What it's Like NOT Traveling After Eighteen Years on the Move!
Covid has messed things up for all of us. For me it's taken away my entire travel lifestyle. Travel just ain't what it used to be and that is a whole article by itself. Personally the challenge has been changing to a more domestic lifestyle while keeping myself entertained.
But first a quick background of how things used to be. I believe 2019 I visited almost a dozen countries and was motorbiking the Ho-Chi-Minh Trail before my passport went from about 140 visa free countries to 5 in the course of a month. Luckily I got on one of the last planes out of Vietnam to Thailand. Fast forward almost 2 years later and I'm still in Thailand.
Don't get me wrong, I choose to be here and I love it here. Frankly the way the world is there is no other place I'd want to be. When you consider the new headaches, insurances, expenses, risks, potential quarantines, tracking apps, and general uncertainties, along with just a couple of handful of places I can go anyway. It just makes sense to stay in Thailand anyway.
However I still have not been able to stay in one place in this country, but my stays are getting significantly longer and I'm starting to feel very domesticated here on the island of Koh Phangan. I've been here now almost eight months! It's the longest I've stayed anywhere in years! Before this I was in the Norther City of Chiang Mai for about 6 months, which was the second longest.
I'm certainly not feeling very "Travel Pro" these days that is for sure. I'm thinking about hitting the road and touring the country via motor bike after monsoon season in January. But who knows if that is a good idea with potential new covid out breaks and sudden imposed government restrictions. The more conservative side of me says just stay on the island and enjoy. The adventurous side of me says let's go! What do you think should I do?
In the mean time, I contemplate getting a PS4 to entertain myself. I decided to start writing more articles for my blog again. I've also got more into trading cryptos as well as stocks, commodities, and options. I've downloaded and watched 20 of 26 Marvel Super Hero movies. One thing all of these have in common is more screen time! That has always been my pet peve in life, to live my life NOT through a screen (as much as possible).
So I'm having difficulty adapting to a domestic lifestyle living in one place. Frankly I find it dull and boring compared to how I used to live. Sure there are some great aspects of having a "home". I have comforts of setting my space up exactly how I want it, with a nice big kitchen. I even got a used espresso machine helping fuel this very article now!
But one thing is for sure the government restrictions all over the world have F-d with my lifestyle. I know I still have it good compared to many. But yeah, things are different now and I'm learning to adapt. But I'm tempted to leave my little island bubble and venture the country for maybe the first 6 months of next year. It will certainly be epic but are the risks now too high? Let me know what you think. Until next time....
From the Gulf of Thailand
-Dan "World Travel Pro"
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Photo Credit: World-Travel-Pro
Covid really affect us in one way or the other and am glad your free from it in one way or the other too.
So true. Thanks for the kind words. :)
You are still in this part of the world !!! That’s good to hear man… things will ease up eventually and you can start travelling like you always do once more . For now …. The universe wants you to just sit back relax and enjoy what’s in front of you
I think you are 100% correct. It's been a good change and I'm quite happy overall. I just don't like that it's not of my choosing, but by outside circumstances. For me that is the most frustrating part. Good to hear from you Simon. I assume you are still in Malaysia? How are you doing?
still in Malaysia buddy and loving it. Would most likely take a trip and pay you a visit in Thailand once the borders are open. Need to stretch these legs man ...
"Need to stretch these legs man ..."
I know what you mean. Would certainly enjoy your company!
Covid is still on the way. I hope we soon get total free from it.
right....
I hear you buddy. I mean as we have already talked about a few times, you are stuck in a very good place but still stuck, right? Kind of... I think most of us, travelers, got stuck somewhere because of the pandemic. We already got stuck on the Azores Islands and now here in Krakow. Not literally, there are still some options but everything is very difficult and uncertain these days, especially for the non vaccinated people... Whatever you decide to do, I hope you will be happy about it. Btw how do you sleep lately? I have been having some serious insomnia issues since the whole pandemic madness. Too many thoughts in my mind, it just wouldn´t stop. Really hard for me to get a good sleep :/
Each time you've told me I'm in the right place it's always lifted my spirits, but the "stuck" aspect still is hard to accept. Especially since I'm not rushing to get vaccinated based on yesterdays new's they want to vax the people there every 3 months in the UK now. I've held off getting the shot all this time just to see how things play out. I don't like what I see. And don't want to sign up for endless boosters when I'm perfectly healthy already with a strong immune system and there are meds that effective if you get it. But that's just my decision. I've been hesitant to make a post about that, as it's such a touchy subject.
But yeah, I've been just smoking weed at night these days, so that has helped with the sleep. (another post I'm hesitant to write! hahaha) but yeah, in general I agree my sleep has been off too lately. Things have gone too far with this covid stuff. You've seen my covid catastrophe photos, and that's really a global thing and more......
Anyway bro, good to hear from you as always. And congrats on your recent Hive gains, I should have bought more like you did, but I'm not complaining. Best to you and Tammy!
Totally hear you on this man, I have had the same approach towards the vax. Wait, observe and see how things play out. But here in Europe, life has been increasingly difficult for the unvax people. In some countries, those refusing the jab are threatened with massive fines or even jail in some cases. Crazy. But yeah, this is a super touchy topic so I absolutely understand you don´t want to write a post about it. Me neiter. In my whole life, I have never seen the society in my country (and possibly in the whole world too) being so polarized. No respect for different opinions at all, the vax hate the unvax and vise versa. So sad. So disappointing...
Calling my sleep off would be a huge understatement. Very often, it takes me up to 6 hours to fall asleep. Very frustrating. Smoking weed is probably the only thing I haven´t tried yet. I have already tried everything from herbs, teas, meditation, relaxing music to CBD oils, melatonin supplements etc... The only two things that work for me are alcohol (a lot of :D) and strong sleeping pills but of course, I don´t want to use either of these two... I just need to find a way to calm my mind and stop thinking. Easier said than done :/
For real. Shit is fucked up. I have the same concerns. But luckily I'm in a little bubble here where things are pretty chill. 30% of the island is unvaxed hippies and they drive the economy to a large extent which gives them a bit of respect and power. The island needs us or even more businesses will go under.
Meanwhile almost all the Thais and Burmese workers are vaxed. Recently near 8% of the entire population of the island had covid and was in quarintine camps with the hospital full....almost ALL vaxed Thai and Burmese. Just a handful of unvaxed cases. This all happened with-in 6 months of everyone getting vaxed here. Then the mysterious deaths all over the island. Lets not even get into that. Shit is F-in weird bro. Totally get why you can't sleep. Maybe you should do some sort of several day detox just to clean out your body so it can handle the stress better. Then start smoking weed! hahaha
Wow. Crazy. Just crazy. Yeah, let´s better not get into that... We can only hope and wait for all this madness to end anyway... Stay safe, strong and sane my friend!
I agree. You too my friend. I'll be in touch.