Bold local travel and lifestyle creator Mischke Bosse epitomises the spirit of adventure. Driven by wanderlust and a passion for the open roads leading to magnificent destinations just waiting to be discovered, Mischke spent the vast majority of 2021 solo-travelling around South Africa in her kitted out Jeep, all while maintaining her full-time job, freelancing for local brands, and creating content for her own platforms.
We caught up with Mischke post-adventure to find out what it takes to be a nomadic content creator and dig into some of the overlooked technicalities of this lifestyle that take place behind the scenes.
Want to follow Mischke on her next intrepid exploration? You can join her journey by checking out her Instagram profile. If you would like to learn more about her approach to creativity and how she quit her 9-to-5 day job to become a nomadic creator, you can listen to this episode of the Orms Air Podcast where she joined us as a guest. She also writes beautiful and insightful content on her personal blog and website.
Orms: Tell us about the birth of your passion for travel and creating content in this genre. What drew you to spend a lot of your time as a nomadic content creator solo-travelling around South Africa?
Mischke Bosse: I've always been one to reject conformity, even though there were multiple times in my short 25 years that all I so desperately wanted was to find contentment with the conventional way of doing things. I went to college out of politeness to my parents, laughed at my short-lived experiences with nine-to-fives and spent most of my life to date ensuring I keep the number of belongings I own just low enough to either fit in a car or minimal enough to get rid of easily.
I wanted the road, I wanted a car packed with camp-ware and just-the-needed amount of clothes, I wanted petrol stations in the middle of nowhere and mountain tops that left me breathless, a loose plan that followed coastlines and Karoo highways. I wanted to hear the stories of strangers and see ways of living other than what I've come to know.
And so, when lockdown hit and the lease of my flat conveniently came to an end, I started planning, dreaming and talking about the trip that would become my "year on the road".
It's good to highlight that there are two pillars of my lifestyle -- remote working and travelling.
I started freelancing full-time in 2019, working as a social media manager, creative director, content creator and photographer for a number of businesses. Prior to the big trip, I took short stints of ongoing travel as test runs. To see if I truly could still keep freelance work going and up to date with this very unpredictable lifestyle.
I loved my life on the road and found utter fulfilment in being nomadic and it was on this trip that I began to understand one cold, undeniable truth: I am more comfortable with risk than stillness.
Returning, I guess the feeling never quite left. So, I packed up and sold the few things I had, traded the old Merc' in for my beloved Jeep and started planning a year-long trip where I'd be living on the road through Southern Africa, full-time.
Orms: In your opinion, what are some overlooked aspects of being a nomadic content creator that people maybe don't consider?
Mischke Bosse: The amount of work it actually is! Especially given the fact that being a "content creator" under my own name isn't my main source of income. I completely underestimated how difficult it would be to juggle 1) my real job with @hotovenmarketing, 2) travelling and the planning that it involves, 3) creating for my platforms and some smaller retainers with brands that form a stream of income through it (all while still trying to explore new places, constantly moving around and somewhat still taking care of myself as well).
Orms: Please share your top 5 insights into becoming a nomadic travel content creator for those who would like to start pursuing this path. What are the most important things they need to know about getting started?
Mischke Bosse: Here are my top tips...
- It's harder than you think. You really don't get to sit and chill in those beautiful locations you see on Instagram. We might sit down on the daybed for the picture, but then it's back to work, work, work.
- Try not to get too caught up on gear. Sure, having the newest camera or smartphone is great for reel content, but in all honesty, if your main message is the places you see, focus on sharing those places in a way that feels true to you. I can speak from personal experience; I really wanted to create short video clips of each destination I visited this year. Before setting out, I dived into the world of vlogging cameras, mics and the lot. Just to find that I got so annoyed every time I had to carry all of that along with me every time I went on a hike or walked around the small towns. Eventually, I just gave up and started filming the videos on my iPhone. To this day, the iPhone episodes majorly exceed the reach and engagement of the initial "professional" ones.
- There is no structure. Genuinely ask yourself if you'd be okay with this. If pursuing it full-time, you have no guarantee of income, worktime, estimated hours, whether or not you'll have wifi, the list goes on... As often glamorized as a helter-skelter lifestyle is, it really isn't all it's cracked up to be.
- Be professional. You become your business and you have to treat yourself as such. There are no excuses like "I didn't have wifi", "the light wasn't good" or something along those lines. Deliverables (especially when creating for brands) need to be fulfilled in the correct amounts on the specified date. It's your responsibility to ensure that happens.
- Invest in a good mobile data and mobile charging setup. When wanting to work on the go, this is a no-brainer. I had sim cards for three service providers (MTN, Cell C and Vodacom) in South Africa, all of which had data and airtime on. My car was equipped with a dual-battery system and inverter, which ensured that I could keep laptops, cell phones and cameras charged on the go. I also had a signal booster (WeBoost by Bolton Technical SA) for areas where the signal was choppy all-around.
Orms: What gear is essential for travel and adventure lifestyle photography? What do you have in your kit bag?
Mischke Bosse: That would differ from person to person! In my case, it would be the following:
- Fujifilm X-T30 with fixed 35mm and 16mm lenses
- iPhone 11 for shooting all my video content
- Hand-held stabilizer for my phone
- Tripod (which holds my phone or my camera)
- Small vlogging mic (RØDE) that plugs into my camera or phone for voiceovers or whenever I want to chat with the camera
- MacBook Air (13-inch)
- Lightroom Desktop and Mobile for editing
One thing that I absolutely wish I had (multiple times) was a drone, so I'd say that's a really good investment to make if you're willing to splurge. It's something I wish to this day I could've taken along to some of the destinations I saw last year.
