43BlueDoors-Bonnie and Trinity: Living a Nomadic Life

This post “Living a Nomadic Life”, has been contributed by Bonnie and Trinity of 43BlueDoors. Another inspiring nomad story in our Life Chapter 2 series.

We built this website to inspire you to create a life you love on your own terms, just like we did, beyond society’s typical expectations. While we’ve shared our roving retirement journey on our blogs and Facebook, we realized not everyone could relate to our story.

So, we started featuring others’ unique paths to a fulfilling life. Through our Life Chapter 2 posts, we aim to show that everyday people from all backgrounds can achieve the “impossible,” no matter where they started or who they are. Sometimes, all we need is a little inspiration…

Who Are Trinity and Bonnie?

We’re Trinity and Bonnie—a couple who traded corporate careers for a life of adventure. At 43, we sold our home, everything in it, and left behind our jobs to embrace a full-time travel lifestyle. But this wasn’t our first time reinventing our lives.

For Trinity, a major turning point came at 27 when he moved from the Philippines to the U.S. with nothing but a suitcase and a work visa, determined to build a new future.

For me, Bonnie, that moment came at 30 when I left behind a troubled first marriage. With nowhere to go, I secretly lived in an empty office at work until my next paycheck arrived, just enough to secure a tiny half-sized trailer to call home.

A role change brought us together at work, and at 33, we married—setting the stage for a journey neither of us could have imagined.

Before Living a Nomadic Life

While working in corporate IT for a Fortune 50 company, we lived simply. Our home was spacious enough to host friends and family, but beyond that, we were frugal. Neither of us grew up with wealth, so we were used to doing things ourselves and rarely ate out—though Trinity’s incredible cooking made that an easy choice.

We loved our routine, our careers, and the sense of purpose that came with them. Our work supported an industry that provided people with financial security and peace of mind, and we took pride in contributing to something meaningful.

With our minimalist lifestyle and steady income, we naturally built up savings and began looking for ways to diversify investments. In 2014, we bought a foreclosure, spending weekends fixing it up before renting it out. By 2016, we owned three rental properties in North Carolina—each purchased with cash—giving us a foundation that would eventually help fund our next big adventure.

Making the Most of Our Time

As with all things beyond our control, life can change. A shift in management at our company gradually transformed the work environment, making it increasingly hostile and divisive.

Trin was ready to move on and had been hinting at making a change for over a year. I, on the other hand, held on to my career aspirations, hoping the situation would improve. But then came the final straw.

I came home one day and said, “Enough.”

It was time to let go. I no longer wanted to dedicate my time and energy to a place that had lost its purpose for me. We both knew—this was the moment to start our next chapter – Life Chapter 2.

Deciding What Change to Make

At first, we considered taking a year off to travel before finding new careers—maybe something with a better work-life balance. But as we researched, we realized something surprising: we might not have to return to work at all.

I couldn’t imagine retiring at 43. My whole life, I had planned to work until I was physically or mentally unable. To be financially independent at such a young age seemed impossible. To be sure our plan wasn’t crazy, we consulted a financial advisor. He couldn’t tell us if we were crazy, but he did confirm that, yes, our savings could sustain early retirement.

Planning the Next Chapter

Before giving our notices, we started selling off everything we owned. We put price tags on each item in our home. When someone stopped by to pick up an item they found online, we’d invite them in to browse through the rest of the house. Truckloads of furniture, appliances, and décor found new owners that way.

Four months before our departure, we coordinated our resignations. Since we worked at the same company, we broke the news at the same time—2 PM in the afternoon.

I gathered my team and announced that Trin and I were resigning and setting off with our backpacks to explore the world. That day was the best day we’d had at work in a long time.

Making the Big Change

Sorting through years of belongings wasn’t easy. Some things were difficult to let go of at first, but as I took pictures and relived the memories attached to them, I felt lighter. By the time we had whittled our possessions down to what could fit in the back of our old Subaru Outback, I was amazed at the sense of freedom I felt.

With our last belongings packed, we sold our home in North Carolina, tied up a few loose ends, and then drove to Arizona, where we had family. There, we purchased two more rental properties to add to our investment portfolio.

And then, with nothing but our backpacks, we booked a one-way ticket to Costa Rica.

