Offline mode for humans

Read the full article at: nerdontour.net/we-got-married/After 20 years on the road, I found the love of my life. Arvina and I got engaged in Japan and tied the knot in Kuala Lumpur on the 7th of November 2026. Here's why we chose Malaysia and what it means for the Nerd on Tour.

Planning a trip to Poland? Start with this episode.Dorota and Krzysztof are two of my Polish friends, and many years ago I built the website for the company they were just starting — Real Poland, a small tour agency. Krzysztof is a licensed Warsaw guide who can walk you through centuries of our history on foot. Dorota did many other things before deciding to run the business alongside him, designing experiences for the Americans, Australians, and Canadians who make up most of their guests.Those guests keep coming back. There’s always more of the country to see, and planning it well is harder than it looks — which is exactly why you hire people like Dorota and Krzysztof.Their story isn’t a straight line, though. The company was growing fast, then COVID froze tourism entirely. Then the escalation of the war in Ukraine hit them again. What saved them was a client base loyal enough to keep returning, and Real Poland was reborn.We talk through all of it, plus their favorite sights. I love hearing stories like this, and I love passing them on.Nerd on Tour Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.#Poland #TravelPoland #NomadPodcast #Warsaw #WalkingWithPiotrek

Check the full transcript and show notes at: https://nerdontour.net/leon-ahlers-vienna-vc-turned-tenerife-coliving-owner/Leon Ahlers grew up between Vienna and Tenerife, learned Russian before English, co-founded a startup, worked as a VC, imported Clase Azul tequila to Austria, and now runs his family's fourth-generation property business on the island.We talk about laid-back Austrians, a great-grandfather sent to Vilaflor in 1898, how family properties became Casona Charco and Marina Urbana, Spain's housing crisis, and slow travel in Tenerife.Nerd on Tour Recommends:Wise — for fast international money transfers. Try at https://nerdontour.net/wiseRevolut Personal — for the lowest exchange fees. Try at https://nerdontour.net/revolutRevolut Business — to manage your global business finances. Get it at https://nerdontour.net/businessSafetyWing — for reliable nomad medical travel insurance. Go to https://nerdontour.net/safetywing scroll to the bottom, click the pink camera, and enter the code: NERDONTOUR for free 8 weeks of electronic theft coverage.Riverside — all-in-one podcast recording platform I use to produce my podcast. Start it at https://nerdontour.net/riversideAbout Leon AhlersVienna-born entrepreneur and investor with a Canarian mother. Studied political science, then international relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe. Co-founded geolad and Spirituosity, worked as an investment manager at aws Gründerfonds, and now runs his family's boutique hospitality business in Tenerife. His newest project is Marina Urbana, serviced apartments on Plaza de Espana in Santa Cruz: https://marinaurbana.com/Timestamps00:00 Start01:03 Laid-back Austrians and Canarians05:12 Growing up between Vienna and Tenerife09:41 Two homes, two melting pots13:49 Russian at ten, French on his own20:17 Diplomacy school and thinking in odds26:34 Philosophy to startup31:39 geolad: telecom data vs. Silicon Valley38:45 VC life: thirteen portfolio startups42:39 Why a VC imports Clase Azul tequila46:20 Four generations in Tenerife50:03 Running the family business55:15 Is Leon a digital nomad?59:57 Casona Charco in Puerto de la Cruz1:04:30 The El Medano penthouse1:08:13 Marina Urbana on Plaza de España1:15:40 Housing, licenses, Spanish election1:20:05 Tenerife: slow travel vs. mass tourism1:26:31 Garachico, Afur and Guamasa walks1:29:09 Local art, HIIT, guitar, meditation1:35:08 Where to find Leon, and outroListen onYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nerdontourApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/46dwoqxSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ncVtvERp058pd7AkIf0wy?si=hqKFLI6yT5Wt8WFF7AbApALet's connectInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdontour/Skip the algorithmSubscribe to Nomad Tuesday: https://nerdontour.net/newsletter/Help me create more episodesBack me on https://nerdontour.net/#/portal

Is digital a new form of addiction? Nobody really does yet.What we can see is that people build bad habits around games, smartphones, and social media. And as nomads, me and everyone I travel with are glued to these devices by necessity — they’re the toolkit, not a luxury. Which makes the question harder, not easier: how do you keep a healthy relationship with something you can’t put down for work?My answer is to treasure everything offline. After a full day across several screens, I want a pause. The park. A walk. Nothing in my hand.And board games. I’ve been playing them since I was a kid and I have no intention of stopping — new ones keep coming out, they’re brilliant, and they pull people together in a way no app has managed. Proof you don’t need high technology to make a memorable evening.I wrote more about this in “Offline mode for humans” at my blog.So — are you talking to AI more than to your friends? And if so, do you want that to change? Tell me below.#DigitalDetox #DigitalNomad #OfflineLife #BoardGames #WalkingWithPiotrek

