Sara Öhman

Presented by the Outdoor Collective

Location

Nowhere but have a mountain hut in Tänndalen.

Occupation

Digital nomad

Instagram

@emilsergel

So you dream about traveling the world? Getting a van and just explore for a while? Well we have talked to friend and digital nomad Emil Sergel to get his best tips and hacks that might just change your life for a month, half a year or maybe even life.

Check this out!

“I wanted to try the ultimate freedom”

The idea might come from various sources. You might wake up realizing you might just only have one life and want to try something new. Or you might be between jobs and want to get the most out of the time. Or you might want to take a month or even longer time off and just get off the grid. For Emil the idea came out of the emptiness after having being dumped by his girlfriend on Aconcuaga, he highest mountain in South America.
– In that emptiness the idea of staying in my surfbus Alfie was born. I wanted to explore the feeling of living without any musts or stuff. I wanted to try the ultimate freedom.

So once back home he decided to sell his apartment in Gothenburg and all his stuff and start the adventure of alifetime.

– The feeling of standing outside my apartment in Gothenburg, when everything was packed in my surfbus. That feeling. That was the greatest freedom I have ever felt. What started as an idea became a full year of adventures all over the world from Indonesia to Africa, an adventure that later became the book “Mitt år som nomad – vägen till ett friare liv” (My life as a nomad – theway to freedom”).

Today Emil is back in Sweden still working as a free soul with everything from filmmaking to journalism and book writing. Alfie has been sold and the van Stan was bought together with his girlfriend Maya and they have spent the last year on several locations.

When hooking up with Emil at the annual Utefest party in FriluftsByn we asked to get his 10 best hacks and tips for all of us who one day might want to try this out. So here you go:want to try something new. Or you might be between jobs and want to get the most out of the time. Or you might want to take a month or even longer time off and just get of the grid.

For Emil the idea came out of the emptiness after having being dumped by his girlfriend on Aconcuaga, he highest mountain in South America.

– In that emptiness the idea of staying in my surfbus Alfie was born. I wanted to explore the feeling of living without any musts or stuff. I wanted to try the ultimate freedom.

Today Emil is back in Sweden still working as a free soul with everything from filmmaking to journalism and book writing. When hooking up with Emil at the annual Utefest party in FriluftsByn we asked to get his 10 best hacks and tips for all of us who one day might want to try this out. So here you go:want to try something new. Or you might be between jobs and want to get the most out of the time. Or you might want to take a month or even longer time off and just get of the grid. For Emil the idea came out of the emptiness after having being dumped by his girlfriend on Aconcuaga, he highest mountain in South America.

– In that emptiness the idea of staying in my surfbus Alfie was born. I wanted to explore the feeling of living without any musts or stuff. I wanted to try the ultimate freedom.

10 hacks for the traveling nomad

Get rid of your stuff. You know that feeling you get after shopping? You will get the exact same ”high” when you clear out all the stuff you don´t need.
Lower your costs. To be able to live on the road, you need to lower your monthly costs. Sell your house, get rid of your mortage and other loans. This might be payed
with all the money you will get from selling the stuff you don´t need.
Get a van. Or a car. It doesn´t need to be an expensive campervan, you can convert it into a cool place to live on the road. Vanlife is the way to go- to roam and explore. You can start with a smaller and cheaper van and spend as little as $3000 on a new
home.
Realize it´s possible. Imagine a life without belongings and a long list of obligations. A simpler existence, with less work, less stress and more time to enjoy life.
Bring coffee, solar cells and a lot of water. And always start your day with a cup of coffe on the roof of your van. It´s also the best way of making new nomad-friends.
Use solar cells, there are som small handy power banks that runs on solar cells but you can also putt hem on the roof of the van. Bring more water. The lack of drinking
water always seems to be the reason for me leaving a nice spot.
Focus on the free activities. I love running, hiking, surfing and climbing. And once I bought the equipment they are all free! And the best thing- I can live just next to my passion.
Connect to others. There are a bunch of Facebook groups where you can connect with likeminded people. Often they have organized meet ups.
Keep it simple. You don´t need a lot to live. Clothes, a place to sleep, somewhere to cook your food, fresh water. And coffee.
Live in the oyster. The world is an oyster and you do´t have to be a visitor at the best spots- you can be a resident and stay for as long as you want to. If you are stuck in a city- both Walmart and Lowe´s are ok to have vanlifers on their parking lots and
they both have wifi and often a water valve.
Spare no expenses on your bed. I have just ordered a custom fit matress for my bed in my new van. I want to be comfortable while on the road.

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