Field notes:
The 10 best things about being a digital nomad in Estonia in 2023
If you’re seriously considering a year as a digital nomad, whether that’s to explore the world, setup a virtual business, or both, I strongly urge you to put Estonia at the top of your list for all the reasons I mention below – however don’t be surprised if you don’t want to return back to your country of origin at the end of it!
Secondly, I make no apologies for being so enthusiastic about the place, I’ve travelled in over 60 countries across the world and feel like I’ve found somewhere that is truly remarkable for many good reasons that people aren’t yet aware of.
Bikepacking the Eurovelo 11 route across Estonia
The Eurovelo cycling routes are one of Europe’s best kept secrets. Waymarked by blue signs with occasional directions to the next town, the routes criss-cross European countries.
The entire Eurovelo 11 route is c.6500 kilometres, starts at Nordkapp (the most northerly point in Europe) and finishes at the southern tip of Greece, covering 11 countries on the route. It’s apparently referred to as ‘the Beast of the East’ (according to the official website) and completing it in stages is quickly becoming a personal goal.
Bikepacking expedition 3: first multi-day test ride for the Eurovelo 11 attempt
My third bikepacking trip is a test ride for a big multi-day trip I want to do later in summer that would see me riding all the way across Estonia following the Eurovelo 11 cycling route towards the end of summer when the weather has got a little cooler. It would be 500 kilometres (c.300 miles) so I will need to be used to spending multiple days out on the road.
How slow adventures can be good for your career and mental health.
When you’re so intensely focussed on your career or family, your attention to where you are in life can go unchecked. For some people, this lack of checking-in with yourself can last years or even decades. For others, they check in too often and it stops progression forward and upwards. I think this ‘analysis paralysis’ can be a cause of unhappiness for some.
Taking a sabbatical to row across an ocean, cycle across a country (or continent), or run across a desert, might seem like unhelpful to some, but I think it can be useful in ways we don’t really consider.