How to stay connected as digital nomads

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The ways we stay connected as digital nomads

During this holiday season and throughout the year staying connected with family, friends, and professional contacts is important to us. The way we communicate with others has definitely changed being on the road. Here are the top 5 ways we do it:

1. How to stay connected through video:

We like seeing our friends and family even when it’s not in person here are some of the technologies we use and what we like and dislike about them:

Facebook

This is Onalea’s favorite way to do video. We enjoy talking to friends and family through Facebook video call. It is our go to method when everyone wants to be on the phone. It is a quick and casual method with the biggest downside being that you have to login to Facebook. I know 80% of adults have Facebook but the app is so bulky and intrusive Michael avoids putting on his computer.

Zoom

This is our go to business/formal meeting. With Zoom you the ability to screen share, show a whiteboard and provide a multiple suite of business tools. The major con of this is it is designed for business and comes with a cost. You can connect via one on one at no charge or have multiple participants but only for 40 minutes before you are prompted to upgrade your account.

Discord

This is Michael’s favorite app to communicate through, it is free and not near as intrusive as Facebook. The ability to change name and join different groups offers privacy when necessary. Discord is mobile and computer friendly, however it is lacking some of the business tools zoom offers and does not have near the number of users as Facebook. It currently is used more for gaming but slowly coming into the mainstream with non-gamers.

2. How to stay connected through text:

Most of our communication now is text messages, whether it is via the phone or computer, text messages are our preferred method of random communication.

Email

Email is a major form of communication, and every person out there should strongly consider getting a real email address. What do I mean about a real email address? Michael’s is blog@ourworkingvacation.com. Onalea’s is help@evertwebsite.com. The pros are your data is not being sold. Your email is transportable. It also allows you to quickly portray you are tech savvy, people judge you by your email address. The biggest con is these do cost between 3 to 15 dollars a month depending on your plan.

Slack

This is an amazing business chat, Michael has used teams, AOL (yes, he is old), and other company-built apps, but Slack by far is his favorite. If you are lucky enough to work for a company that uses Slack you know how nice it is. Slack is now offering a new voice/video program which I have not used yet. If you have it please let comment and let us know how you like it.

Discord, yes again

Discord is a free app that works great for chat and video. You can quickly create rooms, join others and toggle between multiple conversations. It also works well both on a computer and phone. While more popular with gamers it is starting to make its way into the mainstream.

Facebook messenger

Michael refuses to use Facebook on the computer because the amount of content it gathers but he does use it on his phone. Onalea does have it installed on her computer to help run the business as it is a necessary evil to have.

SMS text through phone number

So, sending text message through your phone is out of date much like phone numbers. A phone number is like an IP address a series of numbers that no one can remember. In addition, 90% of calls/text that come through on number are telemarketers or scams. While the phone companies have done at best a half ass job of screening those, apps have been built from the ground up with AI that filters out all the junk.

3. How to stay connected through apps:

There are so many apps out there some of which allow some form of communication. A few we use are: 

Fitbit

Using a fitness app with others helps you keep motivated. With Fitbit there are challenges you can set up with others and there is a chat function within them.

Pokémon Go

This is a favorite for both of us! There is not a direct chat function, but you add people as friends and are able to send them gifts and they send you gifts back. If anyone wants to add us as a friend on Pokémon Go, please do! Onalea’s trainer code is 055772479666 and Michael’s is 038072896726, he is not on as much as Onalea. 

Snapchat

With is app you can share a photo, selfies and send a quick message. Snapchat is easy to use and there are some funny filters for your selfies!

4. How to stay connected through voice:

Any of the video ways above but turn off the camera or a simple phone call.

5. Other ways to stay connected:

Sometimes you may want to communicate, but not by a phone or computer here are some options for that:

Postcards

Even though snail mail is way old school it still has an eclectic charm. Onalea loves to send out postcards, people really enjoy receiving snail mail from our current location. If you would like to receive a postcard, please contact us with your address to let us know we can add you to the list.  

In-Person

When we are somewhere that we have family and/or friends we see what we can do to meet up with them. We’ve had a lot of fun to catching up with people we know or getting to know some family better. If you are interested in seeing us if we are in your area, please contact us. If you are visiting an area we are in please let us know if you want to meet up. Also, anyone that wants to join us on any leg of our journey let us know.

