Episodes
43
Latest episode
Apr 2026
Language
EN-US
Hi! I'm Piotrek Bodera and this is Nerd on Tour Podcast for digital nomads. Since 2005 I've been working in tourism and web development around the globe. Here I combine the best bits of the Internet, long-term traveling, and decentralization. Each episode unlocks wisdom through the power of thoughtful conversation. My guests are fascinating personalities – vagabonds, developers, artists, entrepreneurs, free spirits, technologists. Together, we explore unique ways of life that will expand your autonomy. Listen to the Nerd on Tour Podcast for free in your preferred podcast app. If you want more, go to https://nerdontour.net (nerdontour.net) for show notes, compelling blog posts and specialized digital nomad services.
Digital nomad. The label is everywhere, yet nobody agrees on what it means. And that's the beauty of it. Anyone can step into this life. No permission needed. You control the pace, the place, the shape. Here's how I carve my own path.
Ana Baute runs Bencomo, a coliving in North Tenerife that feels like staying at a friend's house rather than a hostel. In this episode, we talk about how she turned a family home into a space for digital nomads, why loneliness is one of the biggest problems for long-term travelers, and what coliving actually means when done right.We also go deep on Tenerife's mass tourism issue, why the North is very different from the South, and whether coliving can be part of the solution.Get 10% offUse the code "nerdontour" to get 10% off your next stay at Bencomo Coliving.About Ana BauteAna is a certified local guide from Tenerife with roots in the Canary Islands and Ireland. She worked in advertising and cinematography before becoming a hiking guide, teaching about Guanche history and the island's unique Laurisilva forests. When the pandemic hit, she saw an opportunity: transform the family house into a coliving for digital nomads.What we coverHow Bencomo became a real coliving — not just a hotel with a fancy nameThe pandemic of loneliness and why coliving is relevant for nomads who spend months on the roadCommunity dinners, stargazing on Teide, and spontaneous arepa nights with strangers who become friendsWhy Ana requires a minimum 15-day stay and targets nomads aged 25–45North vs. South Tenerife: the real island versus the tourist resort stripThe mass tourism crisis — overcrowded hospitals, traffic jams, and Airbnbs pricing out localsDigital nomads as a better kind of tourist: curious, respectful, and open to local cultureHow to book Bencomo via Instagram, WhatsApp, or MangobedsAna's routine for staying healthy while running a coliving: pole dance, running, hiking, and meditationTimestamps(00:00) - Teaser. (00:26) - Intro & podcast welcome. (01:09) - Meet Ana Baute: Canarian heart, Irish roots. (02:33) - What came before Bencomo? From advertising to cinematography (04:21) - Earning the local guide certificate: the hard way (06:41) - Guiding teenagers, hiking with locals, and the Guanche culture (08:39) - Tenerife's Laurisilva: the island's most magical forest (09:41) - Tenerife as a small continent: layers of nature and biodiversity (11:17) - How Ana discovered co-living — and decided to start her own (13:10) - The pandemic of loneliness and why co-living matters (15:04) - What makes a true co-living (not just a rebranded hotel) (16:18) - Community dinners, Arepa nights, and stargazing at Teide (18:19) - Guest activities: yoga, cycling, art nights, and dog walks (20:23) - Family house turned co-living: one year of building the dream (22:20) - The name "Bencomo" and why every room is named after the island (26:42) - Building a reputation from scratch — October launch and early guests (28:00) - Why podcasting beats Instagram for authentic storytelling (29:18) - Who stays at Bencomo? 25–45, remote workers, full of diversity (30:46) - Avoiding tourist traps: eat local, spend local (32:11) - Canarian food: papas con mojo, gofio, rabbit, shark, and barraquito (34:48) - Cooking together as a community — and a Lithuanian cake for Three Kings (37:10) - Day-to-day life at Bencomo: work, sport, and spontaneous moments (38:10) - Operational challenges: from fridge overflow to dodgy Wi-Fi — solved (43:34) - Coffee break connections: how real friendships form at co-living (45:01) - Memorable guests: an Argentine guitarist and a Lithuanian wine-and-draw night (47:23) - North vs. South Tenerife: local life, black sand, and slower pace (49:32) - The climate zones of Tenerife — from coast to volcano (51:12) - Mass tourism crisis: overcrowded hospitals, traffic jams, and unaffordable housing (54:36) - What Tenerife needs: fewer tourists, more quality (58:12) - Is co-living part of the sustainable tourism solution? (01:01:07) - Digital nomads vs. party tourists: a different mindset entirely (01:04:20) - How to reach Ana: Instagram, WhatsApp, or bencomocoliving.com (01:05:47) - Booking via Mangobeds and the drone video that shows it all (01:07:21) - Ana's wellness routine: pole dance, hiking, running, and meditation (01:09:26) - Ana's final message: you are welcome here (01:10:43) - Outro & subscribe to Nomad Tuesday Connect with AnaBencomo Coliving: bencomocoliving.comInstagram: @bencomocolivingSupport the podcastIf you enjoyed this episode, subscribe and share it with a fellow nomad. Drop me a comment on nerdontour.net: I read every single one and reply. And subscribe to Nomad Tuesday for travel stories, podcasts, and recommendations delivered to your inbox every Tuesday.
