I'm kind of following the same path with staying vanilla. I've also tried to keep away from spoiler videos, etc. Maybe the most oddball thing I've done is kept away from sailing around until I've thoroughly explored, on foot, whatever I can. After 1000 hours I recently built a Karve and crossed a narrow strait and am just now island hopping toward The Elder - yes, I'm still Bronze Age but with a few chests full of Swamp, Mountain and Plains loot from exploring the edges of those biomes. It's pretty cool to feel anxiety, wonder and discovery in a game I paid $20 bucks for months ago