Our Story
Falling in love with your best friend is a romantic notion that has been explored repeatedly in novels, TV shows and movies.
But sometimes, it happens in real life too.
And it did, for us!
We met in Oslo, Norway, and started a casual friendship, but we never once thought of each other romantically. We lived in different countries, and for years, we were happy with the friendship as it was.
On the weekends, we would talk for hours, in spite of the time difference between Norway and California. We would share dating stories and life events, and laugh at some of the predicaments we both found ourselves in. We even gave each other dating advice.
Occasionally, we would visit each other or take trips together on a purely platonic level. Every visit was fun and enriching on many levels. We thoroughly enjoyed our adventures together, no matter where we were.
What we didn’t see, is that we had all the things that make a relationship work – trust, communication, shared values – and we already knew everything there was to know about each other from being close friends.
It was natural to allow those feelings to blossom, but we didn’t want to sabotage our friendship in any way.
And then…
On one particular trip together to Panama, COVID hit while we were in Bocas del Toro, and a 3-day visit to the islands became…. 5 months!
The heavy restrictions of COVID on a small, remote island created challenges that we could never have imagined.
We were sharing a very small space, (it was supposed to be 3 days, remember?) and with the highly restricted ability to even leave our room at one point, our friendship was seriously put to the test.
It very well could have gone awry at any point.
But it didn’t.
We fondly call it our “Coconut Quarantine” and it changed everything for us.
It was in Bocas that we finally took the plunge into “coupledom” and a year after that, we got married. Shortly after that, we began a nomadic journey that we are sharing with you here, on Mr. and Mrs. Nomad.
Our Hybrid Viewpoint as Nomads
Being a married couple over 40 creates different challenges and opportunities while traveling the world.
We are neither searching for a typical retirement location nor seeking to discover the best digital nomad spots.
We don’t choose to work from co-working spaces, or necessarily select to stay in particular locations based on Wifi speeds (although immensely important) and the availability of a digital nomad community isn’t a priority.
Being married, we are committed to resolving issues that arise while traveling as “older” nomads, no matter how seemingly small.
For example, a higher level of comfort, convenience, service, and a bit of luxury is more important to us now than when we were traveling in our single, younger years. (comfortable beds are high on our list).
We value travel health insurance, (as opposed to only trip insurance with limited health coverage) which we have learned is much more important than we thought when we were globetrotting as younger people. It seems that 45 is the age when many things change, including prices.
Also, we frequently travel with our dog, which creates the opportunity to find dog-friendly airlines, accommodations, and restaurants. (It’s also a great way to strike up a conversation with other dog people around the world!)
As you read our blog, we hope you find some hidden gems, sage advice, or valuable guidance you can use on your journey, no matter where it may take you on our beautiful planet.
To Your Best Life,
Kit, Steinar and Conrad
PS. You can also follow our journey on Instagram