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Hi there! We’re Dustin and Noami

For a long time we felt like we were living a life that wasn’t our own – chasing after someone else’s idea of success and happiness, consuming too much and not living enough. So we made a radical shift. We downsized our possessions and set out to pursue a life of simplicity & travel. We’re eco-vanlifers & digital nomads, living on the road since 2016. We’re here to share with you everything we’ve learned along the way.

What's inside

Digital Nomadism

Dreaming of traveling the world, but still need to pay the bills? Our Digital Nomad Series will give you the tips, advice, inspiration and resources to help you build a sustainable income on the road.

Recent Posts

37 Gift Ideas Eco-Conscious Nomads Will Love in 2021

November 17, 2020 No Comments

The holidays are upon us. And as every vanlifer can attest, space in the van is always a premium. So if you’ve got an environmentally

Essential Digital Nomad Gear For The Overland Traveler

October 28, 2020 1 Comment

2020 can be called a lot of things, and most of us will be happy when it can be called “over.” But with everything this

How To Reduce Amazon Packaging and Minimize Plastic Waste in 2020

October 28, 2020 3 Comments

Currently, there is only one way to request reduced packaging from Amazon. Follow the steps below to tell Amazon to minimize packaging on your future orders.

How to Find Remote Jobs & Freelance Gigs – A Digital Nomad Resource

August 25, 2020 No Comments

Noami and I have been traveling full time since 2016. When we tell folks that we’re full-time nomads, they usually say something like: “what do

DIGITAL NOMADISM 101:
A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BECOMING AN OVERLAND DIGITAL NOMAD

July 31, 2020 No Comments

Most, if not all articles on digital nomadism focus on the international traveler (globetrotter). Though what we’ve shared here can be applied to ALL manner

Noami & Dustin sit side by side on a log sharing a meal around a campfire. A tent is setup just in view.

11 Tips for an Eco Friendly Camping Season

July 24, 2020 No Comments

Sustainable Camping Habits For the Outdoors It’s cold outside friends! But spring is right around the corner. And this is shaping up to be a

Follow our journey on instagram @irietoaurora

SHOUTING CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 to my friend, Christ

SHOUTING CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 to my friend, Christine @afrominimalist for dropping the book I’ve been needing in my life! the Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living With Less.

I’ve already read it cover to cover, and y’all it’s truly life-changing.

For me, adopting a minimalist lifestyle kind of happened by accident. #accidentalminimalist here 🙋🏾‍♀️. It wasn’t until preparing to move into an eighty square-foot rolling home that I realized I had a serious problem with over-consumption.

This was back in 2016. #vanlife was in its infancy, and #minimalism was little more than a trend for white people. Tbh, it was one of the hardest & loneliest times in my life. There was a lot of shame and vulnerability involved as I combed through 15 years of chasing the “American Dream.”

There was no community to lean into, at least none that was relatable to me. And no one was talking about the emotional difficulties that come along with letting go of your stuff. Everything out there was about adhering to a certain aesthetic and counting your possessions to make sure you qualify as a minimalist. Those Euro-centric standards were unattainable.

For me, getting rid of my possessions felt like ripping away my identity. As a Black-identifying immigrant, my attachment to things stemmed from the socioeconomic factors associated with my race, ethnicity, and upbringing. And this is true for many BIPOC and immigrants.

So, I’m ELATED that there’s finally a book on minimalism for us, from the voice of a Black woman!

Whether you’re seeking, practicing, or never heard of minimalism before today, I strongly encourage you to pick up a copy of the Afrominimalist’s Guide to Living With Less.

This book is the first of its kind -- it gives people permission to live this lifestyle authentically, without worrying about the “rules.” Black people already got too many rules. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Thank you Christine. What a gift!

——
📍Native land of the Cheyenne, Crow, Blackfoot/Niitsítapi, and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ peoples

Celebrated Loving Day with my Loverman this past w

Celebrated Loving Day with my Loverman this past weekend. The anniversary of the day, in 1967, when interracial marriage became legal in the US.

Tbh, Dustin & I celebrate this day every year, and it always feels surreal that such a short time ago our marriage would have been illegal. ONLY 54 YEARS AGO!?! How many of y’all know someone 54 years old?✋🏾

Dustin and I met in Louisiana (one of the last states to lift the ban on interracial marriage). And when we started dating 11 years ago, we’d still get stares and judgement from strangers. And let’s not get into clerks feigning ignorance that we’re together when we’d try to cash out at stores (still happens). Needless to say, being an interracial couple still has its challenges in America.

In spite of all that, I’m blessed for our little corner of heaven, and for this sweet guy who always stands up for me in the face of injustice. He’s my biggest supporter and ally.

And I’m grateful to the Lovings for their courage to stand up against injustice so that Dustin and I could have the opportunity to be together today.

Have y’all watched the film “Loving” inspired by the story of Richard & Mildred Loving’s arrest, legal battle, and ultimate Supreme Court victory nine years later? (If you haven’t, it’s on Netflix). There’s also an HBO documentary called “The Loving Story.” If you’ve seen either, let me know your thoughts?

