EP7: What Remote Work Really Feels Like on the Road
Balancing work, learning, and movement during an unplanned remote work trip
Howdy friends,
Welcome back.
Over the past couple of weeks, if you follow me on X, you probably noticed that I was working remotely while traveling across eastern Nepal with my colleagues.
Relax, this post is not about travel tips.
It is about what actually happens when you try to balance work, learning, and movement at the same time.
The trip itself was unplanned.
During the third week of January, from the 19th to the 23rd, we had a work from home rotation. If we were going to try working while roaming, this window felt like the right moment.
Here is how it went, what worked, and what I would do differently next time.
The setup
Our main base during the trip was Dharan, my hometown. It is fairly central in the east and allowed us to roam surrounding areas without constantly changing places.
On Friday, January 16, after finishing our assigned dailies, we left at 2 pm. We drove almost nonstop, stopping briefly in Sindhuli for EV charging, and reached Dharan around midnight.
The weekend was intentionally slow. We went uphill to places like Dhankuta and Basantapur.
Devices stayed at home. No work, no planning, just time to chill out.
Monday reality check
On Monday, January 19, we punched in remotely and joined our regular calls from a viewpoint cafe near my home.
That same day, we were assigned a security training course that needed to be completed within the week. It was long and heavy, with assessments.
To free up the rest of the week, we tried to complete most of it on the first day while also handling our regular work.
We underestimated it. The course was longer than expected and we could not finish it that day.
Since none of us were on call, after 2 pm we decided to roam towards the lower Terai and the India Nepal border area at Jogbani.
We had a call at 6 pm, so we crossed into India briefly and returned before the call. We attended the meeting calmly from the vehicle. Being in a city area helped. Mobile data worked well.
That was one of the moments where remote work actually felt smooth.
The hardest days
The next day was tough.
We had many meetings and work, so we decided not to roam and stayed home to focus. Meetings stretched late into the night, almost until 11 pm. There was a function at home, but only a few of us could properly enjoy it because work came first.
The following day started similarly. After covering most of the critical work earlier, we left home around 2 pm and headed further east towards Ilam.
This turned out to be the most challenging part of the trip.
Due to maintenance on the highway, our journey was slower than expected.
As we moved into hilly areas, network reliability dropped sharply. We still had meetings to attend while on the road, and at multiple points we questioned whether choosing this route while working was a good idea.
We stopped at several places hoping for stable internet. Most could not provide usable connectivity. Even mobile data was unreliable.
Finally, we found a place where we could charge the EV, eat, and unexpectedly get decent internet. We stayed there from around 5 pm to 9 pm and completed all pending meetings and work.
Only after that did we continue. We reached Shree Antu around 11.30 pm.
Learning versus reality
The next morning, we woke up around 5.30 am and went for a walk to watch the sunrise. It was calm and refreshing. After that, we returned to the hotel and started work.
That day, I finally completed the security course.
By then, we had learned how to plan better. Where to charge the EV and devices, when to take meetings, and how to complete daily responsibilities. With that clarity, the day went smoothly and we returned to Dharan without trouble.
Before the trip, I had packed my notebook for system design and AWS AI and ML certification preparation. I imagined using early mornings for focused learning.
That did not happen.
I barely took the notebook out of my bag. Some mornings I woke up late. Some days went into breakfast outings and family time. Energy was limited, and context switching was very real.
This became an important lesson.
What I learned
Working while roaming is possible.
Learning while roaming is much harder.
This trip would have been extremely difficult if any of us were on call. Remote work during travel only works when responsibilities are predictable.
Another important thing I realized is how energy draining it can be. Traveling and working remotely for a full week is exhausting. Some days, I genuinely felt low, both mentally and physically.
Planning matters a lot. Anything can happen, so having backups for electricity and internet is essential. When you are roaming while working, nothing matters more than reliable power and connectivity. Everything else can be managed.
We were also lucky. No production incidents occurred during this time. If something critical had gone down, the trip could have quickly turned into a stressful experience.
This is one of the beautiful things about the tech industry. Remote work can support real work life balance, but only if it is managed intentionally.
I truly enjoyed this trip. Next time, I would be more intentional about choosing locations, limiting movement on work heavy days, and being realistic about learning goals.
Thanks for reading. More reflections coming soon.
Alon