If you’re still wondering why I love travelling so much, then read on for my personal story about how travel changed my life! It’s hard to imagine where it all began because I wasn’t raised to see the world. But once the floodlights switched on and I had a taste of travel, there was no coming back. Travelling has opened my eyes to new cultures and different ways of life and shown me an endless amount of natural beauty. It has changed me as a person for the better and given me experiences that I will never forget.

There are special memories in life, like when I met my wife for the first time, my kids were born, and we bought our first house and truly felt like adults. But for me, some of my most cherished memories are from my travels. I love the adventure and excitement that comes with planning a trip, not knowing what lies ahead but being confident that it will be amazing.

Hey, not that my wedding day over 16 years ago and the day my kids were born don’t top the list; of course, they do. However, there is something about getting away from every day and exploring our big beautiful world.

From the first time I stepped foot on a plane as a young adult, I was hooked. I loved everything about flying; the anticipation of takeoff, the views from above, and finally touching down at a new destination. The sense of freedom and adventure that comes with travel is unlike anything else. And I knew that I wanted more.

So, why do I love travelling? For me, it’s all about the experiences. Each new place I visit presents an opportunity to learn something new, see things from a different perspective and make memories that will last a lifetime. 

Whether watching the sunset over the Himalayas in Nepal, I was hiking the jungle in Borneo or enjoying a coffee in a Bali cafe. While travelling, I will always create memories that I will treasure forever.

The sunrise from Chisapani in Nepal.

Why I Love Travelling – a personal story about how travel changed my life

Why do I love travelling, and how did it change my life? Let’s go back a bit before I even saw another country outside of Australia. By the end, you’ll understand why I love travelling and how I can’t stop.

Unless a virus takes control of the world, naturally.

I never travelled internationally growing up.

I don’t think I am alone in this because international travel is undoubtedly more convenient in modern times than in my youthful years in the 80s and 90.s. But my family never went on holidays overseas, except for domestic trips to Sydney from Melbourne. That was fine, Sydney was superb, and the memories were strong, especially the beachside area of Manly. Yet, international travel remained a mystery. 

However, going overseas was a pipedream growing up. It all changed when I got my first real job and joined the Australian Army.

My first overseas trip came about a deployment in the Army.

On my first overseas trip, I didn’t even have a passport. I didn’t need one getting deployed to another country with the Army, so that’s always a remarkable fact I like to mention from time to time. How is this for a little fun fact?

Anyway, my deployment was peacekeeping in East Timor, and I was there for just three months. It was a fantastic experience and one that changed my life in so many ways that I am forever grateful for.

However, it wasn’t a holiday. Besides being based in the hills of Bobonaro with fantastic views near the Indonesian Border, there wasn’t a lot of time to be a tourist.

Visiting South Korea is when travelling truly opened my eyes.

Okay, my first real trip overseas with an official passport happened in 2005 when I visited Seoul, South Korea, with my Korean girlfriend. Spoiler alert She became my wife, and we’ve been married 16-plus years now, so happy ending and all that.

But this is where I had what I like to call my ‘travel epiphany’. I hadn’t given travel much thought, but being in Korea and seeing the sights of Seoul, exploring the city region and seeing impressive palaces and temples and so forth was genuinely fantastic. I loved it; I was beginning to get the travel bug.

The Gyeongbokgung Palace must be on your list during your vacation in Seoul.

A travelling Halt as Marriage and Kids took over.

Unfortunately, a trip to South Korea would be the last trip abroad for eight years, that’s right, eight years! Because we got married, had kids and bought a house, the critical stuff required in adulthood. Which is excellent, I love being a husband and father, but the travel itch was still there. I often researched for trips, but timing and financings were not there.

But why do I love travelling? Especially when I barely touched the surface in the travel stratosphere.

It’s hard to explain why I love travelling so much because it is an indescribable feeling whether you travel a lot or not.

But as circumstances changed, kids grew older, and we had a bit more money, we finally started to travel again.

And I haven’t stopped since!

Travel restarted with a trip to Fiji.

Suppose I ever think about why I love travelling. In that case, the paradise islands of Fiji in the Pacific stand out because it was here on the beaches of Fiji that I realized that I wanted to travel more. That I needed to see more places and explore this big wide world we live in.

