Ten different ways we power our campsite with Jackery

Ten months ago Em and I moved to a fifteen acre site in Lincolnshire, which we lovingly call the Big Sky Hideaway. After months of figuring out how to power different areas of our site we’ve finally found the solution in a range of battery and solar panel products made by a company called Jackery.

The Big Sky Hideaway is home to some very cool accommodation options like converted buses and Landpods, a spacious camping meadow, a small herd of fluffy alpacas, a bunch of eco-friendly toilet and shower blocks, a couple of field kitchens and a big old barn that we’re turning into a community space. Plus a lot lot more.

From the off it was important to us that we power the site using renewable energy. We’re here for the long run and in that sense, renewables and solar in particular are as clever for our finances as they are good for the environment.

For a few months we looked at more conventional options for installing solar power but it never felt straight forward. Buying in solar converters, panels, batteries and inverters felt like a huge headache given we like simplicity, and with multiple areas to power on site we felt restricted with investing in solar for our barn, which was the priority.

And then we found Jackery. The idea of a portable electric battery with an outgoing wattage to rival the existing system on our converted double decker (The YesBus) felt dreamy, but could it really do everything we needed it to?

After a few weeks of research and general envy looking at the Jackery channel on Instagram we decided on our favourite options and then stared at our parcel box for 48 hours!

We opted for:

1 x Jackery Explorer 1000 Portable Power Station

2 x Jackery SolarSaga 100 Solar Panels

The aim was to test the power station and panels all over site in a number of different ways and then figure out whether or not the Jackery gear worked, and if it did then whether or not we needed more panels and power stations to ensure our off grid site never ran out of power.

The unboxing

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Jackery have definitely got their branding spot on. Of all the portable electric power stations on the market it’s hard to find any that come close to Jackery’s marketing. The packaging is swish, gorgeously put together and doesn’t do anything to numb the pending excitement of discovering what is inside.

And inside, there’s zero disappointment.

The Explorer 1000 is one of Jackery’s largest units and it’s a weighty little number, coming in at just under 10kg. It’s really well designed with rounded corners and edges and an inbuilt handle that makes for comfortable carrying. It’s solid, feels like it could withstand a bump or two, and frankly would make the best gift for a friend you want to really, really like you.

The Explorer 1000 boasts two 230V three-pin plugs (if you get it from the UK store, as we did), 2 x USB-C ports and 2 x USB ports, one of them a Quick Charge 3.0 output. There’s also a 12v car port (cigarette lighter style) and two inputs, including an anderson adaptor.

I was just as enthusiastic about the SolarSaga 100 panels as the power station. They’re folded in half with a hard shell with a velcro’d stand on each side of the panel to enable standing at different angles, and the attached charging wire is connecting to the back of the unit within a zippable pouch. The connector slots right into the left-most charging input on the Explorer 1000 power station.

How we use Jackery at the Big Sky Hideaway

We’d told Jackery that we could find endless ways to use their gear on our site and they set us a challenge to record at least ten of these, so….here goes.

1 - Coffee Machine

Doesn’t every day start with coffee? Although we love boiling the kettle up over a wood fire we headed over to the Cosy Cocoon Landpod in our woodland and set up the Explorer 1000 Power Station in the field kitchen, which shelters underneath an old army parachute. Our coffee machine usually lives in our home kitchen but it enjoyed a trip to the woods and the Explorer 1000 didn’t sweat, using up about 15% of its capacity on a full brew.

It’s worth noting that high draw electronics which need over 1000W at peak will not work with the Explorer 1000. Most power tools, hair straighteners, slow cookers and electric heaters would need more than 1000W but our coffee machine takes around 850W, so all good.

2 - Tools

We’re still in Year One at Big Sky so every day is spent creating a new space or building something. Battery-powered tools are our friend and we have batteries to charge for drills, jet washers, strimmers and saws. The Jackery makes mince meat of any of these batteries and can charge our whole battery collection at the same time, eight times over.

If we’re working away from the house the Jackery lives in the back of our electric buggy (which by the way, the Jackery can charge!) and keeps everything powered up. Job done.

3 - Cameras and Drones

Filmmaking and photography formed a big part of our pre-campsite life and work and not much has changed. Keeping social media channels and our website populated with enticing images is the name of the game for a (hopefully) successful small business and the Jackery Explorer 1000 keeps phones, drones and cameras topped up throughout the day meaning we never miss a shot.

4 - Game time

This is a lifestyle for us and while we work hard it’s great to chill out sometimes. I love my sport and the Explorer 1000 packs enough punch for multiple back-to-back grand prix, football/ tennis matches or like this Summer, day-after-day eventing in the Olympics and Paralympics. Grab a beer, put the TV wherever you like and light the fire. Bingo.

5 - Date night

This week saw in our third anniversary since we married in a woodland further south. While Em drove out to get a Thai takeaway I rushed around our small meadow setting up fairy lights, firebowls, candles and a nice little music system, which pumped Motown out into the dusk sky. Em loved it, I loved it, the alpacas loved it. Thank you Jackery, that was awesome. Next year we’ll be offering anniversary/ birthday/ special occasion packages that we’re now way more confident in.

6 - OFFice Grid

While I love having an office in a house after a decade of working on the move, it’s great to take the laptop out to different parts of our site on a nice day, and edit films and photos beneath the trees. The Explorer 1000 keeps a laptop charged for literally days, and my Mac is a 16” beast which guzzles power. Need to plug in the phone, camera batteries and even a second screen? No problem at all!

7 - EV charging!

We have this cool little electric buggy (it’s not a golf cart!) that helps us service our site, things like taking firewood to guests and getting us to the far flung pods with fresh water and other bits and bobs. We’re careful with its charge but now and then we run so low it…erm…doesn’t move. The Jackery Explorer 1000 won’t give it a full charge or put up with the EV’s demands for long, but it can provide a quick fire juice-up to ensure our buggy gets back to its proper charging point at our house.

8 - YesBus Battery charge-up

We have this awesome converted double decker on site called the YesBus. The YesBus is first and foremost a community basecamp for the YesTribe, a positive, kind and adventurous community that Em and I also happen to run. These days the YesBus splits its time between community basecamp and a rental for guests. On consecutive cloudy days the YesBus batteries, which are charged up with its own array of solar panels, can run low if lots of lights and gadgets have been left on, in which case up steps the Explorer 1000 which we can cleverly hook-up to charge the YesBus batteries. Genius.

9 - Alpackages

We mentioned cameras above, but keeping our phones charged up are especially important seeing as any given moment our cheeky alpacas will pull a move worth capturing. We offer alpaca feeding as one of our experiences here at Big Sky and people love photos of their hands being shnuffled by the pacas. My personal favourite for photographing is one of our babies, born just a few weeks ago, his name is Jammie Dodger and he has a marvellously bendy neck.

10 - The barn!

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Next year our barn (which was actually built as a hanger for the previous owner’s plane!) will be a centrepiece for any events at Big Sky. We’re turning it into a multifunctional event, community and chill-out space and if there’s anywhere on site that really needs a power solution it’s here.

These last two days I’ve built a south-facing woodshed just outside, which conveniently provides just enough space for both SolarSaga panels to spread out and sunbathe.

Just inside sits a brand new charging bench where the Explorer 1000 Power Station lives when the site is open. We’ve yet to give it a proper run-out as the barn is still mostly a shed for building bits and bobs for the site (the mancave game is strong!) but already we can tell we’re onto a winner with this system. It currently powers batteries for all manner of tools, the remote WiFi router, security camera modules, a hefty speaker, lights and most importantly, the fridge in the bar!

