Vicarious Nomad

According to Wikipedia, nomadic people are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world.

There are certainly many differences from traditional nomadic populations and those of us who globe trot around the world, but there are also commonalities.

As I pack my bag tonight for another trip back to DR Congo, my nomadic tendencies kick in. Similar to those that have survived on the road for centuries, I consider what is necessity for my journey, and what can be left behind to lighten my load. After years of practice, I’ve perfected the art of packing. (more on this soon)

I might be reloading my iPod list, and they packing up yurts, but the principle is the same.

When I started this blog about two and a half years ago, I did so as a means to communicate with my friends and family and share my adventures on the road as I headed off to Afghanistan and Southeast Asia. As time has passed and more people have found my blog, I’ve also found more of my voice and my passion for writing and bringing home the world.

I’ve changed the name of my blog, from Where in the World is Miel, to Vicarious Nomad, as a way to share those adventures with the wider world. If you love to travel and learn about the world, but your life doesn’t allow to tromp off on a moment’s notice to the heart of Africa, then you can follow along when I do.

I travel to the most difficult places on earth so you don’t have to.

Likewise, if you do travel far and wide, you can follow along the adventures of another wandering soul.

Please leave comments and share your thoughts on my adventures, good, bad, or otherwise. It helps to encourage my writing and know that people are out there listening. You can also sign up to receive posts automatically, maximum once per day. Lastly you can share with friends and follow along.

Thanks for reading.

Safe journey,

Miel

P.S. In honor of my friend nomadic adventures, I’ve included the Sami people of Lapland. I wish I had my old school pictures to scan the one of me at 16 with one of these great hats!