Staying consistent with workouts while moving from place to place is one of the trickiest parts of nomad life. You never know what gym — if any — will be waiting at the next destination.For two years, I've relied on Freeletics. It adapts to whatever equipment is available, my schedule, and my current fitness goal. After each session, it recalibrates based on my feedback. Too easy or too hard — it adjusts.Paired with Anytime Fitness, which has locations in most places I travel to, the whole setup becomes surprisingly seamless.I stopped overthinking it. I just show up, and my body rewards me for it.#WalkingWithPiotrekFor more digital nomad stories go to nerdontour.net
Just a few steps under the canopy and something shifts. The sharp heat softens. The air settles. And when a gentle breeze passes through, there's simply nothing better. No air conditioner in the world can replicate that feeling.It takes a little practice to truly attune to it. But once you do, the forest stops being just a backdrop — it becomes the destination.This is why I keep coming back. For the oxygen, yes. But mostly for the coolness that only trees can give.#WalkingWithPiotrek
Ben is a self-taught developer and restless thinker who chose the nomad path over a conventional Australian life of cars, houses, and boats. After a long-term relationship collapsed, he rebuilt himself from scratch — learning Bahasa Indonesia to escape Western cultural bubbles, ditching Tinder for a methodical courtship approach, and trading vague life goals for daily non-negotiable practices. Hear how he turned being a 'loser at home' into strong roots abroad. Find transcript, notes and links at nerdontour.net
Walking through the Botanical Garden in Kuala Lumpur, my mind is already somewhere else — India. A culture I've been quietly connected to for years through yoga, food, and a deep curiosity about their startup scene. But this time, I'm also going for a real Indian wedding. Multiple days. Multiple outfits. Bollywood didn't prepare me enough. #WalkingWithPiotrek For more digital nomad stories go to nerdontour.net
Lush paths, humid air, and another walk-and-talk detour into tea… and sugar. When I was a kid, tea meant lots of sugar (grandma-style). Somewhere along the way I realized good tea doesn’t need cubes, honey, or any sweeteners—just time, leaves, and a bit of curiosity.If you want a funny, smart watch that explains why sugar sneaks into everything, I genuinely recommend That Sugar Film.#WalkingWithPiotrekFor more digital nomad stories go to nerdontour.net
Sometimes the simplest act grounds us the most. Touching the grass. Feeling the earth beneath our feet. We're all part of nature. We come from it, and we'll return to it. That's the cycle of life. Walking in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney reminded me that taking care of ourselves means reconnecting with what we've always been. Not just digital nomads or content creators. But living beings, walking on living ground.#WalkingWithPiotrekFor more digital nomad stories go to nerdontour.net
I value privacy and was delighted to discover Proton Mail. Their solution sounded like a wonderful counterpoint to the dominance of Gmail and other ad-driven services. Once I read books about surveillance capitalism, I knew that I wanted to protect my data and experience what it means to use the end-to-end encrypted, open-source email provider called Proton. Although, after over a year of using it, I’m switching to Apple’s iCloud Mail.
Sydney. One of those places where I've watched New Year's fireworks, lived as an expat, and gained perspectives that no book or documentary could ever teach me.Growing up in monocultural Poland, I was always curious. Traveling opened doors, but living abroad? That unlocked something entirely different. It showed me that every problem, every mundane situation, has multiple solutions. No single right answer.Australia was one of those destinations where curiosity turned into understanding. Where daily life with people from different backgrounds reshaped how I see the world. This perspective — it only comes from being there, day by day, solving problems, having conversations, experiencing how other cultures actually function.If you've never lived in another country, I highly recommend it. It keeps you open, mindful, and always discovering new ways to approach life.#WalkingWithPiotrekFor more digital nomad stories go to nerdontour.net
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