CAN YOU travel FOR as well LONG?

Updated: 12/16/2018 | Posted: 04/06/2009

I was speaking to a buddy just recently about life – as well as the road it leads us on. I was pushing her to travel the world (like I push everybody to travel the world) to get rid of her recent funk. She was a bit lost on what to do lately as well as was trying to find something to fill the void.

“Go travel. You may find the answer. If not, you’ll have a fantastic time at least!”

While speaking to her, I realized that I didn’t understand what I would do if I ever stopped traveling. What is life without travel? exactly how else would I exist?

I’ve been moving for so long that I can’t photo my life any type of other way.

Travel has ended up being a way of life for me.

It has ended up being my identity.

Always moving, always on the road, always somewhere different.

That’s my routine.

It’s comforting.

I have so lots of different destinations I want to go to before I ended up being “Semi-Nomadic Matt” that I believe I’d be 50 before that really happened!

There’s just as well much out there.

I don’t truly want to stop.

Eventually, I’ll sluggish down. It’s inevitable. nothing last forever. Gravity as well as age ultimately take hold.

But that concept scares me.

I’ve forgotten what it’s like to online in one location for a lot more than 6 months.

Routines are comforting. For all the unregularity travel brings, there’s a routine to the chaos that I’m just not prepared to provide up.

All of which makes me question — can you travel for as well long?

When travel becomes a lifestyle, are you truly much better off?

Most travelers who take a long-lasting trip do it as a occupation break or take the notorious space year. then it’s back house as well as to the genuine world. (Not fully, of course, since a lot of people come back from trips such as this with a new set of work/life priorities. however they still go back.)

There is a beginning as well as an end.

There are the digital nomads available who work from the road as well as step from location to location slowly.

Then there are the genuine long-lasting travelers like myself who travel without any end in sight.

They are nomads.

As much guts as it takes to step away from the workstation as well as head out on the road, it takes just as much guts to step away from the road as well as go back to a a lot more routine lifestyle. travel ultimately becomes all you know. It’s all I know. After about 4-5 months in one spot, I get anxious as well as antsy as well as I requirement to step again. I believe of all the destinations worth seeing as well as believe about exactly how I must get there soon. I formulate plans with buddies as well as plan holidays to far-off places. I am regularly altering where I am going as well as making new plans. I still have years on the road ahead of me, as well as that I’ll be even a lot more entrenched in this way of life of constant motion.

But eventually, all of us requirement a fixed address. We can take multi-month trips to far-flung destinations, however everybody needs a location to phone call home. You can’t spend your whole life moving from one location to the next — it’s unrealistic. It becomes a lonely way of life always stating goodbye to friends, never being in one location long sufficient to type a genuine relationship, never getting to understand a place. everybody needs roots at some point. even the long, long-lasting travelers I understand ultimately get a house base.

Can you travel for as well long?

The response for me? Yes, yes, I believe you can.

When travel becomes a lifestyle, I believe it’s a indication you have been on the road as well long. At that point, travel is your life — it’s what you do, as well as there is nothing else. You have no house or fixed location, as well as friendships are always ephemeral because, in about 5 months, you’ll be gone again. It’s a fantastic method to online for a short term however not a fantastic method to online forever. It’s fun to do for a period of time however you can’t be peter pan forever.

Trees only grow since they have roots not since they are blowing in the wind.

Sometimes I believe I’ve been on the road as well long. That, after three years, I’ve ended up being as well old a hand at this. however am I prepared to provide up this way of life yet? No. Not all. I’m still young. I’ve only had this blog for a year. I still haven’t climbed Kilimanjaro, dived in the South Pacific, or sailed down the Amazon yet, as well as then I recognize that I still have a bit a lot more to opt for this life I lead ideal now.

And so, while someday I’ll clear up down, there are still miles to go on this journey…..and I’m okay with that.

One day, I’ll get up as well as state “Ok, it’s time to go home.”

Today is not that day.

Related articles:

Home: The death of a Nomad

The travel Slump (And exactly how to offer With It)

The drawback to long-lasting Travel

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