Sure Travel Journey Vol 5.2 Autumn 2019 | Page 19

Opposite: You no longer need an office
– working remotely around the world
has become a reality for many young
professionals. This page: scenes from
the writer’s digital retreat in Sicily.
food tours and beach picnics) along with
other participants when it suited me or
simply adventured out on my own. As a
regular solo traveller, it was also special
to know that I had 12 new friends from
across the globe I could ask to tag
along on a mission to find Sicily’s most
delectable cannoli.
The retreats are typically a month long,
but due to other commitments I could
only manage a two-week “workcation”.
ALL PHOTOS © MELANIE VAN ZYL UNLESS OTHERWISE CREDITED
designed to help you establish yourself
in an unusual, exciting town but get you
working at the same time.
My Airbnb apartment sat directly above
a typical Italian-style café called Café Noir
in Sicily’s capital, Palermo, where every
morning from my balcony I smelled the
taunting aroma of pastries being freshly
baked. Most mornings, I walked to the
co-working space, where locals and
visitors from abroad shared travel tips,
such as authentic tratorrias to dine at and
where to find the best gelato. I have never
been so motivated to get my to-do list
checked off so I could get out and explore.
Thanks to efficient facilitators, I hopped
onto organised activities (such as street
A digital nomad is a
new breed of business
traveller: mostly millenials
and Gen Zs, whose job
enables them to travel
either permanently
or part time while
still working
However, it’s incredible how immersive –
and productive – this relatively short trip
was. Aside from booking a flight, I never
had to worry about logistics. Instead, I
focused on work goals and motivated
these with a treat in the afternoon or
a day off to visit coastal Medieval villas
that wouldn’t look out of place on Game
of Thrones. And, as my fellow South
African on the trip, Lauren Melnick, said,
“What I liked most about staying in the
apartments is that it made Palermo
instantly feel like home. I was in a building
with locals… and it felt more authentic and
gave me a glimpse into everyday Sicilian
life. I wasn’t only seeing the city through
the veil of tourism.”
MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE // 19