An opposite is land sickness.
When you're back on land and you still feel that swaying or rocking motion after being in a boat for some time.
Now, allow me to be a bit linguistic.
Whenever I return home from a recent trip. I strongly feel the opposite of homesick. I get travelsick!
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| Awful land sickness after a couple of ferry rides along Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. |
How about people who travel for fourteen months to twenty two months or more like that Uruguayan and Brazilian couple I've encountered in Palawan.
My longest travel was only for a month. Not abroad but in Boracay and Palawan only. My longest out of the country trip was only twenty-two days.
Nonetheless, my heart, body, and soul ached so bad when I returned home It lasted for several days or more than a month!
How did this happen?
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| Dhamma Joti Vipassana Crew in Yangon, Myanmar last year. |
I have only been contaminated by this travelsickness after my trip to New Zealand, Myanmar + Thailand, and Boracay + Palawan.
The common denominator? The duration of these trips were no less than a week, more than two weeks, and.. I was unemployed.
If I were employed my mind and body would be busy with the work I have left. If the travel was not more than a week, I wouldn't meet other travelers. Two weeks are enough to meet several people and make a connection.
Trips That Made Me Feel Travelsick:
Auckland, New Zealand (2018)
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| In commemoration of the Queen's birthday, these poor sheeps' wool shall be dyed red. |
Twenty-four hour flight anyone? Manila to Kuala Lumpur, layover in KL, Kuala Lumpur-Gold Coast, layover in Oz, and finally Gold Coast to Auckland.
I was very anxious about this trip. I have not done any trip where I will stay at relatives. Relatives I have only met briefly twice in family reunions. Aside from this, I was terrified of my English skills! I have not been in any English-speaking country.
I was pampered and spoiled the whole time of my in Auckland. I was very much well taken care of at my Uncle's. I have another Uncle who, with his wife and their daughter, toured me around and outside of Auckland every weekend.
There were a few times when I explored Auckland CBD on my own. I was also able to meet two foreigners-turned-locals.
It was such a sweet, steady, and relaxed trip.
Yangon, Myanmar + Bangkok, Thailand (2018)
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| Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar |
I wanted to celebrate my 30th birthday with a bang! So I went to a meditation retreat.
To save on plane tickets, I flew to Kuala Lumpur from Manila then Yangon. I stayed and waited in Kuala Lumpur airport for 12+ hours for my flight to Yangon.
I spent 12-days in a meditation center, the 10-day in total silence. Then, on the day of my birthday, we were told it was OK to speak and talk. The irony!
We wake up at four in the morning. We sleep at nine in the evening. We fast; we only eat vegetarian breakfast and lunch. We only have tea in the afternoon. No dinner. We meditate for about twelve hours every day with breaks. During breaks; I walk, I wash my clothes, or I take a nap.
I flew to Bangkok after staying in Myanmar for fourteen days.
In the hostel I stayed at near Khao San Road, I met young Australian couple, Japanese college girl, a young German guy, middle-aged Italian guy, loud Brazilian guy, a young guy from the USA. They're all young!! Aside from Luigi.
Also, I also coincidentally run into one of the guys I met from the meditation center. He taught me about land sickness on our way to Wat Arun.
Boracay + Palawan (2019)
The trip that made me cry hard when it ended. I was crying constantly for five days. Then cried again after a week. And semi-cried after a month or so.
I have watched too many sunsets and have seen a few falling stars during this trip.
I've met really good-hearted locals. I've met really fun and cool travelers.
The white sand in Boracay is priceless. I got surrounded by fishes in Coron. I've encountered so many dogs in El Nido. I've suffered from insect bites from Port Barton. Still grateful I was not stung by jellyfish!
I have packed, unpacked my bags, packed again, and unpacked again. Walked thousand of steps almost everyday. Hungry and dehydrated. Enjoyed my time in each hammock.
I got burned, got sicked, got tired, teary-eyed, off-balanced, annoyed, and irritated.
My patience, politeness, and kindness were tested to the extreme.
I laughed so hard I cried. I connected and disconnected. I liked and disliked.
Each pizza, fresh buko, and halo-halo from now on will remind me of this very trip.
I won't be touching any Presto Creams Peanut Butter, Rebisco Extreme, and Choco Mucho for a long time.
I'm still trying to heal myself, recover, and get sane.
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| You're a world away Somewhere in the crowd In a foreign place Are you happy now? There's nothing left to say So I shut my mouth So won't you tell me, babe Are you happy now? x |