Traveling has never been easier. In the age of the almighty Internet, young (and not so young) entrepreneurs and freelancers are able to travel full time while working on their online projects. The way they call themselves has a sexy ring to it – digital nomads.
Recently, we’ve had the pleasure to interview one of the most dedicated digital nomads out there. Meet Jacob, a 22 year-old who’s already been to more than 40 (!!) different countries (mostly South-East Asia) over the span of only a few years. He travels 9 to 10 months a year and is able to work on his main online project – a coupons website called ChameleonJohn.com – without any disruption.
The thing that stunned me most about Jacob’s travels is that he manages to carry everything he owns in one small backpack (the one he used to go to school with). How does he manage to fit all his clothes into that thing? How many clothes does he actually own? Read on to find out.
– Jacob, you’ve emphasized multiple times that everything you own fits into one small backpack. How do you manage to fit everything in it?
I’m very minimalist when it comes to clothing. At some point, I recognized that most of the stuff that I would normally take with me I barely use and that I can get by with relatively few clothes without having to sacrifice any comfort. On the contrary, it’s much more convenient to travel light-weight!
– How many clothes do you actually own?
Here is a list of everything I own regarding clothes: 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, 6 t-shirts, 1 sweater, 1 thin jacket, 1 pair of sneakers, 1 pair of slippers, 5 sets of socks and 1 neck-warmer. The last one is good against the sun as well as wind.
– How often do you buy new clothes while traveling?
Almost never, unless I tear them to pieces. For example, a few months back I motorbiked all across Vietnam and managed to crash on my very last day. Since I was sliding on the ground for 10 meters or so, my pants were totally torn, thus I had to get new ones. Other than that I shop for clothes literally once a year.
– I see. Would you mind sharing how much do you spend on clothing annually?
I think $200-300 at most.
– In your experience, which clothes seem to wear out the fastest?
T-Shirts, since I usually spend time in warm climates and shorts, since I do a lot of motorbiking.
– What are the main criteria you look for in travel clothing?
It has to be durable, easily washable and compact (so that it’d fit into my back-pack).
– What would be the single most important tip for our fellow travelers?
Do not take most of what you want to take! Worst case scenario you can always buy it on the road (though most likely you won’t need it).
