When travelling is anything but glamorous

…and why I love it anyway!

Everything is quiet. In the middle of the jungle in northern Guatemala and there is only the chirp of a few insects outside. The other travellers have finally settled to sleep. But there it is again.. That unmistakable pain in the stomach and then a wave of nausea. I lie still and hope it will pass. The bathroom is too far away… It’s down the stairs and outside, around the corner. Breathe slowly. Imagine nice things. I’m imagining the beach and being immersed in the ocean. But…uh oh…nope that ain’t working. Sh*t! Within seconds I’m out of bed and hovering over the waste paper basket, throwing up once again. I can’t believe there’s anything left in my stomach and I’m horrified I didn’t make it to the bathroom, but what could I do?!

Travelling is glamorous? Nope, definitely not always!

Despite what all the images on instagram might lead you to believe (including mine lol!), travelling is not always glamorous. Especially when it’s the long term, backpacker kind. In fact, sometimes it is downright hard. Some would even say stressful. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am most definitely not complaining – I am loving every second of this crazy journey, but it is not always sunshine and roses.

Buses for over 17 hours overnight to save on accommodation; cold showers; overcrowded chicken buses (yep they’re called that in Guatemala…and yes, partly because you often share them with chickens!); throwing up in the rubbish bin because the hostel bathroom is too far away from bed; hiking all day only to discover that the hostel shower only releases water in sharp bursts every 10 seconds or so; toilets in India (like basically all of them!)… Just a tiny handful of the many less than glamorous situations I’ve found myself in as I’ve travelled around the world.

There have been stomach bugs, food poisoning, water poisoning, ear infections… There was the time I hitched a ride on a golf cart with what turned out to be a crazy woman in Belize..we crashed. I haven’t been to a hairdresser in almost 2 years, and simply cut my own hair when it begins to get a little too much like a dreadlock. And of course there was that time I had to have surgery in Guatemala. Definitely not glamorous!

And yet…I love it! Yep, I really and truly love it. This crazy journey teaches me something new every day. I am almost never really in control of what is going on and in a previous life that would have been so stressful, but here I am reminded of what is really important. Human connection is important. Being kind is important. Following your heart is important. Having multiple outfits to choose from every day – not important. Arriving at that town when you planned – not important. Realising you can’t get a bus to the place you wanted to today and spending the night somewhere random -not important..and potentially a great experience just waiting to be had.. who knows?!

In “regular” life, we so often put huge amounts of pressure on ourselves to have everything sorted out and perfect and to be 100% in control of everything..but is that stress really worth it? I’m not convinced. I see people I love torturing themselves to please everyone else and trying to make everything just perfect. And most of the time, if you take a step back, just the way things are is just absolutely fine. This is just one of the lessons long term travel teaches you. Sometimes when things don’t go to plan, it is so you can have a different and even better experience. The “silver lining” as they say.

It’s just a really long holiday isn’t it??

Lot’s of people think that long term travel is basically a huge long holiday. And right here, I have to dispel that myth! Without endless money there is really no way that is possible. But what is a holiday? Isn’t it a break from your regular life? So if you’re travelling for like 18 months…then isn’t that you’re life? Maybe a holiday for someone travelling long term is actually staying put, working a little, cooking meals at home and being a bit more “regular”. Ponder that one, because I’m here to tell you it’s true! I’ve done it!

I have taken “breaks” from travelling numerous time along the way to avoid burnout, because constantly being on the go is tiring. And a “break” from travel looks a lot like staying put, working a little and just to moving for a while. It also has to be said, that having a kitchen is such a wonderful luxury! Where cooking meals at home was previously a chore, this is now one of the things I miss most from home. That, and a good shower (like a warm one!) and a clean, comfortable bed. Luxury has been forever re-defined for me lol.

What about the budget?

Well, this is one very big reason why travelling long term like this can be hard (unless you’re a millionaire), because you just can’t spend money on the things that make life and travel more convenient. You want to get to that town on the other side of the country? Chances are it’s a long haul bus trip (or maybe even 3 or 4 different buses) rather than a plane or an overpriced tourist shuttle. Tired after hours of travelling and desperate to get to the hostel? Quite often that means walking a few kilometers with backpack, rather than a taxi. Want to splurge on dinner in a nice restaurant or have a few cocktails? That might mean finding a cheaper hostel to keep the budget in check.

For me, this was initially only a 6 month trip, which turned into 9 months..now 18 months… And no joke, the budget hasn’t changed. Fair to say I over-budgeted for a 6 month trip, but I have definitely had to review and reduce my daily budget as I’ve gone along in order to keep this trip going. What I’ve discovered though is that less money does not equal lesser experience. In fact, on the contrary, it often means exactly the opposite. Perhaps the best things in life really are free?!

So on a tight budget – what does that mean?

Well, it means DIY laundry in my Scrubba instead of a laundromat (I think I’ve only used a washing machine maybe 4-5 times in 18 months!). It means wearing the same old clothes day in and day out even when they are stretched and faded after countless washes. It means fixing things instead of throwing them out and replacing them. It means sometimes working for a few hours a day in exchange for a free bed (even if it would only cost $20). Just the other day in a tiny town in Ecuador, it meant sitting in the back of a milk truck for 45 minutes to get to the next town to save the taxi fare.

It means being resilient and resourceful. And actually, I love that. There is a certain challenge in using what you have to get the outcome you need. Like making salad in a zip lock bag when you don’t have a bowl, or taking 2 ripped old canvas bags and turning them into a functional laptop bag. Stitching, re-stiching and gluing bags, clothes, and even shoes. Done, done and done.

How much stuff do you actually need?

I’m not going to lie, I do get sick of wearing the same things every day. I’ve been in some colder weather lately and only having 2 pairs of “warm” pants (both leggings) is pretty boring. And only 1 pair of closed-toe shoes..my trail runners (which I love!) but not exactly stylish. But what an incredible reminder of how little you actually need. Even after almost 18 months, it still surprises me just how little I need. I have in total 15 kgs with me including my laptop which I purchased as I travelled in Guatemala, and I definitely have more than I need. Crazy right?!

Or it is? When I think about how many things I would have purchased in the past 18 months if I’d been at home, I’m scared to really consider the answer. I know it would be a lot. Clothes, gadgets, handbags, shoes, even books and household items. Endless things that I would have bought because I “needed” them. The minimalists have been banging on about this for years, but it finally feels true. I just don’t need all of that stuff. And in, fact, I feel like my life is richer for not having it.

For every long uncomfortable bus ride, questionable meal or otherwise tough day, it seems that there are countless moments where I am left speechless. Moments where I catch myself and just wonder how on earth I came to be here, wondering how I got so lucky to be here in this moment. These are the moments I live for. These moments that money can’t buy, but are in fact all around you if you are open to experiencing them. For me this is what life is all about.

Cheers to finding joy in the simple things 🙂