I miss travel and not being able to travel

Posted by Adventurer Saliya Neranjan

‘I miss travel’ might be something your friends bring up during your Zoom catch-ups. 2020 took the world by surprise. Everything just wasn’t the same anymore. Anyway, at first, it felt good to stay home. People curled up with a good book or watched their favorite tv shows. In their minds, people were relieved to get the chance to spend some quality time with their loved ones. With the outbreak of Covid-19, thousands of offices around the world shifted to working from home. Employees were so on board with it. They did not realize at first that they weren’t to go out anymore up to the point that they miss being able to travel.

Even if somebody wasn’t particularly thrilled to go to work, they might have enjoyed GOING to work before Covid. But not anymore. You cannot look at the same scenery outside of your favorite train window anymore. Truth is, you start missing looking at the passing by trees or buildings that you used to glance over on your way to work.

But, worrying about not being able to travel is not work-related at all. In fact, people use vacations as the escape pods of their dull routine of life. But now even school kids are beginning to say ‘I miss traveling’. Therefore, I am not wrong to say, quarantine affects most people who like to travel a lot. It feels like the beginning of a coming apocalypse. This feeling of worry is mutual to millions of people.

Why do we miss traveling?

Have you ever started to feel awesome just by looking at a selfie you took near Niagara falls? Do you ever laugh in your mind at something that happened at Mount Rushmore or The Great Wall of China? This bittersweetness is exactly why people love traveling. Traveling can create tons of fun memories to look over when you are older. They create stories. They have inspired novels! Better yet, movies! Traveling also has the healing power to fix relationships. It can give you thousands of funny anecdotes to make people adore your presence. If you are a fan of novels like “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “Three Men in a Boat”, you just might know how fun/ adventurous traveling can get. Unlike many imaginary scenes in novels, traveling can give the same refreshing thrill in real life too.

Here’s some food for thought that you may want to think over:

Travel to escape dull routine

‘I miss travel’ is increasingly searched on Google as the pandemic drags on. Monotony can make you stressed. That’s because you know what to expect tomorrow and sometimes you can even predict the near future. Because days start to repeat. People know too much about simple things. They are familiar with how they get home from work. People are aware of when they will jump in the shower and they exactly know when they will have dinner. Your life could become too predictable. This dull routine can really push your buttons and there is all the more reason to miss travel. It is more than okay to take a little time off. After all, a couple of years went by without any positivity. Therefore, a little time to unwind your busy mind could help ease it up.

When taking a trip, the adventure begins even before you step outside. Can you remember the rush to pack everything up? Blood pumping through your veins in excitement? There are so many questions in your mind. Will the flight be alright? Did I pack my Passport? Some people are so excited that they can’t even get a good night’s sleep the day before. It is proof of the desire within you to escape the sameness of life. It is also why your children may be saying ‘I miss travel’ this much.

Travel to learn new ways of life

Who wouldn’t dream of traveling the world? People love tasting exotic cuisines and exploring cultures and traditions new to them. The whole industry of tourism was built around this feeling of wanderlust.

“I’m in love with cities I’ve never been to and people I’ve never met.”

-John Green-

It is an eye-opener to experience cultures that are a hundred percent distinct from yours. You can find people who dance, play, sing, talk and eat differently than you. Somewhere in between having a bag full of fried Locust bugs in Myanmar and a plate full of Sannakji Live Octopus in Korea, you would understand how diverse our ways of life really are on Earth! You might be able to see a picture of it in a blog post or watch it on Youtube, but experiencing it for yourself makes all the difference. Therefore, whenever your loved ones say ” I really start to miss travel”, know that they miss learning new ways of life around Earth while traveling.

Travel to build and fix relationships

Have you ever turned around to your partner and said ‘I miss travel, family and just want to go home? Journeys can bring people together. It doesn’t matter if you go on a trip by yourself or as a family getaway, you will always come home with a bunch of unforgettable memories. The sense of togetherness will make relationships stronger. Before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, trips were the key to bringing families closer to each other. Apparently, families don’t have much time together due to the demands of today’s lifestyle with relatives spread throughout the country and world. Having a get-together once in a while could mean the world to your parents and grandparents.

Travel gives people an opportunity to connect. It may even help to heal any family squabbles and set up happier relationships. Couples, too, require time away from home and work to bond with one another. Sharing travel experiences can spark new flames that last long after the couple has returned home.

Traveling is also a unique way to strengthen friendships. If you are familiar with either Lord of the Rings movies or novels, remember how Samwise stuck with Frodo helping him with his adventurous quest into Mordor. The film series won 11 Oscars for a reason. Therefore having your friends join on an adventure is always thoughtful. Chances are you are going to meet new people, befriend them even on the way. By the time you get back from your sweet retreat, you might come back with a lot of new friends. It is so addictive that you surely will miss travel once you get back to your normal life.

Travel to renew your perspectives

When faced with a hard decision that you need to make, people take time to sleep on it. An extra time to think it over and gather your thoughts can do wonders. This is another reason to love traveling. Maybe something you considered your whole life to be petty or unworthy turns out to be a bold thing. You start respecting other people. After so many trips around the world, you just know how contrasting world views can get. Traveling gives you new perspectives on life. It offers you a second chance at a fresh start. Who doesn’t like to start over? This could be a major reason for you to miss travel because you miss being able to view the world through a traveler’s lenses.

