Ironically, I am writing this post from a hotel in another state, but this isn’t the travel I am talking about… Currently I am traveling for work, all the planes, hotels, and hassle, with none/very little of the fun and relaxation. What this post is about is taking a trip or vacation on my own terms. I don’t know about you, but for me long stretches of no travel gets me irritated. Me being who I am, I get bored rather easily, and living in Charlotte makes that a lot easier…I hate waiting to travel.
So here I found myself in somewhat of a travel rut, due a couple of life changes. I recognize my ruts may be different than other people’s ruts. There was a Myrtle Beach trip again recently, but, it has been more than three months since I have visited another continent. I know you are crying for me, but no need to start a GOFUNDME page for my travels just yet, I am finding ways to cope…
Even though you are concerned about my lack of travels, don’t worry about this blog. First, I have plenty of locations in my pocket to keep writing. Secondly, I will be waddling around another location soon enough…I have come to realize life gets in the way of travel at times. There were two major changes in my life that are hampering my wanderlust. To begin with, I am distracted by this new addition to our family. A new puppy is great, but he is really an Arsehole, and hates to be alone. I want to wait to leave him by himself, unless of course, I give into temptation and drop him off at the nearest kennel, for now, I will coddle him a little while longer.
Secondly, I have a new/exciting job that makes long trips seem a bit more difficult, hence the work trip I am currently on. There are a lot of great things about getting a new job, but a lack of PTO isn’t one of them. I have to be more strategic about my trips. Regardless of the reasons why you can’t travel, all are short lived and solvable.
Reasons Why You Can’t Travel
This site isn’t targeted to 20-year-old with a hacky sack and a Bernie Sanders sticker on his cardboard box, going from hostel to hostel in Indonesia (although they are more than welcome to visit). I write from the perspective of the person wanting to travel, but also living a normal life. I get it, obviously, there are many excuses reasons why you can’t travel.
- Lack of Money – Probably the biggest reason people give me for lack of travel, is money. Everybody is in a different situation, but I think money is the easiest to solve. Still it may take saving a little longer to go on that dream vacation, which can be draining while waiting.
- Job Obligations– This is where I am at, I need to actually make money to afford to go places. Sometimes making money eats away at your time. Like money, time is a valuable resource that travel consumes. People once called me a PTO wizard, I can stretch my days off like no one else. Of course it may mean going to the office with the bird flu, but I digress.
- Family Obligations – Maybe the comrades at your kids’ school tell you when you can travel. Maybe you are taking care of an elderly parent, there are plenty of responsibilities that get into the way of traveling. Just know where to draw the line between obligations and a freeloading cousin who sleeps on your couch without doing the dishes.
Whatever the reason, if you are like me, staying in one place too long can be depressing. The important point is no situation is forever, there is no need to give up on travel. Don’t turn into one of those “I’ll travel someday or when I retire,” type of people. Life is too short not to visit other places, get your plan going now. If seeing the world is a priority, then it is vital to have a focus going forward no matter the circumstances. While the wait between trips can be long, there are ways to alleviate this situation.
How to Survive Long Stretches of Not Traveling
It is funny how life changes, although I loved new things, I didn’t start travel until about 7 years ago. I used to not travel outside my neighborhood. In present day, if I am not traveling at least twice a year I start to get grouchy. Considering now, I don’t even have tickets/hotels room for my next destination I am a bit more than irritated. Having said this there are things I can do to pass the time.
- Get My Mind Right– I need to remember that this is a short-term situation. I will be traveling again soon, that is who I am, and it’s in my blood. I need to keep perspective in order to keep from going crazy.
- Take Care of Myself– I make no secret about the fact that I eat like a slob when I am away. If I continued that when I was home this blog wouldn’t exist. That is because my fingers would be so fat that I would hit three keys at a time, making it impossible to type. Breaks from travel helps me regain my health and fill the coffers a bit. This can be said about my savings as well. Contrary to popular belief I don’t have a goose that lays golden eggs. I actually save, quite a bit for my trips. Not traveling helps me replenish my money as well as clears my arteries.
- Read/Learn About Travel – This will help you learn about other places and help guide you to where you want to go. I religiously watch travel shows and read guides in search of the next best place to visit. Below are some ideas:
- Take Short Trips – If you can’t go to South America, go to the closet city within driving distance. If you can’t get a week off, take advantage of the weekend. Sometimes all you need is to break out of your routine. A quick drive and an Air B&B can provide this.
- Be a Tourist in Your Town – Ok, my town happens to be Charlotte, no one wants to be a tourist in this town… but even Charlotte has some things to do in it. Most people don’t explore their own cites nearly enough. I tried this recently, visiting one of Charlotte’s best attractions, the NASCAR Hall of Fame. It reaffirmed how terrible the city is, but it got me out of the house. Hopefully you live in a better place and this piece of advice is relevant.
- Plan Your Next Vacation – Even if you don’t have the money, plan your trip. If you have no time, plan your trip. Figure out where you want to go and make it happen. With a plan in place you have something to look forward to, which is half the battle. Taking the time to map out where you are going next and more importantly how, will solve a lot of problems. None of the things I discussed above can’t be solved once confronted.
Conclusion
Maybe I am writing this for myself as much as anyone, given the distance between trips. Life happens to the best of us, but I won’t let it stand in the way of seeing the world. My next destination:Croatia. In the meantime, I will continue to save and invest to ensure a future life of travel…
