
5 Things You Want to Know Before Going to Live Off the Grid
For me, travelling is not only about visiting new places but also going out of your comfort zone. How far out should you go? What to try and what not? During a 3 month trip I decided to test my limits. I moved from a large city in California to arctic desert of Alaska. And this is what it taught me.
- Learn how to use a very little amount of water. First world countries spoil us. Hot showers, running water and electricity we take for granted. When you consider the alternate option carrying buckets of water, you may appreciate what you have. I still don’t let water run while I’m brushing my teeth or washing dishes.
- Public shower, is it even a thing? Never tried or even heard of this until my trip to Alaska. Since I lived away from civilization I was only able to get a ride to the town once per 2 weeks. A tip: try to shower from a bucket in the bushes for few weeks first. Than you will gladly appreciate a public shower or any running hot water you can get to. And you will be especially happy to use public shower instead of bucket when temperature drops…:)
- Even if you’ve never cooked before, you will now. Also your food preferences will change as you try new things. Plain oatmeal with freshly picked blueberries tasted better than my typical croissant for breakfast. Not to mention that wild caught salmon was (and still is) the best food I’ve ever eaten. Also the vegetables grown in the cleanest air of the Alaskan woods were so fresh and juicy that I added no dressing except salt and oil.
- Do you know how to ride a bicycle or quad? It was my only means of transportation. There are no words to describe my fear of driving the quad through the tundra for the first time. I was cursing, and very close to crying while hitting every bush on my way. Believe it or not later on I drove it just for fun.
- You need to learn to stay “unplugged” from the world. The cabin where I lived had no TV, no Internet, and not even phone reception most of the time. Not always will the weather will be nice to stay outdoors. When its pouring rain or really cold my entertainment was limited to the basics. I have never been so excited to find the old paper books! Think of your hobbies. Maybe you always wanted to paint or crochet or learn a new language.
- Living off the grid can teach you many things you forgot or never knew about yourself. Going out of your comfort zone is a great idea if you feel “stuck” in life, unhappy, or simply need a break. The Alaskan journey helped me look deeper into my soul. After coming back, I began a completely new job, moved to a different city and even created this blog. If you are thinking about re-charging your life go out there, get scared, travel and be happy! That’s what the life is about, isn’t it?
The cabin where I lived in Alaska
Chloe
I love this! I’d love to go off the grid every once and a while. It’s so refreshing to not always be checking your phone for texts and social media! Can’t wait to see your next post on #FlyAwayFriday linkup 🙂 xox, Chloe