World travel is one of the most incredible life changing and educational experiences no classroom nor workplace can compare to. Experiencing new destinations, learning of new cultures, people, tradition, customs, music, cuisine and more.
Although I live in Hawai’i and have lived here throughout the pandemic, I still very much consider myself in a travel state in learning everything I can on this islands while looking at the horizon at what’s next. Nomadism comes in various forms from rugged straight out the rucksack travel to stop then go flow of travel. And all I can say is, the blessing is endless.
But often, most nomads donʻt really speak of the ”unspoken realities of nomadic travel”. The drawbacks that result from consistent moving from place to place opposite of being grounded. A lot of this also ties into becoming comfortable doing things alone.
Here we go:
No Close Friends
In the 6 years since I set off for the open road, I have met so many people and made endless connections around the world. From the very like-minded backpacker, to strangers passing by, and to those who have taken me into their home. And while I am grateful to have friends across the globe, from Greece to New Zealand, Tuvalu, and Croatia, itʻs insanely difficult growing with those friends on the other side of the planet. At least on a personal level that the computer or phone screen doesnʻt offer.
I have friends spread across places like Greece, New Zealand, Tuvalu, and Croatia, but it is incredibly difficult to build deeper, consistent friendships when the people you care about are on the other side of the planet. A phone or computer screen can help maintain connection, but it doesn’t replace shared, everyday life.
Even when living in a place for a longer period of time, the challenge still exists. Having lived in both New Zealand and Hawaiʻi, I’ve seen how difficult it can be to build long-term friendships if people sense you may not stay. In places where movement is constant, people naturally adjust to others coming and going.
It’s not that friendships don’t happen. They absolutely do. But they often exist in a different way.
Promises of Settling Down
Nomadic travel is quite the opposite of settling down as it obviously entails picking up and going literally, whenever you want. But even that reality alone can catch up sometimes as you low key want to have some semblance of a place to call home. A place that you know you can come back to. But that addiction of adventure and new ahead always pulls you in feening for more.
Long Term Love
Out of everything, this one can be the most difficult.
Love is powerful. When it’s real, it asks something of you. But long-term travel asks something too, and sometimes those two things don’t align.
I don’t say that to sound closed off to the idea of love. I believe it’s out there for me. But I also understand how difficult it can be to build something lasting when your life is shaped by movement and uncertainty.
Love is everywhere and I know true love is out there for me. But I do understand the sacrifice that comes with travel, is that it narrows that down slim to near none.
Long-term relationships often rely on building a foundation together, and in many cases that means some level of stability or place. And while it’s possible for two people to travel together long-term, it’s just as likely that one person may be ready to settle while the other is still deep in that sense of exploration.
Personally, I’ve experienced relationships that didn’t end well, and travel always seemed to sit somewhere near the center of that disconnect. Whether fairly or unfairly, my lifestyle and ambitions became part of the tension.
There’s also the reality of holding back from letting something grow, simply because you know what leaving might do. That kind of restraint may seem practical, but it’s not always easy on the heart.
In Summary
These realities don’t always show up as obvious heartbreak. They exist more as a quiet, drawn-out emotional weight that sits in the background while life continues moving forward.
From time to time, I do find myself asking, Is this all worth it?
And honestly, for me, the answer is still yes.
The road can get lonely, even when it’s filled with incredible moments and people along the way. But when I step back and look at the scale of what travel has given me, the purpose still outweighs the cost. The people, the music, the cultures, the traditions, the learning—it becomes very hard to walk away from that.
Everything in Balance
As I am around the corner for 34 years old, I find myself in the beginning stages of realizing that I am not getting any younger. However, priorities are priorities and for me, traveling is that very priority of mine. But yet I do understand that regardless of ones dream, goals, & ambitions, balance is everything too. Understanding that one is deserving of close friends, some semblance of a place to call home regardless of where it is, and of course to love and be loved.
