I’m going to be honest with you — spending 7 weeks away from home is harder than I thought; I just miss being home. I miss having a routine and crawling into my own bed at night. I miss my magic bullet and morning smoothie and my nighttime routine of watching Suits and having a bath and going to bed at 10:00 p.m.Those little moments in my day, as mundane as they sound, keep me grounded and help me focus. They allow me time to prepare myself for the days and weeks to come and give me the energy to complete necessary tasks and enjoy day-to-day life.
When we left for this trip I knew there would be moments when I felt exhausted. But I didn’t know that by this point in our trip (week 5) I would start each day feeling tired even after 8 or more hours of sleep. By this point, the constant moving around has taken everything out of me.
This isn’t to say that I’m not having an amazing time — I’m having a blast! We’ve watched the sunset over Oia in Santorini, strolled through the streets of Venice and cuddled under the sparkling Eiffel Tour in Paris. Every single day I feel like pinching myself because I can’t believe I’m in *insert place here*. We’ve managed to pack so many amazing experiences into this trip and I wouldn’t change a thing.
But that isn’t to say that this trip hasn’t had ups and downs. Today, for instance, was a typical cloudy day in London. After all the hot weather in England, I was grateful for a cool breeze so I can’t blame the weather for bringing me down. But I had no energy. I was tired and moody grumpy and all I wanted to do was lie in bed and read or edit. I forced myself to get out of the house even though the last thing I wanted to do was grab my Oyster card and hop on the tube.
Even though the history and culture of the British Museum were a little lost on me because my brain was a bit muddled, I’m happy that I had a chance to get out of the house. I needed a bit of fresh air and walking through the streets of London did put a smile on my face. Still, I couldn’t help but wish I was back home in Halifax running a bath and watching Friends. They always say the grass is always greener on the other side, and I can confirm to you that it is.
If you’re like me (AKA a 21-year-old grandma) and you like your routines and cozy bed, here are three things to bring you comfort when you’re travelling.
01 | Get your sleep
Sleep in. Go to bed early. Take your time getting ready in the morning and take breaks during the day. Yes, you’re travelling and I know you want to see everything that you can. But unless you’re getting enough rest you won’t be able to appreciate all the amazing experiences. We tend to either sleep in and leave after lunch and come back after dinner. This means we’ve had the morning or a couple of hours in the afternoon to chill out; I always have so much more energy because of it.
02 | Call a friend
Travel can be overwhelming, and admitting that not everything is perfect can be hard because everyone expects that you’re having the time of your life. While this may be true, it’s okay to have down moments. Talking to a friend back home will not only be a welcome break, but it’s also nice to talk to someone that understands and can reassure you that everything will be alright. A friendly face, even if it’s on a screen, will make you feel like you’re home.
03 | Make time for your hobbies
It might seem crazy to think about keeping up with hobbies while on the go, but I’ve found that taking the time to read has been a huge part of my happiness. I love feeling like I’ve accomplished something after finishing a book, and it gives me some time to retreat from the world and do something I’d normally do for fun at home.
Today was definitely a down day. But after a good night’s sleep and a cup of tea, I know that tomorrow will be great.
I wanted to thank my friend Alyssa for chatting with me when I felt down and encouraging me to write about it!
PS: Does anyone else find this amusing? 7 Jokes You’ll Only Understand If You’re A Homebody Through And Through
Glad you’re enjoying your European adventures! When I was on the road a lot last year and living in London for a bit, sometimes I’d slow myself down by just going to Kensington Gardens with a book, get some picnic food from Whole Foods just south of the park, and having a little decadent picnic where I had zero commitments other than to sit there, read my book, and eat my sandwich. When on the road, being tired or hangry is usually 95% of your problems. I also find morning exercise routines work really well on the road, and pre-bed rituals, like a podcast or shower. Looking forward to hearing more of your adventures! How long are you on the road for?
YES! Those little moments allow you to take a minute and hit the reset button. I think it’s really important to find a bit of normal while you’re traveling. And I can definitely admit to being both tired and hangry on many occasions.
We’ll be back next week! But we left at the beginning of June.
I totally get this!! We are at the point in our trip where we are really homesick for Halifax and cozy mornings with our pup in bed. These are such good tips for dealing with it!!