Please email me to connect: tamaraalt@gmail.com
(UPDATE: You can hear me talk for 5 minutes about my work adventure on PRI’s radio show “To The Best of Our Knowledge”: http://www.ttbook.org/book/what-its-work-demand-economy)
Hello! Welcome to my blog!
I’m a 40-something, overeducated, self-micro-managing (except when I’m not), former corporate-world Director turned odd-job doer, small business developer, and wanderer. I’ve earned degrees from fancy schools and slugged through stressful jobs. As-miserable-as-I-was-meant-to-be-going-down-the-traditional-path, I decided last year to stop the madness and to turn toward adventure. In doing so, I took a life that was quickly becoming not worth living and designed it into a dream.
What I did was this: I hit the road and lived somewhere new every month. Every month, I went to a new town and struck a fine balance between really living like a local AND taking in all of the sites that only a tourist can still recognize. I had prepared for this by saving and building up a business that allowed me to work from anywhere. And 1 year later, I put my stuff in storage, grabbed my laptop (and a few other things), and walked out the door…
And here’s where I’ve been:
Month 1. April 2014 – Whidbey Island, WA
Month 2. May 2014 – Orcas Island, WA
Month 3. June 2014 – Seaview, WA / Astoria, OR / Puget Island, WA
Month 4. July 2014 – Salem, OR
Month 5. Aug 2014 – Puget Island, WA (w/a little Eugene, OR / Redmond, OR / Boise, ID)
Month 6. Sept 2014 – Hailey, ID
Month 7. Oct 2014 – Missoula, MT
Month 8. Nov 2014 – Coeur d’Alene, ID / Tofino, BC / Victoria, BC
Month 9. Dec 2014 – Victoria, BC / Courtenay, BC
Month 10. Jan 2015 – Sechelt, BC
Month 11. Feb 2015 – Mayne Island, BC
Month 12. March 2015 – Port Angeles, WA
Through this blog, I share stories of adventure on the road. The reasons for this are many.
I want to talk about what can happen when life gets “off course.”
I want to talk about what can happen when you’re the one who’s consciously thrown it there.
I want to explore the concept of a creative life, of ways to reconsider the traditional structures and paths associated with education, work, skills, and knowledge.
I want to share a story of how creating a non-traditional work life can offer the freedom of doing fulfilling work, without limitations.
And I don’t want you to keep telling me that you are “living vicariously” through my experiences… I want you to go out and live your own.
Thanks so much for visiting, reading, and sharing. It’s such an honor for me that you’re here.
Feel free to email me here: tamaraalt@gmail.com – I would love to hear from you!
(Oh, and by the way…some of the images I post are not “mine.” In these cases, I will assume the images are in the public domain and will always post my source. Please contact me if any images are posted without consent and/or the source is somehow incorrect.)
I enjoyed reading your blog, great that you are living your dream. I have a somewhat similar plans. By the time I save some money to live my dream, I could gather some information from blogs like this 🙂
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Thank you so much, Saraswati! What a treat to hear such nice words from you, and I’m so glad to hear that you’re planning your adventure! I’ve only been at this for a little over a month (is that all? that’s hard to believe…), but I already am so happy that I just went for it. I’m having a blast. And I wish you the very best as you plan and then venture out. 🙂
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Thank you very much for visiting my blog http://www.digitaldimensions4u.com It is really interesting to hear about your travel and other such experiences. Hoping to hear more and more stories from your blog in future. Have a wonderful blogging journey.
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Thanks Reji! Much appreciated. I have enjoyed reading your blog and look forward to more!
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What a very cool lifestyle 🙂 How has it been so far??
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thanks!! it’s been pretty fantastic. i feel really grateful that i have the opportunity/ability to do this. aren’t you doing something similar?
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Awesome for you!
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🙂 thanks Brett! I think the same could be said for you… we are fellow Americans in Canada! hope you’re having a great time… thanks for stopping by my blog!
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Good for you. I hope you experience everything you hope to and more. 😄
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Thank you so much, Richard. I’m so happy to have discovered your writings…they’re very beautiful and touching! I’m looking forward to reading more. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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You’re welcome, and thank you 🙂
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What an adventure! I’m looking forward to following along. Congratulations 🙂
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Thanks Danica!! Great to have you along for the ride! 🙂 I am happy to have discovered your BEAUTIFUL blog as well.
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I look forward to reading more posts, Rabbit. I’ll soon be joining you “on the road,” along with my 4-legged best friend, Frank. In four months, we’ll head out from Charleston, SC, across the south, up to Colorado and then back to Texas, where we’ll spend the winter. Maybe we’ll cross paths someday.
