Traveling on my Mind

My thoughts on the "in-between" period after one travel adventure, and before another

I've been thinking a lot about traveling, lately. Creating a blog and 47 (I exaggerate) social media accounts about camping and traveling will have that effect.

Sometimes I can't believe I'm back home. After all the time I spent away from home, after all the belongings I hate to part with, and after all that I've experienced, I can't believe that I'm back home, in the same place I was before. I'm residing in the same house, working the same type of job, doing the same things in my free time, and living in the same city I lived in for the seven years before I left to travel.

These things didn't change. My house didn't change. Milwaukee didn't change. But, I changed. After coming back home, I realized that I'm different. I don't quite fit the life I was living before I left.

I don't think I'm the only person to realize this. I have fewer people in my life now. Upon my return, I realized that many of my friends moved on while I was away. That's one of the downfalls of travel. Friends' lives keep moving and building in one place, while your life grows in a different way.

My point is here, somewhere.

I've been back home for 16 months now. In that time, I:

Newbie number two

• Reconnected with family and friends

• Made my travel partner my permanent partner in life (Yay! We got married!).

• Traveled to Virginia Beach for my cousin's wedding (Congrats, Cuz!).

• Attended two other beautiful Wisconsin weddings.

• Played three seasons of softball.

• Joined a soccer team, for the first time!

• Convinced an old job to hire me back, then convinced a new job to hire me on.

• Got a promotion!

• Lived at my mom's in the suburbs, then moved back to Milwaukee.

• Said goodbye to two very special family members, and then said hello to three very special, new family members (Newbies, you know your names!).

• Went on many hikes and bike rides.

• Went camping a few times, and bought an obscene amount of camping gear (Thanks REI, for relentlessly tempting me!).

• Explored two incredible national parks.

• Visited two states I had never been to before.

• Became Professor Trelawney for one glorious night!

• Devoured 17 books (and counting).

• Started this blog.

• Made a solid plan to hike the Appalachian Trail in 2017.

Even after reminiscing on all the adventures of the last 16 months, I can't help but feel like the monotony of daily life is stifling my wanderlust needs. I got a taste of traveling. I got a taste of a wildness that I had never felt before. Now I'm home, and writing about those experiences.

Though my travels were far from perfect (and even farther from easy), I know that I need to get back out there again, soon. And once my home life is in order, I'll be planning and saving for future exploration.

To put it simply, more adventures are calling!

Dear Readers, 

Do you feel the pangs of unfulfilled travel? Have you grown tired of the day-to-day grind? What do you do to ease the wanderlust, while you're doing the home life thing, and waiting for the next big trip? 

Feel free to leave a comment, send me an email (twotentsdown@yahoo.com), or contact me through social media (twotentsdown on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).

If you need me,

I'm just Two Tents Down!

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