We’ve all been there, you should be having the best time of your life (and most days you do when you travel) but sometimes you get that pang of homesickness, an urge for your favourite food, a cup of tea and a chat with your mum, a craving for a proper hot bath, trashy TV shows and familiar routine. When you spend a long time ‘on the road’ those feelings are totally normal!
You’re not a bad backpacker, not cut out for this travel life and destined to get on the first plane to jet back home. We all suffer from these moments of meh. You just need to work out ways that will get you back to loving your adventure and give you that spark of excitement you had when you first arrived.
First things first try and work out what is the real problem. Are you tired? Ill? Craving home cooking? Lonely or actually hating the place where you are or the people you’re with?
Speaking to family and friends via FaceTime, Skype or just regular long distance phone calls can make such a difference in brightening your mood. Just try not to spend too long catching up with your life back home that you ignore the place you’re currently in.
When you backpack money is tight and as anyone who has ever saved cash will understand that not having money can get you down. You have so much to budget for it can feel overwhelming at times counting every single bloody penny. But don’t be such a miser that you’re making yourself unhappy. Cut yourself some slack with a little treat, something indulgent (which may just be a night in a private room rather than shared dorms to get some kip). Sleep has such a huge influence on our health and happiness so if you’ve been overdoing the partying and late nights it’s probably just your body calling out for some proper sleep and to lay off drinking for a little bit.
It can also help when you’re feeling a little despondent to take a moment and look back at all your photos of the things you’ve seen and done. It can make you realise how much you’ve crammed in, so give yourself the time to let these new incredible experiences sink it. Speaking of cramming things in this too can contribute to feeling slightly meh. If you can take a day off from doing so many activities, moving from place to place, and try not to stick to such a tight deadline it will help you feel a little more on top of things.
If you’re feeling homesick because you’re a little lonely then the only way that’s going to get fixed is if you get off your bum, stop wallowing alone and get outside. Force yourself to say hello to strangers, say yes to things, don’t sit wishing you were having a better time - get out and make that happen!
But if it does get too much and you really are hating where you’re staying then pack up your bag and move on whether that is to a new city, country or returning home early. Don’t stay doing things that make you unhappy, life is too short for that.
Have you got any good homesickness busting tips? If so I’d love to know! You can contact me via Twitter / Facebook / Instagram or good ol’ fashioned email - [email protected]
