Picture this: you’re on the trip of a lifetime, exploring the places you’ve only dreamed about, but something just isn’t right. Instead of being excited, you just feel tired. It’s hard to believe but even with all the beauty around you, part of you really wants to head back to the hotel and watch some TV.
(Photo: jblahblahblah)
You may be suffering from travel burnout. This travel ailment is characterized by exhaustion, total disinterest in sightseeing and a strong desire to eat cereal in your pajamas while watching a Real Housewives marathon. There’s also a strong dose of guilt thrown in: you’re somewhere amazing, WHY aren’t you having a good time?
Never fear! This condition happens to every traveler one in awhile. It’s mainly a result of moving too fast, taking in too much and running yourself ragged. Fortunately, travel burnout can be easily prevented—and cured—with a few simple trip alterations:
Slow it Down
Particularly on very short trips, travelers often have a strong impulse to see and do as much as humanly possible in a very short timespan. Dashing from city to city or attraction to attraction leaves your body and mind with no time to decompress and process all the interesting things that are happening to you. When you couple this with a language or cultural barrier, the stress can just be too much.
When you’re planning your itinerary, consider only visiting a couple cities for a longer amount of time in each. Focus on traveling deeper, not wider.
(Photo:Mr. iMaax. ☜)
Vary Your Routine
If you’re cramming your days with museum visits, guided tours and sightseeing, you’re eventually going to burn out. If all of your time is scheduled out, it leaves little time for spontaneity or relaxation, and this can be very draining.
It might help to try scheduling only one major activity a day. Leave some free time around the edges to absorb your surroundings freely: things like sitting at a cafe and people watching, wandering around an old town or watching a sunset.
Take a Day Off
Sometimes it’s not just enough to slow it down; you need to give yourself a day off from the travel run-around. Doing too much with no time to relax can leave you exhausted or even ill, which will just make you more miserable.
Yes, sleeping in or sitting by the pool can feel very guilt-inducing when you’re paying a lot of money to be somewhere new, but remember that taking a break to relax is re-energizing. When you finally get back to experiencing the city, you’ll appreciate and enjoy it so much more.
(Photo: Loren Sztajer)
Do Something Crazy
If all else fails, you can always shock your way out of road weariness. If you’re not feeling so much tired as jaded, it might be time to take things up a notch. Go bungee jumping, eat something you’d never otherwise dare too or meet some locals and go partying—anything to add new novelty to the banality of museums and historical sights. Do something new and fun! You’re on vacation after all.
The one thing that won’t solve travel burnout is trying to push through it. You’ll just get more tired and more cranky. Instead, look at the big picture: the point of travel is not to see as much as possible, but rather to have a pleasant and fun experience. So, take some time to deal with your burnout so that you can truly enjoy the rest of your vacation!
