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It has been a tough couple of years for everyone. And for many more serious reasons than having to forgo adventures and just generally missing travelling.
Amidst a global pandemic and travel restrictions, there are also income troubles and mental health issues abound.
And in many ways I have been incredibly lucky over the past two years.
I never got ill, COVID or otherwise; My job was secure (food retail, the industry that will always survive!),;and I didn’t have to worry about money too much. In fact I actually managed to pay off my travelling debts for my last trip in record time as I couldn’t go out and spend anything!
Plus I live with family, I work with friends, and really quite like just watching TV! So being in lockdown wasn’t initially too much of a strain.
Battling Mental Health
As the year went by however, things got harder.
My depression which I can usually keep at bay started getting difficult to control. And missing travelling is a big part of the reason why.
It sounds shallow to write this, given how unscathed I am compared to others, but travelling is what makes me happy.
Even when struggling with the unexpected and having stumbles abroad, ultimately travelling is what I live for. It gives meaning to my life. And if I’m not actively on the move, I’m usually planning and prepping for the next adventure.
And suddenly being told I can’t see the world, with no end date in sight to focus on, makes every day a struggle.
Travelling with Anxiety and Depression
It has taken me years to learn how to balance my desire to travel with caring for my mental health.
And part of how I keep moving forward is simply being able to keep moving.
I got home from New Zealand just three weeks before the UK locked down in March 2020. It was an amazing trip, and I managed the whole 2 months without any big stumbles. And I was already planning my next adventure before even making it home.
Then everything stopped.
With no concept of for how long for.
With the added concern of catching a potentially deadly disease.
Ironically, the threat of COVID actually helped me manage my mental health in regards to travel as I had no desire to go out into the world in its current state. I felt safer at home, and whilst I’m missing travelling, knowing I really couldn’t go anywhere helped keep the wanderlust at bay.
Regression into Fear
The problem now is, I’ve lost my momentum. My confidence when it comes to travel has taken a hit as one year turns into two since my last long trip.
I am plagued by new worries like “Am I too old to travel now?” and “How am I going to manage my diet abroad?”. (I went gluten free 18 months ago to see if it helped my IBS and annoyingly it did, so now I have to consider what I can eat rather than just grabbing a quick Macca’s on the road!)
Plus I stubbornly refuse to line the pockets of opportunistic testing companies just so I can go abroad for a bit. So until the requirement to test ends I am limited to the UK and Ireland.
I also don’t relish the idea of travelling to places still struggling with vaccination, thus limiting myself even further.
Determination
Overwhelmingly though, missing travelling trumps all my fears and concerns. The thought of letting my fears get the better of me after getting so far overcoming them is simply not an option.
Which means there’re only one thing to do: plan my way out of my concerns.
Having a plan is always my first step, even if in my heart of hearts I know the plan will never come to fruition. I begin with my dream plan and then gradually adjust it to my reality.
Over the years and with experience I know my limits, and just how far I can push them.
For example, right now I’m searching the web for volunteer projects in Central and South America. I began with looking at 6 months in Costa Rica… which has rapidly had to be recalculated as I simply cannot afford $50 a day for 6 months with no income.
So now I’m looking at 1-2 months somewhere, for about $250 a week.
I have to factor in my comfort level and physical ailments, along with dietary needs and medication. But I think with proper planning this should be achievable.
Which means the only hurdle I really have to get over now is my own anxiety and fears.
Start Small
The best way to rebuild my confidence is to simply start travelling again.
I started small, with a mini break to Oxford with my friend Ruth. Just a 2 hour drive from home for a couple of days. And it was lovely!
We explored the city, had a little river cruise, and generally just had a nice little staycation.
And on our last night we started planning and booking our next trip!
Making it a bit more like a traveller holiday, we embarked on a 2 week tour around the UK.
We flew to Glasgow, got a bus to Edinburgh, the train to York, and another train to London. We paid a visit to Loch Ness, saw some street performers at Fringe, went on a ghost tour of York, and even caught a show in the West End.
It was great to be on the move again.
So the next step is to go “abroad”. Now technically, Ireland is another country! But it is still included in the UK travel rules for Covid, so no testing is required.
We are going on a short city break to Dublin which is somewhere I’ve wanted to see for a long time.
Leaving the Bubble
The other trip I’ve got planned it taking my Mum on a tour of Italy for two weeks.
Now, this trip is planned but not booked. Which is the commitment I have yet to make.
What I want to happen is all testing rules to be abolished in January, and then I will start actually booking the trip. However, even if this doesn’t happen, I still want to go.
I don’t want to loose the momentum I’m gaining. And if testing really isn’t going anywhere, I think it’s time to just get on with it.
2022 has to be about returning to normal for me. And that means no more missing travelling. It means getting back on the road.
It could be South America, Africa, or Northern Europe. Or somewhere I haven’t even fully considered yet. But it has to happen.
Carpe Diem.