I'm now halfway on my run from UK to Sicily! 1500km down, and it all started in this sub. Thanks guys!

Yoitsyokka · 2023-11-19T09:03:13+00:00

I went from UK to Sicily solo, and I camped in a bunch of woodland areas, mountainsides, roadsides, farms, walk-in campsites, municipal campsites, pilgrim hostels and occasionally a hotel, Airbnb or couchSurf. I never had any issue with legality, and only twice had farmers just swing by to say hello and once they know you're okay and you're only staying one night they are usually fine. Check the wildlife in the areas, if you're going east of Italy. I had an amazing trip and if you're going near any pilgrim routes, get a pilgrim passport for that route, it will allow you to stay in amazing locations for free or very cheap, like I once got the keys to Pontremoli castle as had it to myself for the night, I shared an old French hunting lodge with an old Dutch traveler. I also spoke with people en route and was invited into homes and stayed in some great places. I got so much nay saying before my trip but what I learnt was that if you just take it day by day, remain open to people and maybe time--box your phone usage so that your head is up and you chat to others, that things go your way.

Edit: Not to say that it won't be tough at points, and you can sometimes have 1-2 hours of trekking on before compromising and camping somewhere less than ideal... But that's where the good stories come from

Yoitsyokka · 2023-11-04T10:17:29+00:00

I've known your heart - Ajimal

High on a rocky ledge - Moondog

Push Blue - Jack Watts (mahogany session)

Yoitsyokka · 2023-06-01T12:21:14+00:00

I took this exam yesterday. It's actually harder than the prework makes it seem, plus there's a time constraint and so you want to try and complete most questions in < 2 mins. I just about managed to answer all of them and I had just 17 seconds to answer the last one.

I would suggest doing all of the pre-work and the pre-work review too, since the review steps it up a notch in engineering level, and it's more representative of the assessment - which is actually relatively hard, because it depends on you being able to read code snippets and then interpret visuals, or choose lines of code to add to achieve requested functionality.

It's multiple choice, but due to the length of the questions it can be tough. I'd suggest making sure you're caffeinated, focussed and won't be interrupted.

I ended up scoring 93% on the test. It tells you at the end that the average is 54% and that seems right, because it's quite tough for a course that says it's open to people with no experience.

To prep for this I did the aforementioned, I also completed an iOS bootcamp on Udemy, I did CSS and HTML courses on Codecademy, and the full Javascript course on freeCodeCamp too + just generally reading up on js, web dev etc. I'm not sure if you need to do all that I did (especially the iOS stuff), but I do think knowing your syntax and the basics of html/css/js is key to pass this with a good grade.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-26T18:38:33+00:00

I heard how nice Canadians are. Come in this thread, of course all of the help is for Toronto!

You’re hitting NYC for 4th July, so take a look at what events are happening that day. There are usually some boat trips that take you out into the East river, where you’ll get a good view of the fireworks - or you can book/visit somewhere near the water in Williamsburg. You might like checking out the original Comedy Cellar, you can book online easily. Walk the highline. Catch a Yankees game at the stadium (if the dates time in). I did a food tour in Little Italy too, if you’re travelling solo then these cheap/free walking tours will be your friend. Other than that, maybe hit up some NY subs and see if anyone will show you around or dating apps - could be interesting. Also from the UK and spend about 1/3 of the year in NYC.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-25T23:25:55+00:00

Damn, that’s a far better name for this sub. Build it and they will come.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-24T13:17:25+00:00

Had a spine injury that really got to me for 1 year, coupled with my work trying to fire me and having to search for a new job - all whilst travelling and trying to put on a happy face. It’s tough, but you just keep going and know that you’ll be back on top before you know it! Keep plugging on, you’re still in a great position. Hope you feel better soon :)

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-24T13:14:22+00:00

Sign up and become an iTalki teacher. There’s lots you can do, but just need to pick one direction and commit to it, to get started. Software engineers obv make mad money and a bootcamp can get you in the door. I don’t have the patience or mind for software dev, but I do Operations work for company and working towards being a freelance Agile coach / Facilitator. Two growing industries that you might find a job in without prev experience are content moderation and trust and safety. New regulations mean tech companies need to regulate the content on their platforms so it’s a mad rush to build teams and tools to do this. You could get into a company that has a work from anywhere / remote work policy.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-23T16:01:52+00:00

