Outdoors & Sports
Catch Him If You Can: Q&A With The Swedish Nomad
Alex Waltner, better known as the Swedish Nomad, lives a life many folks dream of, but never actually manifest.
Traveling around the globe with his girlfriend Christine (who has an impressive social media influence of her own), this nomadic lad and travel blogger has fostered more than 113,000 Instagram followers, 50,000 Twitter followers and 21,000 Facebook fans.
We had the chance to catch up with the nomad himself to see how he made his wanderlust-filled, dream lifestyle come to fruition.
Your dreams of travel were ignited after taking a bartending course in the Canary Islands back in 2010. What first inspired you to take that trip?
Winters in Sweden are extremely cold, so the weather was the main reason why I left. I had also ended a long-term relationship, and I thought taking a trip would be the fresh start I needed. The idea of creating a travel blog came from my curiosity for the world and helping others, as well how to let go of a regular life. The next steps came several years later when I found myself stuck in a routine. I met several people through work and at parties, and I loved it, so that’s what I did for three years, until I realized my lifestyle was unhealthy. I started to learn more about writing and social media, eventually leading me to start my first website.
Do you visit Sweden very often?
I try to visit a couple of weeks each year. Luckily the blogger and influencer world is very friendly, and we’ve met several of the people we follow on Instagram in real life.
How did your online presence start gaining attention and followers?
My Instagram following grew once I developed a solid strategy and only posted my best shots. I think my handle has a lot to do with the growth as well – I’m quite happy that the Swedish Nomad (@swedishnomad) was available at the time. I was also featured on other large social media accounts, and had some posts go viral, along with becoming an ambassador for Momondo.
How do you stay healthy while living a nomadic lifestyle?
This has proven difficult. While a gym is available at many of our destinations, we rarely have the energy to go there after sightseeing. In recent years, we’ve slowly switched to a plant-based diet. Admittedly, the plant-based lifestyle can be frustrating, since vegetarian options are not always readily available. When we rent an apartment for one to two months, we cook our own food almost everyday.
For someone aspiring to live a location-independent lifestyle, what is some advice you could offer?
Put all your efforts into making your own dreams come true, otherwise, someone else will just hire you to make their dreams come true. There is nothing wrong with working for someone else, if you’re happy with it. I know many people who have 9-to-5 jobs while still being location independent and they love it because they can work where they want. However, it’s a necessity to follow one’s passion to succeed in life.
What are some of your lifestyle goals for 2018?
To spend more time in nature, and improve my photography. It’s easy to forget that I picked up my first DSLR in the end of 2015, and that I still have a lot to learn. So, in 2018 I want to focus more on photography and get away from the big cities, and instead go hiking and visit old quaint towns. I also want to start teaching others on how they can improve their photography and social media channels.
