Ruben Storm

Just a small life update.

After losing my good phone in the robbery, I currently have to rely on my old device again, and it’s struggling badly. The battery barely lasts anymore, so I need to reduce power usage and keep things as lightweight and minimal as possible. Because of that, I’m stepping away from some platforms and rethinking which communication networks I truly want to depend on in the future.

What I will continue using and keeping are open and decentralized networks like XMPP, Matrix, SimpleX, Nostr, and the Fediverse. Those spaces feel far more independent, resilient, and aligned with the kind of digital future I want to support.

Step by step I’m rebuilding my setup, simplifying things, and focusing more on privacy-friendly and decentralized technology again. Sometimes losing a device really changes the way you think about communication, ownership, and dependence on centralized platforms.

#Nostr #Fediverse #Matrix #XMPP #SimpleX #Decentralization #OpenSource #Privacy #DigitalFreedom #IndieWeb #FOSS #Minimalism #TechLife #Resilience #Communication #DigitalIndependence #SelfHosting #lifeupdate

Yesterday (April 30) and today (May 1), I spent some time doing laundry while also setting up my Raspberry Pi with Umbrel OS. I installed the software I need and started backing up my data today, deciding to go with Seafile for that.

I worked on all of this at the hostel, then took a walk over to the university and continued in the library. Later today, I headed to a burger place and took advantage of a Friday deal.

Here are a few photos from these two days.

📍 Lusaka, Zambia

#DailyLife #TravelLife #DigitalNomad #RaspberryPi #UmbrelOS #SelfHosting #Seafile #DataBackup #OpenSource #Linux #Homelab #Privacy #TechLife #HostelLife #UniversityLife #LibraryTime #FridayVibes #Foodie #BurgerTime #LifeUpdate #Lusaka #Zambia #ExploreZambia #LusakaLife #AfricaTravel #VisitZambia #ZambiaLife #LusakaDiaries #NomadInAfrica #WanderAfrica

Crossed 3 countries, 4 border posts, and even shared the road with elephants 🐘

From Windhoek to Livingstone — long ride, little sleep, but I made it. Now it’s time to rest and reset after everything that happened.

I wrote it all down here 👇
https://peakd.com/travel/@rubenstorm/from-windhoek-to-zambia-borders-elephants-and-a-much-needed-rest

#TravelLife #AfricaTravel #OnTheRoad #Namibia #Botswana #Zambia #travel #robbery #fail

And this was today my dinner #food #dinner #namibia

Moshi to Lusaka overland.
Dust, rain, border lines, and long roads south.

I left Moshi in the afternoon heat, packed into a bus that rattled over uneven roads through the night. Space was tight, air was warm, and every stop brought new delays — but the wheels kept turning.

Iringa welcomed me with rain and mud. Wet shoes, quiet streets, and a simple hostel gave me time to rest before continuing. The next ride to Mbeya was rough and slow, the kind of journey where time stretches and every kilometer feels earned.

From Mbeya the route led to the border. A short ride, a tuk-tuk, then walking from the roundabout toward immigration through noise and pressure. Sellers, agents, offers, voices — constant movement all around. After waiting in line and answering questions, I stepped out of Tanzania and into Zambia.

Nakonde meant waiting. Buses do not travel at night, so the station became a temporary world of travelers, benches, and charging sockets. Eventually, still in darkness, the bus departed. Sunrise came later, slowly revealing villages, checkpoints, and the long road toward Lusaka.

Arrival did not feel dramatic. Just a quiet sense of distance traveled. A shared taxi across the city. A simple meal. A bed. Movement paused, but the journey continues.

About 2500 km by land.
One direction: forward.

#overland #overlandtravel #africa #africatravel #tanzania #zambia #buslife #bordercrossing #backpackerlife #slowtravel #traveljournal #journey #travelstory #longroad #lusaka #travel

Coffee done, brain on. Still turning travel notes into a longer blog post.

Trying a new approach this time: writing things down while I’m on the road so I don’t forget the good stuff. ✍️☕

#coffee #blogging #cafe #cappuccino #blog

Last breakfast and coffee at this place.
A slow morning, a warm cup, and one final glimpse of Kilimanjaro before it’s time to move on.

Some places don’t ask you to stay — they just leave a mark.

#Kilimanjaro #Moshi #Coffee #Breakfast #NomadLife #Travel #SlowMoments

Moving on... let's see if everything works out... In 5 hours I will know.

#travel

Good Morning

Waiting for my breakfast and enjoying my first coffee

#coffee #coffeechain #zambia #travel #lusaka #africa #nomad

My lunch today #lunch #namibia #food

Robbed in Windhoek.