We’ll soon have a big drop-down screen for film nights and corporate team build presentations and the Explorer 1000 will power the projector, too.

Potential future uses

Film nights - these are just around the corner and we know the Explorer 1000 will power our projector AND popcorn maker. Bring it on.

Field kitchens - we have plans for a large field kitchen in our camping meadow, a place where guests can meet, cook, wash up and eat. Jackery will come in handy for powering electric cookers, the lights, people’s phones and no doubt other bits and bobs.

Bell tents, tipis and domes - we’re always thinking about different types of accommodation at Big Sky, the more unique the better. Each will need power so guests can be comfortable and we’ll definitely be using Jackery power stations and panels to keep the lights on!

It’s hard to remember what life at Big Sky was like before we got our Jackery gear, but if we use anything on site more than the Explorer from now on then I’ll eat….one of the solar panels.

We couldn’t be happier with the Explorer 1000 and on a sunny day the two Solar Saga batteries take the battery from 0% to 100% in around 5 hours, meaning most of the year we’ll not go wanting.

With two more field kitchens to build on site, both of which will need their own power units, we can certainly see how other Jackery portable power stations will become a part of our future. As an aside, if I was converting a van or a tiny home I wouldn’t consider anything other than a Jackery Power station for the power source. It takes the faff out of running solar-powered electrics through a vehicle or van, and obviously for shorter camping trips out of a tent or a vehicle, Jackery would be a safe option keeping a trip away comfortable and full of juice!

If you like the sound of this gear there are often decent discounts available on the Jackery store and if you’re considering your power options and have any questions please feel free to shoot me any questions via the comments below, or through Instagram channel @DaveCorn.

I’m always happy to chat about the different ways we use #JackeryUK and hope you can come enjoy a stay with us at the Big Sky Hideaway sometime. At the very least you know a cold drink will be waiting in the barn!

Back to housesitting, post-lockdown

After six months of full-time housesitting the COVID-19 lockdown forced a change in lifestyle and for many housesitters the absence of animals was a tough task to bear. Emma Cornthwaite shares her take on post lockdown housesitting, and what it means for owners and sitters alike.

Home sweet home, Bear the puppy looks out for his mum!

It hasn’t been the year that any of us expected - plans have altered, circumstances have changed, lives have been turned upside-down and inside out. One thing is for sure - this pandemic has emphasised the power of community, good people and trust. 

Everyone on the planet has been affected by Covid-19 in some way and we have all experienced kindness in one form or another from other humans as we help each other muddle through and find some sort of normality. What normal looks like for one person will not be normal for the next and everyone has been managing it in their own way. 

For us, ’normality’ was living out of a few bags with no permanent address and a constantly changing environment as we briefly adopted a new family home every few weeks. We were full time Trusted Housesitters and we absolutely loved our unconventional normal.

Being trusted with a stranger’s home and furry family members is an enormous honour and something we never took for granted but we also didn’t realise how much we would miss when it was no longer an option. 

Having pets around is such a joy and has immeasurable benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing and we have really noticed a difference since Covid shut down people’s travel plans and meant that barely anyone needed a house sitter anymore. I bet the pets loved having their humans around the house more these past few months but it meant that we didn’t get to cuddle any!

The good news is, the tables are turning and housesitting is making a comeback like the first rains after a long drought. We are so grateful to report that we have spent the last two weeks being back to our old normal, caring for lovely homes and pets while their owners have been able to get away for a much needed break. 

Shara left her six month old Bear with us for a week after a last minute call for housesitters

We definitely aren’t the minority either - for every housesitting opportunity in the UK, there are tens of applicants wanting to step up sit for them. Having chatted to the TH community online, they are as starved for housesits as we have been and are longing for more sits to become available. 

TrustedHousesitters as an organisation have been really clear about following Covid-19 guidelines from the beginning and have remained supportive of homeowners and housesitters throughout. The communication from the support team is ever-present and we have absolutely no reservations about entering someone’s home and staying for a while to allow them to get away. 

Many people are feeling the need to get away, go on holiday, ‘staycation’ in the UK or head to see family as it’s been so long, but they are concerned about not being able to find a house or pet sitter. Our one message to you is - do it. You can trust that good people are still out there and happy (if not begging!) to come and sit for you as they are longing for the affection that only a pet can give as much as you are longing for your holiday! 

Being part of the TrustedHousesitters community has been so rewarding for us. We can’t wait to do more sits soon.

Read the Instagram Story thread about our return to housesitting

Get 25% off an annual membership on TrustedHousesitters

Read this blog about our Housesitting lifestyle

And check out our top tips for using TrustedHousesitters

The Housesitting Lifestyle: Rent-Free Living and Travel with Furry Friends Included

Whether you’re a nomadic traveller, location independent with a laptop-shaped office or you’re on the hunt for an adventurous way to pick your next holiday, looking after somebody else’s home and pets might just be the key to affording the ultimate lifestyle.

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It might sound too good to be true, but we’ve found an amazing way to live without paying for accommodation.

For years we’ve worked around the world, lived on boats and in buses and vans, and spent more nights under canvas than a middle aged back can handle.

These days work and family commitments keep us in the UK more often than not, and while we wait for our old home (a 45 foot widebeam houseboat in East London) to sell, coupled with extra savings needed to afford our dream (a rural farm to convert into an outdoors retreat) we needed to find a way to live cheaply.

And we’ve done it, completely removing rent and household bills from our outgoings, at the same time as staying all over the country in some glorious properties.

Our secret: TrustedHousesitters, a website and app that pairs owners with house sitters, and creates a network that leads to an intensely homely way to travel.

Almost always there are pets as part of the bargain, which to us has been a bonus from the beginning. Ever since Em and I met, she has been suggesting we get a dog (or three) but we travel a lot for work and right now it wouldn’t be practical to have our own pet. This is where TrustedHousesitters comes into its own, we get to look after dogs (and other animals) without the commitment and expense of owning one ourselves.

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This feels good

There’s more to TrustedHousesitters than free shelter and dogs to cuddle, the ethos of the site reflects our personal values and general approach to life.

There’s an initial sign-up fee paid to TrustedHousesitters for membership (£89/year for sitters & owners, £49/3 months for owners, or £114/year combined for those who own homes and also housesit), but after that no money is involved. There’s no transaction between house sitter and home owner which makes the whole arrangement feel holistic and…right.

Click here for 25% off your new TrustedHousesitters Membership

Without money there’s less pressure and more trust, and the very process of applying to look after someone’s house and pets is driven by care, not need.

A pair of true YesDogs

Em and I run a community called the YesTribe, which thrives off a set of basic values such as kindness, looking after one another and not being afraid to make an adventurous (or unconventional) lifestyle choice when you feel the urge. House sitting certainly fits into this idea of taking the path less followed, and as with all out of the box ideas, it tends to work out in the end if you go into it with an open mindset.

It feels wonderful to find a home owner who trusts us - as strangers - to effectively step into their shoes and look after a (furry) loved one in their own home. It should come with a lot of pressure but actually it doesn’t feel that way, the whole process brings out the good in people.

And in return, we’re more driven to prove they made the right call, which means looking after their place as if it was our own, and giving their pets plenty of time, care and cuddles

You’re staying where?!

Browsing through available sits on TrustedHousesitters can be an exercise in self control, a smorgasbord of dreamy opportunity. We’re planning to carve out a few travelling months this year letting TrustedHousesitters guide our movements but for now, palatial apartments in Sydney or sprawling countryside properties in Colorado just whet the appetite.