Read the full article at: https://nerdontour.net/my-travel-esim-for-nomading-in-japan/From pocket WiFi to SIM cards mailed to my hotel, I've stayed online in Japan since 2010. In 2025, eSIM finally won. Here's why public WiFi fails nomads, why you get no phone number, and how roaming hit 1.5 Mbps while an eSIM hit 106.Nerd on Tour RecommendsWise — for fast international money transfers. Try at https://nerdontour.net/wise

Full transcript and show notes: nerdontour.netMuhammed Alard flew to Istanbul in 2014 to study, then the Syrian border closed behind him. A father arrested over a Facebook post, a fake passport sticker that worked, citizenship by lottery, a Ukrainian wife, Hoi An, crypto when PayPal says no, and Arab Nomad Fest in Taghazout, Morocco, from October 26, 2026.About Muhammed AlardSyrian-born nomad with a Turkish passport, founder of Arab Digital Nomads and Arab Nomad Fest. Self-taught video editor, first dollars on Upwork. Lives in Hoi An, Vietnam, building a visa database and app for MENA nomads.Arab Digital Nomads: https://arabdigitalnomads.com/Arab Nomad Fest: https://arabdigitalnomads.com/arab-nomad-fest/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arabdigitalnomad/Nerd on Tour RecommendsWise — for fast international money transfers. Try at https://nerdontour.net/wiseRevolut Personal — for the lowest exchange fees. Try at https://nerdontour.net/revolutRevolut Business — to manage your global business finances. Get it at https://nerdontour.net/businessSafetyWing — for reliable nomad medical travel insurance. Go to https://nerdontour.net/safetywing scroll to the bottom, click the pink camera, and enter the code: NERDONTOUR for free 8 weeks of electronic theft coverage.Riverside — all-in-one podcast recording platform I use to produce my podcast. Start it at https://nerdontour.net/riversideTimestamps00:00 Start.01:09 Gulf childhood, road trips to Syria.06:52 Damascus: temple, church, mosque.08:17 Nerd on Tour recommends Wise and Revolut.11:16 $4,000 stolen on his first solo trip.17:59 Stuck in Turkey, father arrested by Assad.21:22 Fake passport sticker, hitchhiking Austria.27:37 Nerd on Tour recommends SafetyWing.29:33 Becoming a Turkish citizen by lottery.32:39 Hoi An: 50 kids a class, freelancing.37:27 A Ukrainian wife, two wars, one family.44:11 Erasmus friends and Cappadocia tours.50:33 Le Cordon Bleu on half a scholarship.55:17 Google, Upwork, first online dollars.57:51 Chiang Mai, Bedouins, and Ibn Battuta.63:16 Arab Nomad Fest in Taghazout, Morocco.69:58 Why in-person beats AI.76:05 Passports, Islamophobia, closed borders.81:41 PayPal blocked, crypto sends money home.88:07 Pickleball, slow mornings, find him online.Listen on your preferred appYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nerdontourApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/46dwoqxSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ncVtvERp058pd7AkIf0wyLet's connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdontour/Skip the algorithmSubscribe to Nomad Tuesday, my weekly email with travel stories, podcasts, and tools: https://nerdontour.net/newsletter/Help me create more episodesShare this episode with a fellow nomad, or back me at https://nerdontour.net/#/portal

Read full article: https://nerdontour.net/internet-connectivity-in-malaysia-for-digital-nomads/Bali and Bangkok top every nomad list. Yet Kuala Lumpur is my base, and reliable Internet is one reason. Here’s the prepaid eSIM I use, why I pay 30 MYR a year to keep my number, my only outage, and what Starlink means for nomads in Malaysia. Chapters(00:00) - Intro (00:20) - Which Malaysian mobile operator is the best for nomads? (01:04) - What Hotlink offers? (02:09) - Wi-Fi for heavy workloads (02:55) - Seamless switching between networks (03:21) - Coverage is never ideal (03:54) - The future of connectivity (05:02) - Over to you

