These days, it feels like somewhat of an anomaly – I'm a travel blogger who doesn't travel all the time. In fact, I'm probably not traveling more often than I am. Hopefully that doesn't make me a travel fraud and cause you to turn away from this blog in disillusionment.
Don't get me wrong, I do travel quite a bit, certainly more than the average person but definitely not on the level of a full-time travel blogger. To me, full-time travel bloggers are admirable because many of them are constantly on the road, either spending a few months, weeks or even days in a place before moving on to the next. And they do this for years! That is some hardcore commitment to travel.
I've had conversations with friends and family in the past about whether this is something I would ever do: quit my full-time job to travel the world all the time. Many people see this as "living the dream," and I would be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind. But, in all honesty, I am okay not traveling all the time and do not feel the need to. Here are a few reasons why:
1. I like having a home base
I've lived in New York City for more than a decade, and while I can't say with any certainty that I will live here forever, I can say that I like having my own apartment and a place to call home. It's an enjoyable and satisfying feeling for me to come back from a trip and be able to collapse on my own bed, spend a few days getting back into my routine and hang with family and friends. And especially as I get older, I become much more open about the fact that I love my home, and I love spending time in it. Homebodies unite.
2. I don't always want to be on the move
God bless those people who are always on the move and never get tired. I am not one of those people. I think about being one of those people, and at one point in time I could've been one of those people but those days are long gone. Even the idea of constantly traveling all the time tires me out, and travel is one of the things I love most in life! Going from hotel to hotel (or hostel to hostel) sounds maybe a little appealing at first but then quickly feels like it will get old to never stay still and be in a place where the things around you are never your own. So, yeah, not planning on being constantly on the move anytime soon.
3. I have no intention of leaving my career
I fully realize that being a full-time travel blogger is a career and a very hard one at that, but at this point in my life, it's not my career. I have a career in communications and like what I do, so to quit my job to travel the world is not presently an option. As I've said many times before, it's very much possible to work AND travel, and so that's what I do. Also, practically speaking, if I'm going to have a home base, I need to pay for that base and the bills that come with it, so having a career is helpful with that, too.
4. I like the balance
Similar to some of my other reasons above, I like the balance of being able to explore the world AND my home base. I don't want to just constantly explore the world or just stay home all the time and not travel; I want the best of both worlds. Right now I can do that. I can try the new restaurant down the street or take the local fitness class with a friend and plan my travels to Asia and fly to the Caribbean for a few days. I'm all about balance, and by not traveling all the time, I'm able to achieve this.
5. I worry it will ruin travel for me
There's the saying that too much of a good thing can do you harm. I think that's certainly the case with ice cream and chocolate (sadly), and I'm afraid to say that's probably also the case with travel. I sometimes hear stories of full-time travel bloggers who burn out. They've been on the road for years, hopping around the place with no actual home and they are exhausted, sometimes to the point of making them sick. I don't want this, and I don't want to ever feel like I need to get away from travel or it's something that's made me jaded. Travel is an incredible privilege – one that I am eternally grateful for, so I want to stay feeling that way and not take it for granted.
My reasons above are just that – mine. There are many people out there who travel all the time and love it, and that's great because it's what they want to do. Ultimately, we should do what works best for each of us. I'm not a full-time traveler, and I'm okay with that.
Do you travel all the time or want to? Why or why not?
