My wife and I sold everything to become nomads and discovered ferries were the best way to travel — except for 2 downsides

• Norm Bour left California and started traveling full time with his wife in February 2019.
• Whenever possible, they prefer taking ferries for the lower cost and better travel experience.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Norm Bour, a 69-year-old nomad who prefers ferry travel. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I spent most of my life living in California and most of my career in real estate, but in 2008, the recession destroyed my business.

I reinvented myself as a consultant for the CBD industry, and in 2016, I was invited to speak at three events, in Amsterdam, Prague, and Warsaw, Poland. I was 62, and it was my first time in Europe. I spent three weeks traveling to different cities and had an aha moment.

It charmed me how people overseas seemed to enjoy life to the fullest and were not in a rush-rush mindset like most Americans I knew.

That trip made me want to travel more

A friend recommended I check out an app called TravelPirates. It shares discounted flights to international destinations. I started scanning the app for deals, and over the next two years, I traveled to Iceland, Spain, Portugal, France, and many other places with my wife, Kathleen.

At the end of 2018, we decided to become nomads. We sold everything, bought one-way tickets to Valencia, Spain, and left in February 2019. Because my business was remote, I could work from anywhere.

Since then, we've traveled to 37 countries, and we take ferries whenever we can. There's nothing better than sitting on the top deck of a ferry looking out at the ocean and watching the birds. It makes traveling less boring.

Taking a ferry is often a less expensive way to travel

More often than not, taking a ferry is cheaper than airfare, but it does take longer.

On a trip from Rome to Split, Croatia, in May 2019, it would've taken us a little over an hour to get there on a plane and cost about $300 for the dates we were looking at. Instead, we took an overnight ferry that lasted 11 hours but cost us only $60.

Sometimes people take trains to save money or if they have a fear of flying, but some romanticize it because you get to see more of the land you're passing by.

I feel the same way about being on a ferry. There's something so magical about being on a boat while seeing the world around you.

There are many tools you can use to book ferries

I often use Ferryhopper or Rome2Rio to help plan our ferry travel. My usual technique is to first Google "ferry from A to B" to see whether I can find a specific company to use. That increases the chances of getting an online ticket and QR code, relieving the stress of getting a seat.

Shorter ferries rarely sell out, and they run more frequently, so there's a good chance you can catch the next one if you miss your first option. The longer ferries are more selective, and it's a good idea to get your ticket in advance.

Taking a combination of shorter and longer ferries has allowed us to see more places than if we traveled just by land, including on our 87-day motorcycle trip through six countries. We brought the motorcycle on the ferries with us.

Long ferry rides give you the chance to meet people

Ferry rides that are 8 to 12 hours or longer often happen overnight. On those boats, you can buy a general-seating ticket or a room with a bed. I prefer these longer trips because you get to see more and often get to interact with different types of people.

One of my most fun ferry experiences was when we traveled 12 hours from Sicily to Tunisia in December 2019.

It was a unique experience traveling with Tunisians who were mostly Muslim. They did their call to prayer in the hallways several times during our journey, and one family asked us whether we wanted to share what little food they had.

We spent most of the ride meeting people and learning about their cultures. There's no way we would've had that experience if we took the four-hour plane ride.

The only downsides of taking a ferry are the food options and potential for seasickness

Most people on ferries bring their own food because there aren't always reliable eating options on board. Some longer ferry rides may have snacks for sale, but you rarely find full meals. We usually bring pastries, fruit, and sandwiches.

I've never experienced seasickness, but I know some people may not want to take a ferry because of that fear. My wife is prone to motion sickness, so she takes medication like Bonine or Dramamine before we travel.

She also wears seasickness bands that push against different pressure points to help minimize nausea.

Don't arrive at the port last minute when taking a ferry

If you're taking a ferry, I recommend you arrive at least an hour before it departs. You want to leave plenty of time because when you're traveling internationally, you have to go through immigration and passport control. There can be long lines for that process and long security lines before getting on board.

We try to get tickets in advance online, but you have to buy tickets through some companies on-site, which can also lead to long lines.

Always have a back-up plan

When you're traveling during the months when the seas can be rough, have a backup plan in case ferries are canceled.

In December 2019, we were staying in Athens and decided to take a ferry to Naxos before leaving Greece for Singapore. When we tried to go back to Athens from Naxos, the ferries were canceled because of the weather. We had nonrefundable flights from Athens to Singapore and would've lost a couple hundred dollars if we missed that flight.

We scrambled and found a flight from Naxos to Athens, which helped us continue our trip as planned.

We won't be heading home anytime soon

When my wife and I first left to become nomads, people asked us whether we were ever coming back. Our response was that we probably weren't. We go back home only once or twice a year and imagine we'll go back even less as we continue to travel.

After traveling for five years and seeing the world, I hope we can continue to do this for the rest of our lives. I don't want to grow old in some nursing home or sit on the couch and watch TV. I want to see as much of the world as I can, whether it's on a plane, train, or my personal favorite, a ferry.