We’re slowly searching for our perfect basecamp and house sitting means we’re able to check out different parts of the country from the comfort of…someone else’s armchair.

The English housesits we’ve enjoyed haven’t exactly been shabby. When it comes to accommodation our basic needs are few; I need good Internet for work, Em likes a decent kitchen (which compared to our van is a pretty easy ask), and a nice place to lounge at the end of a long day is always a pleasure. We don’t need much, yet still relish staying in comfortable places. I mean, why not?!

But while we’ve stayed in suburban homes, converted barns and delightful rural cottages, the pets have always been central to our stays.

The Christmas Present Station

It’s a dog’s life

Don’t try to tell me you haven’t been searching under the tree for presents

Dogs have an amazing ability to show unconditional love. From the moment the owners leave, it’s as if we become the only humans in the world, and that bond is the DNA of any housesit. There are so many mental health benefits to having a dog around (and this is coming from a lifelong cat person!): the incentive to get out of the house for walkies, a warm furry ball flopped at your feet when the TV or laptop is on, endless playfulness and back-rolling, the wag-tailed enthusiasm at any sign of a door being opened. Or just that cheeky look when they need to go out.

Best friend, right there. And it’s hard to leave them when the sit comes to an end.

The downside

Another downside: there’s no guarantee your shoes/ slippers will be where you left them

“You’re living the dream.” If we had a pound for every time this is suggested we’d already have our own home to let other people look after. But of course, nothing is ever 100% perfect.

We’ve more or less adapted to the gentle upheaval of packing and unpacking each time we find a new temporary basecamp, and to that squeezed van life in between sits.

And that extra edge of necessary care when we’re in someone else’s home. Making sure there’s a coaster underneath a hot mug, not leaving the lights on and ensuring we don’t skimp on the chores are part and parcel of modern day living, but we can never totally relax, not 100%. This isn’t debilitating by any means, but there’s a conscious desire to ensure the owners return to a clean, unspoilt house and the subsequent positive review.

Oh, and when the dog disappears out of sight during walkies there’s always that thought, ‘oh god, what if she doesn’t come back?! How would that conversation go down?!’

Then there are the goodbyes. The sadness you don’t prepare for, that final hug with your new best friend. Especially heart-twangy when they know you’re leaving, the puppy dog eyes are in full effect, and like our last pupsit, when she wouldn’t even get up and laid in her basket, mad with us.

Which of course, just gives us more incentive to leave the house spotless and get asked back time and time again.

Reasons we love using TrustedHousesitters

Living in the midst of an adventurous life means it wouldn’t be practical or fair for us to get a pet right now. By using TrustedHousesitters, we get all the benefits of having a pet without the complications of actually owning one. It’s Uncle Syndrome, the best of both worlds.

For us, this is an absolute winner as we will probably choose our first pet the same day as we get the keys to our new home, and by then our house sitting experience will have made the decision for us.

We get to experience different sizes, breeds, temperaments and all the while have the peace of mind that we are looking after someone else’s pride and joy. We get immense happiness through looking after animals and showing them the love they deserve - if you’re a pet person, then I’m sure you understand.

When it comes to applying for sits, we love that there’s no middle man, we speak directly to home and pet owners to establish a relationship before we arrive. The whole process hones that self awareness of how we come across and takes trust on both sides to reach a ‘yes.’

There’s also an added intimacy to staying in homes instead of hotels. People have essentially trusted us with their lives, we’re stepping into their shoes while we’re away and we never take shelter for granted, and our gratefulness ensures that we do the best job we can.

Time to go

So, bit by bit we’re saving money, exploring the country, revelling in each new 5* review and the easing of the process of applying for new housesits (which is so much easier once you have good feedback from past owners).

With a bit of forward planning we’ve managed to reduce the gaps between upcoming sits to a matter of hours, if not a day or two, and in between we live out of our van or visit friends who we wouldn’t usually be passing.

We’re starting to look ahead at longer housesits, and we know it’s still the right lifestyle to lead because recently we found the option for a pretty cool dream home of our own, but still preferred the idea of house sitting. Each new sit is an opportunity, and living flexibly, open to the serendipity of the right stranger in the right place deciding to go on their holiday at just the right time, it’s a lifestyle choice too good to ignore right now.

One thing’s for sure, when we do finally find our own home, we’ll definitely use TrustedHousesitters when we go away.

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Even if you have a home or a long-term contract and need to be in the same place for work, then you could use TrustedHousesitters on your next holiday. There are hundreds of opportunities listed around the world for varying lengths of stay, why not find your ideal housesit and let that guide your destination choice? Just a couple of nights sitting will pay off the annual membership, so what have you got to lose?

For our thoughts on how best to use TrustedHousesitters, with plenty of practical advice and suggestions, check out the other blog we’ve written on this subject.

And if you can’t resist the idea of giving this a go, save 25% off your annual membership with the code: SAYYESMORE when you sign up.

• we worked in partnership with TrustedHousesitters on these blogs, and all words, thoughts and experiences are genuinely our own

Top Tips for Using TrustedHousesitters

Ever since we started using TrustedHousesitters we’ve been faced with endless questions of wonderment and curiosity: How does it work? That sounds awesome! How do I do it too!? Well, here it is; your one-stop-shop if you’re thinking of joining this network of homeowners and pet-loving, travelling strangers who are united by a common kindness. 

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Get 25% off your TrustedHousesitters Membership with the code: SAYYESMORE

TrustedHousesitters is the perfect solution for all kinds of people. With members in over 130 countries, it’s the world’s largest house and petsitting platform.

For us, an adventurous couple who mostly work from our laptops, are on the lookout for our forever home and (currently) move around too much to have our own furry friend, house sitting has become a way of life.

We thought, why not explore different areas of the country (and the world) by staying in a ready made home with a trusty furry local for company?! 

Granted, our lifestyle isn’t necessarily usual, but that doesn’t make us the exception. Anyone can use TrustedHousesitters. Whether you’re looking for accommodation or a city break, a countryside escape, an overseas adventure or a nearby stay when visiting family or friends - you’re likely to find more than a few options to choose from. We even have friends using TrustedHousesitters as they backpack around the world.

Emms gets some help “at work”

The site has become so useful to us it seems strange that there are some who don’t use it at all, so we thought we’d share our learnings on how to best use the service, and why it might be helpful.

House sitting costs less than a hotel or Airbnb, and although it takes a little more work than just making a booking, it comes with all the comforts of home. Space, facilities, cooking equipment, AND a happy pet waiting to greet you on arrival. 

The wonderful thing about TrustedHousesitters is that no money changes hands between sitter and owner. Once you pay for annual membership (the equivalent of a meal for two on Date Night) your costs are covered. Get 25% off your TrustedHousesitters Membership with the code: SAYYESMORE (if you sign up using this link, we also get two months extra on the site free! So thanks!).

The currency on this site is honesty and kindness, and that’s a key feature for us. As sitters, we give pet and home owners peace of mind by caring for the things they love too much to leave behind unguarded; they are offering sitters somewhere lovely to stay for free, safe in the knowledge that their home and furry family members will be loved while they are away. It really is a win win.

Ok, so if you’re liking this plan - here’s the practical advice…

“It would appear that you’ve stolen my hair”

For House/Pet Owners

It’s a great comfort to know that you don’t have to book your beloved Rolo and Buttons into cold kennels while you jet off to the sunny Bahamas for 3 weeks.

You can leave them warm and comfy in their own home where they will be much happier, cared for by a trusted person who wants nothing more than to look after them for a while.

