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The Ultimate Digital Nomad Shoppable Guide 2019-2020

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10 Products Every Digital Nomad Needs

Life on the go doesn’t have to mean roughing it. Stay classic and stylish with these essentials and look like a professional whether you’re in a conference room in New York or a cafe in Bali.

Here’s what every digital nomad should never leave home without!

Kuzy

Laptop Case

For most digital nomads, your laptop is your life blood. That little device allows you to make a living, stay connected with family and friends and stay entertained on long haul flights. Keep you electronic BFF safe with a classic case that goes with everything and won’t easily show scratches and scrapes.

Herschel Supply Co.

Backpack

Not your high school backpack. This modern construction, sleek and minimalist backpack is perfect for as a carry-on and something you could bring to a business meeting. It’s big enough to fit a laptop, plus all the essentials.

Beats

Headphones

Headphones are a must for any traveler these days. These ones are perfect for drowning out airplane noise, editing, listening to music and taking conference calls in crowded places. Not a fan of over-ear headphones? Try the earbud version instead.

Rebecca Minkoff

Carry-On Roller Bag

Pack the absolute most into your roller bag with one like this. The hard shell makes it durable and the wheels can make it over most terrain. The inside pockets provide enough compartments to stash smaller items so they don’t get lost.

Samsill Corporation

Notebook

Even if your business is entirely digital, it’s still nice to keep a notebook on-hand. This one has a water resistant cover and dot grid sheets making it so you can even use it as a bullet journal (and spill a cocktail on it - but try not to do that).

UV400 Sunglasses

Lightweight, durable and guaranteed to spark the question “where did you get those?!”. These sunnies work for guys and gals. The best part: futuristic vibes with 100% UV protection - because eye damage in the name of fashion is so not cool.

TIJN

Blue Light Computer Glasses

The eye damage doesn’t stop when you go indoors. Blue light blocking glasses are essential for anyone (read: everyone) who spends their day staring at a screen to decrease eye strain. Blue light blocking glasses are also crucial for anyone susceptible to macular degeneration. Hour 10 of video editing, here we come…

CAMKIX

Universal Smartphone Camera Lens Kit

Odds are that if you’re living the digital nomad life, you’re probably documenting and sharing every step of the journey. If any extra bag of camera gear is not your thing a detachable lens for your phone might be. CamKix makes a universal lens kit so you don’t have to worry about upgrading when you upgrade your phone.

SightPro

Laptop Privacy Screen

It’s not the sexiest gift on the list, but it’s probably the most underrated and over appreciated. A privacy screen decreases glare so you can actually see your screen while on a beach or outdoor cafe AND prevents looky-looers from seeing that confidential client email. SightPro makes magnetic screens for pretty much all laptops (not just for Mac users).

Lacie

Portable 5TB Hard Drive

Even in a world of cloud storage, you’ll be hard pressed to find a digital nomad that will turn down an external drive. With a LaCie you really can’t go wrong, especially with 5TB for only $149. Five hours of drone footage? No problem.

Have requests for next year’s list? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram.

Some links may be affiliates.

Podcasts To Listen to in 2019 For Travelers, Frequent Fliers Jet Setters and Wanderers

Sometimes you just need to tune out, relax and let someone else do the talking. Whether you’re on a long haul flight, a road trip, lounging by the beach or just need a digital friend while you hike the Camino de Santiago we have a podcast (or six) for that. Check out the video and list with links below!

  1. The Bittersweet Life: Hosted by expats Katy Sewall and Tiffany Parks, TBSL takes a look at what happens when you leave life behind to adventure somewhere new. Subscribe here.


  2. Reply All: Broadly, a podcast about the internet, but really, a podcast about modern life. Gimlet Media hosts PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman take a deep dive into all the topics you didn’t know that you needed to know about. Subscribe here.


