

Ask HN: I want to take a no-tech retreat for 6 months straight. Where? - rfnslyr

I&#x27;m working on a sweet contract job that pays decently. After it&#x27;s done in 8 months, I want to drop off the face of the earth completely. No contact with friends&#x2F;family&#x2F;anybody. Just my mind and I. I don&#x27;t even want an emergency phone or anything, I just want to be <i>completely cut off</i>.<p>Cancel my phone. Sell my computers. Sell it all. Take half a year or a few months somewhere totally remote to clear my head. Bring a ton of books&#x2F;kindle and go at it. Maybe do some writing myself.<p>I recall seeing a video on Reddit of a woman going on a large ship, I think an ice breaker it was. It looked fantastic and inspired me so much.<p>Has anyone on HN done this? Where would I begin researching ideas? If it helps, I&#x27;m in Canada. I&#x27;d love to go up North in the wilderness for awhile.<p>I need to get the fuck out of this concrete jungle.<p>----<p>edit: cold climate only. I hate the sun, I hate the tropics. I love the cold.
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PeterWhittaker
OK, I hear you, I do. You say you want to cut off.

At least, that's what you think you want. Is it possible this is an over-
reaction?

You say you want out of the concrete jungle. That seems more plausible.

You're in Canada, so I'm guessing GTA or Vancouver?

Before heading "up north" (if you haven't been, you have no idea, sorry -
don't mean to patronize, but you don't - one doesn't just "go up north"
without having visited with competent guides), why not head out of town for a
bit? If you are GTA, why not Perth or Smith's Falls or Arnprior? (Yeah, these
are more my neck of the woods, but you need to get far from your neck to get
to the woods, know what I mean?)

Consider a change of pace, before considering a harsh and radical cut off.
Maybe some place that still has running water and electricity and where the
amenities of civilization are only 1-3 hours away by car.

Rent a farm north of Bancroft, near Algonquin. Someplace rural but with folks
not so far away. Close enough but not too far, you know?

You want even more remote, but still sort of civilized? How about Fermont, QC?
(Last spot before Labrador, road pretty much ends there.)

If you're not GTA, folks from your neck of the woods can suggest places
comparable to the above....

(I moved to T.O. after university - small place out east - and I hated the
jungle, it went on forever. Moved to Ottawa after a couple of years. Been here
over 23. It's grown, but it's way less jungle than the GTA. I'm in the burbs,
I can be on a farm in 5 minutes and not see anyone for miles....)

Heck, why not just go canoeing in Algonquin for a week? A buddy of mine
unplugs that way for a week every year - keeps him sane, and it's a less
radical prescription.

~~~
rfnslyr
Yes I want to cut off. Yes I want to be gone 6 months to a year with no
connection to my current world.

Algonquin canoeing, I can do that, but for a few months at the very least. I
want a unique experience. I want to be so out of my comfort zone I question
all life as I know it.

Actually the canoeing/water idea is incredible. It'd be great to travel by
water for a few months on a boat.

~~~
Sagat
If you have never done this before, I think going on a six month trip is too
ambitious. I suggest starting with two weeks first, and then continuing only
if you still feel comfortable. An extreme change of lifestyle is more
difficult than you think. I also think that the hermit life has been overly
romanticized. It might not necessarily solve the underlying problem, which I
assume is your frustration with your current routine. Not everyone is Thoreau
or Emerson.

IMHO it's more worthwhile to do something active (a hiking trip with friends
for example) in nature than to just isolate yourself. Some of my best memories
have been week long trips in nature with a handful of close pals. I remember
going almost insane with modern life and seeing all the anger and hatred fade
away after a few weeks of physical activity in a new setting.

That said I think your desire to abandon technology for a while and taste
freedom is laudable. Good luck to you, sir. All I ask is that you do not
abandon human contact but instead seek new people to meet.

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japhyr
Your vision sounds great; I just caution you on the execution. Getting far
away from your current situation is important in everyone's life journey.
Doing this right will make you stronger for the rest of your life; doing it
wrong will make for an ugly or even fatal experience.

Wherever you go, I encourage you to travel by land. People who get dropped off
in the middle of nowhere can get in trouble fast. If you travel by land, you
will see the transition from the concrete jungle to the far north unfold in
front of your eyes. You can then decide how far you want/need to go, and how
quickly. You could walk, hitchhike, bicycle, drive, take a bus, whatever.

I grew up in New Hampshire, but I find references to the Yukon in my early
elementary school writing. The far north is just in some people's blood. I
spent 18 months living on a bicycle in my twenties, and I wouldn't trade that
time for anything. I live in Alaska now, and loved the journey here.