You’re no longer grounded to your home, never being able to travel because you don’t know what to do with your pets or you don’t want to leave your home unattended for too long.

We haven’t yet enjoyed a home of our own to let other people sit for, but we’ve learned a little from the owners of the homes we’ve stayed in. Hopefully it’ll be helpful to hear advice from the other side.

Once you’re signed up, take the time to write a detailed Bio and Welcome Pack as more information is far better than not enough. Share plenty of photos of your home and pets - in our experience these are equally as important, sitters will want to know about your pets and the home they might be staying in. It’ll save you question and answer time in the long-run and offers potential sitters more certainty in their application.

If your pets or home have specific instructions that need attention, or quirks that won’t be obvious unless you know them, it’s massively helpful for sitters to be prepared for them. It also gives you peace of mind that you’ve covered everything - TrustedHousesitters will give you a template to fill out, it’s super easy and gives the best comprehensive guide to your home. 

Murphy the spaniel dries off after a wild swim. That’ll be extra time with a towel later…

Get to know your sitters before you exchange keys. If you can meet them and walk them around your home a few hours before you leave, it makes things super smooth and increases trust and good feeling on both sides.

We tend to arrive an hour or so before hosts need to leave so they can introduce us to their home and beloved animals. It’s also super handy to set up a video call when the sit is confirmed so both parties can get a feel for the other, get to know each other and ask questions without a wait between written messages. We always feel more comfortable about a sit when we come off a video call with the other side. It’s always nice to settle any concerns early on, especially if it’s their first time using the site and leaving pets with strangers. 

And pet owners, you don’t have to wait for sitters to come to you, you can search for your ideal candidates and contact them directly through the website or the app. This is great if you’re in a hurry to get it sorted - just search for your dates and see who’s available to housesit in your area. 

The Trust Factor

We get it. It’s a big deal, letting a stranger into your home, let alone giving them the responsibility of caring for a member of your family.

The cherry on top :)

Make sure that you look at the reviews of anyone applying to fill your housesit. You can see how they’ve done on previous housesits and get a feel for who they are. A pre-stay video call is a great way to get a feel for their reasons to be house sitting, and then let your instinct be the guide.

Watch the news and read the papers and it becomes harder and harder to trust others. But remember, every day good things happen that we don’t hear about. People are good and kind, graceful and grateful, and one of the reasons we love TrustedHousesitters is that it tunes into kindness and trust, and allows decency and good communication to be part of the service.

For Housesitters

It’s SO easy to get excited and jump in to applying for the biggest dreamy house with a menagerie of animals on a beach in remote Croatia, Colorado or Canada. Maybe you’ve always wanted a pony, never met an alpaca in person or your nan used to have one of those lizards when you were little!

But the key when applying for house sits is to not take on more than you can handle. If you’re inexperienced at caring for that animal, say so in your application. Maybe they can teach you on arrival or ask a neighbour to help out - but you don’t want to get there and find you’re out of your depth or don’t have time to care for them all. An honest sitter is a trusted one. 

Some home owners offer use of their car, some lend you their annual passes to local attractions for you to explore; and many will make families welcome so you can bring your kids, your own pup and even Grandpa to enjoy the escape with you!

Consider how you’re going to get to that place - if you confirm a sit and then find out flights are way out of budget or you don’t have a vehicle for the road trip, then it may not be for you.

Walkies with a view. Birmingham, October 2019

The worst thing is having an unreliable sitter - don’t be the idiot who cancels - earn that 5* review because you were the legend who showed up and did your best for them. 

Communicate well and have fun during your house sit. We always create a WhatsApp conversation with our pet owners so we can ask questions if things crop up and we like to send photo and video updates of our lovely new friends to show they are alive and well. If you show that their beloved Schnuffles is happily playing with her favourite toy at home then you are giving them peace of mind that she is being well loved and cared for in their absence (also showing that the house hasn’t burnt down since they left is nice reassurance!).

Enjoy it! You’re saving money and getting the awesome company of pets while experiencing a new area without paying for accommodation! Explore the local sights, take the pooch (if they have one) to different walk sites so you both get a day out. Many pet owners say their animals seem happier when they get home because they’ve had such a great time while they were away!

The App

Although the TrustedHousesitters website is great, we recommend that you download the app to your phone and carry it around in your pocket. (Download from the App Store / Google Play) It’s super easy to use, especially if you’re on the move, and we actually prefer it to using the website. You can ‘favourite’ particular sitters and homes to save them for later if existing dates don’t match up and then you get notifications when new dates are added.

You can also save your searches and get notifications when new opportunities come up that fit your criteria. That way, you can apply straight away and make sure you’re the first application they see. 

It’s safe to say that since using the website, we have become big fans and advocates for this spectacular way of traveling - it’s hard to believe we didn’t discover TrustedHousesitters until fairly recently.

Now well into our new form of luxurious nomadic living, and with a few house sits and 5* reviews under our belts, we can’t recommend it highly enough.

It doesn’t escape our attention that it takes a lot for a person or family to entrust their home life and furry family members to an utter stranger, and we’re always hugely grateful to be considered. It takes a careful selection process, great and honest reviews and clear communication to choose the right sit or sitter.

We run through any ground rules or expectations ahead of time, ensure we know if there are plants to water and when the bins need to be put out. And we’ve also asked if a friend can stay, rather than just try to sneak them in. The owners have always been open to this.

Most of all it takes good people wanting to do good things, a belief that humans and pets are awesome and a willingness to grab the opportunity and say yes to turning strangers into friends (even if they just become best friends for your pet!). 

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Read our other blog about TrustedHousesitters, all about the house sitting lifestyle and don’t forget, save 25% off your TrustedHousesitters Membership with the code: SAYYESMORE

* we worked in partnership with TrustedHousesitters on these blogs, and all words, thoughts and genuine experiences are our own

How did you start making a living from adventure?

I read somewhere recently that if you’re not hating what you’re doing most of the time, then it’s a holiday, not an adventure. And I thought, “WELL, WHAT A SILLY NOTION.”

When I embarked on my first adventure I didn’t have a career or a lifetime vocation in mind, I was simply seeking a change of direction. And yep, it wasn’t easy a lot of the time, but the very reason I carried on doing this stuff was because it filled me with life, with lessons, with joy. Adventure for me sticks with the old school definition of heading off to a place unknown and pushing physical and mental limits, and that process coupled with being outside, fit and healthy and moving daily was ever so fulfilling. Directed by a purpose which in many cases was to meet people and eventually make it to a place far off across the the map.

Conjuring up an idea, making it real and enjoying the fruits of the labour gave me a sense of being alive that nothing else had before.

When you hate something most of the time, it’s not worth continuing for long. But living an experimental life and turning those seedling ideas into something tangible: it gave me a slow burning thrill, to honour the dreamworld inside my head. I wanted - no, needed - to keep doing new things that offered a new perspective, and slowly I realised that as personal as the choice for an adventure was, it had a little impact on some of the people I met.

Those first couple of years I weened myself off the ways I knew how to make money, designing crap websites mainly. Every job I took made me hate myself and temporarily destroyed the motivation I had to get off the wheel. But the money kept me going for another month or two so I continued, but bit by bit started to say “no”. Then one day…

I got a book deal.

And then someone asked me to write an article for a magazine.

And I got invited to a school to talk about skateboarding across Australia.

