My travel bug has gripped me since I was a little kid. I was 10 years old when my mother sent me and my brother to Mombasa, Kenya. My mother is Kenyan and wanted us to experience her culture and meet her family, but her work commitments didn’t allow her to travel with us, so my brother and I traveled from Milwaukee as unaccompanied minors. I was just old enough to be amazed by the airports, commercial planes, and landings in a country where English was not the primary language.
voice
Meet industry creators, contributors and emerging thought leaders who partner with CNET’s award-winning editorial team to deliver original content from a variety of perspectives.
Fast forward to 2013, and I undertook my first big business trip of my adult life. I was a consultant running a software company, and a corporate in Sydney asked me to come into their office to train their team.
The author in Sydney in 2013.
Officer Kimanzi
The flight to Sydney was a surreal experience. My client paid for a premium economy seat on Virgin Atlantic and the hotel I stayed in had a commanding view of Sydney Harbour and the Sydney Opera House. This trip made me realise how much I loved working abroad. The digital nomad lifestyle of working remotely from different parts of the country and the world appealed to me.
But I’m not yet a digital nomad.
My three young children were waiting for me in the US. I had everything I needed for a “normal” life, including a house and a car. I continued to travel for work, but the trips were short and enough to satisfy my travel urge. From 2013 to 2016, I traveled to 38 countries for a corporate consulting training contract, including Tokyo, Korea, London, Dublin, and Cairo, and learned what to prepare for unexpected troubles.
Later, when my children were older and living with their mother, I started to seriously consider becoming a digital nomad. Moments of excitement were quickly replaced by depressing feelings that I was abandoning my children and family as the possibility of nomadic life became more and more real.
Therapy helped me realise two things were true: I could live a nomad lifestyle and still be there for my kids. My kids supported my digital nomad lifestyle. In 2016, I sold all my possessions, sold my house and moved to Medellín, Colombia to live the full-time digital nomad lifestyle.
Therapy helped me understand two things to be true: I could live a nomadic lifestyle and still be there for my children.
Officer Kimanzi
Since then I have lived and worked in Mexico City, the UK, Paris, Madrid, Nairobi, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Cape Town, Rome, Lisbon, Nice and Barcelona.
As a digital nomad, the author has been able to visit nearly 90 countries.
Officer Kimanzi
The pros and cons of being a digital nomad
What I love most about being a digital nomad is how free the lifestyle is. I love that I own few things and can travel whenever and wherever I want. And when I want to feel a little more like home, websites like Amazon can easily send me my favorite US products. I also enjoy experiencing new cultures, history, and food in other countries. As a consultant and digital nomad, I’ve traveled to 88 countries and lived in over a dozen. I’ve built my business and I’ve been sightseeing. I work Monday through Friday and spend the weekend exploring the country I’m staying in.
One of the challenges of living as a digital nomad is being far away from my family. Technology like FaceTime, Zoom, and social media have made us feel closer to our families, but there’s still something different about hugging my kids and spending time with them in person. Luckily, my nomadic lifestyle means I can always visit my family.
8 weird gadgets I always carry with me
As a digital nomad, technology is essential to both work and life. I need to be able to do everything I would do if I had an office from an Airbnb, hotel, or apartment rental. Some of my gear is obvious: my laptop (M3 MacBook Pro), smartphone (iPhone 15 Pro Max), and tracking tags (AirTags).
The author’s work hardware for nomadic travel.
Officer Kimanzi
Below are some of my picks for nomad gear.
Twelve South
This Bluetooth wireless audio transmitter receiver works with AirPods or wireless headphones. Connect this gadget to the entertainment center on an airplane or train and you can pair your wireless devices. You can establish a Bluetooth connection anywhere there is a regular headphone jack.
King’s Root/CNET
I travel mostly with credit cards, but also carry some cash when abroad. Having a good RFID wallet gives me peace of mind. The Kings Loot wallet is RFID-protected, slim and comfortable, and even has a slot on the front to insert an AirTag.
apple
I spend a lot of time on airplanes, where a laptop isn’t always easy to use, especially on local European airlines. I travel with my iPad Air to work on the plane, watch movies and streaming series, and make video calls. Apple’s Magic Keyboard Sleeve is an iPad cover that doubles as a keyboard in tight spaces.
Audio-Technica/CNET
Because I run a business, I am often interviewed by the media, and good sound quality is essential, so I carry an Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB Cardioid Dynamic Microphone. This microphone is portable and has multiple ports so I can plug it into my laptop or iPad.
Anchor/CNET
When I first started living the digital nomad life, I learned that places like airports and hotels often lack power. To power my gadgets when a wall outlet is not available, I travel with an Anker MagGo Power Bank. I like this power bank because it comes with a usage indicator (compared to others I’ve tried) and 15x fast charging capabilities.
Bose/CNET
Battery life: Up to 20 hours Noise cancelling: Yes (ANC) Multipoint: Yes Headphone type: Over-ear wireless headphones Waterproof: No IP rating:
I’m a fan of Bose headphones and bought the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 a few years ago. I use them when watching entertainment on airplanes and in hotels. The Bose headphones fit more comfortably than the AirPods.
Read our Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review.
Apple/CNET
Call me old-fashioned, but I always like to bring wired headphones with me in case something happens to my AirPods or my Bluetooth device stops working. If you buy wired headphones, make sure you have the necessary dongle for both your phone and your computer.
Anchor/CNET
I have all the international adapters, but I always travel with an extension cord because sometimes there aren’t enough outlets where I’m staying. I think this is an underrated item. This Anker power strip allows me to use one international adapter on an extension cord and plug all my other cables in. Surge protection is also important because different countries have different power regulations.
Put travel technology to good use
Whether you’re heading out on a long-term remote work trip or just starting out as a digital nomad, having the right gear will make your journey easier and more enjoyable. Try out different setups on your next business trip and find what works best for you.
