Hi All
I am writing this to get your opinions and any experiences you have had similar to mine. Please refrain from telling me to see a Shrink..............(see the OP).
I am 72 years old and just finished a 5 1/2 month trip around the world. I left Houston the first of February and returned July 14. I wont list all the places I stopped, but roughly, Tahiti, New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, China, Viet Nam, Singapore, New Delhi, Istanbul, up through the Balkans, Italy, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Spain, and home. I was traveling alone and with only a general plan of where I was going. In other words my plan provided I go to Australia, but I made the decision where in Australia when I arrived in Sydney.
Traveling by Trains, Planes, and Automobiles (and an occasional horse), I saw all of the sights I had ever wanted to see. The total bill came to approximately $23,000. I traveled with one backpack weighing under 20 lbs. One does have to do a lot of laundry!
The issue is simply this: Since I have been back, with the exception of a few friends who knew, I have told no one of the trip. I also change the subject as soon as possible when asked about it (although being asked is getting rarer and rarer). I also have no desire to even leave my house during the day. Part of that is the 110 degree temperature we have had in Texas for the past couple of months, but I find that all I do is stare at the TV.
Its not that I didn't enjoy it - it was the most fantastic thing I have ever done. I wrote it all down as I was doing it and wound up with about 40 chapters of it. I cant even bring myself to go back and read the writeups.
I read other postings on this site about folks being "proud" of going RTW, but with me Its almost like I am ashamed that I did it. I have never been depressed in my life, and I dont know that I am now, but something is sure as hell wrong.
I am simply asking you if any of you have felt this way after any trip you have taken. I have traveled all my life, and while I have never been on one longer than 2 weeks, I have never reacted this way.
Thanks for listening and any help or comments would be appreciated
Shrink

I read this with some sadness. Your trip sounds amazing but isn't bringing you any happiness at the moment. I don't know you or your life but maybe just sitting watching TV is a reaction to all the activity of the past 6 months. Maybe you're worn out or depressed that no one is interested to hear about what you did? We recently spent 5 years living overseas and have found, now we are back home, that we are rarely asked anything about our travels at all. It has made me realise that whatever you do, do it for yourself and what you can get out of it.

It might help to contact people you met on your travels, did you get addresses or email contacts you can write to? I think give yourself time to come down from the high that travel like yours can bring and hopefully life will return to something like normal. I have felt in the past that settling back into a humdrum, routine life is hard after foreign cities, different cultures, airports and generally more excitement than we have in our normal lives. Good luck and don't be too hard on yourself.

Kay

I think you're probably just feeling a bit flat after being on the road for such a long time & experiencing so many new & exciting things. You've only been home a fortnight and your brain's probably still getting used to being in one place.

I've felt flat for a while after a long trip too, and wondered why I wasn't still feeling as energised as I did during my travels. It passes.

Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you to see a Shrink. I'm Australian - we don't do "Therapy" everytime there's a speed hump in our life's path. But I will suggest you force yourself to go for a walk - just on sunrise always does it for me.

I remember you were going to Cairns just around the time of the cyclone & floods. Did you get up to Youngaburra & the Atherton Tablelands?

I was supposed to be flying up to Cairns tomorrow, but life intervened & I've had to jetison that trip for a while. Going to the Gold Coast instead, so I'm not entirely deprived of my travel fix.

Vietnam is on my wish list for the next 12 months and I'd be interested to know where you went, stayed etc. I'm a solo traveller by choice too, and not overly keen on tours except perhaps the 1 or 2 day small group special interest variety. Did you happen to do any cooking classes on your travels?

Kay/Bokhara
Thanks for your comments and suggestions. I think you guys are quite right. I expected a little down time after I returned and re-integrated. I guess I just wasn't expecting this much down. I have contacted a couple of folks in Fiji and Bordeaux that were particularly good to me and it does help somewhat. I guess I will wait it out. Maybe if it doesn't lift I need to go somewhere!

Bok
It was my first time to go "down under". I spent only a couple of days in Sydney (I really dont care for big cities), and did the Opera house, Harbour Bridge thing with a couple other things. Left and spent about 6 days in Cairns and surrounding area. Did all the touristy things I guess - GBR, Daintree, Kuranda, Port Douglas and the Tablelands. Just incredibly beautiful. Hell - just thinking about it makes me want to go back.
At any rate - thank you both - I really appreciate your insights.

