Now you’re back home. Just a few days/weeks ago, you were somewhere in Thailand. Having some of the best times of your life. Now that’s over, and you’re feeling the blues.
You’re not alone; many travelers get this feeling too.
I’ve been traveling to Thailand for more than eight years and I always get a sad, sometimes depressing feeling after I leave Thailand. Some are worse than others, but here are some of the things I did to help me get through these travel blues.
Recognizing these symptoms some people can automatically go back to their regular routines. Some can’t. Signs include tiredness or restlessness, loss of appetite or an increase in appetite, sadness, feeling the blues, finding it hard to do regular stuff you used to do.
Also, recognize it is not the end of the world and understand that you can always go back.
One of the ways I dealt with my travel blues is to keep myself busy. My 9-5 job does a pretty good job of that but only most of the days. What do you do during the evenings and weekends?
During the evenings and weekends, I have many hobbies. Playing sports, exercising, reading, watching movies/TV, fishing, video games, learning new things. Etc… This leads to the next point.
Get a hobby. It can be the same things as I listed above or anything else you’re interested in.
Hang out with my buddies and family, share your experiences.
Share photos and videos on social media like YouTube, Facebook, twitter, ect.
Watching the travel channel, of course. Watch our YouTube channel :P. It doesn’t have to be related to Thailand; I find it also helped if I watch any travel related shows mainly in South East Asia, like Vietnam, or Laos.
Here are some the channels I watch (just go to YouTube and search the following)
Anthony Bourdain, Life in Thailand, Darrenb3, Retire Cheap JC, Kyle Le, Andrew Zimmern.It doesn’t even have to be travel related. It can be comedy. If you’re into slapstick comedy, go check out Top 10 Slapstick Comedy Movies.
Start planning and setting new travel goals, saving money. Do research and see what other new places you would like to visit – temples, bars, restaurants, other attractions, beaches, other cities or towns.
Think about how lucky you are. The majority of Thais cannot go to western countries because the requirements are too high, or they can’t simply afford it.
If you are able to go to Thailand and come back to your country consider yourself very lucky. The average Thais make about 500-1000 baht per day; that’s about $15-$30USD for an entire day of work. I’m sure you can get more than that in a few hours flipping burgers back in some western country.
Be thankful for what you already have. A lot of people have it much worse and are less fortunate just because they were not born in the same country as you.
