Columnist: Kelly Sheldrick from Cycle Trekkers

In my first post I focused on 6 challenges of being a working digital nomad. It’s definitely important being aware of these potential challenges, but it’s even more important to learn how to overcome them. So, over the coming weeks we’re going to offer you tips and advice to help you live your digital nomad lifestyle and work while travelling.

Obviously one of the key priorities is to stay connected so that you can continue working on your own blogs and social media, but also support your freelance clients.

How to find Internet Connections

Advanced planning and research definitely helps in finding good and reliable internet connection. Identify potential WiFi hotspots before you travel to or through a country. Particularly if you are travelling in more rural, or less touristic spots, as these places are less likely to have regular WiFi.

While I was cycling through the Prairies in Canada WiFi was surprisingly scarce. Towns were few and far between, and when I did arrive in town, most diners and town cafes didn’t have WiFi. I did however discover that all town libraries and town halls offered free WiFi. These turned out to be great spot to do some digital work. Fast food chains and tourist information also usually offered WiFi (though not always reliable), and I found this out by asking the locals for help.

Jay says: I travelled across the States via Amtrak at the end of last year, and was grateful that I’d taken the precaution of researching internet connectivity on the specific trains I was travelling on. Some had limited WiFi access allowing you to browse but not stream, and others had no WiFi access at all. I invested in a WiFi Hotspot (Dongle) before my journey, but even then there were parts of the southwest where I couldn’t get a signal. (I bought an Alcatel WiFi Hotspot from T-Mobile as they have flexible Pay As You Go data plans)

Censorship and VPNs

Before travelling to a country it’s also a good idea to check whether the country has any internet restrictions or censorships. While cycling across Iran and Central Asia my blog and email was actually blocked in Iran, which meant I was unable to post any updates or send updates to my clients. But once I sorted out a VPN connection, I was able to circumvent the censorship.

Jay says: I run into similar issues when I’m based in Turkey. The political situation is a bit unstable at the moment and every time there’s an act of terror, the government slows down the internet to a crawl to monitor the traffic and usually blocks access to social media. So I use my VPN connection to access my website and social networks via a UK IP address. I use Strong VPN and have done for years, and highly recommend them.

MORE INFO: using a VPN service does not replace the need for an internet service provider (ISP). Here’s an VPNs for Beginners Article (It’s an article from a service provider (that I don’t use), but it does a good job of explaining what a VPN service is, how it works, and what it helps you achieve).

Set Expectations

Lastly, it’s a good idea to factor in the availability of a reliable internet connection when your setting client deadlines. I explain my situation to my clients in advance, and they’re usually very understanding. If I’m a little late on the delivery, at least I’ve already made them aware that connectivity could be a potential issue.

Jay says: My freelance clients and business partners are well aware that we get intermittent power cuts in Turkey, and when the power goes out, so does the internet. I invested in a WiFi Dongle so that I can always make sure I have emergency use access. I just have to remember to have it charged up and ensure it has enough data allowance to cope with those emergency-use occasions. (In Turkey I use a Vinn-WiFi from Turkcell).

Kelly Sheldrick Bio

Kelly is a regular contributor to The Nomadic Times, using her experience as a digital nomad to help other bloggers overcome the challenges of working on the road.

Please view Kelly’s Author Bio Page for more information about her website Cycle Trekkers, and her two ebooks, Cycling Canada: Coast to Coast Trip Notes, and France to China by Bike.

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