Become Nomad - Digital Nomad Lifestyle and Long Term Travel

A week off, the Silk Road, and a country changing fast. In this episode of Become Nomad, I explore Uzbekistan and share why I think Central Asia deserves a place higher on your travel list. The journey takes us from Tashkent's Soviet grandeur and modern energy to the extraordinary architecture of Samarkand's Registan Square, the old streets of Bukhara, and Khiva's walled inner city. I explain why Bukhara was my favorite, why Tashkent deserves time of its own, and how even spectacular Silk Road sights can start to feel repetitive. There's also a detour into Tajikistan to explore the Seven Lakes: dramatic mountain scenery, bumpy cliffside roads, and a country that left me wanting to return for a longer stay. For those with more time, I discuss extending the adventure to Nukus, the Savitsky Museum, desert fortresses and the Aral Sea—with Turkmenistan as another possibility for the more adventurous. Along the way, I share practical observations on Uzbekistan's surprisingly good fast trains, booking ahead, and why autumn worked so well for my visit. I also reflect on what stayed with me beyond the architecture: heartfelt hospitality of the Uzbek people and great food.

After more than 15 years of building and leading businesses, Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, shares the timeless principles he wishes he had known from day one. A practical guide for founders and entrepreneurs at any stage.

Living as a nomad starts with a remote job, but it doesn't end there. In this episode, Eli speaks with Anna Maria Kochanska about building a career on the move, turning remote work into real impact, and why Cape Verde might be your next favorite destination.

It's always on our minds as we seek to make this lifestyle sustainable -- the financial aspect of location independent work. Because let's not sugar-coat it: building a career that lets you enjoy such freedom requires work. It requires asking some tough questions and finding your particular answers. Here, Eli touches on how to approach tackling uncertainty, intention setting, becoming world class, accounting for technological change, and a whole lot more of those tough questions.

Our star listener Nikita Smelyanskiy is back! This time to ask Eli some deep questions about his nomadic journey. They chat about how Eli started moving around (at age 31!), his early approaches to making income, simplifying your lifestyle into "first-level principles," maintaining nomadic relationships, how this lifestyle impacts your larger perspective of life, and much more. Have some additional Q's you'd like us to tackle? Get in touch at [email protected]!

Today we have a special guest episode with our friend Nikita, a long-time listener of the show. He takes us through his unique approach to digital nomadism which started with some creative adventures in his home country -- perfect inspiration for anyone thinking about starting out. He and Eli move on to a grab bag of related nomadic questions about taking the plunge, finding your people, & living without fear. Have thoughts on their discussion? We love hearing from you! Reach out to [email protected] & we'll reply on a future episode.

Don't come to this episode hungry! Eli & Dan discuss some of their favorite locales for food and try to get a bit deeper: How much can food play a role in our perception of a location? What's the best way to really experience a local flavor? And what's our strategy for staying healthy while still experiencing food culture? Furthermore, we'll plant some seeds: Our favorite locations & food experiences -- the cuisines that sit with us for years after the fact. Hopefully, they'll inspire you (... if not for your next destination, then at least fo your next meal!).

It's our eternal question: Where next? Eli's constantly thinking of how to answer this question -- not just with places as answers... But with principles & concepts that always stand true. In this episode, he talks about some of his new and undiscussed principles to make sure the next destination is a place you connect with.