BootsnAll Travel Community

Hello all,

A few months ago, I was totally stoked and excited to go on a year long RTW. The more I plan and think about it, I become anxious about getting just plain exhausted with worrying about how to find a place to sleep, navigate foreign languages, stay healthy, etc.

Any advice on how to avoid getting burnt out to soon, and not hating living out of a suitcase?

My advice is not to go about this as if it were a 2-week holiday. Don't try to pack in too many activities in a day, or destinations in a month.

I found that the first month of my trip was jam-packed with activities everyday, but after awhile, the pace just naturally slowed down. Once you realize this is not a short vacation, you should feel less stressed about trying to fit it all in. Some days I did nothing more than laundry and Internet. And when things get a bit harder, I try to find someplace to see a movie. It has become my "comfort activity" and puts me in a great mood afterwards.

Also, I planned a week at the beach to do absolutely nothing at all after 3 months of traveling. It was a nice break and a chance to "recharge my batteries".

And lastly, the logistics of traveling (finding a place to sleep, eat, transportation, ...) do end up taking up a chunk of your time, but I view this as my only "job", so I'm not too hassled by it. A bit of planning is the price you have to pay for living your dream!

Slow down.

Also, don't drink every night, eat well, and rest when needed.

And, remember, it's ok to be homesick, want to take a break, etc. If you read around a bit on these boards, you'll see it happens to a lot of long-term travelers. Do what you need to do and don't worry about what others might think (whether that is soldiering on, wallowing a bit, or ending early).

Enjoy yourself!

I know, it sounds strange, but do take a holiday from traveling. In a year, I would actually take two. What I mean by this is, after a few month (or the first time you really feel tired of it), search out a lovely, relaxing spot that you like and spend at least two weeks there. I do that on every trip and seems to work wonders. I'm always somebody who doesn't want to go home. Even after one year on the road. Many other travelers talk about how they miss the routines and having cloths in a cupboard and having the tooth brush always in the same place. I don't have that, because I do it for two to three weeks and quickly realize how much it sucks to have a routine.

I second everything everyone here has said. Sometimes you just have to take a vacation from your trip. Noone else at home will understand this, but we do.
One day in Vietnam I felt so overwhelmed and tired that I told my husband I was gonna play hooky on our trip. He went out and did his thing, and I stayed in an air conditioned hotel all day and reorganized my pack and watched tv. It was just what I needed to keep me going.


Burn out is a very real thing on a long term trip. It's even easy to burn out on a particular activity. A couple of months into my trip I didnt care to see another ancient ruin again. By the time we made it to Athens, I was like, oh yeah whatever, lets go eat! On the other hand, I recall one of my most memorable days in Greece doing laundry, eating meze and watching stray animals fight all afternoon.

I guess my point is, you wont really know how you'll feel and react until you get out there. It's part of the beauty of long term travelling. It's also important as is stated time and again on these forums to take it slow, dont pressure yourself to do too much and keep your plans at least somewhat flexible.

Thanks for all your advice, everyone. The longest I've been away before is five months, but it was staying with family, which contains familiarity and creature comforts.

Some of my best vacation memories are like yours, Quimby. Watching life go by the way it should is an awesome way to enjoy traveling.

My husband and I are all about the slow travel movement. I guess my concerns mostly have to do with craving comfort and familiarity, and being able to "sit" for awhile.

Having said that, would you guys suggest not buying a RTW ticket? I would LOVE the freedom and flexibility to just go when we please, but it seems a RTW ticket is just so much cheaper that it's not wise not to...what do you think?

I guess, there are plenty of threads around that cover this topic. Personally, I would never do a RTW again. I rather focus on one region than rush around the planet. But this being said, I think an RTW is a 'good start'. It introduces you to several cultures fairly quickly and lets you decide which one you liked most and would like to revisit. The draw-back, as you mention, is the 'time factor'. I met plenty of people who did RTWs without a an RTW ticket. Just winging it. I reckon, it's the right way to go.

i have said this before several times...I never did an RTW, but instead have gone on numerous trips ranging from 2, 7 weeks, 9 weeks and 11 weeks this summer with a 7 month study abroad, live abroad travel in 2004...I think I actually have been to as many places and countries than someone who did an RTW. Truthfully an RTW is not for everyone, it doesn't make you any less of a traveler whatsoever...people get all wrapped up in it...

I mean truthfully you will hate living out of a suitcase 6 months in, 8 months in...but take a step back, deep breath and walk outside and see where you are. You are not in the USA anymore, but you are living somewhere probably cool and hopefully exotic. If I did an RTW thats what I would do. Last summer I did 60 days, my second longest trip, and by the end I was ready to come home...But when I lived studied and traveled around Australia and the South Pacific, I was settled in to the way of life there being there for so long, living in an apartment so it was different, I felt like I lived there so way of life was not alright lets see and do things because i am on an RTW.

I think its also different if you are going to living, studying, working in a place for like 7 or 8 months and traveling for like 3-4 then you get settled in to a life, as opposed to running from culture to culture...

To answer a few of your concerns: A general statement about language, most people speak english...listen people can post about how this and this place people don't but generally speaking most people and places english is there...

stay healthy - i mean presumably if you are going to be doing an RTW you will have several weeks if not months in areas of the world to chill out in, as long you dont party for a year straight, chug down some OJ and you should be straight.

finding places to sleep - I am a planner...I book ahead...that is probably why an RTW wouldn't be good for me, with that said...go to barnes and noble, shoot around this website and look up places you would potentially want to go to...check it out and I'm sure you will see many viable hostels and hotels.

Lastly, money is also a hot topic, I suggest reading the hundreds in not thousands of posts dealing with money and what to do...I have my own personal opinions on this and always up for exchanging through PM to help easy people's minds on the money question...

I agree with all that above. Make sort of a flexible plan, enjoy the most of it on full throttle and while you do so, never forget to listen to your body, don’t loose the touch with your common sense. When you feel tired, empty and lost, find a spot you feel good in. Where ever you will be, I suggest closest to the nature (“back to the roots”), if you‘re that sort of a person. Or find your self a cosy concrete block if it does for you. Everybody’s different you know. Look, touch, breathe the place in. Bring your thoughts in to the present, don’t let them escape. Imagine the whole place growing inside you, let all that positive you feel inside. Fill your self with it. I’m sure it will make you feel better, and you will be fresh and ready to kick the road soon again. Do you feel like I’m giving here some sort of spiritual lectures? C’mon, it’s only my way that might work for U2