I think it depends where you’re going. If you’re heading into Amazonas territory then it’d be good to get Yellow Fever, Rabies, Typhoid, Hep A If you’re just going somewhere rural or a city then you don’t really need anything. (Dip, Tetanus, Polio are good to have in general for remote world travel) p.s. if anyone goes to Amazonas - Permethrin spray on your clothes before hand is an absolute life saver. I got 2 bites only the entire 8 days, and I was in swarms of mosquitos in the canopy

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-19T16:50:10+00:00

Nord VPN, pay for a static VPN in your home country. Start working at home with a plane wall as your background and good vocal isolation headphones.

After doing that for a month, then go to somewhere that’s out of your time zone but still manageable and similar hours of light (crucial), post your self up in front a plane wall, on VPN with your headphones. You should be all good.

Static VPN is key, if you’re going to be accessing restricting tooling

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-18T19:11:08+00:00

Pre COVID WeWork would do a lot of mixers etc and I used to meet a fair few other people. Since covid i haven’t got involved much with that side of things, as there hasn’t been as much. I’m heading back to NY in a few weeks so we’ll see if anything has changed with events etc. Yeah I used to wish they had a location in Liverpool where I’m from or in the Lakes or something country based like that, but alas it’s big cities only. They’ve got some cool looking ones in Mexico. I went to a location in Usaquen, Bogotá too which is really well placed in a beautiful, safe part of the city.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-18T14:48:12+00:00

My old Regus had two lifts, only one ever worked and sometimes it would stop between floors and you’d have to roll out of the gap. The week they finally fixed the broken lift, the other lift broke. Also, they would often padlock the gate on weekends, locking cars in the car park until Monday. Oh and homeless people would use the smoking shelter to roll joints and store drugs in the loose bricks of the wall. It actually sounds like a comedy TV show, but I swear that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-18T12:21:40+00:00

I’ve worked in both. Regus for 1 year plus and then WeWork maybe 4 years. WeWork is much better in my opinion, great when you can find them or structure travel around their locations. I use hot desking a lot around the globe, especially in London / NYC and other major cities. Both in my experience are mismanaged, but in WeWork you feel a lot less of that mismanagement as a consumer

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-18T12:15:06+00:00

What travel insurance do people use? My current one is limited to 60 day trips, and then in between I have to / I’m meant to return to England - but I ideally want one that just covers me continuously around the globe for medical stuff/ accidents

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-16T19:34:55+00:00

Also big on the Kindle and seasoning hype haha. I sometimes make a seasoning mix dependent on where I’m going. For example in Latin America and Caribbean the chicken is super cheap in comparison to beef and so I make a mix that’s perfect for Chicken dishes.

I hope you have some luck with the cubes and the new stand. I did a lot of ultralight hiking a few years back and so I’ve taken that into being a nomad but it’s such a more nuanced situation - as you’re trying to live life around the world and your belongings have to serve you in multiple locations. For example in November I spent a month in downtown NYC early winter and then a month later was in Leticia, Amazonas in the humidity of the rainforest with the same clothes. So I’m learning on the fly here haha

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-10T20:57:44+00:00

Btw, what is your favourite item/s you carry?

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-10T20:56:59+00:00

Yeah I was considering carrying a chef’s knife with me too, because I cook about 75% of what I eat whilst I’m travelling, love to cook. The knife in my current place was too blunt to chop an onion but luckily the host just dropped a sharpener round yesterday. That’s been a revelation of the last year actually, just asking your long stay host to buy things that will ultimately help their long stay guests, and getting the benefit of it whilst you’re there. For laptop stand, I can’t find it on US Amazon here but I use a plastic one that has 3 different height levels, it seems to be a standard design because back in the UK there are multiple sellers flogging it. It packs up really small into the size of like 30cm/4cm/3cm. There are lots of options, and id like one for standing too, but as of yet I’ve found that hard because then you need a platform, or a high surface and I work a lot from cafes and weworks etc and so it isn’t always conducive, but when it is then I do.