Check the full transcript and show notes at: https://nerdontour.net/dorota-krzysztof-who-resurrected-their-realpoland-travel-business/Krzysztof and Dorota spent years building a tour company in Warsaw, then watched COVID close the borders of nearly every country their guests come from. Just as people started booking again, war broke out next door. After three years of running tours for free at night, they shut the business down. Then an email from a past guest arrived at the exact moment they drove past the sign of her family's tiny hometown.We talk about what makes someone Polish, why Krzysztof travels to countries that officially don't exist, slow travel, AI trip planners that look perfect on screen, and why Poland is still one of the few places in Europe without crowds.About Krzysztof and DorotaKrzysztof and Dorota are a married couple from Warsaw and the team behind RealPoland Tours, an inbound tour operator focused on small group and private tours. Krzysztof is a licensed guide who helps travelers with Polish roots find their ancestors. Dorota designs the itineraries and translates children's books from Swedish into Polish. Together with their two boys, they explore Poland by caravan and run the business remotely, on their own terms.What we cover- What makes someone Polish: language, roots, or a last name- Slow travel with kids vs. intense couple trips- Surviving COVID and war next door as a small travel business- The email from Miłomłyn that brought RealPoland back to life- Why Poland is having its moment and still has no crowds- AI trip planning, chatbot fatigue, and the human touchTimestamps(00:00) - Start. (00:59) - How I met Krzysztof on a tour with Silesian miners. (02:33) - What makes someone Polish: language, roots, or a last name? (04:10) - Is Poland still seen as provincial? (09:13) - How foreign visitors see Poland today. (12:41) - The travel bug, family votes, and a Google Maps bucket list. (19:06) - A US road trip without kids and why a week can feel like two months. (22:52) - Krzysztof's obsession with countries that don't exist. (27:02) - Living with history in Warsaw, and what Malaysia taught me. (32:31) - War next door: does Poland still feel safe? (36:01) - From guide and translator to tour operators. (41:49) - 2014: the first small group tour and their first child. (46:17) - Their own vibe, then New York, Melbourne, and COVID. (51:05) - Closed borders, war, and shutting down. (53:12) - The email that arrived in Miłomłyn. (57:33) - Old guests return, pączki, and tracing Polish roots. (01:02:13) - Why travelers without Polish roots now choose Poland. (01:05:28) - No crowds, Żabka, fast trains, and good-value hotels. (01:11:30) - Warsaw as a gateway from Asia, and who RealPoland is for. (01:13:31) - AI trip planners: great on screen, nonsense on the road. (01:17:49) - Chatbot fatigue and the human touch as a luxury. (01:20:03) - Running a tour company like digital nomads. (01:23:21) - Why their way of working beats a 9-to-5. (01:25:17) - Where to find RealPoland and a free Polish course. Krzysztof, Dorota and their projectsRealPoland Tours: https://realpolandtours.com/ — small group and private tours of PolandDesign your own tour: https://realpolandtours.com/private-tours/design-your-own-tour/ — tailor-made private tripsHeritage Tour: https://realpolandtours.com/private-tours/heritage-tour/ — for travelers with Polish rootsLearn Polish: https://realpolandtours.com/small-group-tours/learn-polish/ — Dorota's free Polish phrases courseRealPoland on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealPolandTravel/ — their most active channelListen to all Nerd on Tour Podcast episodes on your preferred appYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nerdontourApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/46dwoqxSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ncVtvERp058pd7AkIf0wy?si=hqKFLI6yT5Wt8WFF7AbApAPocket Casts: https://pca.st/dltrbnoyOther Podcast Apps: https://podnews.net/podcast/i9n39RSS: https://feeds.transistor.fm/nerd-on-tour-podcastPodcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZvspP4gu3fdAD4Nx2OQBkJi9za-qEj5GLet's connectThreads: https://www.threads.com/@nerdontourInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdontour/X: https://x.com/nerdontourLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/piotrekbodera/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nerdontour/Telegram: https://t.me/nerdontourFeedMastodon: https://mastodon.social/@nerdontourBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/nerdontour.bsky.socialSupport Nerd on Tour PodcastIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and share it with a fellow nomad.Skip the algorithmAnd subscribe to Nomad Tuesday for travel stories, podcasts, and recommendations delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.Help me create more episodesThe best way to support Nerd on Tour Podcast is to back me on https://nerdontour.net/#/portal

I'm a nerd who grew up on Game Boys and LAN parties. Yet decades of gaming taught me that digital is an enabler, not a goal. Here's how I stay offline enough as a digital nomad, without quitting the screens that pay my bills. Read the full article at: https://nerdontour.net/offline-mode-for-humans/

