Yes, there are many types of travelers out there but there’s only one type that takes names and kicks ass on every continent…Nomadik! If any of theses habits sound familiar, you might have what it takes to be down with the Nomadik crew.

1. You don’t waste time unpacking

Why are we able to pack in less than fifteen minutes? Cause we take the shortcut. There’s always some logic to the madness. What’s the point of unpacking and repacking when your next trip is in two days? We prefer to leave the unused items in the bag. Although I am a fan of this packing strategy, it’s time to start unpacking when your place starts to look like baggage claim.

 

2. You shop regardless of the season

So what if it’s freezing outside, you never know when is the next time you’re going island-hopping and will need those cutoff shorts. If you find a good deal on an out-of-season item, buy it. Store sales get better when the styles are out-of-season and it’s liberating to buy white any time of the year. We stopped shopping within the rules trips ago.

 

3. You think and speak in airport codes

Do you refer to some cities by their three-letter name? If you can carry a light conversation about time spent in LHR and LAX or have interrupted someone in the midst of their introduction just to ask “what’s that airport code?”, then you might be cut from Nomadik cloth. It’s OK to sound like an air traffic controller, you’re not alone.

 

4. Banks don’t flinch when you travel

Notifying the bank before every travel plan easily becomes a pain. So it’s understandable that after the twentieth trip, I’ve ‘forgotten’ to make that call. I was surprised that I could access my funds on my first trip to Sydney. Even more surprised when I wasn’t cut off while using the same card in two South American countries, in the same day. I guess my bank knows my travel habits by now. After all, they did send me a ‘welcome back’ card when I got home from Europe. I don’t recommend making a habit out of repeatedly using your VISA everywhere you go without notifying your bank. Last thing you want is to have your money unavailable to you when you need it most.

 

5. Your friends resemble the UN

Nothing makes a party more interesting than having guests with green cards. Having multicultural friends is like traveling the world without ever having to spend a dime – and we highly recommend it. Not only will your comprehension of world cultures increase tenfold but dinner at their mom’s place is way better than the “ethnic” restaurant down the street.


6. Music takes you places

Just like getting a whiff of cotton can remind you of laundry, house music reminds me of Miami. And every time I hear a Shakira song, I think of my long nights in Salamanca, Spain. Fight the depression when a song makes you wish you were on a different continent, use that energy for motivation to get there.

 

7. Skype and CouchSurfing have saved you’re life

There have been several occasions where these two networks have come to the rescue. Skype has actually saved me from a panic attack in Düsseldorf when I missed my flight. And CouchSurfing has become a surefire way to make travel more cost-effective when a five-star hotel isn’t in the budget. You haven’t traveled enough until you have to re-strategize your next move at the last minute. Nomadik travelers count on these communication and lodging exchanges to survive on the road.

 

8. Your room looks like a souvenir shop

Obsessed travelers usually have pretty cool international goodies in their home. Your room should be filled with enough maps, books and beer mugs from around the world to keep you constantly culturally stimulated. Holding on to my foreign collectibles from the road can be quite useful. If I ever forget to get someone a souvenir, I can easily find something on my bedroom shelf.

 

9. Your coin jar looks like pirate’s gold

Your euros are mixed in with pesos and yens (and they say there can’t be world peace). Foreign change is a quick reminder of your international habits. People say you should get rid of your foreign change before leaving the country, but what’s the point if you’re planning to return in the near future? Having loose change has spared me from standing in the currency exchange line in the airport.

 

10. You’re not on your first passport

 And not because it was full of stamps, but because you’ve accidentally gone swimming with it or left it halfway around the world. We respect the power of our passports but even more so after having to get a second one. If your passport is starting to look like you carried it to the mud festival in Korea, you will have an increasingly difficult time getting through customs.