Mid travel blues

I’ve hit a low point in the middle of my trip and I no longer know what I’m doing, where I’m going or even why I’m doing it.

I don’t know what’s causing it but I have a few ideas.
* The slower pace here in Australia after being in Asia.
* The fact that none of my friends have any money.
* The process of meeting new people knowing they’re going to leave
* The way that most people end up staying in a single hostel for months.

I’ve started making terrible decisions. I booked return flights back to Thailand thinking it might bump me out of the hole and now I can’t even be bothered using them. I’ve even managed to drive off my only long term travel partner. I’ve just got no motivation for anything at the moment.

I know I don’t want to go home but that’s about all I know.

I’m flying back to Sydney later today, guess I just have to see what happens.

Some one must have been in this position, how do I get out of it.

Keep at it everybody has days maybe even a week where they feel like this. In Laos i got pissed off with the people I travelled with left them for 2 days and thought well that was a mistake met back up and everything was sweet again.
Again in Melbourne was having a wicked time but my last 3 days there i was like what is the point got myself up to Sydney as was straight back in the swing of things.

Even something as great as travelling has peaks and troughs so chin up get out there and enjoy

Lostthemarbles - 07 October 2012 10:15 PM

* The slower pace here in Australia after being in Asia.

BINGO!

That’s the reason, mate.

I sent you a msg. am also in sydney..

I was actually bored of drinking by the time I got from Cairns down to Sydney on the East Coast. First time in my life that’s ever happened.

I’d head back to Asia. Amazing place. Amazing people. Amazing prices. Literally the only down side is that Lunny lives there.

Why not head up somewhere like kakadu or the kimberleys before rainy season sets in? I cant wait to get there but alas due to money it will be acwhile before i get there

Warrick - 09 October 2012 10:15 AM

I’d head back to Asia. Amazing place. Amazing people. Amazing prices. Literally the only down side is that Lunny lives there.

You ever come back to my neck of the woods, you’re getting burned good.

Snooples - 09 October 2012 10:38 AM

Why not head up somewhere like kakadu or the kimberleys before rainy season sets in? I cant wait to get there but alas due to money it will be acwhile before i get there

I say leave Australia entirely.

That’s why you’re bored mate, seriously. Some people enjoy getting perpetually pissed up in a country that has essentially the same culture as their own… some people enjoy very different things. You’re no doubt the latter.

Get your arse back to Asia where you belong.

Lunny - 09 October 2012 10:48 AM

I say leave Australia entirely.

That’s why you’re bored mate, seriously. Some people enjoy getting perpetually pissed up in a country that has essentially the same culture as their own… some people enjoy very different things. You’re no doubt the latter.

Get your arse back to Asia where you belong.

If gapyear.com had smilies I’d insert one here. Instead I’ll just say this - like

My motto is if you don’t like it move on…..
Spending a ski season in Canada I got bored being in one place too long… I knew it was weird.. I had great friends… Always something to do.. And snowboarding… So I took off and travelled the west coast of the states for 2 months…
Yeah it chewed up most of my funds.. But I had THE most amazing time. Met THE best people…

Sometimes I do think I should have stayed in Canada there… But I know at the time I was going stir crazy… Needed more… More excitement…

Down with travel buddies… Be a lone wolf… Way more fun!
And what you’re doing right now isn’t making you happy… You’ve saved your ass of for this trip… You’re a million miles from home… Yeah you’re going to have crap days… But if this has been an extended amount of time.. You need to change it and find where does make you happy…

Whether it be a trip to NZ.. Somewhere else in AUS.. Or back to Asia…........ But it sounds like you’re wasted sitting where you are

Oh and I got sick of drinking (ok well getting ragingly smashed whilst travelling to… Which no one ever thought would happen…. When I came back to NZ I asked my friends if after 3 years I’d changed.., they said “not really… You just get less drunk than you used to” haha thanks guys….)

Are you working in Aus? You could always work for 2-3 months, save up and then spend 2-3 months elsewhere.., or spend the money you’ve earned doing the exciting expensive things like surfing lessons, sky dives and diving.

I’d try somewhere else in Aus, maybe an outback camping trip, or a western road trip… away from the east coast travel scene. Or like other have mentioned fly somewhere else… use those Thailand tickets you’ve booked. 2 weeks there might re-energise you.

Think most people get this on a long trip (I had exactly the same thing when i got to Oz!). Definitley go for a change in scenery - new place and new people can defintley help perk you up.

Ditch Oz and go to Asia - even venture out a bit to somewhere like Burma or Yunan province in China - slightly different mood but still cheap and awesome!

I made it back to Bangkok and I’m having the time of my life again! It’s brilliant to be meeting new people again, Oz was just a bit too static for me.

There’s nothing quite like a spur of the moment trip to get me back on track. I’ve got almost a month booked here and then I’ll head back to Oz and probably have to settle down and top up my funds.

Glad to hear it. When you get back to Oz you might be completley re-invigorated now and meet some awesome new people which you make you time there amazing (and if not book a flight back to SE Asia for a few months time and just aim for that!).

Wish you all the best.

Lostthemarbles - 14 October 2012 06:37 AM

I made it back to Bangkok and I’m having the time of my life again! It’s brilliant to be meeting new people again, Oz was just a bit too static for me.

There’s nothing quite like a spur of the moment trip to get me back on track. I’ve got almost a month booked here and then I’ll head back to Oz and probably have to settle down and top up my funds.

I kid you not, I just read the words ‘settle down’ and had a mini-freak out. Haaa…

Honestly I think this happens to a lot of people, just some won’t admit it because we all work so hard to go and people who don’t travel, think we’re all sat on some pristine beach for several month drinking cocktails,having amazing experiences and just ‘taking it easy’ - so none of us like to admit when it goes shit or we don’t enjoy it for a bit.

I’m assuming you’re British (or at least European)- if all goes to pot and you don’t want to come back to the UK, don’t forget you can always look at Europe or Singapore for a bit instead! (Obviously NZ as well)

There are places in Oz which are completely different to other parts of the world. Oz definitely lacks culture and history compared to other parts of the world… but it has some of the best natural experiences you can find and some of the most unique wildlife in the world.
Get away from the east coast when you come back - get in to the outback, the west coast or the remote areas like Cape York, the Kimberley or Kakadu. Awesome places. I don’t particularly like Sydney nor any other of the built up places in Oz… but there are some seriously stunning parts of the country as well.
And we have some of the best wages in the world, so it is definitely a good part of the world to work in and save funds. Aussie dollar is strong at the moment too so your funds will go further.