Three new ways to make an income, three indicators that there was money in this. Not much, certainly at the beginning, and these opportunities definitely didn’t come a knockin’ every day. But they came because I had a story now, and I figured that if I carried on doing these really random things that I loved - which you can read as just being true to who I was and who I wanted to be - then my story would grow and hopefully become more interesting, and the opportunities would appear more and more.

And that’s when I thought that maybe I could make a living from this stuff one day.

Values

Values, values, values. The only foundation to build on. It took me a long time to work mine out but I was pretty sure of a few things early on. One, I wasn’t going to get rich making a living from adventure but that was ok, because a wealthy life isn’t dependent on coin.

It’s not what you earn, it’s what you don’t spend. So, I spent barely anything. For a decade I found places to sleep for free - sofas, spare rooms, parks, the space between two trees. I didn’t eat out. None of those desperate takeaway coffees. Peanut butter sandwiches.

Everything I needed fit into a rucksack, so if I bought something it would have to be worth carrying. Everything I spent was an investment. A new camera. A laptop. A hard drive. A train or plane ticket to begin a new road. Absolutely everything I spent had an end goal which I knew would lead to opportunity.

I taught myself the skills that otherwise I’d have to pay someone else for. Designing websites. Writing copy. Taking photos. Editing film. Making podcasts. Scripting press releases. Saved me money, taught me new skills, kept me humble.

My trips were super cheap, cheaper than living in one place and paying rent. I couldn’t bear the idea of renting a place and then still paying that rent even though I was away, even for a night. So travelling and camping on those nights I wasn’t invited into someone’s home was the cheapest way I knew how to live, while at the same time each day added to my story.

I cut out useless from my life and this stretched out the pennies. I knew how many books I had to sell to afford a meal or a plane ticket.

I also knew that I had to serve an apprenticeship. I felt like I needed to earn that .com after my name. I didn’t feel I was good enough to ask for money in return for speaking in public. Between 2007 and 2010 I gave over 200 talks for free at schools and small companies. It was training. Sometimes they gave me travel money and I was really, really grateful.

And then one day someone offered me a fee that covered over three months of living and the best thing: I felt I deserved it.

And the next week I got a message from a company that made dry bags, asking if I’d be that company’s Outdoor Champion for a year. What they said was the most impactful line a sponsor ever sent me. “We’d like to give you £1000 and some gear to help you along the way. And we don’t want you to change a thing, just keep on being the person you are.” *

And that’s when I started making a living from adventure.

Variety

Making an abnormal living is not easy. The pressure of an income can kill a passion. Don’t limit yourself, no human is a one trick pony.

Think about how you can combine your skills and personality with travel and adventure and don't be afraid to consider the parts of your adventurous life that you really enjoy. I always thought that if I was going to create my own living from adventure then it would be stupid to make it from the worst bits!

Work hard. I was endlessly tenacious and every waking moment of every day was dedicated to living the life I wanted. For so long I craved a nest where I could just leave some stuff, a haven with guaranteed wifi rather than wandering the streets for a new cafe with a dark corner where I could work without buying anything or being caught skimping.

Each day I wrote a bit, developed my website, told everyone I met what I did in the hope that eventually they’d remember me when they were in a position to recommend a speaker or a writer.

For the first four years I took every bit of work I could, whether it filled me with joy or not. Every action is practice and I improved with each talk, article, workshop and media interview. The sense of improvement or even dealing with one of those car-crash presentations brought its own satisfaction. Even if it’s not great at the time, ultimately the crap pays off.

And most importantly, I continually lived on adventures and took on self-set social projects. If it interested me then I figured it might interest my audience. Whether it was paddleboarding the Mississippi or finding 50 ways to make £50, I’d set out my stall and this was the line I was living.

Each year I gave myself one or two new skills that I could earn from. At last count, 14 years on from quitting my last job, I have 18 different forms of income, five or six of them are regular, the others are choice or opportunity. When one becomes tiring I switch it off for a while, just to let the passion grow again.

Ignore temptation

I used to bear deep jealousy in those early days, watching suited crowds spill out of their city offices at rush hour, each one of them with a pay check in their pocket.

But I knew I had one thing that they didn’t; time. As much as I wanted more money, I wasn’t willing to give up the way I spent my days.

You choose certainty, or hope. Sew in a hard focus with hope and you’re not going to fail.

Lazy people don’t become successful entrepreneurs or freelancers. After a while it’s too hard.

But if you give up, if you stop working, if you make a decision contrary to your values and accept a paying job that you know wont’ make you feel good, the train stops for a while.

The knock knock knock of bills will always twist a head. If you can go a week without worrying about money you’re doing well. But every time a decision is made just for money that process of shaping the life you want gets a little harder. I always imagined that every time I ignored that temptation and turned down some money on behalf of my value set, then an extra link was added to my chainmail. I got tougher, even a little prouder of myself.

You have to believe and know that if you keep doing what you’re supposed to be doing then the opportunity will come.

And even then, even now, fourteen years on and 60 to 80 speaking gigs a year later, I still look over my shoulder, wondering what will happen when people stop asking me to come and speak to their businesses, communities, companies, employees. What happens if speaking stops being a thing? After all, now it’s my main income stream. I have a home now, I have to pay rent. So what if I don’t get another invite?

Then, Dave, you’ll make more films. Or write another book. Or hold another workshop about making films with a smartphone. Or. Or. Or.

The options are there, and that’s the alternative framework for making a living as a freelancer, whether it’s as an adventurer or something else. Life at its best is about creating options, not as fallbacks, but as parallel solutions to the other stuff you mostly enjoy doing.

And yep, you still gotta spend some time on the spreadsheets. Still gotta do taxes. Still gotta deal with idiots and internet trolls and real life trolls. Still gotta deal with the anxiety of not having enough money sometimes. Still gotta deal with the stuff you once enjoyed but now know you have to iron out of your life.

But it’s helpful having to cope with the downwards arrows. Each one of the things that you don’t enjoy doing reminds you of things you do, and if it’s worth the effort of a couple of hours in the dirt, then you know where your values lie, you know that you’re spending your time well, and you know, most importantly, that there’s always another road to take if the dirt starts to become too frequent.

IDENTITY

Who are you and what do you stand for?

I wear two main hats on my identity rack. Expedition1000, the adventure stuff, and SayYesMore, the community side of things. Until 2012 I kept SayYesMore to myself, as a reminder that I couldn’t get lazy and that there were a million doors out there that wouldn’t be answered with a no.

It feels good knowing who I am. I loved that sense of identity that Expedition1000 gave me when I finally conjured up a lifelong mission in 2010, even after I’d completed two of a proposed twenty-five different thousand-plus mile journeys. I had something to look forward to, a ladder to climb, a painting to create.

And SayYesMore led to the YesTribe, a largely voluntary movement which is kind of based on how I think a decent life should be lived. For so long I didn’t know where to find a community of people who would appreciate a zany idea, or sleeping outside, or happily chat about things like mental health with people they didn’t really know. So I created that community and it’s undoubtedly a central part of my life and identity. Possibly too much so at the moment, because that call of more adventures is getting stronger and stronger.

Time to listen to the heart. And this is probably a good time to share my final advice.

Tell people what you do. Make life easy for people to help you out. Offer yourself up. Always be willing to see value beyond money. Be a lifetime apprentice and if you can, help others on their apprenticeship, too.

Know what you’re not good at and find a workaround, whether that’s outsourcing your weaknesses or just doing something else. Be protective of your time and invest your money, don’t just spend it. Shout out about the good work of other people (this is what social media should really be for). Give yourself regular time away from screens and the internet. It’s more productive and this is where you learn to listen to yourself.

