Can you ever really settle down into 'normal' life once you've travelled?

I'm sure there's probably been a similar discussion before but I was inspired by something Mell asked me earlier about restlessness and yearning to travel again.
It's more than 18 months since I was back from a long travel in Asia and Australasia, and yet I still think about travelling every day with nostalgia and yearning, and have plans to travel more as soon as it's practical to do it again. I don't feel I've been able to fully adjust back into day-to-day life without feeling like something's missing - this isn't to denigrate day-to-day life at all, and it's a practicality most of us have to do whether we like doing it or not, but for me, I feel something's been opened now that can't close down again. I miss the constant new experiences, the wonder, and the freedom. It could be an 'escapism' mentality that I'm in now, who knows, but I think I'd be quite happy to travel most of the time. In a lot of ways I actually felt more comfortable and secure being away and spending time in new countries and cultures, than I do at home.
What do other people feel about their perspective on 'normal' (sorry can't think of a better word) life, having had a taste of travelling? Reply to this

Once the travel bug bit I have found it very hard to settle back into "normal" life and that has lasted for about 30 years!

When I return from a trip I find myself planning and dreaming of the next one almost immediately - sometimes even before my plane touches down in Sydney! It may seem crazy but I cannot help scanning the air ticket specials on a regular basis, which fuels my dreams even further. Plus, reading other peoples travel blogs does the same.

I agree with Deb about missing the new experiences, etc. and often when I return to work I find myself asking "what am I doing here?" - even though the answer is simple - "earning money to pay the bills, etc".

I love my home and my home country, but I do find myself constantly yearning for travel and new experiences. I also get the feeling that I could travel most of the time … but the necessities of life keep reminding me that this is not possible. Luckily, back here at home I have a lot to keep me busy until the next trip. Reply to this

After a certain amout of travel(years of it. :D) I started to develop an appreciation for staying put. I started wanting things like professional qualifications, a decent job, friends, boyfriend that I would not be leaving and a kid and a long term place to live with furniture and things like coffee machines and big double beds. Well, I now have all those things and a bit of travel mixed in for balance. I feel now my life is balanced, but it sure took a lot of travel before I saw any reason for balance.
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Maybe travelling gives us something that we dont get when we dont travel. Maybe we need to feel our connection with the whole world by wandering around it and connecting with people in all kind of places. We can do this to some extent by reading about other people and watching movies, but it is not the same as the personal contact that actually going to where they are gives. Reply to this

D'you think we feel that need more, to connect with the world and its people, because we are connected and aware of it through the media?

Yeah, I feel a need to go to the places and find out what it feels like to be there. There is a unique feeling to being in each country that I could not possibly feel without going there. And as regards what is going on in the various countries, I feel a need to see people faces and hear the way they talk about it, to pick up on the general feelings about certain things and the athmosphere surrounding them. I can see what is happening on the media, but my intuition doesnt travel so well accross electronics.

...it was only the handful of explorers who ventured out, or whether they were just busy surviving,..

Well yeah, when people dont have enough food, safety.... they are greatly concerned with these things and dont really think much about things such as quality of their lives in other areas. But, judging by how so many poor people or people in troubled countries stare at me and ask me so many question, I think they may be feeling some need to connect with those from the other side of the world.

....and it was only the handful of explorers who ventured out, ..

Some greediness might also have been involved here. Many of them went out to gain more materially. If they were busy murdering and robbing, would they take the time for things such as feeling their connection with those in other countries. I think they briefly felt the connection and then quickly dismissed it. They did things like decide that those who were not of the ''right'' religion, the ''right'' skin colour... are subhuman and therefore dismissed their human desire to connect with these human beings and exploited them instead.

...whereas in the past we would just have explored the next village, or go and see what's beyond the hill?

Maybe in the old days things were more uncertain and risky for women travellers, so they only travelled far, if circumstances where they lived were a lot less than ideal.

....All this deep thinking might tire me out...

LOL
It might, but sometimes it might not and instead you might come up with very certain reasons for why you love travel so much. I seem to alternate between both states. Reply to this

plus i lose so much weight when i travel, its awesome! and i feel like all i do when i travel is eat amazing food! Reply to this

...I feel like I'm good at it...

I remember being thrilled by that, when I first started travelling. I was so happy that I was able to get a job, save up and do something so cool as travel with my savings. 😊 Reply to this

It was refreshing to read Debbie's post! I feel the exact same way. When I'm in a foreign country, even one I've never been to before, I immediately feel "at home." I don't need anyone or anything to be happy, just being in a foreign setting and I'm on cloud 9. I also don't miss anyone--family/friends. Is that weird? Reply to this

I have been t rying to "settle down" for the past 3 years since I've returned to the states after living and traveling abroad for the better part of 3 years. I've been mostly successful from the outside, adopted 2 kitties, have a career, have a long term relationship, renting a great house, own furniture etc. But none of that, sadly, has stopped my yearning and nostalgia for traveling aborad. Upon this return I really thought I was ready to be 'back" , at any rate I knew according to society it was time for me to settle down, put roots, be an American. But I do not want to! I miss traveling and meeting new people and learning new cultures. I sometimes feel that people here just don't get, how could you, if you've not seen the rest of there world. So I, like many of you, live stationary now, but travel as much as I can and hope that will calm the urge to just GO! Reply to this

I agree with Gregg. Having a job you enjoy helps. That is something I have going for me. I continue to teach ESL here in the States. It is a job I truely love and one which keeps me in an international community. It also gives me plenty of breaks, though unpaid, it is still time to travel without having to take time off of work. I do consider myself lucky for this! Reply to this