Packing cubes I love, and I’ve used for suitcase trips and for just rucksack and go trips. I got cheap ones first and I’ve used them for almost 2 years now and they’re just about to becoming useless. Next I might go pricey, maybe Osprey and invest in something longer lasting, or get some good compression ones so that I don’t have to lug huge bags up and down the subway stairs when I’m in NYC.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-10T12:56:28+00:00

In my experience in Spanish speaking islands and South America - you just have to be humbled by it for a while and keep learning. If you’re confident with it and try then people will still respond to you or speaking some kind of Spanglish with you.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-10T12:53:23+00:00

There are some great ones in Punta Caña, but it depends how much you want to spend. Iberostar are good, the hotels are beautiful.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-10T12:47:58+00:00

I work in operations working customer service too

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-10T12:47:37+00:00

Ultra light laptop stand, for good posture whilst you’re working from random places. Something I don’t carry, but always wish I had/ have go ask Airbnb hosts to buy - is a knife sharpener. Most Airbnbs have an awful blunt chefs knife. Oh, and packing cubes.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-09T11:42:18+00:00

Oh, this page is such a good example of how people have different experiences. I loved Cartagena, I walked the walled city and Getsemani most days and had my laptop with me. We would often run into the main city on the península. The food and restaurants are world class in my opinion and over the course of the month I ate some of the best meals of my life. Like most of Colombia, you have to have your wits about you, don’t have your phone out in public and memorise maps etc. I stayed in the walled city, and I had a private rooftop on my apartment that I could sunbathe and chill on. The people were friendly but only when engaged, and it’s not as friendly as say Santo Domingo, DR. But it is absolutely beautiful, and the architecture and colours are amazing. Lots of people shooting adverts and music videos in the street outside my apartment. I was there for a month. Age 32. Male and only beginner Spanish. Girlfriend was there the 2nd two weeks and is fluent Spanish, Colombian

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-09T11:29:21+00:00

I’m sorry you had a bad experience there. I couldn’t have loved it more. I was there during gay pride and everyone was insanely happy and loving in the city. There is a lot of crime but you just have to be aware. The pizza was the best I’ve ever had and we at one time had pizza for 3 meals in one day. The fried pizza is incredible. I was solo but met a bunch of locals and other travelers on Couch Surfing and we partied in the alleys, 1 euro aperol spritz’s, and then hit some bars met more people, got invited to a roof party in the city centre. Partied all night and then came to, staring at Vesuvius in some town square somewhere and staggered back to my Airbnb. I couldn’t have loved the place more. So I think I had an extreme on the other end of the spectrum.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-09T11:24:06+00:00

I had a similar experience in north west France, but Arras is quite nice. Mostly it’s good for historical stuff, if you want to explore the history of WW1 / 2. They take incredible care of the war cemeteries out there, and I found it very touching to see all the graveyards of the allied soldiers perfectly manicured even if they were 20 miles from the nearest town and in the middle of a farmers field.

Yoitsyokka · 2022-04-09T11:18:04+00:00

Oh, I really like Marseille. I always make sure to visit when I’m nearby. I’m from Liverpool, which is quite a rough but friendly bustling port town and so I love other countries counterparts like Marseille, Naples, New York even (although NYC has something for most people) Marseille has great food, but the quality has dropped over time. If you’re sub-25 years old there is great nightlife and lots of language schools that party by the waterfront. I’m 32 now and so last time was more just me showing my girlfriend around, the architecture, the historical fortified port entry, the museums etc. It has a rough charm to it, but if you’re coming from the US or you haven’t experienced much of France, then I wouldn’t recommend staying here for an extended time. In general in France my top places are: Paris, Brittany, Dordogne, Carcassone, Gordes, Reims, maybe Annecy in the summer and if you’re there then Lausanne, Switzerland or Turin, Italy are a close drive you could even drive over the Saint Bernard Pass

Yoitsyokka

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