Damn I miss my RTW travels...

It's been 5 weeks since I've returned and I miss it so much. I constantly think back to so many memories I've accrued throughout. Everyday, I think back to where I was on this very day last year. Today, I'd be attending Roland Garros, sitting in the stands in my blue rainjacket, chatting with a nice old French lady who would give me some recommendations on what to eat.

Good times...

Welcome Back Ken,

Going to the French Open doesn't sound like a bad re-entry plan.

I once heard from a traveller, it takes as long as you were gone, to readjust to being back. So in your case, 11 months.

Not sure I even *want* to readjust!

On my way from my X-pat home to Cambodia, a planned week stop in my old home town has, due to unforeseen circumstances, turned into 3 weeks in, what is beginning to feel like purgatory! Just don't fit in any longer.

Sounds like you need another. In my personal experience, when I felt that way, I just wasn't done yet. However, while travel will always be a big part of my life, there was a very clear point where I was just *done* with drifting around the world and RTW traveling. It wasn't what I wanted to do anymore. I have fond memories, I look back on old photos all the time, I treasure the memories and experience completely... but I never really feel like I would trade where I am in life now for another RTW trip. SO... maybe time for you to start planning again?

Aw I'm sorry- I remember being quite morose around that stage of getting home too.

My best advice is think for a little bit about why you wanted to do your trip in the first place, if you accomplished what you wanted, and what it is you miss about travel life etc. My point with this is if you dreamed about wanting to do rtw travel because you, say, hated your job then obviously you're not going to be happy back at the same old job again.

Obviously any comments around here are going to be anecdotal so here's mine: went back to Cleveland for grad school at the same ol' university, realized even with changes I just really didn't like living there or the research opportunities I had for the next few years of my life. So took a gamble and reapplied but this time to Europe- good idea both for location and because the USA is doing funding cuts in my field of interest- then took off for a mini-RTW of three months. I won't say it wasn't a gamble, but I'll be living in Amsterdam starting in September and am happy to say I don't know which I'm more excited about, living there or the job I get to do.

I'm posting now from Beriln in the last week of my travels (going back to the USA- part parents are selling my childhood home, part last long stretch there for awhile, part the money's run out), so okay ask me in a bit how I still feel. But honestly compared to the last time where I did NOT feel ready to go home I'm pretty okay with doing so this time as I'm excited to try the expat life. Don't get me wrong, I will still travel and am excited to be in Europe where it's so easy/ getting at least five weeks vacation a year that I will use to the fullest, but I can't imagine planning a rtw in the near future (though certainly want to someday when I have kids). As Bideshi said, I'm at a point in my life where I wouldn't just go off and aimlessly wander.

So hey, hope something in this novel of mine helps.

Sean wrote:Welcome Back Ken,

Going to the French Open doesn't sound like a bad re-entry plan.

I once heard from a traveller, it takes as long as you were gone, to readjust to being back. So in your case, 11 months.

I meant last year, on the very same day. I wouldn't doubt the 11 month estimate though.

And no matter how much one travels, it's never enough is it? When is enough, enough? Is there a point where you felt, I'm happy, I'm satisfied, I'll never want to travel again (except for the short-term holiday here and there).

Holy fcuk, has it been that long? It seems like yesterday, you were posting about wanting to leave or which pack is the best to bring. Time surely flies fast.

heymikey wrote:Holy fcuk, has it been that long? It seems like yesterday, you were posting about wanting to leave or which pack is the best to bring. Time surely flies fast.

And I remember you posting in my "About" section wishing me good luck.

K2 wrote: Is there a point where you felt, I'm happy, I'm satisfied, I'll never want to travel again (except for the short-term holiday here and there).

Well... yes... sort of. Not exactly "I never want to travel again except for short term here and there weekends" but I definitely had a point where I very suddenly and definitively knew I was done traveling the way I had for the last 5 years. And, a year on now, I haven't once looked back. To be fair, life hasn't exactly been boring or routine or stationary for me since then either, but I believe that there is definitely a point when you'll know you're ready for something else when it's time.

K2 wrote:And no matter how much one travels, it's never enough is it? When is enough, enough? Is there a point where you felt, I'm happy, I'm satisfied, I'll never want to travel again (except for the short-term holiday here and there).

When you cease getting value out of it. My wife and I have spent most of our last 10 years traveling or living/working abroad. This encompasses about 60 or so countries that each of us has traveled and around 85 different countries between us spread over most regions of the world. As well as living/working on four continents during that time frame. At this point, traveling just to travel has limited value especially when compared to our first extended traveling trips when everything was so new and the experiences so varied. But, now, there is just less to learn, less that excites us, limited value in meeting other travelers, etc.

Travel is just one small piece in having a good and interesting life.