As I have only been back a couple of days, I haven't been hit by the post travel blues, but no doubt that may come. So does anyone in this forum experience any and any tips on how to handle this?
I must say that I am so glad to be back that I knocked back a trip to Hong Kong towards the end of November, all expenses paid by daughter. Perhaps after a couple more weeks being back, I regret knocking back this offer. Lol!
Lee
Happens to me all the time.
First I get the bug to go somewhere so I decide on the location(s) and begin planning. Then I go. Toward the end of the trip I get a bit homesick and look forward to returning. Then I get home and claim I never want to leave again. Then after a short while I get itchy to travel again and the cycle starts anew.
The post trip let down can be depressing, especially after a really good trip. It is hard to talk about it and reminisce when most people you know can't think below 5 star accommodation and gourmet dining. We like travelling light, carry-on only and want to mix with the people we meet.
When we get back from a trip I rely on ThornTree for relief and now maybe a bit sidetracked by working out. After awhile back I find it helpful to start planning our next trip. We're now fast approaching our next trip and I'm starting to wonder what comes next after this one. It takes a lot of energy to conceive of the trip then become familiar with the country, language and logisics. I love the planning.
So true about the cycle that laketraveller mentioned. I rarely get homesick during short travels. Used to moan and groan that the trips were much too short. Post travel blues used to hit as soon as I returned to work so much so that by the end of the working day, I felt I haven't had a holiday at all. Well, now that I am retired, it is kind of different. Perhaps it is because I have newly returned home but I find myself appreciating the luxury of having the house to myself and time to just be still (which used to be so difficult pre-retirement).
Spent the better part of yesterday looking into reasonably priced hotel in Hong Kong for daughter. The urge to travel came but thankfully left shortly after. Perhaps the reason why I was unwilling to travel so soon is because I have another trip booked in Feb 2011. I booked a flight with AirAsia sometime in May but this is where the itinerary stops, temporarily.
Perhaps when the post travel blues do eventually makes its appearance, I will grab my 2011 travel itinerary and start planning where to go after KL.
Meanwhile going to use the next few days appreciating my space and establishing a comfortable routine.
We usually travel 2-3 months at a time now. I am always happy to come home by 3 mos. I love coming home and being at home with all my favourite things and people and activities. Then it is time for the next trip.We always have a NEXT trip on the drawing board so there is never any need to feel a letdown.
I loathe returning home and found the best way to combat this is to commence planning the next trip on the plane returning home. Now retired, husband and I have 2 international trips a year. These vary in style and length. I've never experienced homesickness although I first commenced traveling in the 70's with my longest trip taking 13 months.
For those of you who has retired and taken up travelling at least once or twice a year, may I ask how do you deal with those in between times? The reason why I am asking this question is because I am wondering what to do to fill the in between times....should I:
Just wondering how retired travellers deal with their spare time. Any tips or personal experiences that you care to share would be much appreciated.
Thanks
I fill in the time with the same interests I've always had.
1) In my 40s I started taking piano lessons so now between trips I work intensively (minimum 2 hours a day + lessons) on my piano. During our road trips I work on my harmonica technique. Plan is to form a blues/rock band for my own amusement when I can longer do the big trips and am home more.
2) I was a professional writer/webmaster so I now have a travel/lifestyle site where I post road reports www.lifewellspent.com
3) I have a book on roadtripping through the far north out with publishers right now. It will be the first of a series of road tripping books that break out a new format, a hybrid between guidebooks and memoirs.
4) I am now totally committed to fitness - at least 1.5 hours a day.
5) Have been taking care of some major health issues. Had my ankle fused a few years ago. Had my knee replaced this spring. Husband had his hip replaced last fall.
6) We reno our house - total kitchen/dining/family/sunroom/bathroom last year.
7) I take contract jobs as a writer / project manager / web manager.
8) I sew stuff (for new babies and Christmas stockings this week).
9) I make gingerbread houses and cookies and tarts for Christmas.
9) I do stuff for my boys and their ladies (alter clothes, prepare meals, do taxes, edit applications for masters programs, you name it).
10) In season, I garden.
11) I like to have friends and family over for meals and I spend a lot of time planning and executing the menus.
12) We do lots of one-day to several week road trips throughout the area we live.
13) I read a LOT.
14) I have at least two long lunches a week to keep up with different friends.
15) I have various causes that I have volunteered for over the years. One winter I cooked one day a week at an AIDS outreach center. Another couple winters I did fundraising for the GOGO grannies, designing and marketing cards and other saleables.
What I run out of is hours in the day.
Thank you living I am inspired. At the moment I am in the middle of post trip blues feeling a bit fed up and miserable having got back from two months in Madagascar last Wednesday. I've had this before and this time I have planned for it so:
Before I went away I cleaned and cleared my place and filed all my papers with notes on what needed to be done next - when I got back I was surprised as to what I had actually done.
In Madagascar I planned what I wanted to do when I got back and wrote it down. I had two plans firstly to finish off my trip and get things back in order and secondly a plan of the things I wanted to do before my next trip. I'm well underway with the first and intend to have it finished by Friday. I've also planned activities up to the end of the year by which time I expect to know if I shall need further surgery and/or if I need to be around for business/legal reasons so at that point I can decide when to go on my next trip.
Finally I know that if I lie in/on my bed waiting for my mood to change I shall have a long wait but if I get up and get on my mood will change.
This Monday I am up and at it.
Edited by: rorygemwriter
Because my spelling has got no better
Edited by: rorygemwriter