The joy and pain of coming home

I am now back in my home town of Toronto, after 24 days travelling down the North American West Coast, from Victoria, Canada, to Los Angeles, USA.

As every big travel nut knows, one of the best parts of travel is coming home. Getting back to your own bed, pillow, shower, coffee machine, and favourite foods is wonderful… for about a week.

And then if you’re like me, you hit a low, where all the things you dislike about your home life and your city come back to haunt you. Perhaps you have to go back to a job that bores you or stresses you out, or deal with issues that were put on the back burner during your trip. The minutiae and routine of daily life return. What’s to be done?

Here are 5 ways to deal with the homecoming blues.

1. Create a video or photo book

If you’ve been taking photos and videos during you trip, consider using a video editing application like iMovie (on the Mac) or Windows Movie Maker to create a video montage of your trip. Add music and captions. Give a copy to your travelling companions.

Or if you prefer, create a photo book on sites like Shutterfly, Mixbook or Snapfish. This will provide you with a beautiful memento that you can share and look at when you’re feeling blue.

2. Have a party

Invite your friends and/or family to a little get-together. Prepare dishes, or serve foods and drinks from the locations you visited. Present a slideshow of your best trip photos. Or just have fun in the company of your good pals and loved ones.

3. Try something different

What makes trips so exciting and addictive are all the new things you get to see and do. Replicate this experience at home by eating out at a new restaurant, attending a performance, or trying out a new activity.

4. Do one thing you’ve been procrastinating

Give your home life some momentum by doing one thing that’s been on your “to do” list for a long time. I always find that I have renewed energy after I’ve just returned. This is a good time to strike one thing from your list and start on the right foot.

5. Start planning your next trip

This one never fails. You don’t have to book anything, but just start thinking about and researching possible destinations for your next trip. Browse through guidebooks in the bookstore, or check out travel web sites while sipping a latte at your favourite coffee shop.

If your daily routine is getting to you, you can also try going on a roam. It may help you see your city in a whole new light.

Home sweet home!

What do you do to beat the homecoming blues?