10.Your Favorite Things.
This point might vary from person to person. It might be your roller blades, your favourite book you read over and over again, or your old but beloved sweater, which you couldn’t take along. There will be things which you are going to miss and have to live without sometimes while being on the road like your morning cup of coffee or evening jogging (as you couldn’t squeeze in those running shoes). You cannot take everything along with you. If you’re lucky you might borrow stuff from time to time from other people (no shoes, but for example a bike! :)). Cherish those precious moments to the fullest! You will certainly remember the moment when you come back home, put on this super comfy jumpsuit and fall asleep on your favourite pillow!
9.Your Own Space.
Seeing how people from all over the world live is super interesting. Staying in hotels, guesthouses, lodges or hostels can be great fun too. Nevertheless it will never feel like home, where you have your emergency snack drawer and can lock yourself away from everyone if you need it. The feeling of being 100 percent at ease is only achievable in a place which is truly your home. Always try to make yourself at home. Unpack things and put them neatly on the place you like them to be. Adjust the room to your needs, if possible. Do the little things, no matter how meaningless they might seem to others, which make you feel comfortable.
8.Your Closet.
The amount of clothes and shoes during travels are always limited. While hitchhiking, backpacking or especially bicycle touring you will have troubles having more than one spare set with you. You will soon figure out that every gram counts. Carrying all your belongings on your back or with you on your bicycle can be pretty heavy and no one wants to carry more than necessary. Especially for women this can be a issue. Check out our packing tips for women to learn how to travel with essentials and still feel comfortable.
You simply need to get used to that. Carrying multifunctional synthetic clothes definitely helps to reduce weight.
7.Your Own Fridge With Food You Really Enjoy.
Sure, trying food from all over the world is great. However not all of it will be to your liking. Food restrictions, diets, allergies etc. make the situation even more complicated. Even though you might like certain foods in the country you are in, you are very likely to be served many dishes over and over again until you cannot even look at them anymore. If you are staying for a long time in a country this can be very boring. There will be times when your biggest dream will be a bowl of muesli, a huge plate of salad or your grandma’s cake.
Certain foods are very often limited and the quality of the things you get in the supermarkets (packaged food) can be of low quality. Some of the food you like might even be unavailable or expensive. Hygiene standards at street booths or restaurants also play a big role and can lead to health issues. So be cautious and do your resource to avoid boredom. Taking minerals, vitamins and other supplements might help you to get over nutrition deficits.
6.Fast Internet Connection.
One learns on the road how privileged people in developed countries are who enjoy ultra fast Internet. Listening to Spotify, while downloading several programs and chatting with your friend at the same time whilst having other pages such as Facebook open in the background won’t be possible in many countries. It is very frustrating to be in need of internet and having to wait for ages for a map to load. You will find yourself pretty often in this very situation, depending where you are heading. Trying to communicate with friends on your phone or laptop, getting work done online or simply planning your journey can drive you absolutely nuts. If you like to check your bus schedule for the following day it might happen that you have to first look for an hour for a working wifi in town and then wait for long time to finally to get to the information you are looking for. Get a local sim, as the mobile data might work better than the wifis around you. Other than that, well ….be patient.
5.Saying Your Opinion Freely At All Times.
It is very difficult to express your thoughts openly at all times. On the road this is even much harder. The reasons for that vary. If you meet people only for one night you might not want to spend the evening arguing about certain topics. In other cases you might not have enough time to really discuss certain issues so you leave them be. People coming from different cultures, countries and backgrounds tend to think very different and have completely different priorities and life expectations. Therefore they sometimes won’t be able to understand your opinion at all just like you won’t get their opinions and views. Education, religion and traditions play a major role here. Avoid hot topics and hold your breath when needed, there are battles you cannot win.
4.Constant Clean Environment.
You have no idea in what places you will end up during your travels. It is very hard to imagine in what conditions some people live. We emphasise here that this has nothing to do with their wealth but rather with education and need (or lack of it) to have a tidy and cosy home. With time we’ve learned that hygiene and living in clean conditions have nothing to do with being poor. We’ve spent time with people who had barely enough to feed their children but lived in spotless homes. At the same time we’ve met those who had all means to have wonderful households but choose to live in outrageous conditions. To have a clean home you need water, will and work. Even hotels, guesthouses, hostels or other lodging facilities can be very disappointing. At the beginning of your journey it can be rough to adapt to new conditions. It makes you appreciate very much the way your mum kept the home tidy and the education she passed on to you.
3.Being Able To Do Whatever You Want, Whenever You Want.
Certainly you might think that traveling is always freedom and liberty but don’t be fooled. It isn’t always like that! As a foreigner some of you might not care a great deal about how they look or behave abroad. But is is very important to notice – Different countries= different customs. Since you will be often with people who host, help and enrich your travels greatly you will feel obliged (and will really want!) to show only your very best. And you surely will! But there also will be days when you are tired, ill or terribly homesick and don’t want to tell your life story all over again. You will be confronted with the same questions almost every day. As you might imagine, no matter how lovely the people are, this is very exhausting. Traveling is a bliss but also exposes you daily to situations you could live without. After a long day on the road you might stay with someone who likes to talk all night while the only thing you want to do is sleep.
Generally speaking, while being on the road you will miss the freedom of choosing to do whatever you want. It does depend very much on the way you are traveling but it is nearly impossible to fulfill all your needs. If you are for example on a hitchhiking trip it will be hard to go on daily bicycle trips. Enjoy the things you experience on the road as they are very unique. You never know if you will ever be in the position to do the same things again. There still will be time for eating pizza on the couch and watching Netflix all day long. Be certain that the time comes when you can do again all other things you miss so much.
2.Routine.
To be at different locations and meet different people every day can be very exhausting. Constant discovering different countries, eating unknown foods and listening to new music is surely very fascinating at times. However everyone needs a break now and then. Routine is something very important as humans are very habitual. One can not always be challenged with new things every day. Surely, learning is important but one needs breaks to let all information sink in. Try to get little breaks within your journey to take a deep breath. It also helps to have daily routines in order to avoid over stimulation.
1.Family and Friends.
Most importantly you will miss the people you love the most and feel the most comfortable with. The ones who set you at ease and love you back without conditions. It is utterly important to know what is the most precious in life as it is unbelievably difficult to be without it for a very long time. So don’t miss any opportunity to talk to your loved ones whenever you can.