Our traveling and digital nomad lifestyle lets us live and work from virtually anywhere in the world. This freedom has led us to rent beautiful accommodations all around the globe, including villas in Canggu, Bali, and Koh Samui, Thailand, and apartments in Argentina and Mexico. We love our online work and the flexibility it brings, but it’s still a job, and we need to occasionally return to Canada for practical matters like updating passports, handling bank issues, and purchasing new gear. On our recent trip to Canada, we handled these digital nomad errands.
Since we don’t have a 9-5 job, we rarely take actual holidays. Though we sometimes slow down and only write a few articles over days or weeks, we’re still managing emails, marketing, website maintenance, and social media. Realizing we needed a “digital detox,” we spent a month in Canada visiting friends and family without touching our computers—a whole 30 days away from the laptops!
It was refreshing for both our minds and bodies. We immersed ourselves in nature and family time, truly living in the moment. We also realized we don’t enjoy flying much anymore due to discomfort and logistical worries. However, our flight from Grenada to Canada was straightforward, and after a good night’s sleep, we picked up a rental car in Vancouver and started our road trip through the province.
Driving our own car was fantastic as it allowed us to explore on our own schedule. Nick hadn’t been back in over two years, and neither of us had visited our hometown of Vernon in over five years. We drove through familiar back roads, revisited favorite spots, and noticed how little had changed, except for us.
We visited family and friends in Vernon, Penticton, and Kamloops, enjoying BBQs, beers, and games. We hiked, relaxed on the beach, explored artsy streets, and dined lakeside. It was wonderful to reconnect with loved ones.
From the Okanagan and Thompson Valleys, we traveled to Vancouver Island, starting in Victoria. We enjoyed catching up with friends, celebrating a wedding, and discovering new activities in the city, which was surprising given how much time we’ve spent there before. We loved exploring Fisherman’s Wharf, dining on fresh seafood, and taking a cute little taxi boat back to our Airbnb.
In addition to exploring Victoria, we hiked around Elk/Beaver Lake, biked with Trek Bicycles, visited Church and State Winery, and enjoyed the nightlife. After 10 days, we moved on to Campbell River, Nanaimo, Parksville, and Courtenay, marveling at the island’s natural beauty and visiting more family and friends.
We wrapped up our travels with a couple of days in Victoria before heading back to Vancouver, dropping off the rental car, and taking a red-eye flight back to Grenada. The trip was a reminder of how our website’s growth has given us the luxury to take time off. We’ve gone from earning a few hundred dollars a month to having over 220,000 monthly visitors, thanks to our followers. Affiliate marketing now provides a significant income, allowing us to earn while offline.
Our fantastic assistants and writers kept things running smoothly while we were away. This break was much needed, and while we enjoyed our time in Canada, it reaffirmed that Canada no longer feels like home to us. Our lifestyle has shifted, and we no longer prioritize material possessions or worry about appearances.
We appreciated the chance to dress up for a wedding thanks to some outfits we bought in Chicago, but we were happy to return to our relaxed style in Grenada. Canada is beautiful and we’ll definitely visit again, but Grenada currently feels like home.
Back in Grenada, Nick is working on his next Blogging Course focused on SEO and growing website traffic. His first course was a hit, attracting over 1,000 students. We also have travel plans on the horizon, with invitations to Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Turkey.
This November, we’re planning a trip to a nearby Caribbean island, and early next year, we’re considering backpacking through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. Stay tuned for more updates by subscribing to our newsletter, where you’ll also receive our free ebook: 101 Ways to Make Money While Traveling. Thanks for reading and have a great week ahead!
