It’s looking like a lazy day at the hostel. Air con is so nice, the internet is zippy, the 2nd season of Breaking Bad is heating up and I really don’t feel like moving much today. But you’re on a gorgeous tropical island where the sun is shinning. You’re staying in a city that’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’re at the doorstep of a National Park that National Geographic just did a cover story on. How could you possibly stay indoors on today of all days, when all that is just a step outside your door?
The view from my budget hotel
Anyone who has experienced long term travel knows just how great it can be. They also know that doing, going and seeing day in and day out gets tiring. Whether I’m learning the history of a new place, eating a new famous dish, exploring ancient ruins or grabbing a drink with some peeps I met at the hostel, life is exciting right now, like really exciting. One could say that its almost like having a full time job of awesome. I surely wouldn’t have it any other way. Maybe I should pinch myself and make sure my life is real. Yep, it is. But even still, is awesome green? And by green I mean sustainable. It too needs a break sometimes, right? A day to do nothing, to simply rest and recharge.
I think so, but that still doesn’t exactly make me feel splendid about staying in for the day. Like I said, an ocean filled with bath water, teaming with technicolored fish is just beyond that door. What can help me justify a day like this? Well, what I have done/accomplished so far this week? To answer this question, I decided to make a list:
- Hung out the side of the Jungle Railway Train to blowdry my sweat
- Explored the caves of the Jelawang Jungle
- Hiked to the top of Gunung Stong (1422m), swam under a watefall and slept in a hut in the jungle
- Got to know Julian, a serious budget traveler from Germany and a fellow lover of McDonalds sunday cones
- Followed an eagle ray around for 10 minutes and watched a cuttlefish eat a crab while snorkeling (if you’ve never seen one feed, youtube it right now)
- Ate a giant chocolate milkshake… alright Austin helped, but it was seriously huge
- Did three dives: Saw, among others, a sea turtle, a shark, pufferfish, porcupine fish, box fish
- One of the dives was my first ship wreck dive, super eerie. “Don’t worry. It’s dark inside, but your eyes will adjust.”
- Played a pickup game of soccer with the Malay workers of my hotel. Still got it
- Did 30 push-ups
- Published 4 blog posts and wrote a number of drafts
- Fixed a few programming bugs within the currency converter and new photo scroll pages
So that’s it. I’d say I was fairly productive after all. Ok, so maybe I’m being a little rough on myself and I’m not actually as lazy as I felt. But why does it feel that way? The only thing I could think of is because I have so much time. Without a full time job, I have all the time in the world. Why do jobs take up 40 hours a week of your precious life? I don’t know, but I hope you love yours. If not, come join me in my job of awesome.
PJ! Awesome article bro. Joining you and your full time awesome job very soon!
We’d be happy to have you join!
Love this! – those non-awesome jobs are lurking around the baggage carousel, ready to jump you with meaningless responsibility the second you set foot on home-soil. And it makes it feel like we always need to be getting things accomplished; “real” life isn’t so remote, after all.
If we as new nomads become absorbed in the same hustle/bustle that usually runs our lives while abroad, how can you really take in a new place? Being lazy for a day or two provides the opportunity to open yourself up to experiences outside of your travel itinerary.
Now, go find a hammock to nap in.
I’m on it! Ready to kick back and relax. I love your line “jobs… with meaningless responsibility.” I can’t stand those and will resist them at all costs
Where is this view? Looks beautiful. Ta S
This is from the Mohsin Chalets on the southern end of Long Beach (blue roofs) on Perhentian Kecil
Haha.. Loved the post. We’ve at the 6 month mark of traveling abroad and are constantly feeling lazy when we take a ‘time out’ from being in the thick of it all.
Yea Jill, I think it’s a natural occurrence around that 6 month mark. Take some days of rest as needed and stay put for a couple days. The adventure seeker in you always returns
I’m with you on this one bro, currently sat in my hostel in Shanghai doing absolutely nothing apart from surfing the internet. Travelling is tiring, after 6 months on the road it’s all good to sit around and do nothing.. Hell I spent a lot of days doing nothing from 9 – 5 in the past!!
Traveling is tiring! But in a good, actually a great way. You just need some time to rejuvenate so that you’re ready to go outside and see the world when the time comes