You Might be a Travel Addict if…

You may not have thought of your love for travel as such – an addiction.  But as a fellow avid traveler, it’s time we call it like it is.  We experience many of the same cravings, symptoms and withdrawals that any fiend might describe.  I’d like to believe this addiction is a healthy one to have though, so feel no guilt as you shamelessly pencil in one trip after the other.  In the end, you are merely building yourself up with each experience, to become the magnificent person you are today.  Happy travels!

You Might Be A Travel Addict If…

1.  You chose a career that allows you to travel.  You may find yourself sleep deprived and/or underpaid at times, but its worth it.  Rack up those points, baby!

2.  You can’t date someone who doesn’t have the travel bug, too.  They’ll never understand how you can be dreaming of your next adventure while you’re still in the present one.

3.  To follow up, if someone you’re dating ever gives you an ultimatum, they will never win over travel.  Never.  So it’s not recommended, unless you want to break up, that is.

4.  You have the Skyscanner or Skiplagged app on your main screen.  Let’s face it, if you have any travel app on your cell phone’s home screen, you are definitely going to be labeled a travel addict.

5.  You feel antsy when there are no upcoming trips on the calendar.   Home is just the place where you store your stuff, give your family a hug (and prove you are not a complete vagabond), do laundry and re-pack your suitcase.

6.  You take road trips often.  When you can’t swing an international jaunt, you’ll settle for a road trip somewhere, anywhere.  Even if it’s just for a night.

7.  You could be described as personable.  People who travel are just sexier.  There’s a certain confidence that emits from those who have had to navigate their way through world, at times in precarious situations.  If you’re traveling the right way, you meet a lot of people,  making you more outgoing and open to life in general.

8.  You have luggage nearby and ready to load up on a moment’s notice.  You may even have an emergency go-bag ready.  If you have that, than you most definitely must have your ready-for-anything pieces in the trunk of your car…you know, the spare bikini, flats and sweater.

9.  You have subscriptions to multiple travel deal websites.  Sure, you might not open every single email they send but you feel a certain comfort knowing there will always be a travel deal awaiting you, should you click the link.

10.  You’ve mastered the skill of sleeping anywhere.  Planes, trains, automobiles and all those nights in hostels have built up your tolerance to uncomfortable sleeping situations.  At this point, you know you’ve got to catch your Z’s when and where you can so you can hit the ground running when you arrive to your next destination.

11.  Your passport is your prized possession.  You flash that baby like a badge of honor to TSA, customs agents, family, friends, the guy ID’ing you at the liquor store…whoever will look at all the pretty stamps you’ve collected.  You might even carry around your passport instead of an ID card just so you can have that fleeting ‘international feeling’.

12.  You aren’t scared of trying new foods.  In fact, foods are probably one of the most enticing things about travel to you.  You look forward to finding the most unique and delicious dishes in each destination, and hopefully one of those meals will include the company of a friendly local.

13.  You have friends around the world.  Your experience wouldn’t be complete without meeting at least a few local people and making lasting friendships.

14.  You pack like a pro.  No need for an extensive packing list or a week of preparation.

15.  Foreign languages and accents are a major turn on.  Don’t believe me?  Just hop over to Italy…or Spain…or Brazil…or maybe even Australia…

16.  If you’re from America, the regular chain grocery stores at home seem like glorified storage lockers for fake food.  There’s no sadder feeling than coming back to the States after eating the freshest, realest and most flavorful foods around the world.  Thank heavens for Whole Foods.

17.  Airports don’t intimidate you and TSA is a breeze.  You’ve done this drill a thousand times and none of it unsettles you.  It’s just part of the process at this point.

18.  Your Facebook wall is filled with photos and tidbits of your adventures abroad.  On the contrary, your Facebook feed is probably filled with baby pictures and wedding albums.  They seemed to have jumped the gun, no?

19.  You’re a member of ASW (A Small World).  This was a great free service to link up with other business savvy travelers around the world.  These days there is an annual membership fee of $110 but for those who travel frequently and want to connect with other like-minded individuals, it’s a great social network to join.

20.  Culture shock happens when you come back home, not when you are traveling.  It takes time to sink back into your ‘real life’ routine…and it bores you immediately.  If you’re not bored, its probably because your mind is preoccupied with planning the next trip.

21.  It isn’t unusual to find random coins or bills from other countries in your wallet or backpack.  It might even inspire you to re-visit a country..because you wouldn’t want those Euros to go to waste, of course.

22.  You can relate to nomads.  Home is where you decide it to be.

23.  You need a vacation from your vacation.  You spend your trip trying to make the very most of your time and get in as much as you possibly can.  Hey, you can sleep when you’re dead.

24.  Family, friends and even random strangers on social media hit you up for travel tips and advice about anywhere around the world.  It’s just assumed you’d know better at this point.  TripAdvisor who?

25.  You refer to cities in airport codes.  I mean, BCN is obviously easier to say than Barcelona, right?

26.  Your friends at home think you speak strange lingo sometimes.  “Same, same but different” ring a bell?  How about getting together for a lekker Braai?

27.  You convert the price of something into how much travel you could get for that amount.  Don’t lie, we all do it.  That new handbag costs how much??  A trip’s worth to Mexico, you say?

28.  You feel the most free when you are in a foreign place.  The excitement of not knowing where the hell you are is quite the orgasmic experience.

29.  You cry.  But only when it’s time to go back home.

30.  You write blogs on being a travel addict.  Ah-hem…