Good luck!

~~~
rfnslyr
> I spent 18 months living on a bicycle in my twenties, and I wouldn't trade
> that time for anything. I live in Alaska now, and loved the journey here.

Please please elaborate. I'm extremely interested in hearing your experiences.
Do you have a blog or any posts outlining your experiences in-depth?

~~~
japhyr
Send me an email, and I'll write a bit more.

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jasonkester
I really liked Siberia.

I did a homestay in a little village on Lake Baikal (maybe half an hour from
Irkutsk, but I can't remember which one) and it was quite pleasant. It'd meet
a lot of your needs, with no internet access, plenty of cold, and tons of
outdoor stuff to do (and wolves, which might be considered a downside).

It was easy enough to arrange the homestay. I booked it in Beijing as part of
a trans-siberian trip, from one of the local outfits who arrange such things
for English speakers. I expect that if you did the same, you could probably
arrange to be left in Irkutsk for a year and negotiate a long-term stay from
there.

While we're in the area, Mongolia is also really cool and would remove power
and cell coverage from your list of unpleasant western things. You could
probably just outright _buy_ a ger in Kharkhorin, and a horse to go with it,
for a few thousand bucks. Drop it in any convenient patch of grass and set up
shop for the duration.

Good luck!

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Sealy
Wow thats very exciting. I'd reccomend going somewhere in the winter months.
Its difficult these days to get that full disconnect but you have a few
options.

How about Japan? In the winter it will be beautiful. Some might be scared of
this but having to learn a new language puts you to some degree into social
isolation until you start to learn how to interact with the local people (hey
you asked for it!)

Other then that, India? Might be too hot for you but it is an amazing and
underrated country.

And then there's places like Nepal (known for Everest basecamp), a place where
you will be guaranteed an amazing experience.

North China....

The baltic states in europe, add norway, sweeden, iceland to the list if you
want it cold? The list could be endless. I'd love to be in your situation :)

... and yes I've done a lot of backpacking in my time for 6 months each shot.
I stayed semi-connected though where i could.

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j2h6mW
Since you're OK with manual labor on remote ships, you might try manual labor
on remote farms? WWOOF: [http://wwoof.net/](http://wwoof.net/) I hear the
youths in college are pretty into this, they use it for low-budget gap years &
language study. Have never done it myself

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alid
Left-of-field, but Tasmania (the island at the bottom of Australia) is
stunning and you will not regret it. It's very much a cold climate, and home
to pristine air and wilderness like you can't imagine. Hobart is a perfect
base, a place of history, makers and artisan food and brew producers, and you
can hike Cradle Mountain, walk the Bay of Fires, relax at Wineglass Bay, whale
watch at Freycinet and visit singal-malt whisky distilleries in the highlands.
Then to up the ante, hop on the Orion from Hobart and explore Antarctica.
Whatever you choose, enjoy! :)

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njharman
If you really want to be alone and isolated, Alaska
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Proenneke)

A far better choice would be to bike around Europe, goto Africa, drive the
USA, something. See the world, experience life, live slow. Don't just go hide,
that's easy and lame.

~~~
rabidonrails
Alaska doesn't have the best track record for people that want to be alone but
aren't really prepared with basic survival skills i.e.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_McCandless](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_McCandless)

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Mankhool
Got to Tofino. Stay on Cox Bay.
[http://www.pacificsands.com/](http://www.pacificsands.com/) I live in
Vancouver and when I need to leave the concrete beast this is my favourite
place.

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jamesjguthrie
I'd get away in my car if I could afford the petrol for that length of time.
Travel across Northern Europe to get to the cold countries. Would be epic
actually, might do that when I'm older.

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1123581321
There is a great deal of empty farmland in Ontario and New Brunswick. Many
bachelors live a quiet life there. I am sure you could arrange to rent from
someone and be nearly completely isolated.

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erkose
BTW Kindle is technology. You'll have to leave that behind.

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erkose
Follow the frog
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iIkOi3srLo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iIkOi3srLo)

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olegious
Based on your previous submission history, I'd say get a handle on your issues
before going off somewhere isolated for so long.

~~~
qu4z-2
How would you suggest doing that?

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bifrost
I'd recommend spending a few weeks in lapland, I suspect you'll rapidly want
to come back to civilization :)

~~~
rfnslyr
That seems like a plausible choice. I want to do labor somewhere, hence why
I'd love working on a ship. Out in the cold, no technology, and just work.

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mknits
You need to love the sun. Without it there is no life. Go to India.

