The Bad Side About Traveling

What caused post travel depression

Two weeks ago, I set out on another solo trip (as usual) to Australia. I had one of the best times of my life there, making numerous friends along the way while appreciating the beauty of both urban and outback life. It is the kind of trip that I will remember for many years, but as I approached the end of my trip, I started feeling very down. Throughout my travels, this feeling comes and goes as time passes and a new adventure awaits, but this time, it was different. The post-travel depression period seems to last longer, and as I was trying to figure out why, I realized a few key things that played a role in my post-travel depression.

1. Saying Goodbye to Friends

The people you meet while traveling will most likely be some of the best people you will ever meet in your life. They have a similar mindset as you, great stories to tell, and, most of all, they are open-minded enough to strike up a conversation with strangers like you. But despite all the great conversations you have had, in the end, we all have to part ways knowing that we might not meet again.

1. How to deal with this?

Saying goodbye is difficult, no matter who you are, but it is part of the lifestyle we choose. People will come and go, and there's no way to prevent it, especially if you travel often.

What you can do, though, is realize the fact that goodbye is inevitable and live in the moment as much as you can. If your roommate in the hostel you stayed at asks if you want to go out for a drink, say yes. If someone strikes up a conversation with you, do your part and keep the conversation as engaging and fun as possible. This way, you will know that you've done your best to enjoy the moment, and you will feel less regret when you are back home in the post-travel depression period.

2. The "Back to Reality" mindset

If you are like me, you have bills to pay, a business to run, or a job to get back to. Traveling is a hobby that we are very passionate about, and most of us will eventually have to go back home and work. I used to love coining this word, "Back to Reality", whenever I'm feeling sad post-travel because traveling was something out of my ordinary routine. It felt surreal for the most part, and "back to reality" seems like a great sentence to explain how I felt. But what if we turn that word on its head? What if travel is the reality and work is a dream?

1. How to deal with this?

That is exactly what I did to help with the post-travel depression. I flipped the term "Back to Reality" backward and changed my mindset. If you think about it, the concept of "Back to Reality" is wrong on so many levels. We have been shaped by society so much that we have forgotten the root of life. We are so brainwashed that working in a cubicle is a reality we think we live in, whereas engaging with the world (as what we were designed for in the first place) is a dream. Now, instead of looking forward and seeing only work, I look forward to my future and see only travel. This has helped me get back on my feet and start planning for reality, my next trip.

A friend I met while trekking King's Canyon in the Red Center, Australia once told me that:

"If you don't go to work you won't know the beauty of travel", Nicole Kö

It may be possible to travel the world while earning money at the same time without working, but it is REALLY difficult, and I believe most people will not even come close to it. What you can do, though, is change your mindset. Look forward to more travel, not more work, and your depression will be replaced with excitement for your next adventure.

3. "Nothing will be better than the last trip"

When I returned from my solo trip up the Himalayan mountains, I thought there would not be any trip that could exceed what I experienced in the Himalayas. The hardship, the sweat, the people I met, it was the whole package, the ultimate experience. However, this did contribute to a few depressing moments after I came back. Thoughts like "Will my life be boring from now on?", "I would rather be up there than back home", and "Australia next? Meh.." went through my head for the first few months back.

1. How to deal with this?

First, you need to know that this train of thought is wrong, and it can be quite destructive as well. It could trick you into avoiding living in the moment and instead living in the past. Don't compare one experience to another; it is incomparable. Each trip is unique in its own way. The people you meet and the culture you observe will not be the same, so your mindset should not be the same as well.

I learned this from experience, as I thought that no trip would be better than the Himalayas. However, I was proven wrong by the overwhelming feelings I experienced during my trip around Australia. Now, I approach each trip as a new adventure and strive to make the most of the present instead of dwelling on the past.

In conclusion

All in all, it's all about living in the moment and not clinging to the past. I've done my fair share of travel in the past few months, and even though I still hate saying goodbye, I've never regretted any chances I did not take. At least I know that I did my best to get the most out of each of my travel experiences, and I think that's the key to preventing post-travel depression.

Have you ever experienced such depression? How did you deal with it? I would love to hear your stories.

