I feel like Iām breaking some unwritten travel blogging rule with this confession, but thereās something I feel I should get off my chest. Iām tired, really tired, of travelling. Eeek!!
This has never happened to me before. In my 30 itchy-footed years I have never once felt like I couldnāt summon the energy to plan a new trip or hop on the next departing plane, but today something very weird happened. I was reading a travel blogger’s round-up of where they had been last year and where they wanted to go next and I suddenly felt fatigued just thinking about it. How could you keep going, always on the move, after all these years, I thought?
Iāve written before about how Iām a homebody at heart. I love exploring new places, sometimes one after another, but I always make sure I come home in-between to rest and revive, save more cash and enjoy home comforts before the next big adventure. In the first half of 2014 that’s what I did. I started the yearĀ at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, then visited Antigua, St Vincent & The Grenadines,Ā Sri Lanka, Vegas, Lille and Greece over a period of 5 months, taking the time to appreciate and plan each trip in-between.
Since weāve moved to Australia Iāve had to adapt this travel style slightly. Popping to another country for the weekend is not really an option. Instead weāve done a lot of domestic travel ā Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra and Melbourne in the last 4 months ā and some overseas trips, which had to be planned strategically. With a lot of planning, juggling, working and saving, I caught up with family in London, explored Singapore on the way back to Sydney, and made it to Thailand for my 30th birthday. All of these trips were worth it, but making them happen wasn’t easy.
This is by no means my travel blogger retirement. Weāre not done here. But for once, in a very long time, I have no set travel plans for the next few months – and I’m not freaking out about it!
It’s not that I’ve lost my wanderlust – I still have a travel wish list, upcoming holiday commitments, and a strong desire to try on wedding dresses with my friends and family back in London. But right now I feel I need to stay here in Sydney, physically and mentally, and see how that suits me. (It’s suited me rather well since Summer started!)
Tomorrow I may feel differently. Tiredness is only temporary and is often a product of circumstance. (I spent Christmas on an Aussie road trip across 2 states and 2 territories and had an awesome New Year with friends in Sydney whilst simultaneously working on freelance social media projects – so this goes some way towards explaining it!) But today my body and bank balance are telling me that maybe my new year’s resolution should be to travel less in 2015.
So I’m going to pick, plan and prepare my overseas jaunts wisely. Travel is such a privilege and I never want to take that for granted or seem ungrateful to be able to do it. I suspect that by cutting back on travel, I’ll be increasing my appreciation of it.
Will you be travelling more or less in 2015?
PS Wishing you all a Happy New Year and a prosperous 2015!!
I can relate to your post to some degree. I also like to come back home to rest, get refreshed and enjoy the comforts of home before heading for another adventure. I also wrote a similar post on my blog. š
Which I am off to read now…. š
I always admire travel bloggers for exactly this. I love to travel and see new things, but I love home just as much so find it amazing when people can just keep travelling. Travel smart – there will be some great content in there for all of us
I’m the same, I’d be a terrible digital nomad as I like my own bed too much! I shall definitely focus on quality rather than quantity in future.
I really don’t know how some people do it, travelling all the time. I sure love to travel, but I need some periods at home. Otherwise I don’t appreciate or savour my getaways as much as I should.
I think sometimes less is more! š
xx,
E.
http://www.theslowpace.com
Like your blog name suggests, a slow pace can often bring more returns š
Hi Jayne,
I would like to be travelling more but at the moment am at the ‘less’ end of the spectrum. Needing to sort myself out some work to enable me to keep moving!
You said you are a homebody and your home is a new country, so maybe that’s why travelling isn’t high on your list at the moment. I hear the music for ‘Home & Away’ beginning to play in my mind… š
Travel for me has always meant freedom but something I wrote in a post the other day about why people turn to travel for freedom had me thinking. “Freedom to choose also means, not always choosing freedom.”
and that’s just the way it is. š
That’s a beautiful quote and a very important point.
I think you are right about my desire to stay put a bit more having something to do with living in a new country – I really to make the most of my new home base and appreciate it a bit more!
All the best for a travel-filled 2015 x
Funny Janice, I was thinking the same thing as I read Jayne’s post.
No doubt Australia will become more and more home as you settle in. Perhaps because it’s such a new place (obviously I know it’s not completely new to you (btw don’t let Jers near the ocean if she visits)) you feel less of a need to explore other areas at this point?
You’re right, it’s taken me 6 months to realise that I don’t need to take an overseas flight to have an awesome new travel experience any more! (PS what’s Jers got against the ocean?!)
Travelling is good, teach ew things, but home is where you live and relax, thank you for sharing this.
I hear you! I’m lucky living in Europe that such diverse destinations are so close-by. Small weekend trips are a dream. But a few years ago, I had to save up for a huge two week trip to South Africa that made me cut back on those little weekenders. It was beyond worth it. I’d sacrifice another entire year’s travel again just to save up, plan & have one fantastic big trip again. (And let’s face it, especially to go on safari again.) In the meantime, hope you enjoy your quality Sydney time.
Thank you! I totally agree that some trips are worth a long waiting/planning period – plus it makes it seem all the more special when you get there. I will certainly make the most of my next few months in Oz and will no doubt enjoy planning more trips once I feel more rested.
Sometimes there’s no place like home! I love my trips abroad and in 2014 I enjoyed Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal and Thailand despite only getting 30 days holiday from work! However, you can find just as much to write about close to home and actually have the headspace to do it too! My own blog is about helping people get the most out of my local area and I’m never short of things to write about. Hope you enjoy your new found freedom!
