We wrote a book
Your Keys, Our Home.
If you dream of casting off your worldly possessions and traveling to your heart’s content, we hope our story will inspire you no matter your age.
In this book we share tales of living full-time in Airbnbs in more than 50 countries (at the time of writing). From the barber’s chair in Dublin and the dentist’s chair in Split, to a wild motorcycle ride in Athens, a peek behind the Soviet curtain in Transnistria and the demise of a chicken for dinner in Marrakech, we found the world to be just one big neighborhood.
You'll also find tips on how we pick our next Airbnb, how we get there and frugal ways to enjoy a new city, just as the locals do.
Available in ebook or paperback format. Get your copy today!
The Senior Nomads
We are Michael and Debbie Campbell, and since 2013 we’ve been traveling the world, living almost exclusively in Airbnbs. It wasn’t our plan to be away for over a decade, but our curiosity about history and other cultures just kept growing — so we kept going!
Our story began as we neared retirement. We felt we had “one more adventure” in us before settling down, but we weren’t sure what that would be. In the winter of 2012, our daughter, who was visiting from her home in France, had this brilliant suggestion: Why don’t you retire early and travel full-time, living in Airbnbs? We loved to travel, but that seemed crazy! However, after we learned more about Airbnb, and Michael tinkered with a dozen spreadsheets, he announced that if we sold everything we owned (including our house, sailboat, and cars) and lived frugally, we could make it work! Six months later we bid farewell to family and friends and set off to explore the world.
Along the way, we called over 330 Airbnbs “home” in more than 95 countries. Our travels took us to every corner of Europe as well as Turkey, Israel, India, Russia, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, and Cuba. We traversed South America. Toured the Middle East and explored Egypt. We spent time in Africa, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. And, we are particularly proud of having visited all 17 former Soviet Republics including the “The Stans.”
We may have traded experiences for things, but we’ve brought home a lifetime of memories — and now we’re unpacking and reflecting on our incredible journey. Even though we’ve set down our suitcases, we will continue to follow our curiosity wherever it takes us! Even if that’s closer to home.
Join our Senior Nomads Facebook Group where you’ll find over 18,000 members who share their stories, tips, and inspiration!
Our Travels
Stating July 2013, we began traveling the globe living almost exclusively in Airbnbs. Our goal was to live in other people’s homes around the world just as we would in our own home in Seattle.
We’ve created a full list of every Airbnb apartment, room, flat, bungalow, condo, suite, and house we’ve stayed in during our travels.