Selling everything in the Netherlands to travel full-time and work remotely: what’s that like? The short answer: usually really great. Especially the freedom, the adventure, and being part of a different culture for an extended period of time. Last year, the travel bug won out over all the certainties in the Netherlands. My boyfriend and I lived in a nice house, had a busy social life, and traveled a lot. Yet we both dreamed of a different life—seeing even more of the world, really taking the time to do so, and setting off with no end date in sight. What would that be like?
On January 17, 2026, we flew to Vietnam to find out if this lifestyle suits us. We had no Plan B, because we’d sold our house and almost all of our belongings. We’ve been on the road for five months now. We traveled through Vietnam and Taiwan and are now on a road trip in Hokkaido, Japan. Next on our itinerary is Indonesia.
You can write anywhere
I’m Irene, a copywriter and travel blogger. Through my company, Sterke Verhalen, I write web content, blog posts, newsletters, and LinkedIn posts for clients, among other things. I also blog for Travelvalley and share my life on Substack. Writing is both my job and my hobby. Being able to combine that with traveling still feels special to me.
When my long-term relationship ended in 2022, I booked a one-way ticket to Bali. Five months later, I returned to the Netherlands. Right then, I knew: I want to do this for a much longer time someday. Two years later, I met Maarten during my second solo trip. Our first date was in Thailand, and right after that, we spent two months traveling together through Southeast Asia.
This was *the* moment
It’s not that we wanted to leave the Netherlands because we were unhappy. We had a good life, a nice home, and lots of loving family and friends around us. The Netherlands is a country where many things are well organized. We wanted to stay longer at our destinations, instead of constantly planning short trips and then returning to our normal routine.
This was the moment. We’re relatively young, fit, and don’t have children or plan to have any. The equity in Maarten’s house made the move more financially appealing. Still, selling the house remained the biggest decision. I also found saying goodbye to all our belongings harder than I expected. Now, after almost half a year, it’s really starting to sink in what we’ve done.
This is what my workdays look like
Working remotely is often romanticized online. It’s as if you’re sitting on the beach with a laptop under a palm tree, with a coconut right next to you. I can snap you out of that dream right away. Sand and sun are a nightmare for your laptop. Most of the digital nomads I know are working hard every day.
Asia is five to seven hours ahead of the Netherlands. Right now, the time difference is seven hours. I often work for two to four hours in the morning. At that time, the Netherlands is still asleep, so I can write undisturbed without being distracted by text messages and emails. During the day, we sometimes go out. In the late afternoon and evening, I work for a few more hours so I can easily coordinate with Dutch clients. Once or twice a week, I work a full day. Clients hardly notice the time difference. Recently, I had an introductory meeting with a new client who didn’t know I was in Taiwan. They could hardly believe that our video call was going so smoothly.
What I Like About Working Remotely
When I’m on the road, I can often focus better on my work than at home. Back in the Netherlands, there were always distractions: laundry, grocery shopping, housework, social engagements. When I’m traveling, many of those distractions fall away. I think it helps enormously that I still love my work. Motivation is rarely an issue. Writing, developing ideas, and refining stories—that’s what makes me happy. A new environment amplifies that feeling. When I’m traveling, new perspectives and plans emerge.
The practical aspects of working while traveling
Of course, there are also downsides to this lifestyle. For example, not every place to stay is suitable for remote work. During my first extended trips, I’d happily book a hotel room or guesthouse without a desk or table. I don’t do that so readily anymore. Making concessions for a few days is fine, but not for longer. A good workspace really makes a difference. I still occasionally have the bad habit of answering a few emails from bed. My neck and back aren’t too happy about that.
What I miss more than I expected is a comfortable couch. We often stay in apartments or houses, and there’s rarely a nice spot to really relax. To work remotely for a long time, you need more than just a laptop and a dream. Without independence and discipline, you’ll quickly hit a wall. Your new temporary home may give you that vacation feeling, but you’re still working. For me, this isn’t a long vacation—it’s my way of life.
What’s it like to be on the road all the time?
Mostly really nice, sometimes tiring. I did discover that I’m flexible and adapt easily. Even in places that were a bit of a letdown, I managed to make the best of it. In northern Vietnam, we had a pretty tough time for a while. The sky was gray every day, and there were limited accommodation options. Still, we kept looking for the good things. This kind of life makes you solution-oriented.
Planning time to rest is just as important. I used to spread my work out over seven days without a second thought. Now my weekends are sacred. On Saturdays and Sundays, I don’t want to have to do anything, no matter where I am. I even try to keep Friday afternoons free, though that doesn’t always work out.
Traveling together makes this adventure even more fun. Maarten quit his job in the Netherlands. He’s now working on his own YouTube channel, VivaVanLoon, where he documents our life and shares insights on location-independent living, freedom, money, and selling everything. We enjoy experiencing this together and are good at sensing when the other person needs some space.
My Tips for Successfully Working Remotely While Traveling
1. If you want to work remotely, start by taking a practical approach. Also consider which country fits your work schedule. If you’re traveling east, you’ll often find yourself working in the evening. You’ll need to be comfortable with that.
2. Make sure you have a SIM card with enough data so you can keep working when there’s no Wi-Fi.
3. Check what your travel insurance covers in case of damage or theft. You’re traveling with expensive equipment. My last MacBook broke down in humid heat, so things like that really do happen.
4. Find out which visas and rules apply. I’ve met people who had to pay hefty fines because they weren’t clear on what type of visa they’d entered the country on. Some countries offer special digital nomad visas.
5. Set up a VPN, bring several debit and credit cards, and check your 2FA settings. If you can only log in with an SMS code, you might get stuck if that code doesn’t arrive on your foreign SIM card. I speak from experience.
My most important piece of advice: don’t wait for the perfect moment, because there is no such thing. Just go, experience it, and find out if it’s right for you. And remember: freedom doesn’t mean everything will fall into place on its own. Your work simply travels with you—even when the sun is shining outside and everyone else is lounging by the pool with cocktails.
A Different Life
I’m proud of the leap we’ve taken and of the fact that we manage to find our footing almost anywhere. I find it special that I can write in beautiful places around the world and combine my two greatest passions every day: traveling and writing. I don’t know if we’ll keep doing this forever. It’s quite possible that we’ll eventually settle down somewhere after all.
Want to follow more of our life on the road? On Instagram and Substack, I share more about daily life while traveling. Maarten does the same on his YouTube channel, VivaVanLoon. And who knows—maybe it’ll inspire you to ask yourself: Could my life be different, too?
More inspiration from people who work online:
Remote werken en reisbloggen in Griekenland: zo doet Wesley dat
Van Utrecht naar Chili: Sacha’s eerste maanden remote werken
Succesvolle online verdienmodellen opstarten voor remote werken
