Happy Sunday fellow travelers! Before I dive into all my stories I would like to share with you a little secret I’ve learned that might help you chase away the wanderlust blues, even if only for a little while.

When I lived in England I used to take a few days every now and then to travel the country, to discover the new place I was now calling home. So even when I didn’t have a plane ticket I still felt like a traveler. I found (and please feel free to let me know if you agree or if you think I’m wrong) that moving back from living abroad or coming home from a long trip can sometimes… who am I kidding?! most times, bring about what I call ‘the wanderlust blues’. The feeling that an incredible adventure has come to an end: no more daily excitement, no more new places to discover, no more complete sense of freedom, a feeling that can be a bit overwhelming especially when combined with a nine-to-five job and a hectic routine.

I also found that my born and raised London friends very rarely travel inside England as for them it was not really considered traveling. I always found it funny because they were missing out on so much but then again… wasn’t I doing the exact same thing back in Israel??? When I lived here before moving to the UK I almost never took trips around the country, I would hear from tourists I’ve met how amazing this country is and would look at them in bewilderment. This country? amazing?? Seriously???

When I moved back to Israel, when I came back from my 4 months trip to New Zealand and Australia, when I returned from a month in the US, all those homecomings were fun at first, everyone wanted to see me and hear stories and look at my photos and I felt very loved and missed. Also, by sharing my stories and photos over and over again I got to live my adventures a little while longer, and know that I did something not everyone gets to do. But then it would all be over, I would have to get back to work, to my less lively social life (as I left 70% of my friends back in London and also because for some reason I seem to be more fun in the UK) and the blues would just kick in, the wanderlust and the need for a trip would sometimes be so strong all the rest would just feel depressing.

But then, thanks to my cousin Michal who loves to travel (no matter where) and that invited me to join every time she and her friends were going on a trip, I discovered that magic can also be found locally and not only across an ocean. I discovered Israel’s stunning beaches and sunsets, mountains and deserts, rivers and valleys and wildlife and everything I look for when I go on a trip abroad.

I realize it’s not the same, it’s less exotic and in Israel’s case it’s also less big which is why I call it a band-aid for wanderlust and not a cure. However, think of it this way: it is much cheaper than going abroad which makes it more accessible on a more regular basis and you never know what wonderful things you might find. It also makes us all better ambassadors for our own countries because now when I hear a tourist telling me Israel is amazing I can say “I know, right?! but have to been to…?” and show them there is much more to see.

So next time when you are feeling the wanderlust blues, and there is still a while to go before your next trip abroad, round up some friends (alone is also cool) jump into your car, make a wicked road-trip playlist, take to the open road and go exploring your own country. Find a new beach with a new stunning sunset, a new area of historical ruins, a new river to cross and a new story to tell your friends and family when you come home.

Go wander, your Traveling Unicorn x