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📍Ute land

CURRY COCKTAILS & CONSERVATION Y’all know my lo

CURRY COCKTAILS & CONSERVATION

Y’all know my love for curry has deep roots. So when I saw that @DrinkHighWest had a cocktail recipe called Kid Curry, I had to try it. It combines the rich, earthy taste of their American Prairie Bourbon, the warm spice of garam masala, and the cool refreshment of watermelon. I added a fresh curry leaf for garnish, and boom, just like that I found my new fav summer cocktail.

But this isn’t why I teamed up with High West. Not only do they make an excellent whiskey that pairs well with my favorite flavors, but they also partnered with @AmericanPrairie to help conserve the habitat of my friends, the Pronghorn!

With every bottle sold, High West donates a portion of the proceeds to help conserve grasslands of the west with American Prairie. They even created a fun mobile game called Prairie Dash, where you can run through the prairie as a pronghorn at speeds up to 61 mph. High West will donate $1 for every player (up to $50k), so get your thumbs ready.

Head to my stories for some fun facts about the American Pronghorn & be sure to swipe up to play Prairie Dash.

#HighWestPartner #For21+ #DrinkHighWest #HighWestPrairieDash

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📍Ute & Southern Paiute native land

#Ad Our vanlife was only supposed to be a one-year

#Ad Our vanlife was only supposed to be a one-year road trip — from New Orleans to Alaska and back. But 6 months in, we knew this was something we wanted to sustain for as long as possible.

We had the same questions most people ask us now. Primarily, how do we afford to live on the road full-time? Truth is, that’s a complicated question to answer. And if I’m being transparent, when we started out we were on a shoestring budget. Dustin and I jumped headfirst into this lifestyle, even though we didn’t have much money saved up. We also brought along some debt with us (student loans & credit cards, amarite?)

I wish someone had told me back then that somewhere down the road I would be a digital nomad entrepreneur living in a van. I probably wouldn’t have worried so much. But, again, there was no roadmap to sustaining this lifestyle.

The thing is, for anyone pursuing vanlife, there are a few things to keep in mind that can make your financial journey on the road much smoother:
💸Make a plan to pay off debt;
🧾Stay super organized with your finances;
💳 Make sure you’re getting something back for the money you spend.

When we found @NerdWallet it changed the game for us. It was our first step to getting our finances in gear and pursuing financial freedom on the road. Their in-depth reviews on travel credit cards and convenient side-by-side comparisons helped us find the card that works best for our travel money goals.

If you want to get more from your vanlife budget, head to NerdWallet to compare and find the smartest travel rewards credit card for you.

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📍Southern Paiute native land

BECAUSE YOU NEED TO SEE A BLACK QUEEN ON YOUR FEED

BECAUSE YOU NEED TO SEE A BLACK QUEEN ON YOUR FEED LIVING THEIR DREAMS 💋

I’ve been elbow deep lately, writing chapters for my book and conjuring up memories of the past 5 years on the road.

You see, my vanlife journey was never meant to last this long. When we started out in 2016, our plan was to travel for a year — from New Orleans to Alaska and back again. Though, we haven’t made it to Alaska yet.

Truth is, if I had to go back and do it all over again, I would do the same thing. No regrets.

Some of the most profound growth I’ve made in my life has been inside the four walls of this tan tin can. I’ve been humbled, inspired, scared, energized. I’ve found my voice, tapped into passions, busted stereotypes, reimagined community, reclaimed my joy, and started a business as a digital nomad/remote entrepreneur.

And now I’m writing a book!

Sometimes I wonder where this wild journey will take me, where I’ll end up. But the truth is, I don’t need to know.

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Anyway, I’m playing around with Q&A in my stories, and I’ve been having fun reading & answering y’all’s questions. If you haven’t yet, head over to stories and ask me anything.

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📍Stolen land of the Cahuilla, Newe & Serrano peoples

This family is now fully vaxxed! 💉 Last weeke

This family is now fully vaxxed! 💉

Last weekend we got the second shot of Moderna. Tbh, it kicked our asses. Dustin and I were both overwhelmed with exhaustion for about 48 hours. But it still wasn’t as unpleasant as the first shot for me. I had all the side effects, sick and knocked flat out for days. Anybody else experience this?

I’m glad that’s over. And as much as it sucked, it’s my responsibility as a traveler to do everything possible to protect myself, my loved ones, and the people and communities I interact with.

I feel fortunate to have this option, but as I observe America embrace a return to “normalcy,” I can’t help but feel apprehensive.

As the CDC lifts mask mandates and other restrictions, in Trinidad, my family is once again under level 4 lockdown. COVID is ravaging my country. Hospitals have run out of beds. Daily death toll is in the hundreds (that may not seem like a lot, but on a tiny Island with a population equivalent to just 4% of the US, it is immense).

Vaccines have barely reached Trinidad. Less than 5% of the population has received the first shot and only 0.1% are fully vaccinated (compared to 38% of Americans).

The vaccine access gap between wealthy and poorer nations is heart-wrenching and difficult to ignore. Though, the media seems to find a way. You won’t see news coverage about the disastrous crisis Trinidad is facing. But it’s real and it’s devastating.

We all live in a bubble in some way or another, and it can be easy to separate ourselves from what’s happening in other places. But I beg you, please don’t become complacent. This is not over.

I’ll be sharing more updates about what’s happening in Trinidad over the next few weeks, along with some ways that you can give your support.

📍 Native Land of the Hohokam, Pueblos, Hopitutskwa, and Western Apache peoples

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