I met Brian & Tracy through Tracy’s mom, Vivian, who is a friend and neighbor of my mom, Sam, at their independent living complex. 😉 I was thrilled to learn they, too, were living the nomad life and was intrigued by how easily they were able to navigate the lifestyle to align with their changing priorities.
9 Fun Facts
First Name: Brian
Age: 50s
Nationality: United States
Nomad Status: Part Time
Last Corporate Job: Sr. Manager – Industrial Engineering
Current Job: Retired
Favorite Country: Spain
Next Stop: Traverse City, MI
What I like best about the nomadic life: Discovery
First Name: Tracy
Age: 60s
Nationality: United States
Nomad Status: Part Time
Last Corporate Job: N/A
Current Job: Retired
Favorite Country: Italy
Next Stop: Traverse City, MI
What I like best about the nomadic life: Freedom
2 Questions
1. You two stepped into the nomad life and then decided to step back out? What drove these decisions?
When Brian retired in 2022, we decided that we had a great opportunity to become full-time travelers. We sold our house and all our “stuff” and hit the road.
When we first started, our plan was to travel for 1 year, but we were having so much fun after a few months that we quickly extended it to 2 years. And we extended again.
We cruised the country, staying in Airbnb’s, typically for 1-2 months at a time. We picked cities or regions that we wanted to visit. It was a great opportunity to explore the country and to reconnect with family and old friends. We also spent several months traveling abroad.
2. What factors are shaping your nomad life now?
At the end of year 3, we decided that we were ready to shift into more of a “hybrid” approach. We bought a small villa near family in Florida, giving us a home base. Getting more quality time with family was a big driver for that decision.
For now, we plan to spend our winters in Florida and travel for 3-4 months each year, mostly in the summer. There are lots of new places that we still want to explore…and some old favorites that we can’t wait to revisit.
For us, being nomads will be part of our lifestyle forever (hopefully!).
Have you ever changed direction in life? What prompted you to make a lifestyle switch? What was the most difficult part of the transition?
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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of curated trips and travel guides, including the #1-ranked “Explore the World with Nomads.”