How to Manage A Wanderlust Heart When You Can't Travel

If you are like me, then a wanderlust heart constantly burns for adventure. You often find yourself moping around looking at pictures online wishing you could be anywhere else but sitting at your desk. Especially those who have traveled before, who miss the travel high or travel bug as some people describe it. You miss the time when you felt like you were truly living and everything else now feels like prison, but hey! At least you’re making money! You say to yourself.As down as these feelings may bring you, there are plenty of ways to manage a wanderlust heart and your travel desires while maintaining your desk job in the times when you can't travel

EXPLORE YOUR CITY

I currently live in Los Angeles, which is massive! Spend your weekends, driving to a new part of town that you are unfamiliar with, whether it be a new coffee shop, or an outdoor market, or even some outdoor activity. The “travel bug” is really just a way to describe the feeling that people get hooked too when they go someone new and all their synapses are being triggered because they are taking everything in. So go forth explorer and see all you can in your own city in the meantime 

DAY TRIPS

Day trips are another great way of satisfying the desire to explore. According to Combined statistical Area data, there are about 166 major Metropolitan areas in the whole of the US. That means that day trips and weekend trips  to the closest metropolitan area  from anywhere in the U.S. is feasible to do in half a day at the most! Grab a close friend to make the trip more memorable. If you live in California like me, there’s almost every type of terrain you could get too in 5 hours. 

PLAN AND SAVE FOR YOUR NEXT BIG ADVENTURE!

This may seem hard to do at first because you just want to take off to anywhere but focus on one place that you can afford and plan for. Pro-tip! Take your Holiday during the off-season. September-February is always cheaper flights and even cheaper accommodations (ONLY EXCEPTIONS – Christmas and New Years) Check out my past post about cheap places to fly too in 2015 here Also use Google Flight Matrix to find the cheapest places to fly too from your home airport. 

READ TRAVEL BLOGS

I know it is not quite the same, but when you find a travel blog that you connect with, it feels as if you are going on their journey with them. Social media has become so integral in visually connecting you to people in this world, and sometimes their stories are so inspiring and when you find that local blogger you love, it can introduce you to new things around your own city or neighboring cities that you did not know about before.My favorite bloggers are::Brooke Saward – World of Wanderlust – Her enthusiasm for life and travel matches my own so wellRosie –  The Londoner – She makes me miss the time I was living in LondonYvonne Derksen – The Tourist of Life – I love her style and she has such a great perspective on lifeTrevor Morrow – Trevor Morrow Travel – I have to support my good friend Trevor. He has fantastic outdoor trips that you can take in style and constantly inspire me to try every single one of the activities! 

DECORATE YOUR SURROUNDINGS WITH TRAVEL/WANDERLUST MEMENTOS

It sounds silly so compare, but I have found that all the items that I have whether it be my wanderlust ring or my world city themed calendar to the kick ass globe my sister made for me remind me that there is a whole wide world out there and I can’t wait to travel it.