Another great piece. I have friends that are doing that whole “digital nomad” lifestyle and every time they recount their latest adventures I get super envious for a hot minute. I would love to live in a B&B on the ocean somewhere. I’d love to relocate to Paris for a month and then pop up to London and then maybe go sit on an island somewhere. It sounds luxurious. It sounds exciting. But every time I travel I get stressed out and homesick. I have cats and a dog that I miss terribly when I’m away. I like eating my own food and not having to navigate unknown places all the time. I hate the physical active traveling, especially when it requires airplanes. Even if I didn’t have pets, I think I would miss my house and my creature comforts. Nothing against the digital nomad lifestyle, but I wonder if these people aren’t in fact looking for something that they haven’t found, but that we already have.
Yeah, totally. It's all relative and we can't possibly satisfy all of our desires at any given moment. That being said, I still want to spend that month on the beach in Bali!
I live in Sonoma county also. We have a severely disabled son that loves to ride in that car. He definitely would ride forever but we eventually would have to land back home because that is his happy place.
At one point a few years ago I would be away for work in the other side of the planet for anywhere between 2-4 months out of the year, and while the first few trips were like a vacation, it gets old really fast and I missed my wife and kids pretty quickly. I missed birthdays, anniversaries, events and the like, and looking back I ask myself would I still have done it? It’s not like I had much of a choice as Im the main breadwinner (my wife and I decided as long as we could, she would take the hard, hard job of being a full time homemaker to take care of the kids) but if I had the choice to have been home more, I think I most certainly would have, especially now that my kids are getting older and don’t need us as much.
That’s such a tough situation. On the one hand, I imagine it’s exciting to travel and do business overseas. But that can take a toll after awhile. And missing big life events doesn’t help either. Are you more at home ever since covid?
Dude, I’ve been home for 20 months and counting. Might go back to a hybrid schedule and back to both domestic and international travel in 2022. Pretty sure my wife wants me back to the office at least 18 months ago 😂😂😂
Again, well done. Some of the parallels in life are freaky. I too used to drive 20,000+ a year pre-pandemic. My wife and I had "Irish triplets" — three kids in a calendar year — so I could identify with your list. Our oldest was diagnosed with early onset ADHD/bipolar — "Manic Monday ... Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days" was our mashup song — so every road trip away was both a hassle and a mental necessity. Love the last line. It's so true. Be patient. That month in Bali will happen.
They're now adults. The oldest turns 25 in December. We lived in what seemed like a foxhole for her entire adolescence, but after tremendous struggles from 11 to 20, she's in good health and recently married. We are blessed.
"The grass is always greener..." Traveling is great except when it isn't. And there is an "isn't great" day or moment on almost every trip. I worked for the airlines for 27 years. Flying used to be fun for me. I could roll up the airport a half-hour before the flight, park, and walk right on the plane. Since 911, and especially now with COVID, flying is not fun in any way. It is something to be endured for the sake of crossing long distances quickly.
I find road trips are far more enjoyable these days, if you can handle long drives. After a couple of hours in a car, I am itching to get out my metal cage and be free. 🤣
But you are correct, we all need a break in routine from time to time. And appreciate what we have.
Yeah, flying used to be fun. It’s still amazing to me that we can fly at all, and that’s it’s actually statistically safer than driving. But the user experience of the airport has made flying less desirable, for sure.
I used to like long-haul flights, rather, the romanticised idea of long-haul flights. The prospect of being able to read books after books with no distractions. The truth is, long-haul flights dries up your throat, your skin, I can’t sleep sitting upright, the toilets get dirty at the second half of the flight, and I eat way too much. 😂
(And yeah, with COVID now, 16 hours with double mask 😷, sheesh.)
I enjoy traveling by train more nowadays. Not that, we can travel anywhere much yet.
Another great piece. I have friends that are doing that whole “digital nomad” lifestyle and every time they recount their latest adventures I get super envious for a hot minute. I would love to live in a B&B on the ocean somewhere. I’d love to relocate to Paris for a month and then pop up to London and then maybe go sit on an island somewhere. It sounds luxurious. It sounds exciting. But every time I travel I get stressed out and homesick. I have cats and a dog that I miss terribly when I’m away. I like eating my own food and not having to navigate unknown places all the time. I hate the physical active traveling, especially when it requires airplanes. Even if I didn’t have pets, I think I would miss my house and my creature comforts. Nothing against the digital nomad lifestyle, but I wonder if these people aren’t in fact looking for something that they haven’t found, but that we already have.