However, it was not only the stunning beachside resorts and cocktails that helped too; the locals were the kindest people I had ever met. They had this unique way of life and culture that I wanted to learn more about.

If a tiny island country could get me enthusiastic about the rest of the world, I was keen to see what other countries had in store.

I was visiting a boutique island in Fiji.

Then Asia came calling again, and I never looked back.

Fiji got the blood pumping for travel. Therefore it was time to travel more frequently. With Asia being the most affordable place to travel from Australia, it became my haven for a trip.

Over the years following Fiji and before the virus hit the world, which took travel to a halt, I visited terrific destinations.

I return trips to South Korea, expanding further than Seoul and seeing beautiful destinations in Muju, Busan and Jeju. I had several trips to Bali, Malaysia and Thailand. I’ll never forget my tenth wedding Anniversary in Koh Samui, Thailand, where it became the Island of Love.

I became well-travelled in Asia, but what stands out the most was two adventures of different kinds. Firstly, in 2017, was the volunteering experience I had in Vientiane, Laos, where I tried my hand at teaching English to school kids and monks.

The second unbelievable experience was hiking in Nepal, just outside Kathmandu, and seeing the unbelievable Himalayas with my two eyes. It was better than any picture I could see on social media or television.

The continent of Asia is spectacular for many reasons, and I’m excited to see what else is out there in this big wide world. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll conquer Europe or even Africa! And that’s why I love travelling, it changes you as a person, witnessing experiences of different cultures in different destinations.

Happy and smiling from a high vantage point in Koh Samui in Thailand.

My most memorable trips to this date

Hiking in Nepal, volunteering in Laos or having a wedding anniversary in Koh Samui all stands out, but what indeed is the most memorable trip. Well, I can tell you, it’s none of the above.

1. Kyoto in Japan – Japan is incredible, and Kyoto is a beautiful city to get lost in for a few days. I saw the best tourist attractions, the Fushimi Inari-Taisha and the Kinkaku-Ji, to only name a few best places to visit in Kyoto. The temples, the food and the culture make this place very special to me.
2. South Korea – Whether it’s Seoul, Busan, Jeju, or Gyeongju, there’s an excellent reason I’ve returned to Korea on numerous occasions. It’s a beautiful country with something new, whether the food, the nightlife, or just exploring a new neighbourhood.
3. Nusa Lembongan in Indonesia – The beautiful island of Bali, Nusa Lembongan is the perfect place to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of city life. With its turquoise waters, white sand beaches and coral reefs, it’s easy to spend a few days on the island and cherish life and what is around you.

Paradise awaits any traveller on arrival in Nusa Lembongan.

How my love for travel opened my world to travel writing

The love of travel inspired my blog, Fair Dinkum Traveller, which started in 2016. It’s a place where I share my personal travel stories, itineraries and tips to help others explore this big wide world we live in.

I have visited some unique places as a travel writer and influencer through writing. I’ve written about travel destinations, especially my immense love of Asia and my home country in Australia.

I’ve been very fortunate to have articles published in well-known travel publications, giving me more opportunities to quench my thirst for travel.

But why do I write about travel? I want to inspire others to get out there and explore this big wide world we live in. I want others to know that seeing the world is possible, whether you’re from a small town or city.

And that’s why I love travelling, because it changes you as a person, witnessing experiences of different cultures in different destinations.

How did you catch the travel bug? Please let me know in the comments below.

Why I Love Travelling – a personal story about how travel changed my life

We’ve all been there, the nasty post-travel blues that hit you like a tonne of bricks. You come back from a great vacation, and suddenly you feel terrible. All the energy and excitement you felt before your trip has vanished, and you’re left depressed and anxious.

This is known as post-vacation depression, a genuine phenomenon.

Is there a cure? For the everyday people who need to return to their real jobs, possibly not, we each hang out for the next lot of annual leave until we can spread our wings and fly once more.

This article discusses ways to deal with post-vacation depression and get your life back on track!

Beat post-travel blues and go on a holiday again; find a hotel at booking.com!

Dealing with Post-Vacation Depression: How to Get Over the Blues when not travelling. 

