Coming home from travelling can still feel like part of the trip. You get used to things changing a lot when you’re away and start to really appreciate new places, new people, new adventures. And when you get home it feels the same- different location, different people. It feels like a complete novelty to have a roast with the fam, go for a drink with your old pals or visit Topshop! But about 2-3 weeks back, the blues set in. Hard.
I think this part is applicable to everyone who comes home from travelling. It’s pretty hard I’m not gonna lie. When you realise that you’re done. All those years dreaming about it and saving up for your big trip, the months (or years) where the world was your playground and you had complete and utter freedom… Over. I’ve actually heard people say they wish they never went travelling because the rest of their life seems boring in comparison. That’s some serious blues right there.
So how do you survive the travelling blues?
First of all, you need to keep the momentum going. Make a scrapbook or photo book of your travels, sew those flags into your backpack, hang up those African prints you bought… Anything to ease you in to the real world, and to make that stark contrast between travelling and not travelling a little less harsh. (I created this blog and it worked a treat.)
Focus on the pros of being home and the cons of travelling. Your mum is doing your washing, your choice of clothes is so much bigger, you can watch your favourite TV shows again and you can have marmite instead of Vegemite! You don’t have mosquito bites, you don’t share a room with 5 other people, you don’t have to put sun cream on every day and you don’t have to cook with the rusty saucepans some hostels offer up.
Focus on these things, it will get you through.
The thing I’ve struggled most with is that my life plan kind of ended with travelling. I wanted to get my degree, save up some cash and go travelling. And when you get it’s like – now what?
I’ve got to tell you, I haven’t worked out the answer to that one yet… But that’s probably just the ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ talking. In the short term, you should just make some plans to keep you going. Once you have a job, book a weekend away, or make plans to catch up with your old friends, or meet up with travelling buddies. Whatever you do, just make plans.
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is it’s hard coming home. I know that for most of you, you’re in the pre-travelling stage, so I don’t want to put you off! I just think you should be prepared that travelling is going to completely change your life, and it’s pretty difficult to re-adjust. But I think as long as you’re aware of this fact, it’s easier. And let’s face it, it’s better to have travelled and have the blues than to never have travelled at all…
Hit me back if you have any other tips for readjusting to reality?!