Places we enjoyed in Baldwin Park, Orlando, FL

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Our adventures in Baldwin Park, Orlando, FL

We spent a couple days in Baldwin Park, FL. A fantastic area for wining, dining and taking an evening stroll in the warm night air. Our favorite cuisine in the area was Seito Sushi, and for beverages Tactical Brewing Co, and we also quite enjoyed renting bicycles from Pedego to see the sights.

Places to dine at Baldwin Park, FL

Seito Sushi

This Award winning restaurant did not disappoint. Seito Sushi offers an amazing selection of Sushi and Japanese Cuisine. This was our first meal of the night, so we shared a specialty sushi roll and we both had a cocktail. The sushi was fresh and delicious with a standard roll serving size large enough for us to split and reasonably priced. Michael had a Japanese Old fashioned, which proved to be smooth and complex. Expertly crafted with just the right amount of sweetness and citrus to complement the Japanese whiskey and not mask it.  Onalea enjoyed a Stardust that had Coconut Cartel rum, yuzu, pineapple, coconut, star anise, and nutmeg topped with a pretty flower.

Baldwin Park Orlando FL

The Osprey

Baldwin Park Orlando, FL

The Osprey is a fine dining establishment mainly focusing on seafood. The main meals were priced accordingly ranging from 25 + for most entrees. We decided to split an appetizer, the Josper Grilled Shrimp. The shrimp came out whole (heads still on) which freaked Onalea out a little, but Michael was excited to try something new. We had to ask a waiter the best way to eat them. After getting a quick lesson on how to properly pull the head of the shrimp we dug in. They were amazing, leaving the head on definitely added to the flavor of the shrimp. You had the taste of the sea with plenty of Vadouvan curry butter making every bite a true delight.   

Michael has never met a flight of alcohol that he would not try and they offered a rum flight here. So, we of course had to try that! We both found a rum that we truly enjoyed. Michael preferred the “smokey one”, Onalea preferred “smooth one”.

La Bella Luna

Be sure not to miss the Italian restaurant La Bella Luna! We decided to take advantage of their happy hour special of Mussels and a couple drinks. Michael had the house red wine and Onalea a beer. Once the waitress left us with our order, we quickly googled how to eat mussels.  We also verified our research when the waitress came back that we were eating them the correct way. We sat outside for the next two hours watching the sunset as we sat there with our laptops open sipping wine and talking about our next blog article. Michael thought the mussels were good being the first time eating them it is hard to compare. While we were there, we saw pizzas flying out the door. We confirmed with the waitress their pizzas are one of their most popular to-go items and they are constantly sending out grub hub orders. The red wine was a nice house red and they had a pretty standard selection of beers and with the happy hour special, the price was right.

Baldwin Park Orlando, FL

Gator’s Dockside

Baldwin Park Orlando, FL

I think the best way to describe Gators Dockside is a Floridian Buffalo wild “Wings”. It was awesome! TV’s everywhere, solid bar menu with Burgers, Fish  & chips, wings and gator. Being In Florida we ordered a Floridian draft beer and Gator tail.  The bear was a nice red ale with good flavor. The gator came and it looked like small pieces of breaded chicken and there was a dipping sauce. Michael had to have the first bite and after confirming it does taste like chicken and the dipping sauce was awesome Onalea hesitantly tried her first bite and agreed it was good. We would definitely eat gator again and would recommend trying it. 

Colibri

We at our lunch sitting outside of Colibri, a nice local Mexican restaurant. The view is amazing looking out over the lake or watching people bike, jog, or skateboard along the pathways. We split the sampler platter to get a taste of a variety of their food. Michael alerted the waiter of his food allergy and the waiter verified that there would be no bell peppers in the dish. The meal came out a little slower than pre pandemic but nothing to complain about, time is irrelevant when the view is gorgeous and the brews are cold.

Baldwin Park Orlando, FL

When the plate was delivered to the table the waiter informed us that one of the dishes in the sample did have bell peppers and asked what we would like to substitute it with.  We were very grateful to the kitchen and the waiter for catching this but wish we would have known before so we could have substituted something to come with the rest or picked a different dish.  So, we placed our order for the substitute. The food was good Mexican food.  Onalea fell in love with their guacamole proclaiming this was the best she has had while Michael enjoyed the food but did not find anything special. We were just starting our day so stayed away from the margaritas, with much sorrow in our hearts.

Five Guys (national chain)

We did not go here but it is nice to know that with all amazing new things to try there is a place where you know exactly what their burger and fries taste like. And if you don’t know then you should, Five Guys makes great burgers!

