I recently started with /nomap and haven't gotten lost -- yet! The sun and moon are good references, but don't forget about Yggdrasil itself!

I also build little north-reference posts -- they mark territory I've explored, give a north reference regardless of conditions.

With automap, I felt like everywhere new I explored was accomplishing something: revealing more of the map. Now I don't get that feeling, so I need a specific reason to be exploring. On the other hand, I don't have any *compulsion* to reveal the map and mark everything, as I did with automap. So it's been a bit liberating.