was going to be more than this.

This is around what I spent for a month in Japan in April and I definitely splurged more on this trip, although I did have 12 nights where I didn’t pay for accommodation so this total could have definitely been much higher.

Accommodation $790

My 18 nights of paid accommodation for the month consisted of one night in a hostel dorm in Manchester, three nights in a hostel dorm in Gothenburg, five nights in a private room at a boat hotel in Stockholm, one night in a guesthouse in Larnaca, one night in a hostel dorm in Girne (I paid for two), one night in a hotel in Girne, one night in a hotel private room in Larnaca, two nights in a hotel in Pedoulas, and three nights in a hotel in Paphos.

My 12 nights of unpaid accommodation for the month consisted of three nights housesitting in London, five nights staying with a friend in the Peak District, and four nights staying with a friend in Copenhagen.

Food and Drink $1235

Probably the most I have spent in a month on food and drinks before. I did treat myself to a few spendy meals and food and drinks in general aren’t cheap and I wasn’t making a big effort to save money.

Clothing $48

• Thermal tights $4.50
• Woolen mittens $12
• 2 x hiking leggings $31.50

Transport $515

• London Tube $26.50
• Train from London St Pancras to Sheffield $24
• Train from Sheffield to Hope $4
• Train from Grindleford to Manchester $17.50
• Trains in Manchester $12
• Metro in Copenhagen $17.50
• Bus from Copenhagen to Gothenburg $21.50
• Trams and buses in Gothenburg $25.50
• Train from Gothenburg to Stockholm $26.50
• Ferries and trains in Stockholm $43
• Buses in Cyprus $29
• Car hire for nine days in Cyprus $216
• Gas in Cyprus $50
• Parking $2

Activities $229

• 1.5 hour bike rental in Richmond $8.50
• Twilight Spa Evening at Hoar Cross Hall $75
• Tour of Chetham’s Library in Manchester $15
• Rosenborg Castle entry in Copenhagen $18
• Free Walking Tour Stockholm tip $6.50
• Entry to the Royal Palace in Stockholm $15.50
• Entry to Vasa Museum in Stockholm $15.50
• Entry to Skansen Museum in Stockholm $17
• Entry to Fotografiska Museum in Stockholm $19.50
• Entry to Girne (Kyrenia) Castle in Girne $2
• Entry to Kykkos Monastery $5.50
• Entry to Archaeological Site of the Tomb of the Kings in Paphos $2.50
• Entry to Paphos Castle $2.50
• Entry to Archaeological Site of Nea Paphos $5
• Boat trip to Blue Lagoon in Cyprus $21

Other $158.50

• U.S. Phone plan $35
• Spotify $10.50
• Toiletries $23
• Laundry $19
• Travel umbrella $5.50
• Earrings $24.50
• Socks $6.50
• Europe adaptor plug $13.50
• 2024 Day Planner $6
• Small lock $7.50
• Souvenirs $7.50

Website Costs $12

• Monthly payment for Keysearch $12

Van/RV Costs $42.50

• RV and van insurance for the month $42.50

What’s in Store for Next Month

I still have three nights left in Cyprus, staying in Limassol and Ayia Napa, before flying back to London for four more nights to cap off six weeks in Europe. 

Then it is back to the U.S. to be reunited with my husband and kitty in Denver. I’ll be laying low, packing, spending time with family, and resting for a few days, then we’ll be driving up to Breckenridge for a couple of nights for the Outlaw Party where we have rented a big, fancy house with a jacuzzi to hang out with family for our annual party.

After the Outlaw Party, I’ll be flying to LA for two nights in my favorite place in the LA area, the South Bay. Then I am flying to New Zealand.

I’ll be spending the rest of the month in New Zealand, celebrating my birthday, and catching up with friends and family, and I finally have my appointment with the Dermatology clinic at the hospital for my skin cancer.

To read additional Monthly Recaps, you can find them here