I must admit, I had a moment of panic when Sam and I first arrived in Malaysia.
After a week of packing madness, six hours on a plane, little to no sleep, and the prospect of spending the night sleeping on the hard airport floor, one daunting question began to run through my mind,
What if I don’t enjoy travel anymore?
Shite!
I’ve signed myself up to do this indefinitely and I’m having these thoughts within twenty minutes of landing in Malaysia!
It’s a feeling that I had felt only once before. That was when I was six years old and my family was moving from Canada to Argentina. My six year old self was exhausted by what felt like a hundred connecting flights, we were hanging out at the departure gate yet again with bags sprawled around us, people were sleeping on the floor, and there were no seats for me to nap on! That’s one quick way to annoy a tired six year old.
My thoughts?
I’m done with this and I’d be happy never to fly again!
My last week in Seoul had been pure madness spreading my time between packing up the apartment, throwing my classes goodbye parties, going out for one last noraebang session, sending stuff home, packing the backpack, and having to send even more stuff home when I realized I couldn’t physically carry my overstuffed backpack.
By the time we reached KL, I was exhausted and panicking internally. Someone else next to me, however, was sleeping on top of backpacks with a ‘whatevs, no biggie’ attitude. Just look at him!
Can I handle this?!
Pshhh, I am happy to say that I’ve had a good night’s sleep since (in an actual bed and not on a tiled floor), and it is safe to say that those ludicrous doubts have magically dissipated. What a difference a bed makes.
I was being ridiculous! How could I ever not enjoy travel?!
I am loving Malacca, but for now I’ll leave you with a short 1 minute clip of what our first night ‘on the road’ looked like…
Glad you didn’t quit on day one! 😉
All is well! Just needed some sleep to snap out of it. 😉
A trip to a paradisical cove could easily crush that doubt too. But yeah, a good night’s sleep is more than enough. Haha.
Happy to say I am enjoying paradise now. 🙂
It’s all part of the journey. Good times and bad make the memories and when you think back on both don’t be surprised if you break out in a smile.
Very true. Already looking back on this one and laughing. 😉
KL is one of my least favorite cities… so I could see how you might ask yourself that question upon landing! 😉 Glad you’re rested up and ready to tackle your next traveling adventure!
I was only in KL in transit, but I am looking forward to exploring the city. 🙂
When one blogger is deprived of sleep, she can publish a grumpy post hehe just kidding 😀 enjoy Malaysia! 😀
Haha, thanks Mica! I’m all peppy and overjoyed to be travelling again. 😀
Sleeping in airports is so shitty, no matter how ‘good’ one may be considered for sleeping. And I know exactly what you mean about a bed making a world of difference. And anyway, you don’t look too bothered in the video. If it were me, I would have been like, “Turn the damn camera off.”
Haha, yeah, I was expecting to have seats to sleep on (totally regretted not bringing a sleeping back at that moment!), but it was a ‘fun’ little introduction to backpacking in SE Asia. I’m sure there will be plenty more sleeps on airport floors… 😉
Hahaaaa, love that little clip. I’ve been through moments like this too. It either happens when I’m settled into a routine and enjoying it when I stop somewhere or it happens when I’m coming up to a big trip and get stressed about organising everything. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the clip. 😉 I’m sure I’ll have plenty more moments like that one…
Definitely think its about momentum. Traveling for year abroad I thought I would never want it to end. I’ve only been to a few interstate trips around Oz since then and realised I didn’t have the same joy I had when I used to travel locally before my big trip.
I couldn’t even feed off the energy of my fellow backpackers really. I realised it had to do with momentum, takes a while to settle into that magical energy sometimes. When you find it, its all :]s
Ohh have fun in Malacca…that was my favorite place in Malaysia. Congrats on beginning the travels again! 🙂
Thank you! I’m ecstatic to be travelling again, and Melaka has been the perfect introduction! I can see why so many people love it!
I agree with Jill – KL is a hard city to really enjoy (at least at first) so if that’s where I was kicking off my RTW/long-term travel trip, I could see having a few doubts as well. Don’t worry, it gets better! 😀
Hehe, things are looking up! 😀 I’m loving being here, and excited to head back to KL to do a little exploring (I was only there in transit).
I go through phases when I’m sick of traveling (let’s face it, it can be exhausting, uncomfortable and all!) and phases when I’m craving it. You adapt! But I’m happy to call a place “home” because I can’t be traveling all the time.
Very true! After being in one place for a year, I must say, it feels pretty good to not have a ‘home’ right now. 😀
As I have had nights sleeping on my backpack in airports, I can attest to say that nights like that really do a great job of making one temporarily hate traveling. 😉 Glad you came back to your senses quickly! 🙂
Haha, well at least you had good company! And he’s right, you can’t go splurging all of your money on things like “beds” for your first night out on the trip, right?
