Long-term travel might look like an endless adventure from the outside, and don’t get us wrong, it often is, but there’s a side to it that rarely gets airtime. Beneath the postcards and palm trees are the not-so-Instagrammable moments: burnout, decision fatigue, budget wobbles, and a constant shuffle of goodbyes. If you’ve been there, you’ll know. And if you’re just starting out, well, we’re here to let you in on what it really feels like to live out of a backpack for months on end.
Always Moving, Never Settled
Bouncing from city to city might sound glamorous, but after a while, it starts to feel like Groundhog Day. Every new place means figuring out a new transport system, finding the nearest grocery store, and relearning how to say “Where’s the bathroom?” in another language.
And the truth is, being in constant motion is tiring. There’s no steady rhythm. One minute we’re loving the chaos, the next we’re lying on a hostel bunk wondering why we’re so emotionally fried.
Here’s what helps us stay sane:
- Sticking around longer in one spot to actually feel the place
- Creating little routines, even if it’s just morning coffee and journaling
- Ditching the pressure to “do it all” every single day
Freedom Overload Is Real
It’s wild how stressful “total freedom” can be. When every path is open, how do you know which one to take? Should we head to the beach town with epic surf, or the mountain village with that cool hike? What if we miss something better?
Eventually, decision fatigue kicks in. We’ve spent way too long frozen over flight comparison sites. It’s not pretty.
What keeps us grounded:
- Choosing a theme for a trip (culture, food, hiking) to narrow down choices
- Accepting that we will miss some things, and that’s okay
- Rolling with the unexpected, which is usually where the best memories are hiding
Budgeting: Guesswork in Disguise
“Travel on a budget,” they said. “It’ll be easy,” they said. But no one warned us about the surprise visa fees, broken phones, or the mysterious ATM charges that eat away at our funds like digital termites.
One month you’re living off $10 a day, the next you’ve accidentally spent your grocery money on overnight buses and laundry tokens.
Lessons we’ve learned (the hard way):
- Always have a backup stash of cash, ideally not in your sock
- Don’t rely solely on travel blogs for budgeting advice, prices change
- Give yourself a break when you go over, it’s part of the ride
The Hello-Goodbye Whiplash
We meet the most amazing people, then say goodbye to them days later. It’s emotional whiplash. One minute you’re bonding over street food in Hanoi, the next you’re waving them off at a bus terminal in tears.
Yes, it’s beautiful to connect with people from all over the world. But those constant goodbyes? They wear on us.
How we cope without turning into emotionally unavailable nomads:
- Stay in touch when it feels right, don’t force every connection to be forever
- Enjoy the moment without worrying about the ending
- Remind ourselves that the world is small and travel reunions do happen
Health on the Road: Easier Said Than Done
Let’s be honest. Some days, our diet is 70% street food and 30% hostel snacks. Exercise? Well, we hiked to the top bunk, does that count?
It’s hard to prioritise wellbeing when routines don’t exist and your “gym” is a dirt road somewhere in rural Laos. But health catches up with us, so we’ve had to get creative.
What works for us (most days):
- Walking everywhere, it’s good for the wallet and the waistline
- Eating fresh when possible, but not beating ourselves up over the odd pizza
- Keeping mental health in check by slowing down when we need to
The Not-So-Glamorous Side of Backpacking: Managing Sweaty Feet on the Road
Let’s be real—travel can get messy, and so can our feet. Between tropical heat, endless walking, and wearing the same shoes day after day, it’s no surprise that sweaty feet are a common travel woe. It’s not exactly dinner table conversation, but it can seriously mess with your comfort (and confidence) on the road.
The good news? There are simple ways to manage it:
- Rotate your shoes when possible to let them fully dry out
- Pack moisture-wicking socks (ditch the cotton, trust us)
- Give your feet a break—air them out during rest stops or whenever you’re off your feet
- Use foot powders or antiperspirant sprays designed for feet—they really do help reduce moisture and odour
For most of us, a little extra care goes a long way. But if you find your sweaty feet are persistent, excessive, or starting to affect your day-to-day comfort, it might be more than just hot weather. In that case, it’s worth checking in with a specialist. There are treatments that can help, and it’s always better to know your options than to keep struggling in silence.
Bottom line? Your feet carry you through every adventure. Take care of them—they deserve it.
The Admin We All Dread
We’ve lost count of the number of visa websites we’ve squinted at. One said 30 days, another said 60. Guess who still got fined at the airport? Yep. Us.
There’s nothing glamorous about border crossings, surprise exit taxes, or trying to book flights on dodgy hostel Wi-Fi. But it’s all part of the game.
Our go-to tricks:
- Double-check info from official sources, not Karen’s travel blog from 2016
- Screenshot everything, you never know when you’ll need it
- Give yourself grace when things go sideways, they often do
That Awkward Feeling of Wanting to Go Home
We’ve all been there. Sitting alone in some dreamy spot, wondering why we’re not feeling it. Missing our friends, our bed, or just our own kitchen.
But here’s the deal. Needing a break from travel doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re human.
What we’ve learned to embrace:
- Going home for a bit if you need to, there’s no prize for staying on the road forever
- Changing plans without guilt, flexibility is the actual travel superpower
- Doing what feels good in the moment, not what you think you should do
It’s Not Always Pretty, But It’s Worth It
Long-term travel isn’t just sunsets and smoothies. It’s uncertainty, adaptation, growth, and sometimes just a lot of dirty laundry. But it’s real. And raw. And deeply rewarding.
So if you’re out here struggling to stay afloat between hostel rooms and visa offices, know you’re not alone. We’ve felt it too. And we’re right here with you, figuring it out one beautiful mess at a time.
Let us know your own unseen struggles. Because the more we share, the easier it gets for all of us to keep going, honestly and with a little humour too.
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