And remember, there’s no hurry so don’t rush, you’ll see less along the way if you do.

*I’ll always be grateful to Tim Turnbull and Aquapac for this.

How do you manage hygiene on a big adventure?

How do you manage your hygiene and your money while on a big adventure?
- Dominic Harrison-Poole

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Answer:

As crucial as both of these are, I’ve already dealt with how to pay for adventures here, so below will focus (briefly) on the smelly bits.

There have been times when I’ve been so oblivious to my own stink the reality only hit home when I walked/rode/paddled into a populated region, then wondered why mothers were frogmarching their children swiftly in the other direction.

The human nose is very clever. When it’s had a bit of something it turns off most of the receptors. It’s nature’s way of helping us cope, I guess.

My attitude to hygiene is fairly simple. If I have an open wound I’ll keep it religiously clean until it heals up. Otherwise, I like being dirty as long as nobody else is effected. You’re more likely to need a wash when on land and the fumes, dirt and general detritus settles on you without so much as a second thought. Skin and body hair especially does an incredible job of harbouring bacteria, and in hotter and more humid climates just a couple of hours on the move take you way beyond need-a-shower level.

I do enjoy a little splash in a sink in a gas station or roadside McDonalds, hand soap does the trick pretty much anywhere, but I’m carefully to wipe up afterwards. I don’t think the cleaners there get paid enough to deal with my mess.

If I’m travelling on or beside water I’ll swim wash at least once a day, more often if it’s fresh water. I did a trip in the Atacama desert a few years ago and my mates and I showered once in 19 days. We were just walking lumps of red dust but it was okay, because we were in the middle of nowhere and barely saw anyone. We smelled so bad ourselves we didn’t notice each other’s whiff.

Most of my trips are more social than that, so I’ll try to stay moderately clean if the chance allows. But still, I’d say on an average trip I shower every four or five days. A little splash under the pits is always a good move if a tap or stream presents itself.

Dr Bronner’s All-In-One soap is a good thing to take on a trip if you have the room, they come in small containers and wash hands, body, hair and clothes. And of course, clothes smell just as much (if not more) than a dirty human, so I treat my clothes just as I would myself on a trip - at some point everything needs a bath.

And if in doubt, if you smell so bad you can’t have a good conversation with someone, you smell too much.

Let me leave you with two words. Wet Wipes.

How do you decide what to do next?

I'm a compulsive over thinker so trying to decide on something is a daily struggle, from ordering in a restaurant to choosing between the red pill and the blue pill (a Matrix reference if you have ever seen the film). Every action and social interaction will have 1000 different possibilities and I will think of most of them before I decide how to move forward.

So the big question, how do you decide what to do next?
- Jon B

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Answer:

We have more information at our disposal today than any of our ancestors had to deal with in a lifetime, and the option of multiple angles, results and effects means it’s rare that we face a simple yes or no.

Personally, when faced with a hard decision I feel a knot in my stomach throughout the process, one which tightens with time. I’ve lived a weird adult life, often on the move and without consistency, and as a result I’ve had to make many varied, sometimes surprising decisions.

Ultimately, the more we do something the better we get at it, especially as we develop and understand our values and beliefs, upon which all decisions should be founded.

I trust my gut instinct implicitly, and favour excitement as an indicator that I’m headed in the right direction. I’ve always wanted to be excited about life, so I try to make every decision based on whether or not the potential journey and outcome makes me smile. I know that sounds a bit flappy, but it is what it is. I recommend giving it a go.

I’ve also created a few parameters for different parts of my life which instantly help me narrow down decisions. In adventure I usually travel at least 1000 miles without a motor, and then the variable factors usually come down to physical state and the time I have for a trip. Narrowing the field of your decisions is another step towards simplicity.

When it comes to money, I only spend when it feels like an investment. I don’t buy crap for me (or anyone else) that is useless. I really enjoy living cheaply and feeling like the money I spend develops me as a human.

We make decisions every day, consciously and unconsciously. We’re really good at it most of the time, when we don’t think about it. There are a hundred reasons why a decision might be difficult, and understanding these cons might help you along on your own path, so I’ve listed a few of those briefly below and then offered a couple of different tasks and processes which should help make your decision-making clearer and easier.

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The bad news

Every decision requires a compromise and choosing one thing will mean you miss out on another, infinite amount of experiences. Thinking about life this way is suffocating, and luckily, most of the alternatives we’ll never have cared or thought about. So let’s focus on the important stuff that is pulling you left and right, and that’ll simplify the decision.

The good news

Almost always, you know the right answer already, even before the weighing up begins. It’s just hard to realise because of the noise, head vs heart, opinions and expectations and potential for regret.

Remember: Gut instinct bypasses temptation, greed, finances and expectation - learning to listen to your gut sometimes takes some bravery.

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Do yourself a favour

Remember that whichever way you choose, it’s not the end of the world. If it doesn’t work out, something else will come along. If you choose not to take the job because it doesn’t feel right, another option will come along because you rightly made the space for it.

Simplify the process by understanding all the options and what they mean.
Make a list of your options, then alongside each one list the pros and cons. Then narrow your favourites down until you have only two possibilities. Then, discuss it with others to come to a final decision.

Who are you making this decision for?
If you make the decision for anyone else, you risk disappointing yourself and then not being the right version of you for the person you were trying to please.

Overthinking
Think too much and you’ll miss the important bits, you’ll stress yourself out and become ill. No decision should make you ill, ever. The only reason to take an eternity deciding on something is that you already know the exact outcomes of each choice. Ironically, if you already knew the outcomes, the decision would be easy.

However obvious it might be, you can’t predict the future. You only know how you feel now and trying to outthink your gut might mean you miss the obvious choice.

Treat the decision as a game
This isn’t life or death. If you were controlling a video game character who had the same choice to make, what would you go for?

Choose your counsel wisely
Don’t ask everyone their opinion, most people won’t be able to help and the more input you get the harder your decision will be. Avoid people who make it seem as though they want what's best for you, but assume they know what that is when even you don't. Their suggestions might be right, but if they ignore your thoughts and don’t account for your feelings and concerns, they’re likely to miss the mark.

Life is a lesson
Even if you’re a braniac you didn’t get everything right at school. And guess what, look at you now! Each choice we make teaches us a little more about how to act in the future. You’re not supposed to get everything right, so stop trying so hard. There’s ice cream to eat and friends to hug.

Do you have all the information you need?
You can’t decide anything on a hypothetical. Make sure you know what factors are at play before starting to decide. (This is especially key in a decision that involves other people - make sure you know what they think about it, rather than assuming or fearing the worst).

Is the decision worth your time?
Paralysis by analysis. A big, life-changing choice is worth good consideration, but spending a week deciding on the next movie you’re going to watch is silly (tip: if the decision making process is taking longer than the probable result, you’re over thinking this).

Remember that at some point, indecision becomes a decision to do nothing, which might be the worst decision of all.

Walk on it
Get outside, never make a big decision in a room. Give some space to your thoughts. Ask what’s the worst thing that can happen?

Can you choose both?
Perhaps there’s room to leave the door slightly ajar in case your first decision doesn’t work out.

Are you torn?
If you’ve been in decision mode for a long time, there’s a good chance that both options were as good as each other. That’s why it’s difficult, right? Both will have compromises. Which one will help out more in the short, medium and long term?

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TOOLS AND TASKS

A handful of ides that might aid your process:

1) Understand the source of your fear: write down and answer - “What am I afraid of happening if I make the wrong decision?

