Love Mondays with Hitchhikers Handbook

This interview is part of our Love Mondays series, bringing you stories of digital nomad couples from around the world who love their Mondays! You can read more about the series here.

Jon, who is from the UK, and Polish Ania met in Macedonia while travelling eight years ago. Since then they’ve travelled and lived together in various countries around the world.

I asked them a few questions to get a peek inside their lives as digital nomads.

Ania and Jon with friendly truck drivers in Iran

Ania and Jon with friendly truck drivers in Iran

How do you make your money when you travel?

We are English teachers and this skill has proved to be a great choice for somebody who loves moving around and can’t stand the idea of living in one place for the rest of their life.

What’s the biggest challenge you face being a digital nomad?

The biggest challenge is being unrooted. It’s the fact that you can call home many places on Earth but you also feel that you have no real home anywhere or that occasionally you are completely homeless. It is the constant moving and packing your whole life into a couple of suitcases. It is not having permanent health insurance or a pension plan in one country.

You are both known for your hitch-hiking antics. This is a great way to travel as a digital nomad. What tips would you give to someone planning on hitch-hiking for the first time?

First of all, you need to have a positive attitude and be patient. Don’t expect every car to stop for you, because that won’t happen but I can guarantee that the people you meet on the road will provide a fantastic experience and insight into what selfless human kindness really is.

You should also do your research before you go: find out what exactly road you need, how to get there by public transport, if that’s the road locals use the most, where to position yourself and how many kilometres to your next destinations. And then wait, smile and enjoy the road!

Hitchhiking to a wedding in England

Hitchhiking to a wedding in England

You know a lot about budget travel. What tips would you give to digital nomads wanting to reduce their budget?

The two expenses that vastly influence the money you will be spending while travelling are transport and accommodation. You can reduce both costs by hitchhiking, couchsurfing and camping.

We are big advocates of hitchhiking and camping but not only because these two ways help you travel on a shoestring, but mainly because we find them to be the most interactive with the local population, as you can see people in their daily lives.

Remember that the best things in life are free and when it comes to sharing, human beings are incredible. You will always find someone ready to share with you a ride, their home or a bowl of soup.

With a friendly family in Azerbaijan

With a friendly family in Azerbaijan

What countries have you been together that you’ve found are the most digital nomad friendly? And why?

Ania and Jon in the desert in Azerbaijan

Ania and Jon in the desert in Azerbaijan

Most European countries are digital nomad friendly, which means the internet is fast, cheap and widely available, and there is no censorship. We have lived in the UK, Poland, Spain and Norway, and all these countries were amazing and perfect for digital nomads.

Now, while travelling around the Middle East, Central Asia and China, we have realised we had been taking the internet for granted. In these parts the connection (if you even manage to find wifi) is rarely unlimited, the internet is frustratingly slow and you always have to fight against stupid censorship!

Ania and Jon are the couple behind the travel blog Hitchhikers Handbook. Like them on Facebook here.

Are you a digital nomad couple who would you like to feature in our Love Mondays series? Drop us an email.

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About the author

Carmen has been nomadic since May 2013 and the co-founder of Double-Barrelled Travel. She loves experiencing new cultures and learning new languages. She is having the most fun when skiing down a mountain, scuba diving in the Caribbean or curled up with a good book.

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