Further Reading for Inspiration

Looking for more articles to help inspire you to travel more? Here are a collection of articles you might like:

• Hiking to the Everest Base Camp is one of the most memorable epic moments of my life. Here's a long-read piece about my experiences hiking the Everest Base Camp: On My Way To Everest Base Camp.
• Ever wondered what it's like to travel the world on a third-world passport? Check out: Traveling The World On A Third World Passport.
• Here's why I always celebrate turning a year older with a hike: Climbing Kilimanjaro on My 33rd Birthday.
• Are you currently planning a trip around the world and looking for cheap countries to visit? Here are the 13 Cheapest Countries To Visit in the World.
• Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
• Looking for the most beautiful travel blogs to follow? Here are the 24 Most Beautiful Travel Blogs to Follow.
• For adventurers and backpackers out there, here are the 10 Best Adventure and Backpacking Blogs You Should Follow.
• I truly believe we need more Asian representatives in the English-speaking travel blogging industry, especially for blogs about Asia. Here are the Top 10 Kick-Ass Asian Travel Bloggers To Follow.
• Did you know that you can travel without leaving your couch? Here are the 8 Great Travel Books You Should Read.
• For the best travel videos to inspire you to travel even further, here are the 20 Most Creative Travel Videos of All Time.
• If you are looking for travel vloggers to follow on YouTube that aren't cringeworthy, check out: 10 Best Travel Vloggers to Follow On YouTube.
• The best way to improve your photography skills is to learn from the best. Here are the 10 Best Photography YouTube Channels to Follow.
• A photo is worth a thousand words. Here are the 25 Most Beautiful Travel Photos I Ever Took From Around The World.
• Ever wondered what it is like to be a travel blogger during COVID-19? Check out: Being A Travel Blogger During COVID-19 - What Is It Like?
• Looking for off-the-beaten-path destinations to visit this year? Check out: 8 Best Off-The-Beaten-Path Destination to Visit.
• Can't travel internationally for the time being? How about traveling in your own country? Here are the 7 Reasons Why You Should Travel in Your Own Country.
• To find the most inspirational travel quotes and captions to go with your photos on your Instagram, check out 34 Short and Unique Traveller Quotes for Instagram.
• We often hear bad stories about locals from travelers, but what about the other way around? Here are some of the Notorious Stories of Terrible Backpackers.
• If you lost your bag while you were traveling, here is how to deal with the situation: My Bag Was Stolen In Germany.
• Have you ever felt that you do not belong in a place you were born in? Read this: Where Is Home? - My Quest In Search Of Where I Belong.
• People often preach about how important it is to live in the moment, but sometimes, that may not be such a good idea. Here is The Problem With Living In The Moment.
• Want to embark on your first solo trip but not sure where to go? As a long-time solo traveler, here are my favorite places based on real experiences: 10 Incredible Travel Destinations for Solo Travelers.
• Solo traveling is not for everyone, and even though I love it to death, it is not always flowers and sunshine for solo travelers. Here are the 10 Things I Hate Most When Traveling Solo.
• Travel friends come and go, but that may not be such a bad thing. Here is why you should embrace your travel friends: A Life Of Brief Encounters.
• Hiking is life. Here's why: One Year Of Incredible Discomfort - 10 Things I've Learned From Climbing Mountains.
• Here's why having no plan is the best plan: Magical Things Happen When You Have Nothing To Do - The Art Of Doing Nothing.
• Is life getting you down? Here's why you can't always blame life for everything: Life Doesn't Suck. We Just Suck At Living It.
• Want to know why I chose to travel alone? Read this: We Travel Alone, NOT To Be Alone.
• For a meaningful solo trip, you need to share it with someone. Here is why Happiness Is Only Real When Shared.
• Traveling is no longer for the rich. Here is why: "People Think I'm Rich".
• The Himalayan Mountain is one hell of a teacher. Here are the 7 Life Lessons The Himalayas Taught Me.
• Want to travel alone but scared that you might get bored out of your mind? Here is How to Enjoy Yourself and Have Fun While Traveling Alone.
• Want to start traveling solo also? Here is What It's Like to Travel Alone.
• Here is a simple story on how I started traveling: F*ck It, I'll Do This Alone.
• For more inspiring articles like this, visit my Inspiration page.