11 REASONS I NEED TO TRAVEL AGAIN

I’ve been thinking about it for a while now and constantly find myself flicking through old photos from the past two years when I have prioritised travel over anything else.

It’s funny because if you haven’t traveled you don’t really know what you’re missing and for anyone that has, you know it’s almost impossible to only do it once and not fall in love.

I’ve traveled in various ways; I’ve been Interailing and lived off virtually pennies, wandering through Europe by train. Aside from the a few girly holiday trips and camping in Spain, I hadn’t really experienced anything like Interailing. Although it 100% wasn’t a ‘rest’ and was the epitome of budget back-packing (like sleeping on the steps of Amsterdam budget) I was completely drawn in from then on.

I wanted to see it all.

And so I continued through my degree and jet off to Malta when we graduated and I knew that I couldn’t get straight into my career without packing my bags for a few months. I got a job as a waitress in Harvester which had its perks as when I think back to the pots in my bedroom full of £ coins from tips, I wonder why I even bother doing 9-5 now. I thought I had it made but I didn’t really have a life. I’d do 15 hour days without a break and come home crying because of the blisters on my feet. I worked on Christmas Day and bank holidays and Sundays and one of the only things that kept me going were the pounds I was counting until I had enough to leave and book a Summer away.

And then my best friend, Laura and I booked our flights to Croatia and began planning our trip. It wasn’t Asia but this made me excited; we visited every aspect of a country that wasn’t flooded with quirky gap year students in elephant pants. Don’t get me wrong, I have since been to Thailand and now know what all of the fuss is about but I was ready for Europe (and maybe not so ready for the amount it cost). We had the most amazing 4 months in the sun, learning new things and tanning and partying and I find it difficult to imagine never being able to do that again.

I’m so caught between continuing my career, maybe moving on and upping my salary and moving out or just saying fuck it, giving myself until next Summer and booking a one way ticket. Maybe somewhere I could work abroad and not have to worry for a year or two. It’s madness to feel that taking time out at 26 would even have a dent in the rest of my life but I do worry. I’m doing so well at work and although I pull my hair out every day (I’ll get to that), I feel like I’d be throwing that away and starting again. WHY IS GROWING UP SO DIFFICULT?!

Anyway. More than ever, travelling is on my brain and here is why –

If I have to hear my morning alarm go off at 7am one more time, I think I might die. Forever haunted by the fact I chose a Jason Mraz song to wake up to – soz Jas hun.
You know it’s time when you spend 90% of your time at work literally planning what you’d do if you won £50 million.
I’m twitchy that I have nothing booked yet this year and I am v.poor… so I might as well be twitchy and poor on a beach.
I don’t know if I have ever been more tired than I am right this second (I mean, I reckon I have… but it doesn’t feel like it)
I’m getting fat and the only realistic way I’m going to lose any weight is to walk the China Wall or run up and down the beach in St Lucia.
Life is better with a tan and I have tried every fake tan I can get my mits on (No pun intended) and decided they are all either shit or I have absolutely no idea how to apply it.
Now is the time before I waste my money on renting and babies (Renting more than the babies for now I suspect – lol)
Because I almost die inside if I have to arrange a client meeting – I don’t wanna talk to anyone unless they are taking my iced coffee order OKAY.
My hair, teeth and nails were all nicer when I travelled. It was the sun. And I’m not getting any from my desk.
It feels like everybody else has either returned from their travels or off for an adventure and I’m getting complete fomo.
I get a daily update on flights sent to my email and even though I know I have £2.50 in my bank account, I kinda get weird butterflies of excitement. That’s normal init?

I know that I will eventually go away again for a long period of time. I knew when I was a looot younger that I would never stay in one place. But it’s change isn’t it? It was all much easier when we all left Uni and life was only just really starting. It’s now been 4 years and I’m wondering how I even got here.

I’ll take the beach, a travel guide and a pina colada any day of the week.

lovelove,