David and SarahDavid and his Sarah in front of his belongings

Her heart is as big as Davids and they've been companions since almost 14 years now. They met in a petshop when Sarah was just 6 weeks old and David worked at the shop. She's refused to leave his side ever since. 
Davids road to becoming a nomad was paved by some misfortunes and some bad decisions as he told me; which is not to say he's not enjoying life on the road. It started when he bought a house and decided to settle close to Dubbo, NSW. Unfortunately the area was in decline, drug scene on the rise and after yet another break-in, he decided to sell his home and to take to the road for a while. Because of the rise in crime his house had lost almost all its value, it was however still enough for a camper trailer and an old Land Rover as well as travelling funds. The Land Rover turned out to be another bad investment and David is now living in his tent.

He'd already packed up by the time the sun was up for a photo, but all his belongings were laying around as he waited to be picked up. David and Sarah have found a travel companion who David helps with whatever's necessary as they travel the country. They often stay at free camps and just once in awhile stopping for a shower and laundry in a caravan park.

Having worked in pet shops and freelanced for reptile shops, David showed a huge heart and knowledge about animals and just as much a heart for people. I do wish David great travels and hope fortunes turn and he'll find a way of putting that big heart to work.

DavidDavid with a small memory of our meeting
 

Thomas and DagmarThomas and Dagmar in front of their Australian home

The decision to change their lives was a long process that started with Thomas noticing how work was wearing him down. A few early deaths of fairly young friends and people he knew contributed towards the decision to change his own lifestyle. Dagmar and Thomas started discussing doing the the Panamericana and suddenly their plans were much bigger. They now plan to be travelling for at least another couple of years and Panamericana is still on their list.

It was a long process to break free of the golden cage: quit your job, sell your apartment, free yourself of other obligations They now carry their livelihood in a couple of bags, which they can take anywhere. As Thomas said, the day he called the electricity company and cancelled the contract he realized what he was doing and that there was no going back. After about 3 years of planning and organizing Dagmar and Thomas were both free to embark on their journey. They started by travelling south east Asia (Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India) and then arrived in Australia in February 2017.

Having started in Sydney, Dagmar and Thomas caught up to Astrid and me in Jervois Station,NT right in the Mitchell grasslands between Mount Isa, QLD and Alice Springs, NT. Those two cities are about twice as far apart as Munich, Germany where Thomas and Dagmar lived and Bern, Switzerland where Astrid and I live. That’s the thing with a nomadic lifestyle though. You notice how small the world really is and you meet people from all walks of life. That’s what makes it so rewarding and why people chose to give up many other comforts in life for it. “When you go to the camp bathroom in the morning and meet a person who greets you with the phrase – <Another Day in Paradise!>, that’s when you know you’ve got it right”, so Thomas said to us at the campfire with a smile.

We wish them both all the best on their journey to Perth and beyond and hope they find plenty of paradises down the road.

Thomas I give all Nomads a small little print as a reminder of our encounter.

Em and BazEmily and Baz are joining the growing group of nomads travelling around Australia. Follow their adventures on https://www.facebook.com/bazandemsadventure/

We met Baz and Em in Beachmere, QLD. They'd just started their journey in the suburbs of Sydney 6 weeks earlier and had no particular destination in mind. The big city life and the expenses associated with living in and around a big city was the driving force behind their decision to leave everything behind and search for a new home somewhere else in Australia. They count on doing a bit of work whenever they need to and wherever they can and are quickly figuring out how this life on the road works. If they find a place they like, Baz and Em might settle down again. Until such a moment, they'll remain part of the growing number of nomads in Austrlia and will be living out of their Toyota Landcruiser Troopcarrier (Troopy) with a rooftop tent. It's a very simple life, not without challenges, but they seemed very happy despite the challenges they've faced so far (i.e. the aftermath of cyclone Debby in Queensland). The rewards on the road are not monetary and they seemed to be firm believers of the fact that you cannot buy happiness. Astrid and I wish them good luck on their journey and hope our paths cross again.

I gave them a small photo to remember our encounter - marked #1 Nomads. More to come (and I need a better pen).