  3. The Skinny Confidential Him & Her: A podcast extensions of the wildly popular blog, Lauryn Evarts and her husband Michael Bosstick. Together they interview celebrities, influencer, thought leaders and experts on business, health, fitness, lifestyle and relationships. No two episodes are the same and no topic is off limits. Subscribe here.

  4. RadioLab: Host by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, RadioLab is an hour-ish long audio documentary on our every changing world. No topic is safe and every episode is thoroughly researched and expertly produced. Subscribe here.

  5. The Moth: On the Moth, storytellers retell true stories, as remembered, live. The podcast also includes additional stories from their archive recorded over the past 20 years. Subscribe here.

  6. Serial: On Serial, Sarah Koenig narrates an investigative journalism saga over multiple episodes. Each seasons covers a dedicated subject and about 10 episodes. Subscribe here.

If you’re looking for podcasts to listen to on business, technology and careers, check out these post.

Escape Vlog Series: Barbados

We packed our bags and jetted off the Barbados last month and documented our trip with a vlog series. There are beachfront villas, swimming with turtles, a proposal, drones, shipwrecks, and more clear blue water than one could ever need. Check it out below. 

Hotel: Fairmont Royal Pavillion

Dive Shop: High Tide Watersports

Top Ten Expat Podcasts - The Bittersweet Life

Anyone who knows me knows I love a good podcast. One of my favourites is an expat podcast aptly called The Bittersweet Life hosted by Katy Sewell and Tiffany Parks. Katy is a radio producer who has worked for the likes of NPR and RadioLab (another one of my favourite podcasts). Tiffany is an editor at Where Rome, an English magazine based in, you guessed it, Rome. The podcast happens in both Rome and Seattle and covers a variety of expat and travel topics like homesickness, visas, politics, food, art (specifically Caravaggio), work, and spouses to name a few.  They also interview other expats from all over the world and even a few authors. So let's get to it. In no particular order:

  1. Relinquish: Going abroad usually means gaining something - new experiences, friends, memories, but in this episode Tiffany and Katy talk about what they needed to give up (or let go of) to fulfill their respective dreams of living abroad.

  2. Repat Part 1 and Part 2: what happens when an expat goes home and is 'repatriated'. It's not as easy as it sounds.

  3. Rome: an insider's guide to Rome. Even if you don't have a trip planned it is still to listen.

  4. Reboot: moving to a new place is an opportunity to start over, with a new job, new hobbies, new look and ...and even a new personality?

  5. Dating: Tales of expat dating. Some make it sound more appealing...some not so much.

  6. Trast: One of my favourite escape episodes on a walking tour of Trastevere, the neighbourhood in Rome where Katy and Tiffany live. Katy is an expert at capturing the sounds of Rome and it really feels like you are walking the city with them.

  7. Goals Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3: bucket lists, to-dos, and dreams that will never happen.

  8. Botswana: An interview with Sara Sullivan where she talks about living in Pakistan and Botswana. Sara describes the expat experience that I am more accustomed to.

  9. Homesick: Not the happiest topic, but it is always good to hear the tips and tricks other people use to fight off dreaded homesickness.

  10. The Senses Episodes: Katy and Tiffany capture the sounds, smells, sights, tastes and feels of Rome.

These are suggestions and if one episode gets you hooked you should go back to Episode 1 "Outset" and start there. You can listen online at www.thebittersweetlife.net or subscribe on iTunes. 

*I am not affiliated with this podcast in any way and do not get anything if you subscribe, I just like the show. 

Enjoy! 

Travel Vlogs: Iceland's Blue Lagoon

We travelled to Iceland over winter break to exploring. On our first day, we stopped at the Blue Lagoon before heading into Reykjavik and trying some famous Icelandic hot dogs. We chose Iceland because of its otherworldly geography and natural beauty. We were pleasantly surprised to find the island nation is very innovative, using wind power and geothermal power almost everywhere (read: every shower we took was extremely hot). This is the first of five vlogs so hit subscribe if you want to be notified when another video goes up.