Debugging Production Issues from a Moving Train Through the Alps
When prod went down somewhere between Zurich and Milan, I learned exactly what mobile hotspot failover means. Here's my setup for incident response on rails.
Latest Field Notes
Actionable travel security guidance, vetted gear, and risk briefings for roaming smart.
Why I Stopped Using Hotel Safes (And What I Do Instead)
After a hostel in Prague taught me hotel safes are security theater, I rebuilt my valuables strategy from scratch. Here's what actually works.
Automating Security Monitoring While Traveling
How I built a self-healing monitoring stack that alerts me to intrusions, misconfigurations, and service failures—without needing a 24/7 SOC team or reliable internet.
Building a Pre-Trip Security Audit Routine
The 48-hour checklist I run before every international departure—device hardening, credential rotation, backup verification, and the stuff I learned by forgetting it once.
Secure Payment Methods in Countries Where Banking Infrastructure Is Broken
ATMs that clone cards, mobile wallets that leak transaction data, and banks that freeze accounts without warning. Here's how I move money when the system can't be trusted.
Managing Multiple Cloud Providers on the Road
Why I split workloads across AWS, Hetzner, and DigitalOcean—and how I manage deployments, billing, and failover from airport lounges and hostel desks.
Staying Connected in Extreme Remote Locations
My field-tested connectivity stack for mountain ranges, deserts, and places where cell towers are a two-day hike away—satcom, offline tools, and realistic expectations.
Managing Healthcare Data Across Borders Without Losing Medical Privacy
My prescription data showed up in a foreign pharmacy's system before I did. Here's how to carry medical records internationally without creating a privacy nightmare.
Navigating Biometric Border Systems Without Compromising Your Digital Privacy
What happens to your fingerprints and face scans at immigration? Here's what I learned after 40+ border crossings—and how to protect yourself.
Handling Sudden Border Closures Without Panic
Protocol for monitoring restrictions, pivoting travel plans, and keeping documentation ready when borders slam shut on short notice.
Field Test: Portable Power Stations for Remote Work
Runtime benchmarks, charging workflows, and safety notes for the power stations I rely on during outages and travel.
Coordinating Multi-Time-Zone Incident Response
Playbooks for running incident response across time zones—handoffs, tooling, and communication rhythms that keep coverage continuous.
Rebuilding a Compromised Phone Mid-Trip
Step-by-step process for wiping, rebuilding, and securing a smartphone after compromise while you’re still on the road.
Off-Grid Communication Options When Networks Collapse
Tools and protocols I use when cellular and Wi-Fi go dark—satellite messengers, ham radio basics, and prearranged codes for critical updates.
Shipping Gear Across Borders Without Customs Pain
My logistics playbook for moving equipment internationally—carnets, manifests, insurance, and tracking so nothing disappears at customs.
Travel-Friendly Physical Security Gear That Actually Works
The compact hardware I pack to secure hotel rooms, co-living spaces, and temporary offices—door jammers, sensors, and tamper-proofing tested on the road.
Keeping Client NDAs and Contracts Safe While You Travel
Systems for secure contract signing, storage, and retrieval on the road—digital vaults, legal quick-reference, and incident response if documents leak.
Multi-Region Cloud Backups on a Nomad Budget
How I keep redundant cloud backups across regions without enterprise spend—storage tiers, dedupe, and restore drills that fit in a carry-on.
Anti-Surveillance Tradecraft for Travelers
Practical techniques I use to detect tails, reduce digital exhaust, and stay boring when operating in higher-risk environments abroad.
Building a Travel Medical Intelligence Binder
The medical intel pack I carry—vaccination proof, clinic shortlists, telehealth plans, and rehearsals so medical surprises don’t derail a deployment.
Remote Threat Hunting from Hostels Without Losing Evidence
How I run cloud-based threat hunts and handle evidence safely when traveling—lab setup, log collection, and bandwidth-conscious workflows.
Cross-Border Tax & Compliance Checklist for Nomads
The tracking stack I use so multiple tax jurisdictions, expense rules, and residency thresholds never catch me off guard.
Handling Cash-Only Clients Without Risk
Workflow for managing clients who insist on cash—contracts, receipts, AML awareness, and accounting practices that keep you compliant and safe.
Low-Bandwidth Collaboration Tactics That Still Deliver
My workflow for keeping projects moving when connectivity drops below 3 Mbps—tool choices, file sharding, and async patterns that survive bad internet.
Pop-Up SOC: Monitoring Incidents from Airports and Layovers
How I spin up a lightweight security operations center from airport lounges and gate areas when incidents hit mid-travel.
Locked Out of My Google Account Abroad — Here’s What I Learned
The midnight scramble I went through in Buenos Aires when Google froze my account, plus the backup playbook I use now so I’m never stranded without access again.
Protecting API Keys and Secrets While Working Away from HQ
How I manage API keys, tokens, and secrets on the road—temporary scopes, rotation workflows, and CI hardening so nothing leaks when I’m coding from a hostel.
Travel Bloggers Are Wrong About Incognito Mode
Incognito tabs are not invisibility cloaks. Here’s what they actually do, what your airline still sees, and the privacy stack I rely on when I research trips.
Why Your Email Gets Flagged More When You Travel
Real-world tactics I use on the road to keep my email out of the spam folder when hotel Wi-Fi, VPN hops, and new devices freak providers out.
Field Laptop Imaging in 30 Minutes
The portable imaging workflow I carry so I can rebuild a laptop from bare metal to production-ready while working out of a hotel room.