Check the full transcript and show notes at: https://nerdontour.net/gigi-spiritual-pro-skater-pirate-from-new-caledonia/Gigi got hired on a superyacht after telling the captain he knew nothing about sailing. In this episode we talk about how a skater from New Caledonia ended up delivering yachts across Asia with one safety course and one good reference. Why a stranger's question in a Phuket bar changed his life, and what cutting fishing nets off a propeller at 3 a.m. taught him about work.We also go through 37 hours in a force 9 storm off Western Australia with no harnesses, the reason he finally went back to school, and why he refuses every label, flag, and "where are you from?" thrown at him.About GigiGigi is a Pacific Islander from New Caledonia. A sponsored skater as a kid, he left home at sixteen, hated Paris, flew back alone, and wandered Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia with one bag. After an STCW course in Phuket he spent years as yacht crew on delivery passages, a 27 meter catamaran in Pattaya, and motorboats in Melbourne. We met in 2021 at an RYA sailing school in Tenerife, where he was working towards his Yachtmaster Offshore.What we cover- Why "where are you from?" is the worst question for someone who doesn't belong anywhere- How an STCW course and one reference got him onto a superyacht- 37 hours in a force 9 storm and arriving 40 centimeters from sinking- Indra's net, Lao Tzu, Terence McKenna, and choosing freedom over labelsTimestamps(00:00) - Start. (00:34) - A backlog episode from pandemic Tenerife and our RYA sailing course. (04:21) - Meet Gigi: the spiritual pro skater pirate from New Caledonia. (05:02) - Why "where are you from?" is the worst first question. (06:20) - New Caledonia: Le Caillou, the Loyalty Islands, and the biggest lagoon in the world. (10:15) - Tribal life, never quite belonging, and running away at eleven. (13:51) - No snakes, no spiders: rusa deer, the kagu, and a life lived from the sea. (17:04) - Skateboarding as an escape from teachers, rules, and authority. (21:05) - Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, inline skates, and the flow of movement. (24:14) - Almost pro, then Paris at sixteen: the move that broke him. (27:57) - Selling Balinese art, sleeping on beaches, and backpacking across Asia. (30:14) - French territory, not a French state: independence and a childhood memory. (32:32) - First sailboats on sandbank motus and a dad who taught sailing. (34:44) - A Phuket bar, a stranger's question, and the STCW course opens yacht jobs. (39:49) - Free passage: delivering a brand new Beneteau yacht from Hong Kong to Phuket. (44:02) - First night watch in the South China Sea: flares, tuna socks, and "pirates". (47:09) - Thief on water, a rehab boat crew, and a hippie who hitchhiked 120 countries. (50:31) - Fixing the furler with a fork, land sickness, and a job offer via strangers. (54:56) - Staying innocent and gliding through life without expecting to get conned. (56:43) - Yachtmaster in five weeks for a free spirit who hates classrooms. (01:00:26) - The superyacht interview in flowery boardshorts and why references matter most. (01:04:29) - Keys behind the beers: alone on a 27 meter catamaran with a broke owner. (01:09:22) - Cutting fishing nets off the propeller at 3 a.m.: "That's my job." (01:10:54) - Tattoos in yachting, a 48 hour powerboat license, and collecting sea time. (01:13:51) - Perth to Bali on a tiny racing yacht and a force 9 storm off Exmouth. (01:17:57) - Thirty-seven hours without harnesses and a life raft ready on deck. (01:19:45) - Arriving 40 centimeters from sinking and the Mayday that almost happened. (01:24:52) - The wake-up call: why he finally went back to sailing school. (01:27:15) - Reading clouds like old sailors, and why the world becomes your oyster. (01:30:02) - Indra's net, fractals, and coconuts. (01:32:53) - Labels, language, and why the ocean is waving. (01:37:14) - Flags, passports, and rejecting authority with Terence McKenna. (01:42:41) - Law of attraction: all I want is freedom. (01:45:33) - Gandhi's Gita, the Upanishads, and the internet as a mind in 3D. (01:49:26) - Be like water: solitude, reclaiming your mind, and a message of love. (01:55:02) - Thanks for listening. Listen to all Nerd on Tour Podcast episodes on your preferred appApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeOther Podcast AppsLet's connectThreads: https://www.threads.com/@nerdontourInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nerdontour/X: https://x.com/nerdontourLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/piotrekbodera/BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/nerdontour.bsky.socialSkip the algorithmSubscribe to Nomad Tuesday for travel stories, podcasts, and recommendations every Tuesday: https://nerdontour.net/newsletter/Help me create more episodesBack me on https://nerdontour.net/#/portal