Ask HN: Hacker-Travelers, please share your techniques and experience.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3287589

by jberryman • 15 years ago

20 3 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

This recent submission[1] sparked a really inspiring bunch of "me too" comments from folks with experience travelling the world while doing their life/company's work. I'd like to know how you travelling hackers work and what tricks you've picked up.

For example: do you keep to a strict work/adventuring schedule, or just do whatever you feel like? what kind of equipment do you use? Do you really feel like you can work from anywhere, or do you have to find coffee shops/libraries?

1. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3266772

SHOwnsYou• 15 years ago

I don't get to travel to far away lands while I program from the beach, but I do get to travel around the US for work.

I was in NYC over the summer, Dallas in most of the fall, and now LA until Christmas and maybe some of next year. Because I go to work for different companies and actually work in their offices with their people, I also get all my travel and housing expenses paid for, on top of a nice pay check. So now I am travelling around on another company's dime while I explore some cool cities in the US.

marquis• 15 years ago

I travel for pleasure and like to stay in new places for quite a while (more than a week if I really love the place). I find it easy to work out most hotels, stay with friends or use AirBnB. If I'm interested in relocating (which I do often) it will be because I've visited somewhere and fell in love with the place, or the language, or just landed in a good spot. The key I believe is just be interested in everything and follow your instincts. If you want to move somewhere really out of the way it may not be possible, but then again I've had great broadband along the Swiss Alps' lower ranges at friend's holiday homes for example, and in unexpected spots along the Croatian, Australian and Oaxacan beaches. Be surprised and hope for the best. Even better, if you can work offline and sync when you get to a cafe. My most productive days come when I'm not near a wifi signal. Oh, and if you're US based just get a wireless card and go roaming. If you can and want to go offline just be extremely communicative with your team, and always always keep your deadlines when possible: they need to know they can trust you.

volandovengo• 15 years ago

Some tips from a recent interview i did:

Living in many parts of the world is much less expensive than living in North America. When you’re starting a company, it’s really important to keep costs low, so living in a place where the cost of living is much cheaper makes a lot of sense. I lived for two months in the south of Spain while preparing to launch Art Sumo. For a fully furnished, two bedroom apartment in the center of the city, I paid approximately $300/month. How can you argue with that?

That said, be careful how much you travel around. Generally, I find that there is a serious tax to moving from place to place, because for each place you go, you need to spend approximately one week setting up (renting a place, getting sheets, finding a gym, etc). Keep in mind that while you’re setting up, it’s still time away from the business, so you must be able to plan for that. Also – if you’re living in a place that generally is very chill (eg. South of Spain!), it can be hard to motivate yourself to work 10 hour days when everyone else is getting up at 11 am only to take a siesta 2 hours later.

More at http://ideamensch.com/naysawn-naderi/

Ask HN: Hacker-Travelers, please share your techniques and experience.

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