Just got back from a few years out on the road and it seemed like all that would ever interest you was the excitement of what is around the next corner. At one time you looked at the hardships and adversities of travel and you said simply – bring it on! Now though you’re back home and life is getting its hooks into you. Perhaps your getting held down to the extent that there isn’t going to be a next time, you’re there for good. The top five reasons you’re done traveling are:

5) Eating Out is no longer a treat… 

There was a time when you had to head half way around Bombay to find a McDonalds, or scour every ethnic food store to find marmite, but now it’s easy as can be. Everywhere has those foods, because you’re home and they’re not a treat anymore. They are normal…

4) Driving is no longer fun, it is a chore… 

When you first got home it was exhilarating to be back behind the wheel weaving in and out of traffic.  Fast forward to now and it just isn’t fun at all anymore. Traffic is annoying and you are just trying to get yourself from point A to point B. Fun has become utility and a pleasure back to being utterly common place.

3) You just signed a one year lease… 

When you were on the road and the word lease came up you were straight out that door. Even the thought of going to month to month for a room seemed way much like you were copping out against the pure spirit of travel. Now, with the demands of getting a decent place that you’re friends and family will respect and not think you are living like a hobo you’ve signed the dotted line. And that leads too…

2) You start buying furniture 

Leading from the last point, when you first got back you were renting fully furnished rooms. Apartments though don’t come with furniture. You could wander the curbs to do it the traveler way and find stuff on the streets, but how would that look to your friends? Instead you find yourself at IKEA racking up a $1,100 dollar bill for furnishings and the girl you have been seeing says – “that’s a good start honey… “

1) You’re Settling 

And finally, you know you aren’t going anywhere when the urge to throw it all away and shuffle the deck again has been replaced with a sense that you don’t want to risk it. Perhaps, what you have isn’t perfect – the job is not full filling, your boyfriend/girlfriend is not your dream partner – but giving up to start from scratch again just does not feel worth it. You get that feeling and the travel is done.