The last few years haven't been easy. Balancing elderly care responsibilities and the inevitable aftermath alongside running a business left Kath, frankly, a bit broken. So she and her husband made a decision: to take some time away and visit family on the other side of the world.

What started as a couple of weeks unwinding in Indonesia led on to two months in Australia catching up with family and friends, and then home via Mauritius for an AIESEC wedding. And throughout all of it — Kath was working. Not on holiday. Working. From a small portable office that fits in a backpack.

Here's what she actually learned:

The kit that makes remote working possible

For anyone considering working from away — whether that's abroad, on the move, or simply away from your usual setup — these are the things that made the real difference:

A lightweight second screen was a game changer for running training sessions remotely. A noise-cancelling headset is non-negotiable when you're sharing spaces. A global charger and fast-charge cable along with a power brick belong in every bag. A travelling router that connects via your home network is simpler than it sounds. And VPNs are far easier to set up than they used to be — don't let anyone put you off.

What nobody tells you

It can be far from glamorous.

Yes, there were genuinely beautiful workspaces — looking out over the ocean, sitting in a garden in the sunshine. But there was also hunching over a laptop in seating not designed for it, working from a bed when there was no desk, perching on a park bench beside a lake, and dealing with wifi so unreliable that time-zone juggling and connectivity anxiety arrived at the same time.

Time zones are manageable — until they're not. A bad signal when you're already at risk of running late for a UK call brings its own particular stress. And of course, people get ill when they're away. There's no immunity from a cold just because you're somewhere beautiful.

The lessons that keep coming back

These feel relevant well beyond working from away — they're things that come up with clients at South West Growth Service too.

Manage your time with intention, not optimism. Working UK hours from Australia means early mornings and late nights. Being deliberate about when you're available — and when you're not — matters more than any piece of kit. It's something Kath didn't manage well enough on this trip, and something she'll work harder on next time.

Loving your work is a privilege worth protecting. Four months confirmed that she loves what she does. It also confirmed she'll never want to work fully remotely — the in-person time matters too.

AI can be a game changer. From planning the trip itself with AI assistance to reflecting on how the business world is shifting, Kath returned with a strong sense that we're in a period of real change — and that there's a positive role for AI in navigating it. More on that soon.

Kath is a founder of South West Growth Service, a consultancy which supports businesses and leaders across the South West with management development, change and organisational growth.