Flightster

The Solitude and Soul of the the Long Term Traveler

• by Srinivas Rao
• on April 18th, 2011
• 4 Comments

The days are long and the nights are short. This 100 person town of mine is far from the hustle and bustle of the Los-Angelisms I’ve become accustomed to. The sounds of my fingers tapping against the keyboard , the occasional car driving by, and rustling leaves are all I seem to hear on many days.  Yet somehow I’m starting to find comfort in my solitude even though I wonder if it’s like this for all long term travelers. Do they miss home? Do they get homesick? Do they spend more time alone than they thought they would?  If that’s the case, then why do it? Perhaps it’s the stories we’ll have that will last beyond a lifetime because we’re the types who will always choose a life made of experiences instead over one made of possessions.

When I stay in hostels I make connections and short term friendships wondering if we’ll ever cross path’s again, knowing that we most likely won’t. It’s after all the transient nature of life on the road or everything else for that matter. It’s just a moment in time that leaves a footprint on your imagination.  A common bond here, a shot together at a bar, a night of adventure and it all eventually becomes a blur leaving us with the realization that we’ve lost our sense of time.

The vacationers, the honeymooners,  and those transient travelers seem to envy us because of their temporary escape.  “Just a few more days and back to the real world” you’ll hear them say as you think to yourself “If you only knew… It’s not just a vacation when you’re in it for the long haul. You have to give it your all and let the chips fall where they may.”  So why would anybody in the right mind chose this path? Because it’s rich with stories and experiences that we’ll carry well past our graves. Soul searching journeys, moments that forever change us, first waves, unforgettable meals, epic sunsets, and culture shock are only the tip of the iceberg.  When it’s all said and done we’ll never wonder “what if?”  It’s meant to be that we take the scenic route through life even if it means ups and downs, mishaps we never planned for and a life unplugged from what most people know.  Our calling is that of a nomad, eager to explore, discover, and go to the end of the earth looking for things we may never find.  In the end when it’s all said and done, we’ll likely conclude “To live any other way would have been  completely insane.”

Srinivas Rao

Srinivas is an avid surfer and personal development blogger at The Skool of Life. He's also the host and co-founder of BlogcastFM, a podcast for bloggers.