![GOPR7239.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmeC2Qa6W2MJNE8aeRJusVrpSvc9Uq4LspUnWe5NNXZLgQ/GOPR7239.jpg)

Though I'm not going to live totally off-the-grid, I'm just quite looking forward to my next reality. It is not really something that I'm doing by choice or just because I desire to let go of certain conveniences in life. I just have to weigh my options and make serious decisions that will help me achieve my life goals.

A friend asked me "Why haven't you moved here yet?". I answered insensitively and without thinking, "because I want to be in the city".  I know that I really need to be here for my venture. I need to get things going now. But what's holding me back?

Like I said before, I have gotten used to the city comfort. But in the end, some things just gave me nothing but problems. Or perhaps I am just creating my own chaos to make life more interesting. I tend to do that subconsciously sometimes.

"You don't need those things anymore.", another friend told me. He was telling me how people in the town coped and survived. Though my cat will surely appreciate huge spaces, farms and beaches, there are just things that will make life quite uncomfortable. I got used to living comfortably alone by now. But there are solutions. It's just a matter of being able to adapt. 

>It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change. - Charles Darwin

I've lived a Darwinian life though not to the point of killing or eating weak people, not like what the war industry and big corporations do these days. It is just that life is tough, whether I'm living in one place or travelling. But don't get me wrong, I'm not privileged to travel. I just realized how cheaper it is to move around and not have a permanent place. It is just for survival.

Adapt and survive, that's the way to go. I've come to accept that I need to be adaptable to change. I realized that in my next home, I would be able to work on my project easily since I'm close to the tourist places, suppliers and contractors. I will also be able to easily explore the island and discover more hidden places to offer to my clients. I just have to adapt to the new lifestyle.

The power company on the island is really bad. With what I have been doing, this can definitely be a problem for me. But the locals are grateful enough because back in the day, there was really nothing. They live completely off-the-grid. Surely, they cursed the company's inability to provide a stable power or the corrupt government. But I've seen some people trying not to be dependent by utilizing alternative sources of energy.

In order for me to balance comfort and need, technology and nature, I have some solutions to make things happen and still be able to live comfortably. I need to be able to earn money through cryptocurrencies and work on my travel agency website at the same time. I need to live frugally to be able to save money and not resort to a 9-5 job. I need to rely on life's simple pleasures. After all, I need to adapt and survive. 

I have a think about the pros and cons. Moving to the beach town will put me away from the consumeristic lifestyle of the city. Away from cheap fast-food, big supermarkets and shopping centres. This means that I might be able to save money while still earning from Steemit. I will just have to completely rely on going to the nearest beaches, waterfalls, mountains and other natural places for pleasure. Does it sound really bad or am I just being a spoiled brat?

Anyway, I don't have such a big budget at the moment so my plans are not going to happen all at the same time. But let me know if you have any creative ideas/solutions to be self-sustainable.

- I made sure that my new place is close to the network towers. Prepaid internet (4G or LTE) is still going to work luckily. Just the signal is stronger on the beach but I think there's really nothing wrong working close to nature. The most important thing is that I have access to the internet to be able to work on my business and write for Steemit at the same time.

- Given the kind of work I do, the harsh reality is that the power is so unstable. Mind you, blackouts really happen regularly or almost every day. It will surely annoy the hell out of me but what can I do? So I am thinking of buying solar panels as a power back up to take advantage of the island's oppressive heat. My objective is to still be able to work in front of my computer at home and not having to always go to expensive tourist cafes in town. The goal is also to be able to live frugally and not have to take a job that will eat most of my time. The best thing that I love about my life at least is that I don't have to work for someone else. Sure it is hard, but I've lived. I would not exchange the freedom to live my life on my own terms for anything else.

- Buy power banks and extra laptop batteries. Ok, these things are not cheap but are certainly cheaper than a generator. I don't really like a generator as I have to worry about putting some gas or go through all the trouble of operating it. The automatic or easy-to-operate ones for a dumb person like me are super expensive. The goal is not to spend a lot of money.

- My new place would be quite out of town and so the roads are still undeveloped. I definitely don't want to buy a car or a motorcycle, the goal is not to spend money on transport, vehicle maintenance or gas. Good thing I have my mountain bike! I just have to upgrade to better wheels and bicycle parts.

- People use some water pump and I no longer need to pay the water company, I thank the universe! The goal is not to live just to pay the bills. The landlord is just charging $2 monthly for the water pump. I'm actually fine with the free water from beneath the earth. When I have trekked in the mountains, I drank that water. I have trained myself not to be fragile. I'll probably check with the locals first. Because if they can drink it, then there's no reason I can't. Unless it is really bad for my health. But to be on the safe side, should I buy some water filter or just boil the water? I don't see the point of having your own water and still have to buy. The goal is not to spend all the time.

- I am really close to the farmer's market so I guess I'm fine that there are no more big supermarkets. I will probably just make some time again for planting and growing my own food.

- I will make sure that the power blackout times will be devoted to reading books, playing my ukulele, going to the beach, meeting new friends, cycling, exploring new places and other outdoor activities. When there's power, that would be the time to work in front of my computer. It is probably just a matter of adapting my schedule.

- For sure my little AC and fans will not work during blackouts. And I don't think solar panels can power my AC and I don't want to waste precious energy just to feel cold. I just bought a rechargeable fan though. Any alternatives/hacks to make my apartment a bit more comfortable and feel less like an oven?

Now that you are aware of my life's realities, this is the best time to appreciate things and be grateful for what you have.