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I’ve been in Chiang Mai a little over a week now and can honestly say now that I agree (with all the other bloggers out there) this city is truly amazing and there are so many exciting things to do in Chiang Mai.
It feels like I can do everything, but don’t have to do anything. What do I mean by that?
Well, for one, everything here is really really cheap. Which means that with the income from my business there’s almost nothing here that I cannot afford. I moved into a more permanent apartment this week. Sure, it’s small but I don’t spend much time there anyway (why would I? I live in Chiang Mai!). It has a pool though… And guess what it cost me? 5,200 Baht, which is like $145 !!! Yeah I’m not kidding, that’s my rent right now.
My apartment has no kitchen. Not because I don’t like cooking or I’m so cheap that I didn’t get an apartment with a kitchen. Oh no, it’s just that the food here, especially at street stalls but even in most restaurants, is so cheap, there’s no point in cooking anything yourself. I spend anywhere between $1-$5 on a meal usually and that’s really great quality fresh Thai food, not the fast food junk you’d get in the West for that price (if even…).
Oh and not to mention I’m having my laundry done for about $5/week and my apartment cleaned for $12/month!
See? I really don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do. But can do everything I do want to do.
Such as CrossFit! I hadn’t really heard of it before but it’s pretty big in the States apparently and I stumbled across Chiang Mai’s CrossFit while looking for a gym here. I’ve always loved exercising in group settings much more than individual weightlifting (it bores me too fast) so this is perfect for me. Not as cheap as other things here ($80/mo, it’s run by Americans after all), but who cares, with the prices of everything else I have more money to blow than I know what to do with.
I’ve made some friends in the Digital Nomad (others living a similar lifestyle here) community out here. Which is great, because there’s a lot of events going on. Almost every day you can hang out and do something fun together if you want. Again, because most things are so cheap… We went playing paintball yesterday (I used 375 balls, it cost me $25…). Tonight we’re going bowling, about $4 for 3 games, including shoes.
Me in my paintball suit (in the middle of the left picture) and the whole group on Nomads we went out playing with (right).
So, yeah I’m really enjoying it as you can read. There’s a price though…
I’ve been enjoying it a little bit too much and slowed down things on the business side. Not really an immediate issue, but I’ve decided to address it before I get too comfortable. So, right now I’m sitting in my new office (WHAT?!). Yeah, it’s a co-working space called Punspace, which is where a lot of Digital Nomads hang out to work during the day.
No, it doesn’t feel anything like the office I used to work in back home though. I don’t have to do things I don’t want to do, there’s no annoying customers I have to talk to, no colleagues asking me stupid questions or anything like that… Just me, working on my business, which pays for an amazing life right now!
omg I’m in an office…
Bauke travels the world full-time as a Digital Nomad. He made this possible for himself by starting his own online business as an affiliate marketer in 2014. Since then he has helped others do the same with his mentoring program, as well as thorough reviews of internet marketing products.