Explore Sharing Life’s Magic with Brittany Taylor, guest stories for Fruit-Powered Magazine.
My Experience As a Nomadic Raw Food Minimalist
Taking in the deep orange and pink hues of the setting sun as it descends beyond the city of Chiang Mai, Thailand, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the beautiful scene around me. It feels fitting for me to be writing this article on the joy of travel while I am here, so filled with joy. My trip will be for about eight weeks in Chiang Mai, enjoying the warm weather and tropical fruit, soaking in the sweet Thai culture and helping run Fruit Winter Festival. As the sun sets and I reflect on another amazing day in this city, I smile deeply, feeling such joy to be living this life of abundant travel that I’ve always dreamed of.
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had it. The travel bug, the itchy feet, gypsy blood—whatever it was, I felt it within me, and it’s never gone away. In fact, traveling calls to me so strongly that I now do so full time. As someone who finds joy in eating an abundance of tropical fruits, living a minimalist lifestyle and running a remote business, the nomadic life is really quite perfect for me.
There are so many things to love about travel. The smell of a new place, the sound of the local language or accent, the delicious new tastes, the unique pulse a town emits, the foreign sights and faces. Plus, every time we go to a new place, we have the opportunity to get a new viewpoint and to try on living life a different way. As someone deeply interested in personal development, I find getting out of my comfort zone in this way to be exhilarating and growth-promoting.
Whether your preference is a week in perceived paradise, a long-term globe trek or even a day in a park near your home, so many of us seem to be interested in traveling and find a certain joy in the act of changing spaces. I think part of this is our desire for newness and contrast, which may actually be the adventure we are craving.
I know many of us also have a desire for consistency in our lives, some people so much so that travel it not something they do often. Or maybe they take their vacations in the same places every year. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, I imagine you have had your own experiences with the excitement the newness of travel can bring.
I remember the flutters in my chest I used to feel on Fridays as I waited for my day in elementary school to be over, knowing that my dad would soon be picking me up in our RV to spend the weekend camping. It felt like there was magic in the air. What was this excitement I felt and still feel on the eve of a departure as I pack my present-day RV or backpack? Beyond the feeling of there being magic in the air, I feel there’s some unknown future waiting for me to discover.
For fruit lovers, traveling can also be a convenient way to eat a delicious diet year-round. Since I began eating a diet of fruits and veggies about four years ago, I’ve spent my winters outside my home country, exploring tropical destinations, eating incredible produce and soaking up the sun until the warm weather returned again to the United States.
Enjoying raw, sweet treats year-round has never been more delicious, easy or affordable than traveling to somewhere like Thailand or Costa Rica. In both of these places, fruit is sold on nearly every street corner, in most cases fully prepped and ready to eat. Markets here are also wildly abundant, with farmers bringing their delicious hauls into towns from all around.
Not only do these factors allow for easy and affordable access to fruit but total indulgence in some of the world’s most flavorful, exotic treats, often times picked right from the tree. If you have not explored much out of your own country, there’s a good chance you are missing some of the great tastes the fruit world has to offer.
When I’m traveling in the States, I love seeking out in-season produce and great deals as well. I check the supermarkets, discount stores and smaller vendors for markdowns and ask around about getting more deals for buying “damaged” fruit or buying in bulk.
Living my ideal lifestyle is important to me, so I’ve created a life in which I have the freedom to be wherever I want in the world. Although I know this is not everyone’s ideal, there seems to be real value in being intentional about the journeys we plan, setting ourselves up for success.
However often you chose to travel, picking destinations that are going to meet as many of your needs as possible is a great way to help set yourself up for success and ensure that you are going to feel taken care of while away from your home and routines. Whether seeking out travel location specifications in the realms of climate, food, company, environment or so on, it’s nice to know that pursuing adventure does not have to be at the expense of continuing to take care of yourself but rather can be a powerful tool to enhance your full-body health journey.
Check out Brittany Taylor’s transformation story!
