The Downsides of Travel

Long-term travel has it’s downsides- believe me.  They are things that anyone who has or is planning on travelling for an extended period of time must consider before and during their journey.  I was inspired to write this post because:

A. Christmas is coming up.  It will be the first time I don’t have to work on Boxing Day and I won’t even be at home to celebrate.  Downside.

B. Dan’s sister Jen has just arrived, fresh off the plane from Canada.  She smells nice, looks fit and pretty, her clothes match, she is fashionable and put together.  Walking next to her is a constant reminder of how shluppy I have become.  Downside

  So, here is my list of the unavoidable downsides of travel. …

1. Missing your Friends and Family Back Home

Obviously, I was fully aware that I would miss my family and friends while I travelled the world for a year, this cannot be avoided. Even with the fabulous addition of various social connection tools like Facebook or Skype, we miss our loved ones.  I didn’t realize just how much I would miss them- how detached we would feel.  When I get home I know how the conversation will go…” How was your year?” and “what’s new?” and I know what their responses will be….”Oh, nothing much.” or “same old, same old.”  We will have missed out on the everyday life of the people important to us that matter.  Luckily I have had some great friends who keep me in the loop with occasional emails detailing their days', weeks' and months' itineraries.  They tell me about their days and to them I know their emails seem boring but to us they are a glimpse of reality.  They help us remember who we are and what we left behind to do this.

Me, my Dad and my brother on Christmas morning 2010

2. We’re Dirty and we Smell


Ah, the life of a backpacker.  At first it was absolutely sublime.  It’s like camping but extended- the only difference is that not everyone you encounter in your day is camping and this is where it becomes gross.  At first it was bloody epic to roll outta bed, run my fingers through my hair with not so much as a glance in the mirror and go, now not so much.  Seriously, I didn’t even look in the mirror!  Believe me, for a women in fashion whose life revolves around making people look good this was a huge step but there is a limit, a point that personal hygiene beckons you.  Now I dream of saunas to sweat away the filth that constantly covers my body, an extremely vigorous loofah session, a closet with denim- oh denim, how I miss you, maybe some heels and a party dress  :(

Eww….my feet and legs would get soooo dirty in India.  Anyone in their right mind would put on shoes- not me.  A little cow patty never hurt anyone.

We’re bums.  Dirty, messy bums.

3. Diet


Um, good luck not eating carbs, dairy or meat while you are travelling.   When a bag of chips, a Coke and a package of random cookies can pass for a meal, you’re in trouble.  Picky eaters beware.  It was not uncommon to live on sticky rice for days at a time in Laos, naan bread and water while ill in India or in my case, veggies and steamed rice EVERY DAY in most of Asia- EVERY DAY!  It’s true.  Your diet suffers while travelling.  It is stripped down to the basics, the cheapest stall food day after day after day.  No variety for these two.  So as our budget dwindles, our meals get less varied and our bodies suffer that much more.  So, remember, if you are planning on traveling on a budget, the luxury of variety is thrown out the window.

Noodle soup again… How exciting.

4. Weight Gain

Now this doesn’t happen to everyone- well it doesn’t happen to most men.  Before we left I had heard that women gain weight while travelling and men lose it.  True, so true.  Dan, I hate you a little bit.  A workout routine is difficult to stick to while on the road.  Yes, for some the life a backpacker may suffice.  The constant walking and all the other activities may be more than you’re used to at home.  For others though, it may be a snails pace.  Gyms are not only few and far between but also an added expense.   Schedules are often so random it is difficult to fit in time and to be honest, laziness gets to you.  Would you rather go for a jog or a nice dip in the sea?  Sea please :)  As our year comes to a close I am lethargic, chunky and out of shape.  I guess I wasn’t hardcore enough, maybe the life got to me, maybe it’s my diet but I would bow to anyone that kept up any workout routine with the lifestyle we live now.  Anyone out there?

5. Brain Drain


I couldn’t list how many temples, shrines, towns, cities or beaches I have seen.  At the beginning, everything and everywhere was a challenge, an adventure.  Now, it’s tiring.   We have to make an effort to take photos, to go out every night, to meet new people.  Cairo was a nice change, we settled down, got an apartment and basically stopped traveling.  A person needs a time out.  A break from moving, seeing, the struggle of simply getting from A to B.  This is the downside that bothers me the most.  I knew it would happen, I know that is is happening and I feel guilty.  We require constant verbal reminders of where we are and what we are doing- to remember just how lucky we are.  So, if you’re planning a trip, plan a break somewhere, settle down and relax because you will need it.  Trust me.

Dan and I enjoying some tea with friends outside our flat in Cairo.  For two weeks all we had planned everyday was tea with friends- chill.

6. Privacy

Ha- what privacy?  I am reminded of a time when Dan and I checked into a guesthouse in Thailand- I think.  The owner showed us the room and told us the price and we jumped on it.  Only later did we laugh at the fact that not once did we consider that the toilet was in the middle of the room.  It was cheap and clean and that is how we live.  We have no secrets now- no secrets.  I can sleep in any public place imaginable.  I can pee outside- anywhere.  When a public washroom doesn’t have a door, I don’t think twice- I pee and am happy to do so.  Toilet talk is the norm.  Girls fart, there I said it.

 Not much privacy, or space, on this sleeper ferry in Thailand.

7. Temporary Forever Friends


Ah, my friends.  This is a hard part.  At first it is terrible, you meet people, form connections, then you must leave.  I have written about this before so I won’t repeat myself.  I will write about the flipside.  When you don’t feel like meeting people.  When the last thing you want to do is have ‘that’ conversation all over again (“where are you from/where have you been/where are you going?”).  When you know that you are just gonna have to say goodbye- it gets difficult.  Sometimes, you just want to tune it all out.  I am guilty of blaring my iPod so that if  someone wants to chat, I won’t hear them.  I’m terrible, I know.  The worst is when I give yes/no answers.  I am that person and you will become that person after traveling for an extended period of time.  Meeting new people everyday is exhausting and sometimes it’s just not worth the hassle.


Ok, there is it- my list.  Like I said, I was inspired to write this as a remedy, but don’t fret my friends, all these problems have simple solutions.  There are little ways to find space, peace and quiet.  A recharge and a change of mindset is all that’s needed to excite yourself all over again.  The downsides are constant but the positives are so much better- an easy trade-off.