There are other restaurants in the area, but we just did not have the time to sample them all.

Places to Drink at Baldwin Park, FL

Tactical Brewing Co.

If you are in the area and like beer, then you need to stop at the Tactical Brewing Co brewery. They offer a wide selection of beers, both theirs and a couple of guest taps. When we visited, they had 18 beers on tap and had a nice flight offering. We shared a couple of flights before Michael decided to stick to an imperial stout that he really enjoyed while Onalea became smitten with the Red Ale. In addition to beer, they also have some amazing popcorn for sale to snack on. We shared a bag of their truffle butter popcorn. They also offer growlers to go, happy hour specials and live music. It is a place for every occasion if you are a beer enthusiast.

Baldwin Park Orlando, FL

Admiral Cigar Club

Baldwin Park Orlando, FL

This place reminds you of the old-time cigar bars you see on TV with humidors full of cigars and a staff that is both helpful and knowledgeable. Admiral Cigar Club has a large selection of cigars to choose from along with an amazing assortment of spirits. We had the tobacconist select a nice cigar to go with our drinks and sat and enjoyed the night. Michael drank a whiskey drink and Onalea had a rum cocktail. We shared the cigar. It was not too harsh with a nice vanilla aftertaste. We enjoyed people-watching and sharing our cigar. I would say the atmosphere was what I would call friendly sophistication. Casual, yet classy.

 

The Wildflower

This is an off shoot of Colibri, it even shares the same bathroom. The Wildflower is a cocktail bar with a trendy interior. From the comfy couches to the artwork on the wall. We came here just as they were opening around 5pm and the bartender stated they get most of their clientele later in the night. We both had cocktails from the menu, while they were well made there was nothing that really stood out. We both had our laptops with us because we had been working on and off and were not looking for a wild night and the staff didn’t mind us spreading out. Their menu had snacks listed but they did not have any to offer other than the restaurant next door.  

Baldwin Park Orlando, FL

Things to do at Baldwin Park, FL 

Pedego Electric Bikes

Pedego eclectic bike shop is a new addition to Baldwin Park and if you have never ridden an electric bike, you should. One of our favorite times in Alaska is when we spent a day on bikes on the Tony Knowles Costal Trail. We decided to just rent the bike for an hour and take a relaxing 2.5 mile ride on the Baldwin Loop and stop and visit the Orlando Veteran’s Memorial Park.

We both rode around the trail a couple times stopping to take pictures, pedaling when we wanted and enjoying the area. They also have half day and whole day rentals with other trails to ride if you are looking to clock some extra miles.

Baldwin Park Orlando, FL
Baldwin Park Orlando, FL
Baldwin Park Orlando, FL

Escape Artists

We did not get a chance to visit this escape room but Escape rooms are an amazing time. This one has some great online reviews, and this is on the top of our to-do list if we get a chance to go back to this fun area. If you’re in town and you like puzzles, check them out!

We got lost in the world of Meow Wolf in Denver, CO

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We were lucky enough to get tickets to Meow Wolf 

We first saw the Meow Wolf building from the window of the Denver light rail and were very curious to see what was inside. We googled the business thinking it would be a dog toy factory or something and came across their website and decided we had to go.

Meow Wolf Tickets

The tickets were difficult to purchase, their system was not very user friendly and it felt like the only way to get tickets was to watch it and pounce on an opening with less than an hour to get there. We finally were able to get in but we had to get from where we were staying to the building in an hour. Plus, Michael was still scheduled to work, luckily enough Michael’s work was a little slow and allowed him to take a couple hours of time off so he could go. We paid $90 for the both of us.

Getting there and Parking

Since we had to be there so quickly, and we did not know how long we would be there we made a costly mistake and chose to drive. We were not able to park in their paid lot because it was full, so we drove down a short hill and over the railroad tracks to what we thought was free parking. It was not and we got a $50 parking ticket.  

We did not have to wait in line long and were allowed in the building almost immediately. No food or drinks were allowed in the building. They did sell food and drinks at their café HelloFood, but required they be consumed in the cafeteria and while the food was adequate, we do wish we would of eaten a good meal before going.

Things we wish we knew before going 

Things we wish we would have known before going to Meow Wolf. 

-Get tickets early so you can plan your trip.

-Parking is expensive but the Denver public transport system is awesome. 

