So one month has passed and we’re currently in Vietnam writing our first thoughts about a whole month of travel.
We’ve been able to visit a bunch of different cities and countries which means: being constantly stimulated by everything those new places have to offer. Plus, the daunting notion of everything we planned to do in this trip, keeps burning in the back of our minds.
Long-term traveling requires a different mindset than the one we’re used to.
Unintentionally, we got caught in a rhythm like we were trying to fit everything on a 10-day vacation. Every day was filled 100% with as many activities as possible and all that was doing was stealing our presence and making us neglect our bodies. Not to mention that it was completely unfair to the places we were visiting. We needed to slow down.
Let us illustrate what might happen if you don’t slow down:
When you’re feeling physically exhausted but decide to keep going anyways for two more hours before having a rest, is when that new local market you’re in seems like every other you’ve seen so far.
When you decide to cram every Angkor temple in the same day even though there’s like 40ºC in the sun and you’re doing it by bicycle, is when you get ‘templed out’, dehydrated and over it.
When you decide to check those 20 iconic sites before breakfast, the fun experience of trying a new dish at that quirky local restaurant with not an English word in the menu is replaced by a BigMac at the first McDonalds you find “because you’re starting to feel woozy from the low blood sugar”.
When you’re drained, that characteristic street from Asia filled with thousands of motorbikes, honking cars, and busy locals will just annoy you and make you want to run to your hotel room. And when you get there, the irrelevant slow Wi-Fi connection can make you GO BONKERS!
The most obvious piece of advice you’ll ever hear
It’s important to know your body and your limits to begin with. No matter what part of the world you are, you’ll still need plenty of water, good food, and rest. BOOM. You’re welcome.
On another note
This whole experience has been quite positive and quite doable.
Crossing borders, new people, the amazing sunsets and white sand beaches, the swollen lips from too much chili, the days that blend together and feel like a giant Saturday, the unmeasurable freedom
We’re learning to relax more and enjoy each place we’re in. We’ve started to slow down, creating time to appreciate where we are and to be grateful for the privilege to be there.
The time we have in our hands actually allows for less structured days and the outcome is openness. Openness to change plans and make new ones as we go. To appreciate little things like the vibrancy of the flowers, the sweetness of the fruit and the smiles of locals passing by. Not only the breathtaking postcard-worthy scenery. It even grants the distance to look at the lives we have back home. Perspective.
We’re waking up feeling less tired and more inspired.
Long-term traveling is good and we definitely want more of it.
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