What it’s like to be settled after 2+ years of travel
It’s easy to read travel blogs and only see the glamorous side of traveling. Blogs will showcase epic adventures through the Amazon jungle and evening strolls through Paris’ cobblestone streets, but tend to leave out the sweaty mosquito bites and overpriced taxis. We’re just as guilty of doing this as the next blog. After all, we want to inspire you to travel and explore the world. But we’re not on some 24/7, 365 day a year vacation, as our blog may imply. We filter our lives, if you will, literally & figuratively.
{ enjoying the last days of Aussie summer }
You won’t find photos of us, for example, staying in bed eating plain pasta on a Friday night just to save money. Nor will you see videos of us holing up in a dirty hostel, in our sweatpants, blogging all day. But we do these things. Often.
Don’t worry, we’ll spare you the photos of us spending all day in our pajamas. But we did want to give an honest, no-filter update of our lives right now. We’re currently based out of Melbourne. We’re putting our nomadic life on hold to stay in one place and save money. Boring, I know, right? But it must be done. Just like you, dear reader, we don’t have a stockpile of savings and we don’t plan on winning the lottery anytime soon (although that would be awesome!). We need to work for our money and that’s exactly what we’re doing. How do we afford to travel? By working, earning money, saving that money and then traveling cheap. It’s kind of just as simple as that.
{ Queen Victoria Gardens in Melbourne’s CBD }
So how is it being back in the real world?
What is the “real world” like after 2 years of traveling? I don’t know if I should admit this on our travel blog, but it’s actually pretty nice. Of course, one could argue that I’m still traveling. I’m not really home home in America; in fact, this is my first time in Australia so everything is still pretty new to me. Although we haven’t done much travel around the country (yet!) I’ve been slowly making my way through the heart of Melbourne. It’s given me a different perspective exploring the sites as a resident/tourist/blogger. Even though we’ve only been here about 4 months, I still fancy myself a bit of a local (I know, I know, such a poser!). Or at least I’ve gotten a hang of the public transport enough so that I don’t look like a total lost puppy.
But it’s still a far cry from our backpacking days. For one thing, we have real life jobs now! For the first time in a long time, there’s money actually coming into our bank accounts and that’s a pretty good feeling. By real life job I mean I work at a local café. Is that a real life job? I guess compared to “professional backpacker” anything is. Jules on the other hand has resumed his pre-traveling career as a high school teacher. He’s currently teaching English and Philosophy. After spending over two years without seeing his family and friends, he’s happy to be back at home for a bit.
{ eating at home never looked so good }
To be clear, just because we’re making an income doesn’t mean we’re hitting the clubs and making it rain. We’re still staying on a very tight budget. It hasn’t been easy as Australia is pretty expensive. We are lucky enough to be living rent free with Jules’ grandma, which is a huge chunk of change to save. Other than that, we stick to our budget travel tips, which can be adapted to life at home. We’re cooking most of our meals, sticking to cheap and free activities and critically evaluating all big purchases. We’re generally laying low and constantly reminding ourselves that a $25 dinner could be an extra day on the road. Jules & I are also both doing Masters programs in International Development, so to say we’re keeping busy is an understatement. We’re slowly planning for the future and excited to see how our love of travel and passion for volunteering could translate into a career.
So what’s next?
We’re not sure yet. Our travel days are definitely not over, but at the moment we’re enjoying living normal lives. We’re not settling forever, but it’s nice to lay some roots and find pleasure in a routine. And until our next trip, we always have our Pinterest boards to drool over.
{ the beach down the street from our house }
{ photo op with a comedian after the Melbourne Comedy Fest }
{the Spirit of Tasmania ship that sails to Tassie }
It’s nice to hear that it’s possible to adjust back to “normal” life. I’ve been on the road for about a year. And I figure I have a few more months before I have to rejoin the “real” world. But, hey, you have to make money to travel! Traveling is amazing, but I’m not going to lie. I definitely look forward to the day I’m no longer living out of my backpack!! I’m glad you are enjoying your new home in Melbourne 🙂
Thanks Justine! Definitely agree, you have to save money to be able to travel! I think most people think of our lives as never ending adventures but we work and save just like anybody else! It’s not to bad for a short while. Thanks for commenting and we look forward to checking out your blog!
I forgot to mention I nominated your site for the Liebster Award. I know you’ve already been nominated but I enjoy your site so much that I wanted to share it with others 🙂
Aw thank you Justine! That’s so sweet!
I’m sure the adjustment was an interesting, if not difficult one. In any case, seems you’ve made it well. I was on the road last year for about eight months, and I’m still feeling a bit off balance. 🙂 I can’t imagine what it would be like after a couple of years. Best of luck to you both.