Travel to build up your confidence

Truth be told, traveling is no easy ride. There are so many unpredictable things that could happen to you during your journeys. You need all the courage you can muster to survive some experience. But, it is thrilling. Maybe you left a shy person and now you can talk with the locals of a foreign land in their own language. There you find this new side of you who is not at all afraid to face any challenge ahead. At the end of the day, after you have gone through the challenges of traveling, the day-to-day dilemmas that you were so afraid to face might seem smaller.

Traveling involves discovering new foods, cultures, languages, people, and locations. It forces you to step outside of your comfort zone. It’s a good thing, too, because it’ll help your personal growth. Next time you hear somebody at work saying ” I miss travel” you’d know that they might be needing travel to build up their confidence and they need to blow off some steam.

Traveling benefits emotional health?

Traveling could be a free psychiatric session. It will also help you grow your social skills and a newfound respect for life. Here are a few reasons why packing your suitcase may be worthwhile.

Whatever makes us stressed is already a part of our life. Maybe it’s the children or it easily could be the massive workload on your desk at work. Nevertheless, some changes can always bring color into our lives. Therefore, going out on a journey is a great way to escape stress. Lay low for a while. Stay off the radar. Switch on your smartphone only to see the navigation.

For some, traveling isn’t about seeing new places, but about getting away from old ones that stress them. Going on a journey can also help us manage stress by removing us from places and activities that raise our stress levels. You would feel productive and focused when you take time off work to go somewhere. Brain signaling you, “I miss travel’ is because your brain wants to rest.

Having new experiences can help you improve your brain function and your mental wellness. Travel reduces stress and it also helps with anxiety and depression symptoms. Traveling can have a significant impact on your mental health, whether you’re traveling to another country or staying in a nearby town for a long weekend. While long vacations may provide more time to relax, if you’re disconnecting from work, filling your time with activities you enjoy, and actually relaxing, even one day away from home can give you relief.

Tips on holding off wanderlust

Well, here are some tips to follow whenever you are missing travel. Sometimes, a little daydreaming can ease your mind.

1. Watch travel-related movies

Watching films can get you closer to the real experience. It is important to note that movies have helped a lot of people with their stress. Therefore, if you miss travel, try watching a travel-related movie. Jot down a watchlist of your favorite travel-related classics such as Indiana Jones. Movies like ‘In to the Wild’ can deliver the emotions pretty well. What’s more, is that you can watch channels like Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Travel-related documentaries might also come in handy if you start to feel like “I do miss travel”.

2. Read travel books

Reading a book can boost your imagination. If you often ponder over not being able to travel, try the classic trick of reading a book. A book about travel will give you tips on traveling. It may not only give you new ideas but also offer you insights about new places that you need to visit in the future. To quench your wanderlust, therefore use a book. You may physically be quarantined at home but your mind can travel the whole world.

3. Make plans for your future journeys

Things are bound to be normal again soon. Doctors and scientists are working day and night testing for a cure for Covid-19 and someday in the near future people will be able to travel again. Until then, we have all the time in the world to watch movies and read travel-related books. They just might give you insights on your next trip. Planning a trip has all the anticipation and excitement. Therefore, why don’t you lay out the details on your next journey? Decide where to go and do a little research online about the place. Read some reviews so that you know what to expect on the journey.

To make it more interesting, plan the trip with your whole family. Ask their opinions as well. Have a discussion on how to travel there and whom to take on the journey. It will be as fun as going on the journey. Not only will planning a trip keep you occupied, but it will also keep you entertained!

4. Engage in online forums

You are not the only one who misses traveling. Therefore, searching for other people who are going through the same boredom without travel can be helpful. Connecting with other travelers would be like a support group. You can connect with other like-minded travelers who sit around thinking “I miss travel” via online platforms. Suppose the workload continues at home and you have no time left to read or watch travel-related movies. Still, you can catch up with these online communities for traveling tips, guidance, and advice as it only takes a few minutes. For example, like-minded travelers around the world can chat via Facebook or Whatsapp groups. They can share their own personal reviews on tourist destinations and awesome stories or experiences they had while traveling there. They can always organize virtual meetups where amateur travelers ask questions regarding travel and experienced travelers with expertise give answers.

A word of farewell

Reasons like Covid-19 and being too preoccupied with work sure take an emotional toll on people who have a knack for traveling. Therefore, your starting to miss travel is not particularly news to us. The feeling of uncertainty that came along with Covid-19 has hit people harder than they imagined. It is normal to feel cooped up in the house for too long. But, for now, it is best to hold off your desire to break free from daily life. Soon, people will be once again allowed to go out. You might not be able to travel physically at present but you can plan on it. Most people did not have proper free time even to plan their trips before 2020.

The excitement of an experience, such as a vacation, can significantly boost a person’s happiness. So, why not start arranging your dream vacation now? Why not make use of this free time to have a perfect plan?