So, you just got back from an epic adventure and now you are feeling down, unsettled, tired, among other feelings. This is called the post-travel blues (aka post-travel depression or vacation hangover).
Travel is challenging and exciting. You experience new ideas, cultures, food, and lifestyle. You step out of your comfort zone, meet new people, develop new routines, and maybe have new work experiences.
What are “The Travel Blues”?
The travel blues (or post-travel depression) occurs when you’ve returned home from a memorable trip - no matter how long or short – and wish you were still abroad. Simply, it’s a form of sadness that some travellers experience after a trip. This vacation hangover is the come down from the addictive drug known as travel. Inevitably, you start comparing life abroad to life at home, and everyday normal life doesn’t really seem the winner.
Life at home has lost its shine and readjusting to normal life can be challenging. Feelings of sadness can range from disappointment you’re not lying on a tropical beach anymore to becoming seriously confused, frustrated and miserable.
What are the symptoms?
Please note, I am not a doctor. This section was compiled from information gathered from NHS England and other blogs. It is merely to help you recognise symptoms of feeling the post-travel blues. If you are feeling at all depressed, please see a real doctor.
So, you’ve come back from a incredible trip and think you might have the post-travel blues, what should you look out for?
Symptoms of the post-travel blues may include:
Loss of focus
Mood swings
Anxiety
Lack of motivation
Sleeping too much
Sleeping too little
Fatigue
Increased desire to be alone
Appetite changes
Confusion
Irritation and/or frustration
10 ways to get through the post-travel blues
Post-travel blues are normal – it is totally normal to not feel totally okay when you get home from travelling, especially if you’ve been away for a long time. It takes time to adjust back into normal life.
Give yourself a couple of days (at least) after returning home to settle back into life at home – particularly if you have travelled a long distance. Give yourself the time to get reacquainted with life at home before jumping back into work or study.
Write down what you missed about home while you were away (you can do this while you’re still away or when you get home) – obviously, you miss your family and friends but what else did you miss? For me, it was foods and I wrote a list of meals I hadn’t had and what I wanted when I got home.
Preserve your travel memories in a journal, scrapbook or photo album – all the bits you’ve collected, photos you’ve taken and notes from activities… put them together in a scrapbook or album for you to look back on and remind yourself of all your fun adventures.
Relive your experiences by telling them to friends and family – if you have been away anywhere, people will ask you questions and for stories of your adventures. Tell them and relive the experiences you’ve been through.
Connect with other travellers and your friends you met abroad – when you travel, you meet all sorts of people and some of them become your best mates. Keep in touch with them when you get home chances are, when they get home, they’ll feel like you. There are groups for backpackers on social media where you can connect with others and chat about travel related stuff such as the post-travel blues.
Practice self care – take time for yourself, have a long bubble bath, use a face pack. Do something for you and do it often.
Go on adventures closer to home – you can live somewhere all your life but still not really know it. Go out and discover new places, go on mini holidays and weekend breaks nearby. Keep that travel bug alive!
Develop new hobbies, goals or interests – if you did something abroad that you enjoyed, carry it on at home. Go for those hikes you enjoyed, continue scuba diving, find a ‘paint and sip’ class. Continuing hobbies etc you started while travelling will help you adjust to your new routine at home.
Book your next trip – if you have the travel bug, why stop? If travel is something you truly enjoy, why not book your next trip, or at least start planning and saving for it.
I hope this has been a helpful to you. Coming home has been an adjustment and it’s taken me a while to get used to life outside of Australia. I love travel and I can’t wait for my next adventure!
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