I’ve been traveling non-stop for 10 months now, which means I’ve been eating out in restaurants 3 times per day since then, checking in and out of countless hotels and have racked up some serious air miles.
I love traveling and everything traveling provides, although since I decided to leave Thailand, I’ve come to realise that long term travel is a completely different kettle of fish to short term travel. And as with everything you do for a long period of time, things start propping up that annoy you.
Hence today, I thought I’d list the things that annoy me about long term travel :)
1. Not being able to cook
Cooking and food are my biggest passions and while being able to eat lot’s of new foods while traveling around is certainly one of the best things about traveling, I do miss being able to cook for myself.
I like experimenting with food, and as a result I can’t find the things I would normally eat (Parma ham and red Leicester cheese Panini comes to mind). I long for getting into a kitchen with an apron on and coming up with more of my own creations (most of them taste like cats piss).
2. Living out of one bag
You have seen what goes into my bag when I travel… and there’s not much there. But packing everything up when I move onto somewhere new is like shaving… it needs to be done but doesn’t mean I have to enjoy doing it.
3. Not being able to find perfect working conditions
Compare these 2 pictures:
Me working in Laos on the floor, using net access via GPRS/Mobile phone. Aggggrr!
My home office set up in my apartment in Bangkok last year.
Finding great working conditions, without costing a small fortune are a very rare find while on the road. There’s always something wrong whether it’s noise, lighting, internet speed or table height. I sometimes dream about a nice desk, a desktop PC and a dual monitor set up :)
4. Home comforts
I miss simple things such as blasting the stereo at maximum volume while dancing around the pad naked ;) Or simply getting a pizza in on a Sunday evening, move the bed covers into the living room and watching 3 DVD’s in a row. No can do when you’re on the road.
5. Friends
Again, one of the best things about travelling is the people you meet – whether you can communicate in the same language or not. I’ve met some really cool people in the last 10 months, but it’s never long before you go separate ways and the only time you’ll hear from them again is via checking their Facebook updates. I miss having friends I can go and visit, or have friends come round my place for dinner/poker/socialising.
6. Baggage limitations
There have been so many times when I’ve wanted to buy an odd painting, kitchen utensil or surf board… but where would it go?
7. Personal space
Every Saturday morning I would drive 3 to 4 hours across London and back to buy some pretty special sausages (Old Spot sausages from Lidgates for those in the London area). Everyone thought I was nuts for traveling this far for some sausages, but most didn’t realise I did it more for the drive and time alone than anything else.
While traveling around with my girlfriend… I often go out for an afternoon on my own, but no matter where I go, it’s very hard to find complete privacy.
8. Finding the time to work
I want to write a post on how to work while traveling… but I can’t as I still haven’t figured it out yet. It is super hard… more than most realise. There’s just so many distractions and noise that it really does take a lot of discipline to work rather than going out to explore what the new destination has to offer.
9. Getting my hair cut
I’ve always been anal about who cuts my hair… as I had the same lady cut my hair throughout my childhood and she could do it in 5 minutes flat, while speaking on the telephone… and every time is turned out perfect.
So when I moved to Thailand, it was a shock to the system that I had to go through 5 or so bad haircuts before I found someone who could cut my hair to the way I like it (The gay french guy at the Sofitel hotel in Silom for those that are interested)… Now I’m on the road, it means I have to put my trust into some guy I don’t even know every 2 weeks… and 9 times out of 10 I walk out with the sulks looking like a a blind hairdresser had just cut my hair into funny shapes.
10. Exercise
Okay, this one could be fixed with a little more discipline, however I find it really hard to go out running while traveling…. not only is there so much to do (mixing work with travel) but I’ve found most of the places I’ve visited have had very poor running opportunities.
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Anyway, enough bitching… if I were to write a post on the things I do like about long term travel it would take many days to write.
What do you dislike about short, or long term travel?
Wow…this made me smile! I read through your list and couldn’t believe how you identified one after another ‘dislike’ I have discovered traveling! I have been traveling North America for just over 5 months….on a work and pleasure extended trip….and can relate to each and every one of these 10 things!!!
Since writing this, I’ve thought of a few more :) Will wait until I’ve stored another 10 in the back of my mind before writing another post! :)
I spent nearly 2 years traveling and now I am renting a house in Bali. It’s a nice feeling being able to finally unpack your bag. I also missed being able to cook when I was traveling and just being able to make a cup of coffee.
How could I miss coffee out! Nothing beats stumbling into the kitchen to make a proper cup of coffee (my fav is Illy).
Exercise can really fall by the wayside. I was walking alot with a backpack on my round the world travels so the weight stayed off, but I think I lost too much. Had to come home to put some weight back on!
I iwsh I could have been in that position!
Hey Chris,
I feel the same way about all of these. It sounds spoiled complaining, but sometimes it is just the ’simple things’ that keep me feeling grounded. I’ve tried a different approach – renting a nicer place and teaching, but now I find myself feeling trapped… it is really hard to find a balance.
I think its also hard when all of these things seemingly suck the pleasure out of your experience. What I would say is that eventually the novelty of travel must wear off, and it then becomes only a matter of time before you miss the comforts of home. After a year on the road, I’m there, for sure.
I’m going to try the abroad stability thing till March, but a flight back home is looking more and more like the Real Vacation :0)
Brooke
I think every long term traveler should go home once a year… you can then really appreciate how lucky your life is compared to many others that are stuck in the 9-5 routine.
Not cooking is my favourite part of long-term travel! In fact, when we stay somewhere for several months I still push for eating out. No dishes and better food ;)
Who said anything about dishes lol – Isn’t that what girlfriend’s or maids are for?
I’m with Craig – washing dishes sucks. I’d rather spend a few baht letting someone else do the cooking and dishes. That gives me more time to drink a few beers and watch the world go by. :-)
Hah, that could be my story! I am doing just the same, also mixing work (yeah, web work) and travel here in Thailand and you’re right, there are always some things, a long time traveler can complain about.
On the other hand though, I do enjoy not to have to worry about “the little things” that sometimes take way too much time, like having to clean my apartment, doing the dishes, laundry etcpp. Instead, I have more time to explore a new location. And if I don’t like a location anymore, I can always move on. Cause, you know, the web is available everywhere. ;-)
You are obviously clear on how to travel long term and the problems.
Generally, your readers will never convert from being on vacation to being a traveler. Moving is the problem, generally I settle longer in places where about 7-8 of the list above is fullfilled.
Kitchens are always a problem, but I carry an Electric Hotplate.
I recommend you carry two bags, and learn how to use taxis. This is nomally a problem for Americans, if you are American. The trip from the Bus to the Hotel is the only big time to carry bags, and I recommend you forget it, just learn how to be the boss and command people to carry… bags.
Thanks Andy Graham of HoboTraveler.com
I miss my guitar so much^^