Dealing with Post-Vacation Depression: How to Get Over the Blues

Is post-travel blues the end of the world? No, but it can feel like it and sometimes you may feel foolish feeling this way when there are more significant problems in the world than your travel obsession.

However, the travel blues do exist, whether it’s a big deal or not. Every individual is different and faces reality in different ways.

So how do you deal with post-vacation depression? Let’s discuss a few scenarios to get you back into the real world again.

Accept how you feel with the travel blues.

The first step is to accept that you’re feeling this way. It’s perfectly natural to feel a little down after returning from a trip, especially if it was somewhere you loved.

Don’t beat yourself up for feeling this way, and don’t try to push the feelings away. Accepting them is the first step to dealing with them.

Talk about your experiences with others.

Has it gone this far where you need to talk about post-vacation depression? It’s OK to talk to others about your feelings; it can be pretty therapeutic.

When you’re feeling down, it can be helpful to talk to someone who will understand what you’re going through. Talk to a friend or family member who has also been on a great trip or read travel blogs to get some vicarious thrills.

Do something that makes you happy.

Sometimes it’s hard to feel this way when you’re about to head to the office and slug it out for the next few months or year until your next vacation.

So what can you do to make yourself feel better in the meantime? Do something that makes you happy! If you love your job, this will be easier, but try and find little things to enjoy in your day-to-day life.

Doing something which makes you happy is an excellent opportunity to do something that makes you happy but that you wouldn’t usually have time for in the real world. Maybe there’s a hobby you’ve wanted to pick up or a place you’ve wanted to visit. Now is the time to do it!

Book another holiday and have another trip to look forward to

Planning another trip is the ultimate way to get over post-vacation depression: book another vacation! If you have the means to travel more often, this may be the best solution for you.

Sure it is a tease to book another holiday which is further into the future but having something to look forward to is a great way to deal with post-vacation depression.

Book another vacation and see fabulous destinations like Kyoto in Japan.

Have short getaways close to home

Try and find short weekend or day trips that you can do to tide you over until your next big adventure. Close-to-home vacations are a great way to get over post-vacation depression if you can’t afford to travel immediately or if you don’t have the time.

It could surprise you how many beautiful things there are to see close to home that require a night or two stay. It also breaks your usual routine of going to week work and sending the weekend at home completing daily chores.

Get back into a routine.

Returning to reality isn’t the most exciting way to get over the travel blues, but getting back into a routine can help. A habit is ultimately something we all must do after a holiday, and the sooner you face the reality of the natural world, the easier it will be for you upon return to work.

Your body and mind are used to being on vacation mode, and it can be hard to transition back into work mode or regular life. Try and ease yourself back into it by starting with shorter work days, if possible, or planning fun activities after work.

Look back on the memories of your recent trip.

Is this routine-wise, or is it too much of a tease? It is best to find a happy medium.

You can reflect on your recent trip by looking through pictures or videos or writing in a journal about all the great things you did. Reflection on your past trip will help you remember all the good times you had and why you travelled in the first place.

It can also be helpful to look back on old travel memories to get you excited for future trips. Remember, post-vacation depression is only temporary! Soon enough, you’ll pack your bags again and make new memories.

There’s no place like home.

Ultimately, this is the most important thing you need to remember, you’re home, and there’s no place like home.

Yes, you might miss the excitement of your recent trip, but you’re also surrounded by the people and things you love. Appreciate all the good things about being home, and post-vacation depression will soon fade away.

Change jobs

This scenario is unrealistic, but why not have a moment in your life where you think about the future and where you desire to be in life. If post-vacation depression is something that hits you hard every time, maybe it’s time for a change.

A new job or even a new career might be just what you need to get over the post-travel blues. If your current job isn’t making you happy, look for others who will mentally and emotionally fulfil you.

A change of scenery can be just what you need to get out of your post-vacation slump, so don’t be afraid to take risks! You may find a job requiring travel; how cool would this be?

Post-vacation depression is brutal, but there are ways to get through it. Just remember to take things one day at a time, do something that makes you happy, and appreciate all the good things about being home. Soon enough, you’ll be planning your next adventure!

What are your favourite ways of dealing with post-vacation depression? Let us know in the comments below!

Beat post-travel blues and go on a holiday again; find a hotel at booking.com!

Don’t have the travel blues; get back in the routine until you travel again.