I was attacked by two armed men. I defended myself, but they escaped with my phone — including a 1TB SD card with all my photos and videos from Zanzibar to Namibia.

I invested a lot into this journey to document and share it. Now everything is gone. I’m also dealing with police and threats after the incident.

If you want to help or boost, I’d really appreciate it:
https://gofund.me/23d045447

#Namibia #Travel #MutualAid #Support #Windhoek #crime #help #robbery

Good morning!
Coffee and Breakfast in Namibia

#travel #breakfast #food #cheese #muffin

Getting a cappuccino at the café. ☕
Maybe the last one here.

These little moments are something I’ve learned to appreciate during my years on the road — sitting down, watching people pass by, feeling the rhythm of a place before it’s time to move on again.

Travel as a nomad means that even small things like a coffee can become a quiet goodbye to a place. The journey continues, somewhere else, somewhere new.

#travel #travelstory #coffee

🎥 A little journey through time.

Google recently showed me a short video it created from photos of me over the past years. It highlights this exact day in different years of my travels, and it made me stop for a moment and reflect on how long I’ve actually been on the road.

This month marks 9 years of traveling for me. When I started, I never planned it as something that would last this long. Even in 2022 I couldn’t imagine that I would still be traveling years later. But here I am, still living out of a backpack, still moving from place to place, and still enjoying the freedom and simplicity of this lifestyle.

I’m posting the video here directly, but it’s also shared in the Fediverse on Loops by @rubenstorm@loops.video.

#Travel #NomadLife #DigitalNomad #Minimalism #Fediverse #Loops #TravelStory #LifeOnTheRoad

Time for a Coffee and Cinnamon Roll

... I love my cup, I have withe in travel, also my spork ...

#coffee #food #snack #cinnamonroll

Breakfast today - good morning

#breakfast #food #africa

RE: @rubenstorm@defcon.social

I went with pizza instead. 🍕

#food #pizza

This is what they were eating at the hostel yesterday… pretty sure the locals who sold it were cracking up the whole time 😅

Sitting here in Mbeya in a small café, enjoying what they call a “latte” ☕️
Different taste, different vibe — but that’s exactly why I love traveling.

#Mbeya #Tanzania #TravelLife #DigitalNomad #CoffeeCulture #OnTheRoad #Africa #RemoteLife

This was my last dinner here, tomorrow I move on...

Good morning from Iringa, Tanzania 🌧️ – German history and ancient rock paintings all around.

Like my nomad life? Follow me or support: ☕ https://ko-fi.com/rubenstorm ⚡ rubenstorm@coinos.io

Stay tuned!

#Iringa #Tanzania #NomadLife #Travel #Adventure #KoFi #Lightning

On the move again. A long overland journey with many overnight stops, long bus rides, and nights spent wherever the road allows — hostels, buses, even bus stations. Started in Moshi, taking the slow route by bus, tuk-tuk, and on foot. Destination still unknown.

#Travel #SlowTravel #Overland #NomadLife #BusLife #Africa

Fedimap is nice. You should take a look ....

#FediMap #fediverse

Swimming pool day with a view of Mount Kilimanjaro 🗻
The view? Absolutely unreal.

The place itself… not so much. Poorly maintained, no lockers, messy changing rooms, dirty showers with zero privacy and nowhere to put your stuff. Same for the toilets — very open, very social, and definitely not clean. Hard pass.

I had to use the shower anyway. Entrance fee: 7,000 TZS.

The pool looks old and a bit like it’s falling apart, but the weather was great and that Kilimanjaro view fixed a lot. Not everything — but enough.

📍 Moshi, Tanzania

#Moshi #Tanzania #Kilimanjaro #MountKilimanjaro #TravelNotes #NomadLife #SlowTravel #RealityOfTravel #Africa #travel

RE: @simplex@mastodon.social

Thank you so much for your work, @simplex@mastodon.social ... #SimpleX should have a much bigger user base than WhatsApp - it’s simply the better choice.

Can’t wait for the next updates! 🚀

In 1 hour I found out more than the Namibian tourist police in 2 days. Travel here? Not recommended. 1.6k visa isn’t worth it.

Two days ago I was attacked by two armed robbers right after arriving. Had to fight them off. Phone stolen.

More details on my blog.

#Namibia #Windhoek #TravelWarning #TravelSafety #TouristSafety #TravelAlert #Robbery #Crime #TravelNews #AfricaTravel

Freedom is a lifestyle, not a destination

#freedom #decentralized #decentralisation #freespeech #onlinefreedom

Picked up a sandwich. Solid, nothing crazy.