Yeah, totally. It's all relative and we can't possibly satisfy all of our desires at any given moment. That being said, I still want to spend that month on the beach in Bali!
Me too!
This is brilliant perspective: "Maybe they’d trade anything for my way of life. Maybe I should be more thankful for mine."
Thank you!
And I would drive 500,000 more! 😂
Glad you got the reference!
keep up the good work kyle
Thanks, Mike!
I live in Sonoma county also. We have a severely disabled son that loves to ride in that car. He definitely would ride forever but we eventually would have to land back home because that is his happy place.
That’s awesome that he loves riding in the car! Riding around Sonoma County isn’t so bad, I guess 😊
"But maybe some of them are envious of me too." Is such an excellent line.
Thank you, Jade!
Beautiful
Thanks, Russell!
Good one Lyle, loved it. Thank you!
Thank you, Chandler!
At one point a few years ago I would be away for work in the other side of the planet for anywhere between 2-4 months out of the year, and while the first few trips were like a vacation, it gets old really fast and I missed my wife and kids pretty quickly. I missed birthdays, anniversaries, events and the like, and looking back I ask myself would I still have done it? It’s not like I had much of a choice as Im the main breadwinner (my wife and I decided as long as we could, she would take the hard, hard job of being a full time homemaker to take care of the kids) but if I had the choice to have been home more, I think I most certainly would have, especially now that my kids are getting older and don’t need us as much.
That’s such a tough situation. On the one hand, I imagine it’s exciting to travel and do business overseas. But that can take a toll after awhile. And missing big life events doesn’t help either. Are you more at home ever since covid?
Dude, I’ve been home for 20 months and counting. Might go back to a hybrid schedule and back to both domestic and international travel in 2022. Pretty sure my wife wants me back to the office at least 18 months ago 😂😂😂
😆😆😆
Again, well done. Some of the parallels in life are freaky. I too used to drive 20,000+ a year pre-pandemic. My wife and I had "Irish triplets" — three kids in a calendar year — so I could identify with your list. Our oldest was diagnosed with early onset ADHD/bipolar — "Manic Monday ... Tuesday, Wednesday, Happy Days" was our mashup song — so every road trip away was both a hassle and a mental necessity. Love the last line. It's so true. Be patient. That month in Bali will happen.
Wow, you literally have your hands full, Glenn. How is your oldest these days?
They're now adults. The oldest turns 25 in December. We lived in what seemed like a foxhole for her entire adolescence, but after tremendous struggles from 11 to 20, she's in good health and recently married. We are blessed.
That’s so good to hear, Glenn!
The old saying, “the grass is always greener on the other side”.
Oh wait, I just saw Mark Starlin commented the same too. Ah, well, goes to show your writing is hitting the right notes 🎶🎵 with people, Lyle. 😃
Thanks, Melinda!
Great read Lyle. I enjoyed the ride.
Thanks, mom! ♥️
Aww, this is super sweet. 🥲
"The grass is always greener..." Traveling is great except when it isn't. And there is an "isn't great" day or moment on almost every trip. I worked for the airlines for 27 years. Flying used to be fun for me. I could roll up the airport a half-hour before the flight, park, and walk right on the plane. Since 911, and especially now with COVID, flying is not fun in any way. It is something to be endured for the sake of crossing long distances quickly.
I find road trips are far more enjoyable these days, if you can handle long drives. After a couple of hours in a car, I am itching to get out my metal cage and be free. 🤣
But you are correct, we all need a break in routine from time to time. And appreciate what we have.
Yeah, flying used to be fun. It’s still amazing to me that we can fly at all, and that’s it’s actually statistically safer than driving. But the user experience of the airport has made flying less desirable, for sure.
I used to like long-haul flights, rather, the romanticised idea of long-haul flights. The prospect of being able to read books after books with no distractions. The truth is, long-haul flights dries up your throat, your skin, I can’t sleep sitting upright, the toilets get dirty at the second half of the flight, and I eat way too much. 😂
(And yeah, with COVID now, 16 hours with double mask 😷, sheesh.)
I enjoy traveling by train more nowadays. Not that, we can travel anywhere much yet.
Yup. Flying isn't what it used to be. Not to mention the complete nutcases attacking flight attendants! Yikes!