Living a Nomadic Life

Our first two years were spent backpacking through Central and South America, traveling mostly overland on public transportation and living in Airbnbs. Days were filled with hiking, exploring, and soaking in new cultures. Many Latin American countries offer U.S. passport holders a 90-day visa, and we used every day we could in most countires.

After reaching Ushuaia—the southernmost city in the world—I embarked on a month-long expedition to Antarctica. Then, we took a brief visit back to the U.S. before heading to the Philippines and Australia.

In Australia, we upgraded from backpacks to an RV lifestyle, spending 17 months exploring the entire continent—we fell in love with it.

Leaving Australia in early 2021—due to unavoidable pandemic restrictions—turned into a crazy pandemic trip! One must be flexible in this lifestyle!!!

Since then, we’ve continued our slow travels through Europe and beyond.

How Do We Decide Where to Go Next?

Our plans remain fluid. We typically start by picking a continent, then researching the best way to explore it—backpack, RV, rental car, or something else. Once we have a rough idea, we book a one-way ticket and let the journey unfold.

We rarely set a strict itinerary. Instead, we move based on what we discover along the way and how much we enjoy each place.

Before 2020, the longest we had stayed in one location was six weeks in the mountains of Panama. We took the extra time in Boquete so I could undergo knee surgery and recover before continuing our journey. Since then we have scheduled a number of month-long housesits, primarily so I could write a book!

How Do We Spend Our Time?

Routine is rare for us. Often, we lose track of the date or even what day of the week it is. But that’s part of the adventure.

We stay active with hiking, exploring, blogging, learning new languages, taking courses, and researching destinations. When we need to catch up on online work, we pause in a town with a good library or reliable Wi-Fi.

Biggest Benefit: Freedom

The greatest gift of living a nomadic life and being location-independent is freedom! The freedom to stay longer in places we enjoy, or simply move on when we are ready.

Being location-independent means we can stay longer in places we love or move on whenever we’re ready. Financial independence gives us even more freedom—the knowledge that we are never truly stuck.

When we first set off for Latin America, we had no idea what to expect. But we knew that if we ever decided we’d had enough, we could always book a flight back to the U.S. and settle down again.

So far, though, we still love this life.

Eventually, we may choose a home base and travel part-time. Either way, it’s nice to have options. For us, that freedom is far more valuable than a fancy house, luxury cars, or designer clothing. Those things aren’t bad—we’ve simply prioritized differently.

Creating Meaningful Connections

The hardest part of this lifestyle is maintaining friendships. Some connections naturally fade, but we found that to be true even when we lived in one place.

The beauty of travel is meeting incredible people from all over the world. Locals have shared their cultures with us. Fellow travelers have crossed our paths—only for us to bump into them again in another country months later.

And unlike when we worked 50-80 hours a week, we now have the time to be truly present with the people we care about. Instead of quick coffee catch-ups between meetings, we can spend days together, deepening friendships and sharing unforgettable experiences.

Thanks to modern technology, staying in touch has never been easier. GoogleVoice gives us free calls to the U.S., and social media helps us keep up with the little moments that make up life.

Suggestions for Lifestyle Freedom

Our biggest advice for lifestyle freedom? Live simply and let go of excess.

That doesn’t mean everyone should become a minimalist. Some people thrive in busy lives filled with many belongings, and that’s great! But for us, simplifying has given us clarity and flexibility.

Living simply (minimalism) is a life focused on the most important things. We have found that simplicity is not automating all the tasks in our life. It is getting rid of the stuff that makes our task list so long.

Possessions depreciate, take up space, and require maintenance. Having fewer things lightens not only our physical load but also our mental well-being. Plus, it helps us save money—building a financial cushion that allows us to take opportunities as they come.

Financial independence is not about being rich. It’s about having options. It’s the difference between feeling trapped in a job you don’t love and having the freedom to walk away when the time is right.

Where Are We Now and What Are We Doing?

We are currently in the U.S., planning a book tour for my new book, The Rhythm of Everything.

<<<Author Bio>>>

Bonnie Truax is the writer behind 43BlueDoors.com, where she inspires others to embrace freedom in all its forms. She is the author of The Rhythm of Everything: A Journey Through Nature, Science, and Faith. Trinity Montero is the editor, language expert, and primary trip planner for their adventures.

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