-Be prepared to walk, there are many things to explore and sometimes twice, so you are going to be on your feet a lot.

-The amount of time you should plan for this event is a hard question, there are many secrets to discover, you can get a good overall feel for the place in about 2 to 3 hours, but we spent over 6 hours and still felt like we missed some of the intricacies. 

Warning

Meow wolf is an amazing adventure!! Part of it is discovering secrets on your own. We will do our best to describe our experience, but it may include spoilers. We recommend buying the $3 QPASS, near the entrance to learn more about each world, take the elevator to the Convergence Station, and jump in.

 

Spoilers ahead continue at your own risk

Collecting Memories (currency) 

The Quantum Department of Transportation welcomes you aboard the elevator transport, as you are riding up you cannot help but to wonder what you will find. The doors open to the Convergence Station which puts you at the Junction of 4 different worlds where memories are currency.  You can use your card to collect stray memories hidden throughout this immersive experience and reassemble them for a surprise. I know this sounds very Sci-Fi but the beauty and the detail that the artists put in makes it feel more Alice in Wonderland and less beam me up Scotty.  

It is hard to explain the secrets hidden we found without sounding crazy. Onalea really enjoyed calling other guests on the working payphone network scattered throughout the building.  Letting them know the package has landed or that they must pass along a secret. Michael was dead set on figuring out the underlying story of Meow Wolf Denver. He looked through every book, watched every video, and touched every piece of wall slime. Michael was on a mission, and they would have had to drag him out of the building if he did not complete his goal.    

Connecting all the pieces

We spent the next 6 hours exploring 3 stories of interactive wonder as Michael found hidden rooms behind the soap dispenser, pieced together codes from clues and other guests as he refused to leave until he had completed his goals. We even had to stay an extra 45 minutes because there was a technical difficulty preventing us from completing an objective and we waited around to wait for a tech to allow us to complete our final assignment. Determination was the name of the game and we feel like we won it. If you are ever down this way we highly recommend checking out this one in a million experience.

10 tips on your stay with family on vacation

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10 tips to make staying with family or friends an enjoyable working vacation.

Being able to visit friends and family is a major benefit of working remotely.  If clear boundaries and expectations are not set upfront your working vacation can turn into a working nightmare. Here are 10 tips to help keep your stay fun and productive. 

Keep your stay to a month or less

In our experience this is about the amount of time before you go from a welcomed house guest to an unwanted presence.

Explain what you need to work/live

How fast do you need your internet to be? What kind of office space do you need? How much privacy while working do you need? Would a toddler busting into the room mid meeting be a problem or a clever angle in your sales pitch?

Offer to pay

Look around on Airbnb to find a comparable stay, and offer to pay that. This offer lets them know that you appreciate you letting them stay, while showcasing that you do not wish to be a burden.

Stick to a schedule

Have a schedule and communicate this to your host so they know when you are working.

Invite them to spend time in their own house

Say “We are planning on staying in on Wednesday to cook dinner. Would you like to join us?“ This is a subtle way of saying even when we are here we don’t always need/want to hang out.

Be open to suggestions but do not ask them to be your tour guide

Before visiting make sure to plan ahead with a list of things you want to do. Share this list before you arrive, this lets them know what you like to do so they can make recommendations, while also letting them know you have your own agenda and won’t rely upon them for entertainment.

Have do not disturb guidelines

We use a hanger on a door to signal “Do Not Disturb”, but any clear signal is fine. The important thing is to discuss this beforehand. Say “I am going to put a hanger on the door to let you know when I am in a meeting so you don’t accidentally interrupt” not “You can’t come in.”

Its ok to say no

It is easy for your host to think “Oh good there is an extra set of hands around the house.” Help when you can of course, but don’t fall into the trap of becoming an unpaid handyperson.

Explain your job

They do not need the details, but some basic understanding is important. For example, throughout my day I have to juggle multiple tasks at a time. When I go to the kitchen, I am still thinking about all those tasks. If I stop and talk it breaks my concentration. You can also say I am expected to answer alarms in under a minute so if a ding goes off no matter what I must focus on that. A work day at home is still a work day and it’s important to have clear boundaries.

Be prepared to leave

If you feel like staying any longer could hurt your relationship, make up a reason and leave. The most important thing is maintaining your connection to your friends and family, make sure to prioritize creating space when necessary.

Bonus tip

Don’t forget to tell them any special dietary/health needs you have, this makes all the difference at family meals.