I’ve slept in worse places in KL 😉
(shout out to hotel Alamanda)
Haha, must’ve been a pretty shady place… 😉
Yeah I think we all think like this at some point. Travelling is not always fun. I then ask myself, would I rather be back at home getting ready to go to my boring 9-5 job? It then puts things into perspective for me.
Don’t you just hate people who can sleep when you can’t?! It’s the worst. But seriously, I can understand why this kind of experience would make you think such things; often not being able to sleep properly is one thing I dislike about consonant travel…but there are just so many wonderful experiences to be had with travel; it’s a compromise, and it’s almost always worth it! Good luck.
I’m glad you kept going and didn’t give up. I felt the same sometimes, traveling can be hard at times and very tiring, but as somebody else said, it’s all part of the adventure and you’ll get plenty of fun and enjoyment too, that’s for sure! 🙂
Enjoy Malacca for me as well 😉 (it was one of our favorite stop in Malaysia)
Isn’t it amazing how worked up we can sometimes make ourselves? It is stressful quitting a job, packing, saying goodbye and travelling…something that I think women find more difficult than men, as we can tell by Sam sleeping casually and calmly on the bags! It sounds like things have calmed down now and I’m sure you’ll get into the travel groove again. Melacca is awesome. Enjoy your travels Audrey!
I know the feeling so well! Sometimes when you’re tired and stressed out enough it feels like you would give it all up for a soft bed and a chance to relax. But the next exciting place I see or thing I do always reminds me that the good moments in travel always make up for the bad ones.
Not surprised you got doubts. I hate airports at the best of times, but sleeping in one would be my worst nightmare. Glad you got your travel mojo back though. Enjoy Malaysia!
After stopping in Buenos Aires so long, it was time to pick up the backpack and head to Patagonia. I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to cut it anymore…. and then I saw the beautiful landscapes while sitting on the bus and got excited again.
I used to sleep in airports all the time but I’m used to a bit more luxury now. Don’t know if I can handle it anymore eep!
LOL. I can relate.I’ve been on the road for more than six years and occasionally I’ve had that reaction. Thankfully, it always passes.
Sounds like you’re just tired. Keep going, we’re all here to back you up! 🙂
LOL how many nights I slept at the airport, especially when I was a student in London going back home when flights were early in the morning 🙂 Good luck with your new adventures 😉
Good that you changed your mind, but really even if you decide not to fly again, that doesn’t mean you couldn’t still travel. I hated airplanes for 10 years and still moved around the world. It takes a bit longer, but is a much more pleasant trip.
I think we all have those moments where we loathe something about travel. But it’s never made me want to chuck the whole thing — I always get over it =)
Glad to see you came to your senses! haha. I feel you. I’ve had those moments quite a few times, especially after a few months on the road or anytime I haven’t had enough sleep! I’ve altered my travels a lot over the years, definitely slowed down. I don’t think I’ll ever not want to travel, but I can’t see myself ever traveling like I did at 20-a country a day. No way!
if only all our airport tax money we pay on flights went to better seating, this would never happen 🙂
Oh, I see now: Malacca is located in Malaysia! 🙂
There are always bad days. Sometimes you will cry hard and you’ll doubt your decision of traveling definitely. And like you said, sometimes a good night sleep on a real bed and/or a beautiful beach (in my case) is what we need!
Its amazing what a good sleep and full belly can do to improve the mood 🙂 Enjoy Malaysia!
We all have these moments traveling. They usually occur when you are tired, hungry, and sober. Those three adjectives combined are never any good.
It breaks my heart to hear when someone is that tired!! We’ve all been there. I’m so glad you found a bed and got all fixed up! Enjoy Malaysia — I loved it there!!
Audrey, just remember, you are living the dream, all that awaits you is the great unknown.
Aw sweet photos of you both sleeping on the floor at the airport. I did that recently with my four-year-old after a flight cancellation so I hope she’s not scarred for life! Clearly you’re loving Malaysia now and with good reason. Make sure to allow yourself some down moments too while you travel!
I’ve noticed that whenever I haven’t been traveling for a while I seem to forget every step of the process. I find myself asking dumb questions and wondering how I can manage to deal with bus schedules in cryptic non-Latin languages or whatever and then I have to remind my brain that it’s done this before and it had better get its act together.
I think the flight ordeal is the moment this all seems to come together, but once you settle in that first hostel and take a long-overdue shower and start wandering around, it’s fun all over again.