This Maltese Couple Have Spent 500 Days On The Road And They’re Sharing Their Top Travel Struggles
Leaving your everyday life behind to see what the wider world has to offer sounds like an absolute dream to many but it’s become a reality for Wayne Grech and Bernice Chetcuti.
Just over 500 days ago, the Maltese couple threw caution to the wind and bought a one-way ticket to Asia, documenting their travels through the Instagram page travel.love.couple. And to mark this impressive landmark, Wayne and Bernice reflected on their adventure so far and shared the top ten struggles they’ve faced throughout their journey.
If you’re planning a similar trip, this list makes vital reading.
1. The logistical problems of carrying everything you need in a single backpack
“First of all you usually pack more than you need – the first time you pack you don’t realise that you need to carry all that weight every time you move and your back will regret it a few weeks later”
2. The regular jet lag and tired feet
“When you finally arrive you’ll experience an extreme case of jet lag- You don’t think this is real before it happens to you! Travel time from some places are never ending journeys of planes, boats, and buses!”
3. Getting lost in translation
“Language barrier- in some areas of Asia English is not spoken and therefore you’re stuck with your all time friend Google Translate! A simple task like ordering food soon becomes your main struggle of the day!”
4. The daily dietary problems
“Travel makes you so unhealthy. Eating out every single meal is not very healthy and it’s tough to exercise when you’re always on the move.”
5. Excess paradise isn’t great for your skin
“Skin problems! As much as we love the sun and sea water, it’s very problematic when it comes to our skin. The sun and salt makes your skin flakey, dry and and age quicker!”
6. Food in Asia can get repetitive
“Although some Asian cuisines are to die for, in some areas food is very limited and repetitive. You’ll soon start to miss mums special lasagna you complained about week after week! Ohh, and hope you like rice!”
7. You will be hit by pangs of homesickness
“You get tired- living out of a backpackis not easy and being always on the go makes you loose your sense of home. You have day dreams of your comforts you used to have back home like your couch, good WiFi and a fridge!”
8. Travel friendships tend to be transient by nature
“Saying goodbyes- making friends is the easiest task in Asia but a second after making friends you soon realise that you need to say goodbye.”
9. Realising the world you left behind is getting by without you
“Losing attachments- your best folks back home will become strangers in no time. While you are traveling the world, your old buddies are still moving forward with their life; getting married and having babies and having their own life changing experiences only to realise you missed them all!”
10. Once the travel bug bites, it never lets go
“You never know when enough is enough – the world is a much bigger place than we think! It’s immaculately beautiful and when you start to wander you never really know how, when or why to stop, which also becomes a struggle alone the way. ‘Should I stay or should I go?’”
Despite all of this, the pros of a full-time travelling gig far outweigh the cons. Indeed, Wayne and Bernice returned to Malta last summer only to head straight back to Asia a few weeks later. They’re currently in the Philippines, having previously travelled to South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Myanmar, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam.
“The world is a magnificent place and we urge you to travel before it’s too late,” Wayne and Bernice said in response to a Maltese follower who asked them to convince her boyfriend to go on a long trip with her. “Forget about what you’re leaving behind and focus on what’s to come! Take that leap of faith and the world will blow your mind!”
All photos: Instagram: Travel.love.couple
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