How I Vet Local Fixers and Drivers Before Handing Them the Keys
Field-tested process for sourcing, screening, and managing local fixers or drivers—background checks, contracts, payment security, and exit plans.
Travel Drone Ops Without Breaking Local Laws
How I prep, fly, and store drone footage across countries—covering permits, airspace intel, flight logging, and data handling so you never lose your bird at customs.
Keeping Corporate Data Compliant Across Borders
A field guide for remote operators who carry regulated data across jurisdictions—data mapping, DLP controls, and legal guardrails that travel with you.
Emergency Evacuation Binder for Nomads
The grab-and-go binder I keep ready for sudden evacuations—contact trees, logistics, legal documents, and rehearsals that make leaving less chaotic.
How I Back Up Photos Abroad Without iCloud
My redundant, field-tested system for protecting travel photos when iCloud is too slow, too pricey, or simply unavailable on the road.
Remote Work Tools That Help While Traveling
A brutally honest packing list of hardware, software, and rituals that keep me productive while bouncing between time zones and dubious Wi-Fi.
Best Budgeting Apps for Long-Term Travelers
A multi-currency budgeting playbook tested across 14 countries, with app combos that actually keep nomad finances under control.
Hotel Wi-Fi Blocks Everything?
Play-by-play troubleshooting when a hotel network kills VPNs, streaming, and remote work tools—tested on five continents.
Co-Living Security Inspection Checklist
The walkthrough I perform before committing to a co-living space—access control, roommate vetting, network hygiene, and emergency planning in under an hour.
How to Tell If a Wi-Fi Network Is Safe
A field checklist for evaluating new Wi-Fi networks before you hand over your passwords or corporate logins.
Safe Ways to Access Bank Accounts Abroad
How I manage banking, transfers, and 2FA while traveling full-time without giving fraud departments a heart attack.
How I Watched Hulu from Istanbul
My exact setup for streaming Hulu in Turkey without stuttering—including VPN choice, DNS tweaks, and router settings.
How to Choose a VPN That Won’t Slow You Down
Speed tests, protocols, and network tricks I rely on to pick VPNs that keep remote work and streaming snappy.
How to Set Up a VPN on a Router
Step-by-step instructions for putting your travel router behind a VPN so every device stays protected on sketchy networks.
How to Use a VPN at Hotels
Step-by-step instructions for getting your VPN online at hotels that throttle, block, or endlessly reset captive portals.
Safe Ride-Hailing Playbook for New Cities
My protocol for vetting ride-hailing drivers, routes, and handoffs so late-night pickups in unfamiliar cities stay predictable instead of risky.
The Real Dangers of Hotel Wi-Fi
Real incidents I’ve encountered on hotel networks—rogue access points, credential harvesting, captive portal bait—and the playbook to stay safe.
Top 5 VPNs That Bypass Netflix in 2025
Results from my latest Netflix VPN tests—servers, speeds, and reliability from Tokyo to Toronto.
What Is a VPN and Why You Actually Need One
A traveler’s explanation of VPNs—what they encrypt, what they don’t, and how they save you from the wild west of public Wi-Fi.
Why Hotel Wi-Fi Still Isn’t Safe in 2025
Three hotel Wi-Fi breaches I investigated this year and the defensive playbook that came out of them.
The Border Crossing Tech Checklist I Run Before Customs
My pre-flight ritual for hardening laptops and phones so border inspections don’t expose client data or lock me out of my own gear.
How I Keep My Password Manager Travel-Ready Without Lockouts
A pragmatic workflow for slimming vaults, staging backups, and surviving travel lockouts when you live inside a password manager.
Surviving 12-Hour Layovers Without Losing Work Momentum
My airport routine for turning terminals into productive workspaces—gear, workflows, and tactics tested across three continents.
Securing Airbnb Smart Locks Before You Trust Them
How I audit smart locks the minute I arrive—checking logs, changing codes, and adding redundancies so a glitch doesn’t leave me sleeping in a hallway.
My Travel Incident Response Kit (Digital + Physical)
Everything I carry to handle device theft, data breaches, or sudden outages while traveling—and the drills I run so I can deploy it under stress.
Staying Ahead of SIM-Swap Attacks While Using eSIMs Abroad
How I keep multiple eSIMs active without inviting SIM-swap fraud—carrier settings, identity locks, and monitoring tactics that actually work on the road.
Building a Portable Records Vault for Passports, Visas, and Permits
How I mirror my critical travel documents in multiple formats so a lost passport or random checkpoint never derails a trip.
How I Handle Cash, Currencies, and Hidden Fees in High-Risk Cities
Systems I use to manage cash safely in cities where ATMs, taxis, and street bureaux can all bite you if you’re careless.
Remote Desktop Fallbacks That Save My Projects When Laptops Die
How I keep coding and shipping when my primary hardware fails—using remote desktops, cloud workstations, and pre-built images.
Working Through Rolling Blackouts Without Missing Deadlines
Power contingency plans I use in cities with unstable grids—battery kits, scheduling tricks, and comms workflows that keep clients happy.
The 2024 Secure Travel Checklist
Conduct pre-trip threat sweeps, tighten your digital footprint, and harden your on-the-ground routine with this field-tested checklist.
Building a Security Stack for Digital Nomads
Combine hardened hardware, resilient connectivity, and repeatable operating procedures to stay productive and safe while roaming.