Thanks Bob! It’s definitely an adjustment but we are enjoying it!
I completely understand the feeling that being back in the “real world” is nice. It is nice to have a place to come home to and settle down. But for us we are itching to get back on the road but then again its been almost 3 years! But we are saving for a 6+ year round the world. We measure everything in terms of plane tickets, apartment rentals, and meals out in Paris. It helps make saving a little easier!
Definitely! It’s so much easier to save money when you think about what it could buy you in another country! Staying home on a Friday night is made easier when you think about spending a whole extra day abroad!
awww I love Melbourne! the best coffee, art, shops and a really cool culture and vibe about it. technically your still kinda traveling, enjoy it
Exactly! Melbourne is such a fun city, for locals and travelers! There is always something going on!
What a great post Christine. What you write there is so true, settling back into real life is hard, but great at the same time. Catching up with friends, enjoying the delicacies we missed while on the road… unfortunately (or fortunately) wanderlust will return, and we’ll have to pack up and say goodbye once again.
Welcome back to the “real world.” LOL Take all the break you need and keep us posted on your next adventure.
Thanks Kathryn!
That must be quite an adjustment but it sounds as if you’ve got lots of interesting stuff to do! And Melbourne is supposed to be a beautiful city…
Melbourne is lovely! If we have to be in one place, it’s a great place to be. Such a fun city to explore and live in.
I am sure you guys are enjoying the ease of a regular place to stay and nice public transportation. Are you saving up for a new country or continent to explore right now?
Of course! We’re always thinking about our next trip! Haven’t decided where yet, but we’re thinking Asia!
“Our travel days are definitely not over, but at the moment we’re enjoying living normal lives.” – yes, we know this feeling! Just coming home seeing all the familiar faces, not needing to search for your next living place / next place to eat. Good relaxing times.
Great post guys, also stumbled it! 🙂
Glad you guys can relate! Sometimes just living a normal life is what you need 🙂
Oh that darn money can slow us all down from time to time but I think you may have already won the lottery when you met each other. You both seem to really enjoy each other and life, no matter the situation! Sounds like you are adjusting well!
I’m anxious to hear if there is something specific you’d like to do with your Masters in International Development and how long it will take you both to complete that? That’s exciting!
Thank you for posting this – what an honest and refreshing read. I’m sure you’ll be kept busy with many adventures around Melbourne in the midst of your work and schooling! 🙂
I’m sure the adjustment must have been difficult, but having a place you can call ‘home’ isn’t bad either.
For us, our backpacking days are over, but definitely not our traveling days. 🙂 Because of our work, it’s not possible to travel for a long time, but we have grown fund of traveling for one or two weeks, we just make the experience more intense. Also: to me, traveling is also a ‘state of mind’, enjoying en living your life to the fullest, experience new things, meeting new people, learning about different cultures… I try to live that way even when I’m just staying at home.
Yeah having a home really issn’t a bad thing, at least for a while. We’re really enjoying being settled for the time being, but I’m sure we’ll be ready to head off again very soon. Think we still have a few backpacking years left in us, but it does get tiring.
I”m sorry to hear that so many people think life is boring when not traveling. Don’t get me wrong, I am a traveler but I do own a house and have a job but I still consider myself a traveler. Does that make my life boring? No it does not, because I make the most out of it with boyfriend and my friends. By the end of this year, I’ll have traveled about 100 days which is, with a fulltime office job, a lot in my opinion. In fact, I love my life the way it is and would never trade it for fulltime travel. I love coming home to clean clothes, fresh bedsheets and my own shower after being on the road. My own stuff, my own place and my friends. Planning the next adventure and working on our blog and keeping the memories alive by making photo albums. We travel a lot close to home which costs as much as going out for dinner or seeing a gig nowadays. Again, don’t get me wrong, but life doesn’t have to be boring when not traveling, it’s just up to you what to do with it 🙂
I love this post as always difficult to settle after such amazing travels and experiences so love your honesty, as on the flip-side a bit of structure is nice now and then ;)You’ve chosen a great place to setlle, i loved Melbourne, and will be back there at the end of the year so hope to see you there. And, good luck with the lottery too 😉
I’m pretty much in the same boat at the moment. I was travelling for 16 months then moved to Sydney where I have been living for the past 5 months. I love Sydney and there is so much to do so it does kind of feel like I am still travelling (despite the real job I now have). I am planning to stick around for another 10 months then will be backpacking again for about a year. It definitely helps with the settling down if you love the place you are living and after living in London for years, I am so glad to be by the beach!
Where you heading next? If you make it down to visit Melbourne be sure to drop us an email, we’ll be here and there over the next 5 months before we’re off again. Enjoy the beach!