2) What’s the worst case scenario for each choice? Write this down, and then think about what actually needs to happen for worst case scenario to be reached. You’ll see that it’s really unlikely and understanding that you’re in the right position now to avoid catastrophe can go some way to removing the doubt and nerves

3) Is your decision permanent? If it’s reversible, take comfort in this, it means the pressure is off!

4) Ask advice: You don’t have to do all this by yourself. Choose one or two people who might be impacted by your decision, or whose opinion you trust. Let them say their bit, even if they voice things you don’t agree with. Remember, you chose to share the problem with them. Give them a chance to help. (Speaking out loud can also help put thoughts and decision into perspective, so find a neutral observer who is a good listener!)

5) Stay calm. Ensure you have all the information you need to make a qualified decision. Consider your values and beliefs (ALL of your choices should be in line with these) and understand your priorities (family vs work, time on the road vs extra sleep, exercise vs commute, etc).

Operation: Decide

List all of your options, be thorough.

a) Write down pros and cons for each.

b) Think out of the box (are you considering all of your options, or just the obvious ones?)

c) Get rid of impractical options.

d) Go for a walk or meditate - stop your mind being so busy and give space to your thoughts.

e) Play devil’s advocate with each potential option.

f) Consider whether you feel guilty. Are you finding yourself saying the words “must” or should”? This can be a natural feeling when caught in a decision, but choices should not be made out of guilt, they’ll come back to bite you in the long run.

g) How are you going to feel about this decision in two years?

h) Trust your instinct.

i) Where’s the excitement? (If there isn’t any, over any of your choices, perhaps you’re looking in the wrong direction?)

j) Know your back-up plan. You'll better react to potential outcomes when you’ve considered them and your likely course of action in any given situation.

k) Look to the positives - assess the cons in your list and find ways to make them better. ie. if you had to take a job that might involve a really long commute, what could you do with that time? More work? Read a book? Meditate (not recommended if you’re driving). Could you stay closer to work for one or two nights a week to reduce your drive time?

l) If you go for it and it doesn’t work out it’s not the end of the world. Just go in prepared to act whatever the outcome. Maybe the job is great and the commute isn’t that bad, but it’s impacting your relationship or health.

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Once you’ve made your choice…

Carry it out as best as you can. Don’t worry, don’t second guess yourself. Just go for it and spend your energy on more important things. If doubt persists after a decision and it just doesn’t feel right, this isn’t a one-chance life. Be flexible and realise it’s ok to choose wrong. Go back through the process and do what feels right. Take responsibility, and ensure where possible that have someone to support you when you make your choice. You’re not in this alone. Good luck!

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If you haven’t heard of the YesTribe, it’s a group on Facebook where people are willing to help each other. If you’re struggling with something or want to share a win or something that excites you, post away. The supportive response

Something had to change

I’ve been working on my storytelling recently, by condensing what could be pages and pages (or books and books) into a few sentences.

I’ve just finished the first episode of a series of 60 second films that tell the story of my last few years. This is the first one, a general overview that ends with what feels like a natural call to action: which is, how can I help? Other episodes will zero on on each one of my Expedition1000 journeys, and different aspects of SayYesMore’s creation. But for now, here’s Part 1! Let me know what you think!

The Thailand Project: lifestyle mapping for nomads-at-heart

We’re spending two months in Thailand over the first half of British winter. But this isn’t a holiday, it’s a first step towards re-engineering our lifestyle, work-lives and expectations of married life.

Emms and I married 9 weeks ago, and now I’m faced with answering the question I’ve been posed for years; “what happens when you get married, have kids and settle down?”

Do I carry on adventuring? Do I swap the nomadic life for an office? Or would our family life look very different from the average?

Firstly, to answer the silent question: no, Em is not pregnant. But we are talking about the possible pitter patter of tiny feet (or BabyCorns) in a couple of years, and are very open about how that will (likely) change life as we know it.

These last three years I’ve been face-to-face with the settling-down demons — added responsibility, increased cost of living, ambition-killing-comfort, limited scope for creativity forced by limits on time and money— and I haven’t coped so well. I wrote more deeply about this, here.

The need for change rarely comes from a comfortable place, and I see the past three years as a guiding stick for a re-map of what the next stage of life could look like. There are dreams to chase and swamps to avoid, so let’s start with the bits to cut-out and learn from:

1. Cold winters: we live on a boat and the last winter in the UK lasted for five months. We weren’t there for the whole winter, but the other 5 weeks were spent above the Arctic circle on a Norwegian island. That was awesome, but no sun and a feast of general darkness is no way to live.

2. Working space: I need my own space to work in, and this needs to change frequently. For two years Em and I have both freelanced from home. And when home is a 45ft widebeam houseboat and the only viable office is in one room, distraction is high and creativity is cramped.

3. Prohibitive cost of living: I earn well but in recent years I’ve put a considerable share of my earnings into community work and this has coincided with paying London rent/prices, which feel so unnecessary when life has felt more enjoyable in previous less costly scenarios/ places. Not saving much for a rainy day, future tiny humans and new investments/ projects/ expeditions just to have the same roof overhead feels like standing still.

4. Lazy belly: Living in a city, even if it is on a boat, doesn’t excite me anymore. Even worse, motivation to get out and ride, paddle and move is limited when the nearest considerable green space is at least half an hour away. Spending life sitting down is deeply unhealthy. I’m not image conscious, but I’d like to look in the mirror and be happy with what I see physically (this isn’t the same as looking internally — I’m pretty content with the person I am). This is a health thing, not stigma or self-loathing!

A realistic blueprint for home, work and family in the future:

1. What I choose as a lifestyle must also satisfy the needs of Emms. Marriage is not just for September.

2. Freedom: many of my biggest pain points since buying a home in the UK in 2016 have revolved around a lack of room for manoeuvre, in the expectations I have of those around me/ they have of me and in an inability to pursue exciting work without being held back. After living freely and nomadically for a decade, I didn’t know how to stay in one place and still maintain the momentum that had formerly been powered by shifting location and focus.

3. UK: The majority of our work, friends, family are in the UK, so being there during Spring, Summer and Autumn feels right and makes a lot of sense. Our main project, The YesBus, is a fulfilling priority and in 2019, at least, we’d like to live nearby rather than endure the current two hour journey each week.

4. Winter sun: While there are more pleasant climates available, choosing to be damp, cold, Vitamin D deficient and frankly miserable for 4 months is bloody stupid. The only catch is that Em loves Christmas.

5. Water: I love it. And more specifically, being in and on it — especially when it’s not cold. What I’ve learned from the past couple of years is that even living on the water and being able to waterbike and paddle daily isn’t enough. Proximity to water that doesn’t want to kill me — ie.warm, swimmable, accessible, soothing water— is the only medicine I crave.

6. Movement in nature: Whatever the season, wherever we choose to live, it must be within nature. An enjoyable, peaceful environment to exercise in daily and maintain physical and mental health.

7. Work: A healthy balance between personal and community work. One should not override or suppress the other. My best days of work are not necessarily location-dependent but when I feel unstoppable, ideas pour out like water and possibilities and potential are endless. Positive response from new partners, my team and community are fulfilling. Successful events and creations are icing on the cake. But I need to be free in decisions and actions: this means not having to chase the company admin and tax — someone else should cover this — I’m much better at shining a light on others than sitting in a dark room doing dark work. I get more joy from having a silly idea, chasing and making it a reality, then sharing the lessons.