Take care
Jeff
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that’s awesome Jeff! see my other response to your question….i think the one thing that stands out most to me is that the transition into nomadic life at first (at least for me) was pretty challenging. just because of my own doubts and insecurities and just not knowing what the hell i was doing (or why i was doing it). mostly, i knew…but some days i forgot. so i developed a ritual at the end of every day where i would ask myself a set of questions – and the first two were always: “what am i doing?” and “why am i doing it?”…and the purpose for this was mainly to remind myself every day….and to keep those insecurities more manageable as i went through the transition. it worked! 🙂
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We’re pretty sure rabbits and monkeys get along 😉 – thank you for following us!! Sounds like you are on quite a life-changing adventure… and a fantastic one at that! Good for you. We look forward to seeing where you end up next. Enjoy the ride and keep “hopping” along (*cringe on the pun*) on your travels!
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rabbits and monkeys – hooray!!! thanks you crazy monkeys! i’m enjoying your blog and look forward to more! love your list of places you’ve been…it kinda looks like you’ve been on the Sunshine Coast in Canada, but Canada isn’t on your list?
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We haven’t been to Canada yet… But it is high in our to-do list! We’ll get there one of these days 🙂
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What a great idea. A new place every month. Must be quite the experience 🙂
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thanks for reading my blog, lady grace! yes, it’s been great…i’m having a blast! thank you so much for the beautiful images and words that you highlight on your blog. you are very talented and get right to the heart of what’s important. thank you!
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Thank you for your kind words 🙂 Looking forward to continue following you at your trip 🙂
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Thanks for following ZimmerBitch and introducing me to your blog. I love what you’re doing — and it makes fascinating reading.
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oh….i’ve been so bad at keeping on top of things…so it’s only about a month and a half later that i say – thanks for the kind words – so sweet! i’m glad we connected 🙂
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Thanks for following my blog Sophies Foodie Files that lead me to your lovely blog here! I love it! 🙂
Greetings from a foodie from Belgium! x
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Hi Sophie – Super fun to have connected with you! I visited Belgium years ago and had one of the most exquisite steak and frites meal I’ve ever had (and I don’t even like steak!). I will never forget it and definitely hope to return to that beautiful area of the world. I hope you’re having wonderful adventures, and I look forward to keeping in touch!
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Me too, my new friend! 🙂 xxx
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Thanks for your kind words about the plays. Its nice to think that some people have the courage to go after what they need to do. Keep traveling.
Arnie
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Thanks Arnie! Oh, I’m so glad you connected here. I LOVED your performance. I was dying with laughter. Just brilliant…both the writing and the performance. I had to miss probably the last quarter of it because we had to sneak into the kitchen for our coffee/tea duties. 😦 Please record it so I can watch it!!
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What an awesome idea and you made your dream a reality! I am so impressed, that is SO awesome! Kudos to you for following your dream and becoming who you were meant to. I imagine you glow 🙂 Thanks for visiting dreamrly, I look forward to following your adventures.
Hugs,
Amanda
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thank YOU Amanda. so special and meanginful for me to hear such support and excitement. i appreciate it so! thank you. i look forward to staying in touch – hope you’re well!
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What a wonderful adventure you’ve created. I admire your boldness and spirit of adventure. May it bring you much peace, love and fun. Thanks for joining my blog. blessings, Brad
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Hi there,
Thank you for following my blog; you have a very interesting blog, and happy traveling, or adventuring rather….
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Hi Tamara,
First, thanks for following my blog recently. Mostly, now that I’ve explored your blog, I want to tell you about my friends, Don and Alison, who have been nomads for nearly 3 years now, living as you do, from place to place to place. I thought I’d link you to their blog, in case you haven’t seen it yet. (Or maybe that’s how you came across me… via my responses to some of their blog posts. 😉 )
Here they are: http://alisonanddon.com/about/
Happy travels!
Kate
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Hi Kate –
Thank you so much for telling me about Don and Alison. They are just delightful and such an inspiration. I love learning about others who have also taken a “non-traditional” route to living life and having a great time of it as a result. I really appreciate you taking the time to email that link to me. Love that YOU are just south of one of my very favorite places of all the places I visited… Gibsons/Sechelt. Glorious! Now I just need to figure out how to get Canadian citizenship so I can get back up there and stay for awhile 🙂
Best,
Tamara
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oops, I wanted to add this about their blog…. Their posts under the category “This Nomadic Life” explore what the experience is like for them ongoingly. While their travel & place descriptions are fascinating, and their photos amazing, I like the Nomadic Life posts bests because they are such personal comments on what their homeless lifestyle is like, both internally and physically.
http://alisonanddon.com/category/this-nomadic-life/
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thanks so much for passing that along, Kate. I can’t wait to check it out! It’s always so much fun to connect with others who are living this same lifestyle. We’re kind of a community in a way, even though we’re not in the same place. Thanks again for sharing!
