What I hate about travel

"that's it, i'm staying here". donostia, bizkaia, 2011.
A friend and I were talking over the weekend,
about plans, upcoming trips, more plans.
"The thing I hate most about travel is that after-feeling."
She confessed to not being able to go back to productive work for a week or so, post-trip.
The relishing, that ache and longing for it not to end.
I was nodding my head the whole time as I knew of that feeling.
I remembered how it took months for me to let go of my first European adventure, not to mention the efforts to 'extend it'-- that endless googling for work opportunities, overseas scholarships, projects.
Boy, that "European holiday withdrawal syndrome" is a bitch.

However, having once in my life--been able to successfully get into everyone's dream sequence of an extended holiday, I thought I should give insights on how to cure this "decease".

1. Have something to look forward to, upon coming back
My uncle calls it "a vacation from that vacation". While travel is fun and exciting, settling yourself back to 'normality' is not that bad, especially if you have other things going on. By other things I mean non-work related things of course. You know-- people you can't wait to talk to, classes you can't wait to attend, local foods you may have missed while you were gone. Or a small get together over the weekend. A spa appointment is also nice. Plan for the post-trip too. It also helps if you didn't blow off your credit cards during your busy traipsing-through the cobbled streets of Rome.

2. Poco poco pero menudo
"Little by little, but often". It may be a good idea to not go bust over a single travel plan. While it sounds amazing that you can take off from work for two months to have that trip of a lifetime, moderation may also be a good idea in pacing your time, energy and excitement. I think I've seen a study on this, where in order to keep that post-travel depression from sinking in, people should "distribute" their vacations, both minor and major, throughout the year. Oh yes, moderating your happiness and pacing it across an annual timeline sounds like a good idea. Very contrived and strategic, i know. But will it rub off all the fun?



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