#foodie #food #sandwich

Even the darkest night ends when the sun rises - never give up, your light is coming

#NeverGiveUp #StayStrong #KeepGoing #Hope #NewBeginnings #BelieveInYourself #Resilience #PositiveVibes #StayPositive #Motivation #Inspiration #RiseAgain #YouAreNotAlone #StrengthWithin

Test, 2FA and New Password after robbery

Good morning! This is my last breakfast here — soon I’ll move on. ☕🌍

#travel #coffee #Breakfast

🚨 Travel Warning from Namibia 🚨

I arrived in Windhoek full of excitement for my journey across Africa… and within hours, everything went wrong.

I was attacked and robbed by two armed men on this very stairway. The first went straight for my stomach with a knife, while the second came from behind, aiming for my ribs. In that split second, I had to fight for my life. I managed to throw the second attacker down the stairs, but the first escaped with my phone and all my data, including everything from Zanzibar to Namibia.

I survived, but it was terrifying. For two weeks, I waited in Windhoek for police action. Nothing happened. No phone. No SD card. Just disappointment and frustration. I eventually had to move on, shaken but alive.

Because of this experience, I cannot recommend Namibia for tourism anymore. The landscapes are stunning, but the risk of violent robbery is real.

I’m sharing this so others can stay alert, protect themselves, and make informed decisions. Travel can be amazing, but sometimes the worst can happen when you least expect it.

📹 The video below also shows the stairway for a short moment where it all happened.

#Travel #Namibia #Windhoek #TravelWarning #BackpackerLife #DigitalNomad #Africa #Safety #Survival #RealTalk #TravelStory #LifeOnTheRoad #StaySafe #TravelRisk

Coffee with a view, breakfast in the sun ☕🌞
A simple bowl of porridge, warm and filling — keeping it minimal, keeping it real.

#Coffee #Breakfast #Porridge #SimpleLife #SlowLife #Namibia #Travel

Today I got robbed. They stole my good phone with the 1 TB card and all my photos on it. The phone also had my digital wallet on it, so losing it is a serious problem. I’m extremely pissed about it.

During the struggle on the stairs I managed to twist the first guy’s hand — the one holding the weapon — and for a moment I had control over it.

Then the second guy suddenly attacked me with a knife. I had to let the first one go to defend myself, and I threw the second attacker down the stairs. He hit his head badly and for a moment I thought he might be dead or seriously injured.

In that moment the first guy — the one who had my phone — escaped. I chased him, but he got away.

When I returned to the stairs to find the second guy and get information about where my phone was, he was gone too. I still can’t explain how he managed to get away after hitting his head like that.
The worst part is losing my new phone with the 1 TB card, all my photos, and the digital wallet that was on it.

#namibia #Africa #robbery

Robbed in Windhoek.

Lost my phone + 1TB SD — all photos/videos from Zanzibar to Namibia gone.

Trying to recover 🙏
https://gofund.me/95a0b8d4f

#Namibia #Travel #Robbery #Africa #GoFundMe #Support

Arrived at the first stop, here I will stay overnight. Then I will keep moving on...

Good Morning all together

A window into my today.... Tomorrow I move on....

#walvis #WalvisBay #walvisbaai #Atlantic #atlanticocean #namibia #travel

Robbed & attacked by 3 men in Windhoek. I had to fight for my life and lost my phone and all my data from Zanzibar to Namibia.

2 suspects have been arrested, but 1 is still on the run. After 2 weeks waiting, I got nothing back and eventually had to move on.

Because of this, I can no longer recommend Namibia for tourism.

More details:
https://short.beblurt.com/s/wIWPpK

#Namibia #Windhoek #TravelWarning #Safety #TravelExperience #BackpackerLife #Africa #DigitalNomad #StaySafe

Yesterday unfolded slowly in Moshi. The morning started with breakfast and a coffee that was far too strong — heavy on the powder, almost like an overdone Turkish coffee. Not great, but it did the job.

I finally did laundry, hung everything up in the dorm, and later went out for lunch — chips, followed by a walk through town. Since my shoes were washed, I wore my Earth Runners. They’re still new, but familiar, carrying memories from early December walks with my daughter.

I headed toward Union Café, then changed my mind and continued into the park. I noticed the Christmas Trees still lightly blooming, their flowers slowly falling away. Eventually, I sat at the Wishing Tree, enjoyed a smoothie, and stayed longer than planned, despite the TV nearby being far too loud.

The evening passed quietly on the hostel rooftop. Rice and beans for dinner, a shower, and bed. An ordinary day — calm, grounded, complete.

#Moshi #Tanzania #NomadLife #SlowLife #DailyJournal #Reflection

RE: @rubenstorm@defcon.social

I am a bit surprised with those results.

Now I left #Tusky and went to #Fedilab - let's see how it works

This mosquito bite still hasn’t gotten any better after days.

#Health #Moskito #Africa