Reacher vs. Me: A Nomad’s Guide to Not Attracting Trouble –

Eat when you can.

Sleep when you can.

You never know when you’ll get the chance again.

These are the rules one of my favorite characters live by—Jack Reacher*

Living on the road, I may not live them by the letter of those rules, but yep, definitely, I might just be living a real-life version.

My daughter once told me I lived a little like Jack Reacher — the wandering ex-military drifter who never stays in one place long. Her reasoning? “Mum, you travel with only a toothbrush.”

She wasn’t far off. I’ve been a minimalist for years. While Reacher’s toothbrush lives in the inside pocket of a thrift-store jacket, mine rattles around in Vera (my campervan), beside a capsule wardrobe — I’ve actually counted (55 items, underwear included). Though, let’s face it, Reacher would never be caught dead with 55 items — and no, he wouldn’t count his underwear.

But let me set the record straight: the biggest difference between me and Reacher is that trouble does not follow me. Thankfully.

I’ve never walked into a country town diner and stumbled across a crime ring before I’ve finished eating pie. The only thing I’m likely to blunder across is a local with a story that eventually sneaks into one of my blogs or novels.

And yet I can’t deny I feel a certain connection between Reacher’s way of life and mine.

While I didn’t model myself on him consciously, somewhere along the line, his stripped-back, no-nonsense lifestyle appealed so deeply, that I’ve embodied it in my own nomadic life.

So here it is:

Reacher’s Life vs. Christine’s Life

Packing list

Reacher: One toothbrush. One ATM card. One gun (usually not his own).
Christine: One toothbrush. One capsule wardrobe. One van named Vera.

Daily motto

Reacher: “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”
Christine: “Hydrate, write, and trust the Trade Winds.”

Travel style

Reacher: Hitchhikes into town, buys new clothes at a thrift store, throws old ones away.
Christine: Drives Vera up and down the Eastern Seaboard of Australia, donates polo shirts at op shops, daydreams about vegan Doc Martens.

Encounters with strangers

Reacher: Trouble finds him by the second chapter.
Christine: Stories find her by the second coffee.

Conflict resolution

Reacher: Breaks bones, dodges bullets, exposes corruption.
Christine: Takes notes, weaves characters into blogs and novels, processes in solitude.

Reputation

Reacher: Lone wolf, ex-military drifter, feared by enemies.
Christine: Nomadic storyteller, INFJ radar on high, trusted by dogs and children.

Fuel of choice

Reacher: Endless diner coffee.
Christine: Morning cappuccino (large, if tired), coconut water, and electrolytes.

Superpower

Reacher: Unstoppable in a fight, always knows the truth.
Christine: Unstoppable with words, always senses the truth.

Christine’s Reacher Rules (Nomad Edition)

Travel light but bring the good earrings.
Hydration is as important as coffee. (Almost.)
Trouble doesn’t follow me, but stories do — write them down.
Sleep when you want, eat when you want, and if you get a quiet day — clean your van.
Never ignore your gut. It’s wiser than you think.

So no, I’m not Jack Reacher. I don’t have his fists, his height, or an endless string of bad guys to punch. But in my own way, I’ve lived into a similar rhythm: minimalist, intuitive, always on the move.

And honestly? I’d rather write stories than live daily shootouts any day.