Thank you – I’ve certainly going to be following your example in 2015 š
This actually made me a lot less guilty after reading so many 24/7 travel bloggers. I also get really homesick if I’m on the road for too long and let’s say my bank account couldn’t cope with full-time travel by any means. I’m considering more domestic travel this year. š
Domestic travel gets overlooked but I’m finding that there is so much to do/see/taste just in the state I live in. Good luck on your adventures!
I understand this completely!! This is exactly the reason, in fact, that I returned to Florida from New Zealand early. I just couldn’t muster up the energy to lug my heavy suitcase around from place to place, backpackers to backpackers, without any home base. It exhausted me just looking up routes and the logistics of getting there. I think it’s all part of the process. So cheers to a more cultivated travel list in 2015!! š
Iām so with you! The only other time I felt a similar fatigue was after backpacking for 9 months. Although we were having a blast in Asia the idea of reading more maps, packing our bags and navigating our way to yet another new destination started to make me feel weary. As soon as it lost its magic I knew I had to stop before I ruined the experience for myself altogether. I was sad to leave but later loved revisiting Asia when my spirits (and funds) were restored!
I feel like I live on a continual pendulum – I’ll have a lot of travel one year and then go almost nowhere except maybe to visit family the next year. It’s been a good balance – it keeps my homebody side and my wanderlusting side mostly in check! That, and it gives me some time to bring all the things I’ve learned and been inspired by home.
I like this approach . I often have an all or nothing attitude so maybe a few months in one place will mean I can go all out later in the year!
I traveled a lot in my early to mid 20s. It worked out for me on so many levels, I got to visit a lot of place before they had switched to the Euro. I was single, a student, my jobs weren’t that important and I could take off. Once I reached my late 20’s/early 30’s. Things did slow down, I was more serious in my career, I was planning a wedding, purchasing a home, but I continued to take overseas trips every couple years and a lot of travel was happening domestically. Now that I’m in my mid 30’s and established I’m BACK! I am planning 3 overseas trips this year! Even if you have to slow down for a bit don’t worry… it comes back!
Ha this is great to hear! It sounds like I may be following a similar path to your own!
I love the last paragraph in your post – how you think of travel as a privilege – because I think that is too often forgotten! Very well said. Even when you’re not actively traveling, travel still brings so many benefits – from memories, to new perspectives, to inspiring wishes for the next trip. And I think you don’t get enough of those parts unless you have the downtime to balance the active part. So enjoy your time at home guilt-free and let all of the other joys of travel sink in š
Jessica
http://www.thebellevoyage.com
Thank you Jessica, I love your point too about the benefits of travel being able to sink in during the down time. I’ve also been checking out your blog – it’s beautiful and so is your attitude to travel. Can’t wait to see what you get up to š
Same feeling over here, I will slow down my travels for 2014, I am exhausted! 2015 I saw 17 countries with four of them more than once.
Gosh, you have been busy š
Well you’ve chosen a good location to put your feet up for a while š
For a number of reasons I don’t have any big trips planned either, which I’m actually OK with. A year ago I couldn’t have imagined being content with such a decision. Instead, I’m making a big effort to see as much of Tassie as I can over the next year. There is so much to experience in this little island that I should still be fairly busy.
I’ve been loving your updates from Tassie. You’ve chosen a great location to explore too. I really must come over and see you soon š
I really loved reading this post…and it’s not the first of its kind I’ve read recently. Travel is wonderful and amazing and indeed a privilege, but it can be exhausting. Especially when you have a lot of things on in your life that need your time and attention. Thanks for sharing this, I loved your honesty!
Agreed! Having a life filled with travel definitely requires a lot of juggling – especially if you’re trying to maintain a job, relationship, your health etc. It’s definitely worth the effort but sometimes it’s good to take a little break!
Well, we’ll miss you in France this year that’s for sure! Sometimes a break from something makes you come back renewed and with new ideas – pretty sure that will be what happens with you. I’ll be travelling all over France this year from the south to the north and will enjoy those sweet treats for you! bisous bisous xx
Oh that sounds wonderful – enjoy. I’m making plans to explore more the country I’m in too š x
To hell with the travel bloggers! š While travel can be educational, inspiring, challenging and all the rest, it is supposed to (basically) be fun – unless you’re travelling somewhere to end world hunger or something like that. So, I’m always a bit baffled by those who make out that there’s some kind of “weakness” in wanting a home, a rest, and some time developing long term relationships instead of (or as well as) those made on the road. It’s so easy to become jaded, too, by another set of temples or beaches or markets or whatever…Whereas, when you pace yourself, it all becomes one thrilling (privileged) ride again. I read a really interesting book last year called “Margin” which looks at how we tend not to leave anything in reserve any more, from money to time to energy. It talked about the pleasures of anticipation with regards to travel and then the joy of reliving the memories afterwards. When you travel all the time, there’s no time for that. (And, er, obviously I don’t mean YOU here Jayney. Probably, more likely me š ) Anyway, 2013 I vowed to cut down on travel and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I now enjoy both my time at home and my time away a whole load more. Happy 2015!
That book sounds interesting, I should check it out, patience was never my strong point! And I totally agree with you over travel fatigue. I remember travelling Asia for a few months and getting to a point where looking at a map made me angry, I just wanted to know where I was for once. I knew then that I was losing the plot (and the point of travel) and needed to reign it in until sanity resumed. I’m plotting out my trips for 2015 now and am already so excited by the opportunities. Happy 2015 travels to you too š
It is so easy to get travel burn out. Last year I never stayed in one place for more than 5 days. It starts to take away the excitement as it tires you and makes you dread the travelling. Now I am doing two weeks to a month in one place and I love it. Everybody gets travel burn out even the hardcore travellers, they just don’t admit it š
thanks for being so open about it. i go through the same phases. it’s good to have found somewhere comforting where you are happy to nest for a bit. enjoy australia and all that comes with it!