8. Family: I can’t see my kid(s) in the standard English education system. I’d love them to become independent, problem-solving, light-at-heart / strong-in-mind characters, with an empathetic global view. I’d also love them to have more of a social childhood than I did — which means finding community for them as well as weening them on intrepid behaviour.

Paddle boarding in to our new home, with everything we’re travelling with in bags on the back of the boards — see the film of this microadventure

So, to start the process of redefining and redesigning our lives, we’re spending the next few weeks on the Thai island of Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Siam. We’re here to reset and re-energise, to look after ourselves and each other, and to start researching some of the unanswered questions that stand between now and the blueprint above.

Questions like…

Is it cost-effective monetarily and emotionally to spend a proportion of the year in a tropical climate?

Is it practical to be here? What compromises need to be made compared to living at home in the UK? What are the pain points and are there easy solutions?

Ok, so the photos are great, but what are the real benefits of living in an Instagram-friendly place/climate?

Can we find potential partnerships out here to work with SayYesMore?

What is it really about water that makes me tick? And how can I use this longing/ passion to help others?

At a time when our mental health could use some nurturing, is just a few weeks on an island sufficient medicine? And if not (in part or full), can the lessons this new perspective teaches us transfer back to life in the UK, or somewhere else?

I write this on Day 12. We’ve based ourself at a just metres from the sea, at a co-working space called BeacHub in Koh Phangan. Fast internet and a community of other freelancers creates a positive working environment, and our paddleboards are happy to be spending at least an hour a day out on the waves. There’s colour in our skin and a satisfaction at the end of each day. A couple of fresh adventures are brewing and so far, the experiment is working.

In a month or so, as our final days in Thailand draw nearer, I’ll re-visit this blog and see how many questions have been answered.

At our new base, BeacHub in Koh Phangan, Thailand

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Thanks for reading, if you enjoyed this article please do leave a comment, a like, an applause, and even better — share with one person who you think would appreciate it.

My website is stocked with over 13 years of adventures, blogs, projects, photos and films. I share these in the hope that others will experience similar feelings to those that I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy.

And here are my homes on Facebook and Instagram, for daily tidbits, stories, ideas and habits.

A reflection on burnout

My new wife and I have been making a temporary nest on a Thai island for the past week and a half. It is now mid November and rather than battle the driving rain and less-than-tolerable temperatures back home in London, we’ve started out our married life the way we plan to continue it; warm and free.

Since Emms and I started to (pretend to) act like adults after fusing our lives in early 2016 I haven’t always coped well. The previous decade I’d been largely nomadic, foot-loosely loping around the world with a laptop and any cafe/ co-working space/ boat/ sofa or beach as an office. Commitments, responsibilities and expenses were low.

But then the combination of a bad back, a flourishing homegrown community project and a girl who made me want to stay home led to exactly that…a home. Along with the comfort, a place to store some stuff and the gorgeous familiarity of living with my favourite person, this also meant rent, a more work/income-focused mindset, paperwork. And crucially, the loss of creative spark that I’d always taken for granted when living on the move.

A place to call home felt incredible, as did finding another human who I never got tired of. The compromise, certainly at the start, was worth it. Soon though, as SayYesMore and the YesTribe started to grow the add-ons piled up. Monitoring endless social media and email accounts. Starting a company so an official bank account could account for the budget of our annual festival. Slowly forming a team, and coping with the two-way dependency and responsibility of other humans. Suddenly, in less than 18 months, life felt very different indeed. And as all this change hadn’t been planned my inner compass started to lose track.

I lost my mojo, my creativity, my energy and, occasionally, my love for life. The only way SayYesMore has kept going these last 18 months was because of a handful of people who kept the momentum going, and at home Emms took over the day-to-day running of the team, online spaces and admin. Her official title: “the cog turner.” Pretty sexy. SayYesMore doesn’t bring any income in though, and Emms had assumed what was essentially a ten-month full-time job without an income, and the only way to make this work was if I worked more to cover our expenses, at the same time spending a few hours a day on SayYesMore.

All of this probably sounds terrifically boring, and while there was an underlying sense that the structure we were building was worth the effort, it started to take a toll. Somewhere along the way I’d lost the energy to exercise and the space to get creative, and while my speaking career was on the up the really juicy bits of my previous Adventure-life were non-existent.

I longed for the freedom to get up in the morning and conjure up a little social project, to work on a new book, nurture a brand new adventure or to simply fly with the wind and land somewhere unknown for a period of time. Despite the great work being done through SayYesMore I began to resent the whole thing. This idea that had blossomed because I wanted to share what I’d learned about living without limits had cost me my own freedom. And stepping back — or out — didn’t feel like a satisfactory option - the sunk cost, faith and commitment from everyone on our team prevented me walking away. Meanwhile there were plenty of little wins but behind-the-scenes, the place that so few people see or think about — I was drowning and only my closest friends could tell. Perhaps there was something in there, a real glimmer of hope or shard of light that was more important than the way I was feeling.

But for a while I was stuck in the mud, professionally more unhappy than I’d felt in a long, long time. Which was, so claustrophobic, unfit and stereotypically unhappy that I had to gruffly laugh at my own paradox. When I realised that my happiest moments were up on stage, energised for an hour at a time because it was stories from the past that excited me, the need for change was looming fast.

Hello mojo

My absent mojo has said hi again these last two months. Our wedding in September was magical, as was a first adventuremoon in the States. The SayYesMore growing pains have proved to be worth it, as the community were selected by Facebook for their first Community Leadership Programme, one of only 100 plucked from thousands of applicants. This annual programme and a healthy dose of funding takes huge pressure off the next year, and the recognition we’ve received as a team has lit a fire in my belly again.

It feels so good to be excited about community work again

The belief that maybe I can be a strong leader rather than a flailing one has led to an interest in learning rather than winging it, and once again I’m excited about the community aspects of my work. Our SayYesMore team have bonded so strongly in recent weeks, freeing me up to pursue more personal projects again, and our fourth annual Yestival in mid October was a blinding success. How grateful we all were for the endless sunshine that blessed the weekend (as opposed to Hurricane Brian that muddied and flew the tents in 2017), and the wave of positivity and thanks that has followed Yestival 2018 has literally shed further light on how worthwhile this movement is.

Yestival jubilation

I’m so lucky to work with my friends, almost all of them folks that I didn’t know before the YesTribe started, and for the first time absolutely everything is clicking. There aren’t any obvious impending departures, struggles or weak links. We’re a family, a mini community in the image of the wider one that we just happen to run. What a strong foundation upon which to build our next chapter.

It might seems like a no-brainer to spend a couple of months on a Thai island over Winter; this is so much more than a holiday, a honeymoon or a blissful escape. It’s a celebration of new beginning.

For the first time in a long time I’m finding time to work forwardly, rather than catching up. We’ve found a lovely little co-working space in Koh Phangan to base out of and I write this with the sea a few metres away, and the coastal breeze supplementing the very necessary fans dotted around this open-plan, wall-less office. Coffee is on tap, I’m writing (this morning I wrote my first blog on Medium for over a year) and creating and bashing old to-do lists on the head. And it’s so, so fun to feel productive in this work again.

Our sunglasses enjoy their view here

Creativity is fuelled by hope and possibility. This is a recipe, I’d imagine, for the years ahead.

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Thanks for reading, if you enjoyed it please do leave a comment, a like, an applause, and even better - share with one person who you think would appreciate it.

My website is stocked with over 13 years of adventures, blogs, projects, photos and films. I share these in the hope that others will experience similar feelings to those that I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy.

And here are my homes on Facebook and Instagram, for daily tidbits, stories, ideas and habits.