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🙂 yay for you! follow your dream – it is making the world a happier place 🙂
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thanks, fellow gypsy. looks like you’re creating some beautiful happiness yourself! keep going! and i’ll enjoy reading about it 🙂
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Wow, Tamara, you ARE living the dream! Thank you for following me and I am lucky to find you and live vicariously through you until my husband can retire in 5-7 years! I’m retired (sort-of) and teaching part-time at a university. Living my dream for now 🙂
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thanks so much, Terri. sounds like you are living the dream too! i’m sure the form of our dreams change over time, but the fact that you’re doing exactly what you want to be doing now and are able to realize that is a beautiful thing. also, i LOVED our coffee date today 😉 let’s have more!
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Wow. You are an inspiration. I’ll be following you on your journey. Esp given that you are so close to my hometown.
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thanks David! I just looked up your hometown…it’s kinda near Nelson, right? oh, I so wanted to head up that way! when i was in Missoula, i was planning to go up to Nelson and then go west back to Vancouver Island…but then i realized it was winter and that it was probably best to wait on driving through those mountain passes for the summer months. glad i did, i will get there sometime…but i do miss having experienced that region! i’m back in BC now after Month 12 in Port Angeles, WA. border patrol is starting to get peeved 🙂
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Smiling. Yes, 30 minutes from Nelson.
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Hi The Travelling Rabbit. Good luck sounds an adventure. Very wise having a business that travels with you. I am not so sensible just blundered through life. Did stay in the same job in the local hospital for forty five years. My adventures and travel is what I write and imagine. Thank you for liking my poems Exploded! Clear E.V.P! and Dog Walk!. And wanting to follow my journey into the unknown! So Nice to meet you. Have a safe exploration. The Foureyed Poet.
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What an amazing project ! I think it’s important to have “goals” 🙂
Thank you for following me ! Safe travels.
Gin
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What a wonderful approach you are taking to life. Might have to try it myself. Thanks for the likes on my travel blog.
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What a radical life. 🙂 Thanks for following my blog. Hope to learn lessons from yours as well. =D
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Hi tamara and thank you so much for looking in on my corner of WordPress. If for any reason this thank you comes from my other blog (@vannilla, the travel/photography one) I hope you are not confused! Looking info forward to seeing much more of your adventures.
Anne
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Thank you for following my blog, otherwise I may have never had happened upon your beautiful blog. How exciting and wonderful the path you have chosen. I’m a big believer in eschewing the safe but gruelling traditional career paths. It’s only for the brave though. I look forward to reading more of your blog.
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thank you so much, Ula. so nice to hear your words (especially for those days when i’m NOT feeling so brave!!) i’m looking forward to learning more about you and following your blog as well. have a great day!
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also, i love broccoli too! 🙂
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Tamara — I came across your blog just today in the Hive for Travelling Freelancers at the Freelancers Union site. Congratulations on your example.
This week, my blog post was a collection of links about the freelancing life, aimed at those among my readers who are not already doing what we are doing. I have shared the link to The Traveling Rabbit with my readers.
Would you please stop by http://freewheelingfreelancer.com/ and check out this week’s article? I would be delighted if you added any helpful links that occur to you in the replies.
Smooth roads and tailwinds, Jonathan
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Hi, I think my comment must have gotten lost in spam. This is what I said back in May, that is still apparently awaiting moderation: I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to come visit and thank you for following our blog! Sorry!
Anyway thanks for following. I hope you enjoy the stories of our journey. And don’t be a stranger – feel free to join the conversation.
I love the way you’ve chosen to live your life. Where are you now?
Alison
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oh! i’m so so sorry about the delay on this…May was right around when my life starting getting crazy, and i neglected this blog 😦 anyway, thank you so much for connecting! i have been following your blog for awhile and you are such an inspiration! i’m around portland, oregon now…laying low for a few months. where are you? i will connect over at your blog. hope you’re well!
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We’re in Turkey, and both well. Oregon is a lovely place to lay low for a while. I hope you are well too!
Alison
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What an adventure you are having! Husband and I are retired and sometimes talk about selling everything and traveling but we don’t really think we could do it. But we are enjoying having freedom to do what we like and explore interests. Thanks for visiting my blog I will enjoy exploring yours. Oh, we live in Portland, Texas. Enjoy your Portland while you are there!
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Thanks for visiting my blog and sharing your own adventures! I will look forward to continuing to learn about your explorations…which can definitely occur within your home town! Yay for Portland! 🙂
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Thanks for checking out our blog which has led me to your’s precisely at a time when we are selling our boat and continuing our kids’ nomadic upbringing on land. I can’t wait to discover beautiful houses and buildings along our way, giving us an insight into new places like the stary at nights at sea used to do into the depth of our hearts and souls. Maybe one month we’ll share the same village, town or city and there will be no excuse to share a cuppa or smoothie en personne;) xo
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