We’ve all been there…it usually starts the minute you realise your amazing journey full of joy, laughter and adventure with newfound friends is coming to an end.
I remember the first time I solo travelled. I’d kept on saying ‘I want to solo travel.’ Everything I watched and read was about solo travelling- endless videos on what to do, what not to do and the things you should NEVER forget when travelling alone. I was consumed by it. I couldn’t wait to explore the world. Was I scared? No. To my own surprise, I really wasn’t. I’d convinced myself there was nothing to be afraid of. And I was right, everything turned out okay.
Now, was I nervous? Hell yes. I didn’t know what to expect. I mean sure I’d been to places alone but to a foreign country? All by myself? Nope.
So, setting off on this journey, my emotions flew from one to the other and yes, I was nervous but above all, I was so bloody proud of myself. I was finally doing it. Regardless of everyone telling me no, I said yes. I remember trying to stop myself from crying as soon as I took my seat in the plane. Tears staining my journal as I detailed the sheer joy, I felt from making the decision that would forever change my life.
I laughed, I learned and I loved. The people, the culture, the history. I was truly in awe every.single. day. So imagine the sadness that possessed my whole body when I had to come back home. Every traveller will tell you this – As hard as it may be leaving home, coming back will always be much harder. From my very first solo trip in Morocco to my most recent trip backpacking South East Asia, I can’t help but cry thinking about the time spent travelling. Maybe it’s all the people I met, maybe it was the locals, maybe it was learning about a different culture or maybe it was the overwhelming sense of freedom I never knew I lacked. The freedom to exist. The freedom to just be.
So coming back? It hurts. You’ll cry for days, maybe weeks after you return. You’ll randomly remember all your experiences and keep comparing your favourite countries to home. But soon enough, before you know it, it’ll become a fond memory. You’ll be able to look at pictures and smile and yes, sometimes you may cry remembering just how much fun you had, longing to go back but feeling grateful you were able to experience it.
I urge you to keep your mind open, to allow yourself the ability to feel the freedom you felt abroad. To make sure you don’t fall into the cycle of just living to work. Keep travelling. Book that next ticket and keep creating the memories that will forever live in your soul.
Post travel blues is just proof that you had fun. Proof that you lived.
Affirmation: Real life isn’t in the books and the films and all the maps. It’s out there…and it’s up to me to discover it. I deserve to explore life.
