Mountain Life – from city to rural Spain
A couple of weeks ago I journeyed to south eastern Spain for my first trip abroad as a full time slow-traveller. As I made my way through higher ground, towards the surrounding mountains, through winding roads and up towards the villa I realised just how remote I was going to be. The man who gave me a lift to what would be my home for the next while said in all his years he's never visited the small town that was due to be my local... it was just so far away and so small. I must admit I was a little concerned – as someone who doesn't drive I was fearful I'd be too isolated. But it was only when the homeowners I was meeting told me there is no mail delivery, no rubbish collection, no supermarket that I began to sweat. Where I am is so remote even basic services don't come here.
My main concern was getting food. The homeowners were kind enough to drive me to the next town over that has a small supermarket with basic supplies so that I could have a few days to settle in before venturing out to find more. The closest town, a little over a mile down the mountain (and uphill when returning!), has a small fruit and veg market once a week on Thursdays. After a few days eeking out what I could from my small supply I was glad to see some fresh produce, however small in quantity. I bagged up as much as I could... strawberries, mushrooms, oranges, peaches, pears, grapes, cauliflower... and walked it back up the hill.
So this is my rather remote, sunny, mountain living. And I am so grateful to be here, challenges and all. Because what I signed up for was adventure. I'm tired of living my routine, predictable life and am so ready to tackle whatever challenges and new experiences come my way, even if it means small sacrifices along the way. And you know what... I even quite like having to walk a couple miles along the winding mountain trail to get to a small local market to bring back simple foods. I'm all the more grateful for it as I prepare and eat each meal.
Mountain Life is treating me well.
I've been living abroad as a full time slow traveler for two week now and I'm enjoying the slow pace of life here. There is a lot of steadiness – the sun, the smells of the rocks, the birdsong, the wagging tails of my dog hosts – but there is still a lot of change, too – the moving shadows across the mountains, the fluffiness or flatness of the clouds, the rich colour palettes of the sunsets.
There's a lot I could get use to here.
💫 Packing Light Travel Tip 💫
Pack items that have multiple uses – like the wrap skirt you see me wearing above... it's actually a scarf I picked up a market a few years ago. It's 100% cotton so I can easily use it as a sarong skirt during the day, a beach or poolside dress wrap to keep me covered in the sun, and if there's a chilly night I can wrap it round my neck to stay warm. That's three items in one very small bundle!
How I'm Traveling on a ✨TINY✨ Budget
A question I get asked a lot is how? How am I traveling full-time without 🔥 burning through money 💸 as I go, how am I managing to save more money 💰 than ever whilst living in amazing places across the world?
Accommodation is one of the largest travel expenses and so in order to eliminate the biggest cost I've been using Trusted Housesitters to find homes to stay in. Trusted Housesitters is a website that connects house and pet-sitters with homeowners who are looking for trustworthy and reliable people to care for their home and animals while they're away. It's a great way to explore new parts of the world, have an authentic experience of the area while staying away from the high traffic of tourist areas, and stay in beautiful homes around the world (which I'd take over a clinical hotel room any day!). If you're a homeowner or need someone to care for your animals it's also a great place to connect with carers looking to visit your area... and no money is exchanged! It's a non-financial value trade: a home to stay in for trusted and experienced home or pet care! Win, win.
For 20% off the sign-up fee use code 'BLUEOLL20'
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."
– Lao Tzu