How to spend your non-travel days

May 16, 2016

Now that we are back in Bangkok after a bit of traveling both domestically and internationally, we’re feeling a bit of a travel hangover and withdrawal. Those non-travel days can sure be a bore.

I mean it’s not like we’ve been on the road days on end like most travelers do but it’s been a productive year so far. Here’s a breakdown of what we were up to the past few months, in case you missed it.

January – 1.5 weeks in Pakistan

February – 3D2N in Chanthaburi and a day trip Chonburi in Thailand

March – 2D1N in Nakon Pathom,Thailand

April – 5D4N in Siem Reap, Cambodia and 5D4N in the United Arab Emirates

May – 4D3N in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand

If you’re one of those people who also immediately feel the temptation to travel again right after a trip then like us, you are probably thinking now where?

But there are limitations.

You might have a job to go back to you or financial constraints or family obligations. Is travel dead for you till the next paycheck or long holiday?

We think NOT.

There are just so many things one can do that it is not necessarily travel but can be equally as satisfying. Now, we don’t know what city you live in but living in Bangkok, there’s one thing we realized: there is always something to do.

Always something new to explore and discover

There, those are the key words – explore and discover.

We can bet you that there is so much more to your city behind those nooks and crannies than you know. Maybe a new museum or park just opened up while you were away.

Look for hidden spots within the alleys and behind touristy zones because you can discover some really unique things that other might never have seen or heard of. Talk to the locals, maybe they can show or direct you to some cool places.

We just found out about half a dozen interesting and off-the-beaten-path places we want to check out in Bangkok that is surely going to keep us busy on the weekends.

Make sure to follow our Instagram and Facebook for updates on this.

What? You thought we were going to give them up? Not just yet =)

Go on Local Tours and Adventures

In Bangkok alone there are so many local tour operators. I don’t mean the ones that take you on a trip to the tourist destinations.

Here are some really good ones in Bangkok (some of whom we’ve worked with).

Cookly (marketplace for cultural food tours)
Bangkok Food Tours (cultural food tour operator)
Co Van Kessel (bike tours)
Expique (comomunity-based local tours)

Look for similar ones in your city or try regional/wordwide tour operators such as Tinggly or Viator.

Join Meetups

Meetup groups are an awesome way to not only make new friends but they force you to get out of your comfort zone to try new things and discover new places.

Shayan and I have joined several meetup groups here in Bangkok and thanks to them, we’ve had some great experiences.

Look out for events

Keep an eye out for events or festivals in your area, especially the ones that are free. We actually stopped going to music festivals because they can cost quite a bit in Bangkok but we try to find local events or concerts that are a lot cheaper.

Maybe there is even a travel-related event happening in your city? We think that is almost as good as traveling, no?

Keep calm and travel later

This is the best time to take a break and reorganize yourself. It also allows you to get a broader perspective of things and yourself. You can realign your priorities that may have been lost with you on the road. Traveling isn’t a race so it is OK to take breaks.

Learn a language or take a course

If you really cannot sit still, then go take a course on something you were aching to learn. Maybe a cooking or language class. Any new skill learnt can always be handy in your travels.

Love thy neighbors

Everyone tries to go to a new destination to learn about the locals but tell me this, how much do you know about locals in your own city or town? Have you sat and ate in homes of your neighborhood? Do you know the name of the guy who lives on the footpath across your street?

Before we go exploring and learning about new cultures, let’s try and give back to our community first. There might also be that Thai family living next to you or that Indian couple in the next street. Get to know them and their culture. It might not be the same as going to Thailand or India, but hey it is a close second.

So there, that’s all I can think of.

Do you have other ways to spend a non-travel day? How do you cope? We’d love to hear your stories.

14 Comments

Travel Pockets May 18, 2016 at 8:31 pm - Reply

Wow! You have done so much traveling already this year 🙂 I agree that there is always something cool and new to discover in your own hometown. Joining meet-ups sounds interesting and is something I have not yet tried.
- Shayan May 19, 2016 at 11:02 am - Reply
  
  I wish I could travel more! I’m feeling so restless sitting here in my office hahah
  And yea, meetups are great. A good alternative and solution to that travel hangover.
carla May 18, 2016 at 9:28 pm - Reply

You are so right, travel hangover is a real thing! Learning a new language is a great idea too, will try look up for classes around me. Thanks for sharing this!
Sarah Kim May 19, 2016 at 1:56 am - Reply

I used to live in NYC and now I live in Amsterdam. Even though I travel a lot (heading to multiple countries this year like you), I feel like I’m always on vacation living in big cities where there is so much to explore. I 100% agree about discovering your own city and treating it like vacation.
Jojo May 19, 2016 at 10:04 am - Reply

What I do now that the weather is nicer is look for places to hike on the weekends. Something for me to look forward to and I can do research leading up to the hike.

A bit of travel once a month is ideal for me. I enjoy being in the comfort of my home to relax too =)
- Shayan May 19, 2016 at 11:00 am - Reply
  
  I love going on hikes but in Bangkok or even nearby, there isn’t much to hike. Closest I can think of is Kanchanburi, which is about 3 hours+ away. I do however, explore the hidden paths and go bicycling at the Green Lung of Bangkok.
  
  Once a month is great! Is it to international destinations or domestic?
Jo May 19, 2016 at 1:11 pm - Reply

Ah my non travel days are the worst. I try to just focus on my blog and read others travel tales to stay inspired. Planning my next vacation is also a great way to chill out when I am not traveling. I haven’t really explored much of my own city so I think that could work out very well indeed. I often join travel meetups which are fun and enjoyable.
Voyager May 19, 2016 at 1:55 pm - Reply

Non travel days are when you think and reminisce about travel, of course as we have full time jobs, many a time we are tempted to let go and break free and run away for short trip. We try and pack something during the weekends or fall back on Social Media.
Natasha May 19, 2016 at 2:42 pm - Reply

These are great tips. I think a lot of us getting a bit depressed after a big trip — especially if there is a significant time period in between the next trip. What a great reminder to look for adventures in everyday life. 🙂
Stephanie May 19, 2016 at 8:37 pm - Reply

These are all great tips. I spent a lot of time in Sydney, but didn’t live there. I tried a couple of local events and it was really fun. I went to a trivia night and really helped them with the American culture questions. Getting to know neighbors is also a fabulous tip. Who knows your neighborhood better than the people who have been living there.
Danielle Des May 20, 2016 at 5:06 am - Reply

Keep calm and travel later is so right – I just came back from Iceland and I’m hitting the road again soon, but I also have a bit of time to lust after those big trips I want to take in 2017. Like you said, travel isn’t about a race. BTW – How was Pakistan?
Paige Brown May 20, 2016 at 6:40 am - Reply

These are some really beautiful tips! I am on a more domestic year this year so a lot of these resonate with me. This is the year of weekend trips and only a few week-long trips to save for something much bigger, but we have really been taking loads of advantage of hiking opportunities in this area. I think there’s really something to say about getting to know the town you’re in. Thanks for this inspiration while work on keeping calm and travel later. 😉
Jen July 6, 2016 at 11:33 pm - Reply

Great tips! Same here, I look for events in the city or places to go to next. It doesn’t have to be a flight away, a road trip will do. 🙂 Learning a new language is an excellent idea too! – Jen | http://www.businesstravelerswife.com/
- Shayan July 7, 2016 at 10:38 am - Reply
  
  Thank you! Yes, events, road trips, learning things are always a good idea right? Glad you liked the tips Jen.

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