When Travel Becomes a Chore
Overscheduled Vacations
I used to be one of them — those travel junkies who just had to see as many places as possible, from one country to country in a single trip. Two weeks, seven countries, eighteen stops. I was a regular jet-setting superstar! Or so I thought.
Looking back, I realise that travelling brought me absolutely zero joy.
The other day, my cousin reached out for some travel tips for her upcoming trip to Southeast Asia.
I had to fight the urge to reach through the phone and slap some sense into her. “Three weeks, you say? And you want to visit how many places?!”
I’m pretty sure that itinerary doesn’t even fit on a standard sheet of paper. You’re gonna need a spreadsheet just to keep track of where you go next.
But I guess that’s the reality for most now.
The thirst for social media has turned travel into a bizarre competitive sport. The bigger the #TravelGoals, the better. Never mind that your so-called “vacation” is more of an endless decathlon of airport sprints and nerve-wracking transit connections.
As long as your Instagram stories make it look like you’re living your best life, right?
At some point, everyone realizes that the FOMO and whatever other psychological demons drive these maniacal itineraries are not nearly as fancy as they seem. The high of people reacting to your dozen IG stories can’t come close to the actual feeling of connection that comes from slowing down and truly experiencing a destination.
True fulfillment comes not from quantity, but quality.
For your next trip, I challenge you to cut that list in half.
Slow down. Breathe deep. Savor the moment. Your future self (and your poor, exhausted feet) will thank you.
—
Rod
