Coping With The Post LOS Blues
Before I made my first trip to Thailand I spent a lot of time on forums and blogs trying to immerse myself in Thailand travel knowledge. I picked up loads of useful information, some not so useful, and was well prepared for my first trip. One nugget that stuck out, and I wouldn’t be able to appreciate till the trip was over, was to be ready for the Post LOS blues.
What is this mysterious ailment that affects so many visitors to the the Land of Smiles (LOS)? You can describe it as post-trip depression, but it is more than that. Nobody likes to go back to work after a fantastic vacation. I’ve been through that before. This takes it to a whole new level.
Visiting Thailand gets its hooks in you. Your reality of what life is like back home is shattered and you realize what your life could be like. You get a glimpse of what happiness truly looks like, then it is taken from you as you head back home and begin life in the real world.
Your first few days and week are extremely difficult. You are flipping through your photos, looking at forums and blogs, trying to keep that feeling alive. Your days at work seem harder and longer than they did before you left. You are constantly thinking about when you can get back to Thailand. You start looking at your vacation time and bank balance struggling to get back as soon as you can.
Some are struck exceptionally hard. They fell in love with a beautiful Thai girl on their trip and being at home is painful. They keep in touch with their new friend with messages, emails, and Skype calls. All which makes it harder to adjust to life back home. They are fully caught up in the spell that Thailand has cast upon them.
A handful will even contemplate upending their entire lives, quitting jobs, and think of moving to Thailand. Few actually do it. Even fewer do it successfully.
Surviving The Post LOS Blues
After 10 years of traveling to Thailand, I still get the LOS Blues. Though not nearly as strong as the first few years. I get over the post trip slide a lot quicker, but it’s still there. Here are a few things that get me through it.
Plan Your Next Trip As Soon As Possible – Whether it is one month or one year away, mark it on your calendar. Book your plane and hotel. It becomes real. From then on you are just counting down the days to your next trip in anticipation. You have something to look forward to as opposed to just reminiscing about the past.
Only do this if you have the time and budget available. Too many people go broke or into debt chasing the illusion that Thailand offers.
Occupy Your Time – When you aren’t busy doing something your mind has time to wander. And it will most definitely be thinking about getting back to Pattaya, Phuket, or wherever you wish to be.
Go to the gym and start working out. Not only will it keep your mind active, but you’ll start looking and feeling better. With the added benefit you’ll be a more handsome man on your next trip.
Find a hobby, continue going out with your friends back home, be social. Heck, start a blog. 🙂 Anything to keep your mind and body active.
Forget About The Thai Girls You Met – Don’t message them, don’t email them, to talk to them on Skype. Don’t stalk them on Facebook. Keeping in touch will just prolong the blues. And you might even get hit up for a money request at some point. If they are still around when you next return you can pick up right where you left off.
While I keep looking for a cure to the Post LOS Blues, those are a few things I try after returning from a trip to help get me through until the next time.
Do you get the LOS Blues after a trip? What do you do to get you through it?
