The Life of a Digital Nomad: Living the Dream in the Swiss Alps
- Jess Nadeau
- Aug 22, 2024
- 3 min read
Last month started in the Austrian Alps and ended in their Swiss counterpart.
July 1 was my first ever morning waking up in a hut in the Alps. A good friend and I had 6 days of hiking ahead of us. The perfect vacation, and the perfect way to celebrate our respective birthdays.
For the first time in about 7-8 years, I was getting paid to be on vacation. It felt a bit surreal. When starting my latest contract, in March this year, I asked to be on the payroll. I was tired. Tired of invoicing clients not knowing if they'd pay. Tired of tracking my own income taxes and EI and pension plan contributions.
Being self-employed can have a lot of pros, but unless you generate some passive income, it doesn't pay you while you're hiking in Austria.
The week went so well, it was everything I had hoped for. So well that we got out one day early. Having pushed our bodies that little extra mile. And this gave us two days to explore the beautiful city of Innsbruck, where we had left the rest of our luggage. We walked just under 60km (yes, I know some people will cover that in just one day!), and through all the ups and downs, totalled an elevation gain of 4760m. We only actively hiked for a total of 25hrs but it felt like we had been away for weeks.
After Innsbruck, on July 7, my friend Vicky and I parted ways. She was catching a train to Munich, and I was making my way to Switzerland, where a big labradoodle was waiting for me. I had been contacted by a lovely family living in a Swiss mountain village to housesit for them for just over 3 weeks. The dream!
On my way there, I decided to make an overnight stop in Bern to visit the old, picturesque capital. It was well worth it, and gave me some alone time prior to meeting my next hosts and getting acquainted with their routine.
In short, I fell in love with Villars, I fell in love with Switzerland.
Everyday, I would find a trail for Zuma and I to explore. Up the mountain on a train or bus, hiking down, or vice versa. Sometimes stopping at a mountain hut or refuge for a comforting drink or meal. We'd be home in time for me to start my workday around 12-2PM, ensuring some crossover time with Canada. I did not mind the evening meetings. I was in heaven. I went to bed saying good night to the vague outline of Mont Blanc in the distance, breathing in ancient mountain air.
Most mornings I'd bring Zuma to the field so he could play with his dog friends. And I got my social time with the dog owners. Speaking French definitely helped! I became friends with the loviest 79 yrs old Swiss woman. And we shared conversations, meals, drinks, and long walks throughout my stay. Definitely one of my highlights!
I also met up with friends of friends, walked through the Montreux Jazz Festival, helped a couple of people around the community... I was far from lonely.
Eventually, the end of the sit creeped up though and my friend Gen came to meet me. Together, we explored Switzerland even further, and into the month of August.
I feel so grateful to have had that whole European experience. It is only a few months ago that I spoke with a couple friends about some of my more "urgent" bucket list items. A hut to hut multi-day hike in the Alps had been on the list for years. And here I am now, able to look back at the beautiful memories.
Life can be so magic. ✨
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