How to not go crazy in between trips

(photo above Me trying to not go stir crazy in between trips by exploring my own backyard)

I’m sure I am not the first person to write about this topic but what makes mine different? Because its me writing it. :)

I have gone on many trips in my life however I have never gone on a trip longer than a month. Most of the traveling I do is almost a tease because as soon as I get use to life on the road and I am really starting to love it I’m headed back home again. There isn’t any reason why I haven’t done longer trips, its just the way it has worked out for me so far.

I go crazy the first few days after arriving home, still wanting to be away. Then a week later it feels like I never even left in the first place. Even before I get home from one trip I sometimes find myself planning or at least thinking about the next and once I’m home I also constantly look for inspiration or reasons to go away again.

Here are some of my tips for trying to not go crazy in between trips.

1. Denial

Try to forget about your last trip and the awesome experiences you had like drinking kava in a chiefs home in Fiji or searching for glow worms in a cave in New Zealand. Trust me your travels are easily forgettable… no not.

2. Eat different ethnic foods

Maybe don’t eat types of food from where you just visited because you know it will never taste the same as the real thing. Perhaps try foods that you might not of had before, but that could also inspire you to visit and research going to a new place. Just recently when I was in Montreal Jodi from Legal Nomads took me to an Afghani restaurant, I would of never gone there on my own and I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the food. Not sure how quickly I would go there but some day I wouldn’t mind a visit.

3. Read blogs / websites

There are umpteen million travel blogs and websites out there on the interwebs. Some sites that inspire me are Matador Network, Boots n All and even just watching travel videos on YouTube get me eager to hit the road again. There are too many great travel blogs for me to single out a select few but most likely I’m following them on twitter or I have liked them on Facebook so check in those spots to see some great ones.

4. Reminisce

Go through your trip photos, read your journals and also follow people who are currently traveling where you have been or have at least blogged about where you visited. One of my favourite trips yet was when I visited Iceland in April of 2011 and since then I have talked with and read posts from Stephanie Yoder of WhyWayToSeeTheWorld who had both been there before me, but also I followed along with Seattle of Seattle’s Travels trip there after mine. (so jealous)

5. Convince other people to travel

Every person you know will ask “How was your trip” “Where to next?” after you return home. At least that is what I constantly get asked,  but surprisingly this helps me not go crazy. I get to relive my trip by telling them and hopefully I get them excited and convince them to want to travel too. If they don’t think they can (or if you don’t think you can) than either send them over to The Solo Traveler or Meet Plan Go and soon you will be asking them how their trip was.

What are other good ways to stay sane between trips? Sometimes the above just isn’t enough for me so I would love to hear your thoughts! :)

~Cailin

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