The circle of traveling

It took us a while to learn how to travel. Everyone has their own style. We had to figure out what we need on our journey, what we want and how much time and money we want to spend. We learned that traveling is really hard work if you don't just leave for a short holiday trip. 

Luckily our ideas matched pretty well and we figured out, what we wanted, rather soon. Each one of us found a way to contribute to our lifestyle and travel style. Fabian preferred to read maps, make plans, study time tables, currencies, flight schedules, hostels, etc. And I hunted for food and supplies, internet cafes and so on. And we soon developed a routine. As soon as our bus arrived at the terminal, we bought water and food, then we started to look for a hostel, checked out all that we previously added to a list to check out which one fit best to our expectations and which one was the best deal for us. 

Do you know the feeling, when you finally arrive in your bedroom, which will be your home for the next night or maybe week? You put down your backpack, look around, make sure there's a towel and you lay on the bed? This feeling of home but not home? First you're incredibly happy that you finally arrived after being on the road for an entire day or even more. 

But then there's that sound - or rather noise. Ah, right. We're in moskito land. Ah, and the neighbours. Right. Young travelers, looking for the best party, pre drinking and horney. Ah, right. And you need X. No matter what X might be at that moment, it is probably in your backpack. You probably didn't need it since you left your last place and now you have to unpack everything to get it. So you start unpacking every single item in your luggage, no matter how smartly you packed. And you realize that this is your life now. And that this part of it really is not what you wanted.

I reached that point already at the beginning of our trip around the world. The first year abroad I spent in Indonesia. I didn't pack too often during that year. I moved about four times but that was really okay for me. Then we went to Switzerland for three weeks before we started the journey around our planet. We didn't know how long we would be on the road or whether we ever would come back to Switzerland. We just hit the road with no expectations. And the first time that I realized that I wouldn't do that for ever was on Kho Tao in Thailand in a little hut at the beach.

Even though I reached that point already then, I told myself that I really shouldn't think that negative, that I'd get over it and will get to love it. Even that part. But it was not the only thing I started to really dislike. There was also the packing at the end of a stay. To fit your entire life into that backpack. We knew all the tricks of rolling your clothes, of leaving everything behind that wasn't really necessary and so on. But it was always a fight. 

And then you'd load this huge and heavy monster on your back to go on. To discover amazing places and meet lovely people. To eat weird but tasty food, laugh with complete strangers, get an insight of a strange culture, to let the sun shine on your face. And then you'd reach your destination, lay on your new bed, incredibly happy to be there. Until you realize, that you need X from your backpack.