Travel Burn Out
This is a topic that not many people think about, nor would it happen to them. Travel burn out is when you’re travelling and you get to a point where you would rather sit in your hotel/hostel and watch your favourite TV show instead of going out. You begin to get tired of walking around new cities, picking a restaurant becomes a chore, trying to deal with people in a foreign language gets too frustrating/energy zapping… and then you urn to be back in the comfort of your own house.
This happened to us when we were travelling through Europe for 3months. It got to a point where cities were merging together in our minds and things that would have been exciting or interesting just became bland. At this point you need to figure a way out of the slump. So here’s our tips in the event this happens:
1. Slow down.
You might be moving too fast, and not taking the time to relax. When you’re trying to cram so much into an itinerary you forget to actually take a step back and enjoy what you’re doing. You may need to give up on seeing or doing every single thing. Rather than trying to go to 5 cities in a week, why not pick 2. That way you aren’t rushed and stressed out all the time.
2. Mix up the vibe
This is a tip that saved our sanity. We had been moving quickly through Europe for 2months at the time and were quite honestly, tired, smelly and over stimulated. So we boarded a Ferry from Bari,Italy and arrived at Corfu, Greece. This is where we spend around 4 days just sitting pool and beach-side, sipping cocktails, eating Gyros, listening to podcasts, reading and relaxing. What this did for us was reinvigorate ourselves to get back to the hustle and bustle of travel life right after. So create mini trips within your trips. This could be going for a hike, sail trip, yoga retreat – or anything to just mix it up .
3. Comfort Food
Don’t feel guilty for “treating” yourself to foods that gave you pleasure at home. We’ve been in situations where we’re tired of eating at restaurants and our hotel doesn’t have a kitchen. So instead we head to McDonald’s and use a touch screen to order dinner. That’s fine!. It also gets your excited to eat out again the next day. You should be appreciating the things you’re spending money on. Don’t feel you need to do everything touristy or local at every opportunity.
4. Change up your accommodation
Are you burnt out because you’re living in a hostel and sharing a bathroom. Or in a flash hotel that doesn’t have the amenities of a low grade motel. This goes back to point one in mixing up the vibe. Maybe you need to get out of the hostel and sleep in a quiet room and have a hot bath. Or maybe accommodation with a bigass TV to watch a movie and a kitchen to make your own food. This way you can isolate for a day and recharge. Listen to your body!
5. Get out of loneliness
This is one for those solo travelers backpacking throughout the world. Yes you meet hundreds of wonderful people, but at the same time you meet a few people for a day and then you move on. Or maybe you are a bit of a loner and the only people you are actually having conversations with are those at restaurants and hotel counters. Check in with yourself and see whether you need social interaction. Fortunately the world has never been so connected, checkout organised adventures, look for group meet ups in your hostel in the morning or you can face time someone back home.
