4 countries in 1 month (England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Mexico) | Digital Nomad Diaries
Waking up a little into my second month of “nomading” in Texas, I recalled a dream where I boarded an unfamiliar vehicle without a clue where I was going and missing my essential belongings. In the dream, I quickly alerted the driver to let me off at the next available stop, so I could re-orient myself…
A variety of strange dreams at night accented days of attempting to balance travel with remote work during my first month of nomading. Days of wonder were also peppered with anxiety. Days of overstimulation and socializing alternated with days where I felt immense loneliness and isolation. I anticipated this wide range of emotions on this journey, especially as I packed my itinerary with many locations in a short period of time. Part of me knew this setup was chaotic — but to be fair, I was generally overeager to explore. This level of freedom with my current remote role is a brand new privilege and the urge to go everywhere has felt extra strong after years of being unable to travel due to the pandemic.
Despite the growing pains, the first month of nomading was an overall success as I’ve managed to navigate through many locations — both in the company of good friends and solo. This first month included:
- England (Cumbria — Lake District, Nottingham, and Greater London)
- Ireland (Limerick, Cork, Dublin)
- Northern Ireland (Belfast)
- Mexico (Mexico City)
England
For the first time in my life, I experienced a birthday on a plane. I boarded my flight at SFO at age 31, and left the plane at LHR at age 32. Ecstatic to be back in the city I call my second home, my first stop was an English pub (The Fellow) with a friend in the neighborhood where I lived during my study abroad program (10 years ago!).
Rushing through England, I didn’t quite get to make it to all of my favorite spots (like Sketch, Slim Jims, and Neal’s Yard) or see all of my friends. However, I did get a chance to experience some wonderful new places with a couple of my closest British friends.
After a night spent in London, my friends and I embarked on a scenic road trip through the Nottingham area (which I later revisited) and up into the picturesque Lake District. Our long weekend saw us playing banagrams in our hostel’s common room (with a live acoustic band playing in the background), roaming the streets of Cumbria in search for food, and (of course) hiking amongst gorgeous lakes and hills. We skipped stones, examined caves, walked amongst sheep in the rain, and navigated through narrow winding streets with an enchanting tour guide.
Settling back into the London area to start the remote work portion of my digital nomad journey, I began to ponder my intentions for my 32nd year of life. I considered what I wanted to prioritize — my joy, wellness, career, relationships — and how I want to continue growing as I inch closer to my mid-30s. As I embark on this slightly unconventional path, I am coming up with my own rules for living and am critically considering what conventional things I actually want for myself (versus what society pressures us all to obtain).
Between the moments of deep thought and meandering with friends during the day, I was also working either in my accommodation or at my company’s London office — all while adjusting to the 8 hour time difference. A moment where I found this particularly challenging was when my colleagues at the London office hosted a Halloween party during the evening, which is when I had my morning work meetings (on PST)— it was cool and fun, but talk about major FOMO!
The weekends and some afternoons before work made up for the FOMO I felt during the evenings — I got the the chance to try new things like aerial yoga and skateboarding, and enjoyed some old pastimes with friends like karaoke and concerts. I made the best out of all of my free time.
Ireland
The trip from England to Ireland was rocky. My friend and I experienced the worst travel day of our lives where our delayed flight (on a budget airline) diverted us to another part of the country. After a long day of painful travel, we were informed that our rescue buses would take 2.5 hours to get to our final destination (Cork) — and they would take 2 hours to get to us. We ended up visiting a “bonus city”, Limerick, as a result of the inconvenience. Pro tip: Make sure you have your travelers insurance set so you can file claims to get your money back in emergency situations like this!
Despite the hiccups in the Ireland excursion, I found my third visit/my friends first visit to the country to be exciting! Roaming the streets of Limerick, Cork, and Dublin was charming. The people were kind and the music on the [cobblestoned] streets created a lovely atmosphere. Our short adventure to the Blarney Castle felt like the stuff of dreams. The Temple Bar and Guinness factory areas in Dublin were as lively as ever, so we enjoyed finding some cozy bars slightly off the beaten path.
As a single woman, I was “swiping” during my trips despite having little time to date during this awkward adjustment stage of “nomading” — but I did notice the greatest activity happening in Ireland/Northern Ireland so far!
Northern Ireland
Our jaunt to Belfast, Northern Ireland was special. We fully immersed ourselves in learning more about the history of the region, including about the Troubles and the Titanic. Between stops at local eateries and bars (shout out to St. George’s Market), we visited museums and spoke to locals about their lived experience growing up in Belfast. The people living in Belfast were remarkably friendly and resilient. One of the most moving memories from this trip, between specific exhibits and conversations, was observing the Peace Wall.
Mexico
The flight from the UK to Mexico City was also chaotic, but I was very determined to get there in time for the Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities. After hustling through LHR and my connecting flight from Paris, I enjoyed a few tequilas aboard the plane with a new friend (we didn’t speak the same language, but were able to bond over vibes). Coming off the plane, I was gobsmacked immediately by the crowdedness and volume of CDMX. I was told the next taxi would take 3 hours to arrive, and ended up waiting for about 1 hour for an Uber. I was also thrown off a bit by the time zone change — because of daylight savings on top of traveling back to North America. The AirBnb I finally arrived to was in a loud area frequented by other foreigners as well (La Condesa)— but I felt more at peace to be at my new temporary home after a long day. The space was also aesthetically pleasing (and came with two friendly pets).
Despite CDMX not feeling like the most chill place for nomading during my introduction to Mexico, I had an amazing time observing the altars and parade for Dia de Los Muertos, checking out the art museums, and discovering cool new neighborhoods. Some museums/activities had to be saved for another trip due to the crowdedness, unfortunately — but I had the chance to visit the Museo Mural Diego, Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes and Museo de Arte Popular. I loved the vibrant barrio of Coyoacan (where Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera lived) and the impressive Chapultepec Park.
As I wrap up month 2 in Texas, Quebec, and New York, I am continuing to relish in this new digital nomad lifestyle. Please like this post/follow me here on Medium to subscribe to updates on my adventure!
