If you are gone for a long enough time, you will invariably miss some things at home. During my one year odyssey, I missed a couple of weddings, the winter holiday season, the 4th of July (my favorite holiday), a big get together from college friends, and just about everything else. Missing out on things at home comes with the territory for the long term traveler. Of course, it’s hard to look at it like you are missing out when you are seeing and doing amazing things all over the world. When it comes to the holidays, though, it’s easy to get the blues, at least for a short time. Here’s how to conquer them.
There’s much more to the holiday season than simply Thanksgiving Day (for Americans, of course), or Christmas Day. There’s a build-up that begins far earlier, and a general feeling of excitement that permeates everything. When you’re traveling, you miss all of this, especially if you’re in Asia or a region of the world where they don’t celebrate Western holidays. If you normally spend time with friends and family during this time of the year, the brief sense of isolation you can experience abroad can hit you suddenly, especially as the big day approaches.
There are a couple of ways you can plan out your holidays to make sure you have a memorable one, even when far away from home. If you’ve been skimping and budgeting hard core, a big holiday is a nice excuse to upgrade. Check yourself in to a hotel that’s a little bit nicer and more comfortable than what you’re used to. If you’re traveling with someone, this is a great way to relax and do something special to mark the occasion. If you’re traveling by yourself, find a popular hostel; there will inevitably be a Christmas party of some sort, planned or spontaneous.
On the day itself, look around town for big Western hotels or nice restaurants. I’ve had a real Thanksgiving meal in Cairo, and a delicious Christmas dinner in Kathmandu. If there are enough travelers around, someone will be bound to offer a holiday meal. In addition to getting a taste of home, you can meet other travelers and celebrate in good company.
If you do a little research before the holidays and find good places to enjoy them abroad, they can become some of your more memorable experiences. Having a holiday feast with other travelers in an exotic location, then partying until the wee hours will probably be something you’ll remember well for a long time. Whether or not you eat a full meal in a fancy Western hotel, or share a feast cooked up in the hostel kitchen with new friends, holidays on the road can be lots of fun.
If you’re traveling the world during the holidays, then of course you aren’t really missing out on anything. But people do get homesick, miss their friends and family, or feel a little lonely every now and then. It’s a perfectly natural part of traveling, especially for long periods of time. This can hit you suddenly during the holidays, even if you’re having the time of your life. Just plan ahead, and know that no matter where you are, if you want a little taste of the holiday spirit, you can find it. You might even have one of the best holidays ever.