Eventually, Everyone Stops Traveling

Today, a blogger who was traveling with his wife and toddler around SE Asia announced he quit traveling. He moved back to the states and got settled in Indiana. Another writer that I follow left his expat life in Japan to “travel around the world” only to decide within a month that as much as he liked living abroad, he found the travel part to be lacking.

These two events happening so close to each other made me start thinking: is the romance of the round-the-world trip actually burning people out on travel?

While these two people weren’t traveling as quickly as most, I’m beginning to think the entire premise of a RTW trip is flawed. It’s as if we’ve collectively decided that if you’re going to travel, then you must cram as much actual traveling into that time as possible. Lest you miss something.

But what do we get in exchange for non-stop travel?

• Higher costs: getting an apartment, cooking for yourself and not paying to take a plane, bus or train are much cheaper.
• Superficial experiences: we only meet other travelers, we only see the most popular sites, and we don’t have the time to understand the culture.
• Burn out. The act of traveling, of getting from one place to another is exhausting. Perpetual travel can also be taxing emotionally as you grow weary of always being in an unfamiliar place.
• It can be lonely. Even though you’re constantly surrounded by other people, you’re always alone. You get sick of having the “where are you going/where have you been” conversation. If you don’t speak the local language, it can be frustrating to communicate. You miss home, especially the ease of having people around who just “know” you.

And yet, the gap year or a round-the-world trip is an incredibly popular way to spend a year abroad. There are benefits. You don’t ever have to worry about getting a residency visa. You get to see the entire world. It’s exciting. It’s a challenge. You’re part of a community of travelers.

I’m not saying that people shouldn’t attempt a RTW trip, but it seems the more I travel, the more travelers I meet, that at least half of the people would be happier and have more fun if they just stayed put for a bit.

What if you traveled slower, spending at least 3 months in each place, what would you gain?

• A cheaper trip (or you can afford to splurge more).
• An opportunity to learn the language.
• Meaningful relationship building (instead of just interacting with service staff).
• A chance to learn the more subtle aspects of a culture.
• A better overall experience in terms of quality: being more relaxed, knowing where to go/what you’re doing, and avoiding tourist traps.

The way I try to think about it is this: how would I visit my hometown of Boston if I only knew of what was in the guidebook? Would I take a “duck tour” or go to the Cheers’ bar? How would that trip be different if I knew what a local knows? Would I spend a day at Jamaica pond, picnicking on fresh produce from the weekly farmers market? As someone who lived in that city, I would much prefer to spend it doing the kinds of things you can only find over time.

That being said, eventually, everyone stops traveling.  Hopefully it’s because you’ve satisfied the urge to see the world and not because travel weariness ended your trip prematurely.  In any case, I applaud both of the writers who came forward to describe their difficult decision to stop traveling (especially as both have websites at least partly about travel).  If you get a chance, read those articles for a different perspective.

Pic: eyedeaz