15+ Signs You’ve Caught the Travel Bug

We all love to travel to different extents. Some people have their favorite resort they look forward to visiting every year. Others spend their days scavenging for cheap plane tickets to any destination. Most people fall somewhere in between.

If you used to travel only once or twice a year but lately have been feeling the urge to explore more – watch out! It might be a sign you’ve caught the travel bug, and that’s no trivial matter. Once you’ve been bitten by a travel bug, you’ll quickly notice your life and yourself changing.

While a cure might be hard to find, you’ll be pleased to know that most of the symptoms are positive – you’ll probably see your life improve! So, if you want to know more, read on for more signs you’ve caught the travel bug.

You save money for experiences more often than material things.

One of the first signs you’ve caught a travel bug is saving for experiences. In the past, your savings might have been aimed at clothes or tech, but now more and more often, you find yourself putting money away with destinations in mind.

You measure expenses in plane tickets.

Furthermore, a pesky little thought enters your mind whenever you consider an expensive purchase: “… or I’ll be halfway there to buying that plane ticket?”. The good news is you shouldn’t be afraid; this is a common symptom. The bad news is: it’ll only get worse.

Soon, you won’t need to have a specific destination; instead, you’ll know the average prices of plane tickets at different distances. Eventually, even the possibility of a weekend getaway to a nearby state will seem more appealing than a new pair of shoes.

You get jealous of people traveling when you can’t.

Seeing your friends and family post pictures of their travels always makes us think: “It’d be nice to go somewhere, too”. But, if you’ve caught a travel bug, you experience these feelings more intensely. You feel like you haven’t traveled in ages, even if you only returned home a couple of weeks ago.

On top of that, any place you’ve seen on social media posts seems like a hidden gem or must-see spot you absolutely need to visit at some point in life.

Your bucket list is full of travel plans…

So you see pictures of tranquil beaches and buzzing cities, and you add them to your bucket list or your New Year’s plans. Of course, there are other things there, like learning to make a mean lasagna or reading more books. But, over time, your list fills up with more and more experiences and travel destinations.

… and it never gets any shorter!

As you tick off another place on your list, you realize that your travel list has become a Sisyphean Task. You’ve been traveling more than ever, but somehow there are never any fewer destinations to visit. Maybe even more than any other, this is a classic sign you’ve caught a travel bug.

However, your suitcase gets smaller.

You might struggle with shortening your travel list, but you’re definitely impressed with your packing skills. For example, in the past, you might have packed 2 suitcases to visit your aunt in a neighboring town – because what if you need your spare winter jacket during those 3 days?

However, lately, you’ve “downgraded” to a nice backpack and know precisely where to place each of your travel essentials. Good for you!

You’re always split between revisiting the places you love and exploring.

This is one of the more frustrating symptoms and a prime sign you’ve caught a travel bug. You feel the need to go back to the places you’ve already visited while also wanting to travel to as many unique places as possible.

The main reason causing this struggle is the fact that you’ve left a piece of your heart in every place you’ve visited already. You love all the cultures and locations you’ve been to, and you likely won’t ever feel satisfied – it doesn’t matter if you’ve been in that region for a weekend or a month.

You think about/start a travel journal.

You also don’t want to forget the places you’ve seen and experiences you’ve had – so you start a travel journal. Sure, it’s not as good as going back to the location you fell in love with – but it makes you feel connected.

As the bug progresses, your journal turns from a simple notebook to a heavy-duty book full of photos and taped-in souvenirs.

If you could go back in time, you’d travel more.

All of this makes you feel like you wish you had more time. More time to travel and experience everything the world has to offer. If, for some reason, you travel less one year, your biggest regret is not traveling more.

And, if by some miracle you could go back in time, you know you’d pack your backpack (quite efficiently) and be on the first plane outbound.

Love for travel is becoming a must for your relationship.

In the past, you might have been looking for a partner that is kind, funny, and attractive. But a big sign you’ve caught the travel bug is that this starts to change. Sure, you still want those characteristics – but they might no longer be enough for you.

You increasingly long for a partner that wants to travel as much as you do. You want to experience different cultures, eat delicious local food, and nap together on long bus rides. You can no longer imagine being with someone who chooses to stay home and watch Netflix when they could be taking in the world’s wonders.

Traveling alone starts to seem more appealing.

Although you are looking for a partner that will happily travel with you anywhere, it’s not because you can’t travel alone. Maybe, in the past, you couldn’t imagine enjoying yourself without your friends and family. But you know you’ve caught a travel bug when you’d rather travel alone than not at all.

Having your best friend with you can enrich your experience, but making plans with others can be tricky. The dates, destination, price, or level of comfort might not work for both or all of you. So you’re slowly getting used to the idea that sometimes you’ll travel alone and make friends along the way – and you’re not mad at it, too.

You have a love/hate relationship with airports.

This sign you’ve caught a travel bug doesn’t always apply to everyone – maybe you never minded the airport, or perhaps you still see it as an obstacle in the way. But when the travel bug bites you, you’ll often experience a change in how you perceive this step.

A lot of the time, the airport becomes your second home. You associate its chaos with starting a new adventure – you snack, window-shop and relax before your flight. And you can’t exactly remember why you couldn’t sleep at the airport in the past…

You’re increasingly more interested in learning languages.

Some people have a natural affinity for foreign languages. Maybe that’s you, maybe not, but one thing is for sure – if you caught the travel bug, you’ve been thinking about picking up new languages more often.

Maybe you want to learn a language like Spanish or Chinese, so you can maximize the number of people you can talk to during your travels. Or, maybe you fell in love with a particular location and culture and want to deepen your understanding by speaking the same language as the locals. It’s a good thing you already know how to say “Good morning” and “thank you” in 7 languages.

Your standard for restaurants has changed.

Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve become harsher or more lenient when judging the restaurants in your hometown and big cities. Usually, you’re simply growing a better understanding of different cuisines – and of your own tastes, too!

So as you visit certain restaurants, you compare their flavors and quality to the authentic establishments you’ve been to. As a result, you might like them less because they’ve missed the mark when making a traditional dish, or appreciate them more for putting a unique spin on a classic! Either way, if you’ve been bitten by a travel bug, your taste buds will never be the same.

You daydream about travel.

At last, we arrive at one of the easiest-to-spot signs you’ve caught the travel bug. When your daydreams feature countries you’ve been to or continents you’d like to visit – you know it’s “too late”.

As you chase your bucket list and visit more and more places around the world, your desire to travel will only grow. And your daydreams (or your travel journal) will slowly become your happy place.

So, have you resonated with any of these signs you’ve caught the travel bug? Or are there more “symptoms” you’d like to share with us? Let us know in the comments.

And, if you’re looking for inspiration to further grow your travel bucket list – bookmark PointsFeed for the best tips and recommendations!