Wednesday Write-Up: Long Term Travel Life

As I was mopping our tile floors this morning, I had the sudden idea of how much the long-term travel life is similar to what one would consider a “normal” life. And I had a long time to think about it because it takes me an hour to sweep and mop these floors.

I have had many people ask me how long-term traveling is different from our old lives, but no one has ever asked me how it is the same. And even though no one has asked, I am going to share it anyways. I mean, I put some serious thought into this as I was trying to keep my mind off my chores. Someone out there must be curious, right?!

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1. I still do housework.

Yep, that’s right. I still sweep, mop, dust, do the dishes, and do the laundry. I also follow around my toddler and my husband picking up the things they somehow inevitably leave in their wake. I have done this throughout our journey around the world, although I did have a housekeeper once a week in Hua Hin that was included in our rent. That three months was heavenly in that respect.

I clean the house so often that my three-year old (who kindly helps me with many of the chores) calls us the housekeepers. I have a feeling that she will have a very clean house as an adult… Or maybe she will be a big mess in a way to rebel against her slightly clean freak mother. Only time will tell with that one.

2. I still cook.

When traveling on a long-term basis, it is almost impossible to eat out every meal. It is just too expensive. Even here in Thailand, where we can get a full meal complete with three dishes, an appetizer, and three beverages (a couple of those probably beer or wine at dinner) all for under $10 USD it is important to be frugal. Believe me, my one thing that I love to spend money on is eating out, but I have consented to the budgeting life (haha… yeah right, well sometimes) and cook at home often.

There have been some things that have made cooking in other countries much more interesting along the road. For example. here in Thailand it is not common to have an oven. One can get them, but our house doesn’t have one and we don’t really need it. We make do just fine with a couple of hobs. Plus it saves me from making massive amounts of homemade cookies, which brings me to the next part…

I do not need these... well at least not everyday. — I do not need these… well at least not everyday.

3. I still attempt to stay healthy.

When I am on vacation, I am on vacation from everything. From exercising, from eating healthy foods, from sleeping a normal amount of hours (well as much as a mom of a toddler can), pretty much from anything that I would normally do to stay healthy and fit. This lifestyle works for about 2 weeks. But, it would completely blow our budget if I was having to buy new clothes every month because I was living as if I was on vacation and not traveling long-term.

I have to eat a healthy diet and have to watch how much I eat (I use Weight Watchers Points Plus Program- It’s been amazing for me). I have to exercise. I have to sleep (oh my, how I have to sleep more still…. zzzzzzz). This is my life, not a vacation from my life (how wonderful is that, Thank God!) so I have to continue to treat my body with care and respect.

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So there you have it. three ways that my life stayed almost completely the same as it was back home. Exciting right?! Maybe next week, I will write another scintillating post about long-term travel, maybe even about the differences. That might be fun.