Shrink

Sounds like you are bummed out after a wonderful RTW journey

Back to the same old same old is a stone drag

after a great trip some of it is also chronic jet lag for me

http://www.afraidtoask.com/depressio...essionzung.htm

good test I have taken and flunked B4

Situational affective disorder can occur after travel

Has affected me do more local travel fun stuff diet exercise

If I do not improve after I talk to someone like my

MD or counselor for guidance...

www.webmd.com/depression

Dear Shrink
I think 110 degree heat day after day would make me feel the same way, as it's almost impossible to get out and exercise.

Bokhara's suggestion of a dawn walk is a good one, or perhaps sunset if that's not practical. A regular swim, maybe? Exercise has been shown to be as effective as many anti-depressant medications, and is great for our aches and pains as we age.

There are many people on this forum who would love to hear your travel stories. Good luck, and keep us up with your news please.

You mention you are 72 years old. It is possible that you are feeling sad because you may not have many such 'super trips' left in your life (although you have done a trip that most of us will never do - I congratulate you on your stamina!)

It is time to remember that not only is it possible that you will take another trip (albeit shorter and simpler) but that travel isn't everything. Look for the small joys life has to offer, and don't compare them to your 'mega-trip'.

This sounds like such a fantastic wonderful trip. I wish when I am 72 years old I will be able to do something like this.

I got a similar reaction when I returned home from a 5 week trip to the States last year. But I returned to sub-zero desert nights and a business that I was no longer interested in, but at least it forced me out of the house.

What helped me was throwing myself into compiling my travel diary and photos into a book, using a program called booksmart that you download at blurb.com. This proceedure took me almost as long as the trip did and after it was finished, I felt a certain degree of "closure". I then looked forward to having the finished item printed and delivered and after I received it, I begin researching another trip.

I hope this helps.

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the great suggestions. I guess I need to focus on the bright side as some of you indirectily suggested. I guess when I think about it, I know several 72 year olds that cant do this either due to health reasons or fear or what seems like a very limited life. I guess I can appreciate being somewhat of a rebel to accepted norms for 72 year olds. I am blessed with great health and energy which is unusual at this age.
I think the walk is a great idea and this time of year in Texas, early morning is about the only time I would care to do it.
Shanek - Thaks for the book idea. While I dont expect it to be a best seller, or even get published, it might serve to put the whole experience into some sort of perspective. At this point, many of the experiences were very personal and I am not too sure I would want anyone reading it. I can see however that it may provide the period to the sentence I am looking for.
Again - thanks to all of you for your help, understandings, and suggestions. I'll keep in touch.

Shrink

Wow congratulations to you !!! I hope that if i reach 72 years of age, I will be able to travel like this !!

I love to travel, but can't do it as much as I like, and also living here in NZ, it is very isolating and expensive to go anywhere. My last trip was to Germany - Christmas time - I travelled there on my own and loved it immensley, didn't want to come home actually I still feel depressed - 9 months later. In fact I always feel depressed after returning from each holiday - can't help it, its just something about me I guess. I have this thing about the grass being greener on the other side and I should be living there and not here.

The only thing that makes me feel better is to organise another trip - unfortunately that is at least a year away for me.

I try to stay positive and think to myself that at least I went, did this, did that, experienced this, etc, as not everyone gets the opportunity.

Be proud of yourself Shrink that you achieved this incredible experience. Its a wonderful thing.

BTW what did you think of NZ?

NZ
Thanks for your comments. I am feeling a little better after all the comments. In regard to your question about New Zealand. I was there about a week on the South Island. Just changed planes in Auckland and went to Queenstown. I cant say enough good stuff about NZ. I rented a car and drove through wine country. Spent a couple of nights in two small towns (their names slip my mind at the moment--maybe cromwell). The scenery was outstanding, the people were the friendliest and the Pinot Noir was to die for.
There were only a very few places on my trip that made me promise myself that I would return someday.............NZ was one of them. I totally loved it and REALLY hated to leave. Your country is simply magnificent!!!

Shrink

What you have is called an anticlimax - I get it every time I go away but it is cured by dreaming up my next trip. I would think that being indoors with temps outside like you have at present would give anyone a down feeling.