Seeing the world is always an adventure, but I’m feeling major travel nostalgia lately for certain consistencies!
I just Googled it: travel nostalgia exists! It’s a phenomenon that occurs after a journey. Symptoms include gratitude, exhilaration, and yes, longing. Certainly, I’ve gotten on a plane in the past year, but my more grandiose travel experiences have been lacking. I’m itching for something and somewhere new!
My travels don’t always look alike. The countries differ, the languages are unfamiliar, and the cultures vary! However, I’ve noticed that more often than not, I can recognize certain things that I can look forward to on each trip.
With that in mind, to feed my travel nostalgia, I’ve conjured a list of those little things I’ve missed from the pre-COVID days of “Let’s just go.”
TRAVEL NOSTALGIA: THINGS I MISS MOST ABOUT VACATIONS
Heated hotel floors. This is such a strange one to start with, but it’s the first thing that comes to mind. Heated bathroom floors in cold places are a luxury. Stepping onto warm bathroom tiles post shower after a long day of hiking or cobblestone streets cannot be beaten by much. More than a luxury, that sensation feels like a comfort.
Clean sheets. Yes, I wash my sheets like a normal person. By that, I mean every few weeks I ask “When was the last time I washed my sheets” and then yank them off my bed. They’re a soft, cotton blend and they feel positively cozy on most mornings. However, there’s a certain cleansing sensation about putting on delicate pajamas and sliding into crisp, freshly placed white sheets on a hotel bed. Sweet dreams, indeed!
Pre-Dinner Naps. This one is felt almost exclusively on beach trips. Picture it: a day spent on the beach, walking the sand, swimming in the ocean, and building up a golden glow. All that time in the sun has baked your brain, making you sleepy. You come in from the sun, mostly to get a break to prevent a sunburn. 3PM turns to 5PM as you snooze gently, stirring only to shower before dinner. It’s the best sleep you can get!
Post-Sun Shower Steam. After your post-beach day nap, you pop into the bathroom to peel off your swimsuit and wash the salt and sand off of you before going to dinner! As the shower fogs the bathroom, you take a look at your sun-kissed skin. I find that the glow comes from within, but baking in the sunlight at 350 degrees till you’re golden brown can help, too! It’s a great moment of clarity and gratitude, both for the experience of the day, and for the body that carries you through life.
Breakfast Buffets. Pancakes. Waffles. Juice from any fruit in your imagination. I don’t know who can turn down a breakfast buffet on a vacation. Hotels and cruises understand the assignment when it comes to breakfast. However, beware the “eggs your way” station. I’ve found that omelettes and eggs benedict can be so rich that you’ll fall into a food coma, unable to enjoy walking tours or watersports.
The view from the descent. If you’re the main character, you have a playlist for when you’re landing in your favorite places. Find the right set of tunes, and when the pilot comes onto the intercom to announce the arrival at your destination, hit play. From there, you’ll be taken away to a new world. Let the adventure begin.
Waking up with infinite possibilities. You can plan every minute of your trip, but the little things along the way are what make the moments memorable. When I wake up in the morning on a vacation, I’m excited to leap out of bed. What animals will I see today? Which museums will I visit? What hole in the wall cafe will get locked in my memory box for all time? That sense of “what if” is like a defibrillator to the brain, even after three days straight of 20,000 steps!
Travel nostalgia has certainly hit me hard lately. I’m mentally planning my return to Europe for the next year! Until then, my next big vacation will be next month, in the form of a staycation for my 2 year anniversary. Certainly, it’s a far cry from Italy! However, I’ll still have my excited energy, fresh sheets, and all the waffles. Where’s my suitcase?