Why I’ll Never be Fully Nomadic

While I love traveling, sometimes there’s nothing better than coming back home.

Constant travel has its perks. You’re exploring the world full-time, having experiences and making memories that many back home could only dream of.

But, speaking of “home,” as a full-time nomad, you don’t really have one. By simple definition, a nomad is “a member of a people having no permanent abode.”

I’ll be honest, the notion of going “full nomad” has piqued my interest more than once. I like to think of myself as a free spirit who can pick up and travel the world at any moment. I’m not a homebody. I hate comfort zones. But after living out of a suitcase for work and leisure the bulk of this month, I have to admit:

I love going home.

A hush falls over the crowd.

Yes, I – a travel blogger who lives for exploration – love being home.

Umm… phony alert?

Nope. I’m not a phony – but sure, at first, it did feel that way. I thought “true” travel bloggers and, heck, real travelers for that matter, would do anything to live on the road forever. Yet, the more travel professionals I talk with, the more I’m understanding that periodic travel (e.g., traveling regularly but not constantly) is an equally popular adventure style.

Case in point? Adventurous Kate – one of the most revered travel bloggers – has a home base in NYC. Lauren of Neverending Footsteps – another favorite – has a home base in Lisbon. After one year questioning why I don’t want to live out of a suitcase long-term (I still question myself at times… but now I’ll refer right back here!) I’m here to tell all travel bloggers and travel lovers that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a steady home base.

It’s normal to like your home, and it doesn’t mean you’re any less of an adventurer. At the end of the day, you need to do what’s best for you (and that even extends to how you prefer to travel, as I’ve mentioned before).

Live and let live. If want to live on the road, do it. That’s truly awesome. If you want to have a home base while traveling every chance you get, do that as well. And if you want to test out long-term travel while knowing you’ll eventually come home, well that’s a great option, too!

At this moment in my life, I need a home base for sanity, health, maintaining relationships and overall peace of mind. AKA, I need a home base for happiness. To break it down even further, here are just a few reasons I’ll never be a full-time, long-term nomad. (Or, at least for the foreseeable future).

My Relationships: I love my parents. I’m close with my brother. I treasure time with my friends. And I’m wildly in love with my boyfriend/ love of my life Frank. Yes, I get to hang out with them while traveling sometimes, but they can’t travel nonstop. They’re doctors, nurses professors, and the like. Sure, I can absolutely go a few months on my own, but I can’t imagine letting these relationships go – or missing major milestones – for the sake of long-term travel. Relationships are a major priority, and I intend to keep it that way.

My Dog: Dear God I love my dog. I love love love love looooove Harry. I need him in my life, and I can’t imagine giving him up to see the world. We rescued him a couple years back and since then, he’s shown just how much he needs his mom, AKA me (although, let’s be real… I need him equally as much if not more.) I can’t afford to pay for multiple months of pet sitting, and you better believe no one else will ever get the title of Harry’s proud mama.

Side note, did I mention I love Harry?

My Hometown: While learning about new places is one of my favorite things – and it’s something I do regularly with my schedule of traveling at least once per month (more on that later) – I love uncovering secret spots in my hometown of New York City. There’s something to be said for becoming a “local expert,” and I can’t do that if I’m never home!

My Health: As much as they say you can exercise and stay healthy on the road, it’s a whole lot easier back home when you have access to a gym, endless opportunities to do laundry because of said gym, etc. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the eating. While studying abroad I *tried* to eat healthy … like, for a hot second. Let’s be real though; I’m not giving up pasta in Rome for a snooze-y salad. At home? It’s much easier. Again – I’ve seen people master the art of healthy eating and exercise on the road, but I have no willpower when fresh mozzarella’s in front of my face.

My Business: I’d love to be able to work on the road – and it’s something I will have to do eventually – but for now, as I’m juggling multiple jobs along with a side hustle (cough, this blog, cough), I need a home base where I can get laser focused on assignments and completing my work. This is business is still fresh – just one year! – so hopefully down the road I can perfect it on, well, the road.

So, as mentioned above, I may have a home base but I do still travel a lot. I’m talking at least once per month. For example, next week I’m going to California, in early July I’m traveling to Seattle and Victoria, in August I’m hitting up LA along with Northern California as well as Chicago, and … you get the picture.

Are all of those trips aren’t crazy overseas adventures? No. But, they’re enough to keep my wanderlust at bay – while giving me the chance to be healthy, happy and overall successful with that side hustle.

Whether you’re a homebody, a full-time traveler, or somewhere in between, there’s no perfect formula for how much you should travel and stay put. Everyone has different priorities (hey, Harry, heyyy), so figure out what things you can’t live without and eventually the rest will fall into place.