The Travel Bug Explained: What It Is and How You Know You’ve Caught It

Ever felt restless when you don’t have a trip planned, or slightly anxious at the thought of staying in one place for too long? You might have heard people talk about catching the Travel Bug or feeling a strong sense of wanderlust — but what does it really mean? In this post, I’m explaining what the Travel Bug is, how you know you’ve caught it, why it happens, and how I personally realised that travel would become a permanent part of my life.

Every trip we take has the power to change us in some way. If you are a true travel lover, returning home often feels strange — the routine feels tighter, the freedom feels limited, and everyday life suddenly seems smaller than it did before. While travelling, you feel more alive, curious and present, and once you’re back home, that feeling doesn’t simply disappear. Instead, it turns into restlessness — the desire to escape again, explore more, and feel that sense of freedom all over again.

How Do You Know You’ve Caught the Travel Bug?

Picture this: You have just come back from a long trip, you saw new places, met new people, cultures, you were able to experience things you could have never imagined and every single day was a challenging adventure. You are now back home, tired but happy with your mind full of amazing memories that will forever have a special place in your heart. You remember the sense of freedom and excitement you felt while away, so you close your eyes and start daydreaming but suddenly a sense of anxiety starts to grow inside of you and you feel the need to book a new trip straight away and escape once again from your everyday life. Does it sound familiar to you? Result: Result? You’ve caught the Travel Bug.

Those places that make you feel free

Wanderlust vs Travel Bug: What’s the Difference?

The term Wanderlust and why you catch the Travel Bug. The official definition of the German term ‘Wanderlust’ translates as:

‘a strong desire to travel’, or ‘a man/woman consumed by wanderlust’.

Although, it is much more complex than that. All of those who feel fulfilled with travelling and are on a constant search for new challenges and adventures, will sooner or later catch the Travel Bug, there is no way to escape it and it’s also highly contagious! Of course everyone enjoys a good holiday and some time away from work but for those who caught the Travel Bug, travelling literally becomes part of their everyday life. It’s their drive and inspiration for everything they do. When you are a traveller (not a tourist, there is a huge difference) you are always a traveller, every single minute of your life.

Why Do People Catch the Travel Bug?

However, this sense of Wanderlust and therefore the love and insatiable need for travel and adventure might also emerge or more specifically be triggered, not only due to the love for travel, yet also from other aspects of our life. A good amount of full time travellers for example, decided to leave everything behind and travel the world after a big event in their life.

The sense of frustration that some have of everyday life, a relationship that doesn’t make you happy as it should, but also due to the ‘boredom’ of western societies, the life ideologies and milestones that we are kind of ‘forced’ to achieve since birth such as finishing school, getting a degree, finding a good job, getting a partner, getting married, having kids are simply not for all of us (and by the way you can do all of those things while travelling as well if you really want it!). Just because one wants to do things differently than the rest of society, it doesn’t mean that that person is wrong and others are right or vice versa, it simply means that what makes that person happy might not be a happy place for someone else. Happiness comes in different forms and colours and for those who caught the Travel Bug, happiness is exploring the amazing world we live in, every single corner and shape of it.

How Long Does the Travel Bug Last?

There’s only one honest answer: once you catch it, it never really goes away. There’s no cure, no reset button and no turning back. The Travel Bug doesn’t fade — it evolves. And yes… once you’ve got it, you’re in for life.

How I Caught the Travel Bug (My Story)

For me, it was another usual day in cold and rainy London back in 2015 when me and two friends decided that we wanted to visit Thailand. Before that trip I had already been to a few countries around Europe, yet that would have been my very first long trip and international flight. A huge Airbus was waiting for us at Heathrow Airport ready to take us all the way to Bangkok. Well, that trip had the power to change me. The level of excitement when arriving in Bangkok was out of this world and since the very first day everything I saw, learned and experienced in that country changed me and my approach to travel forever. That trip was my transition from a tourist to a real traveller! We spent over two and a half amazing weeks exploring the crazy streets of Bangkok, the beautiful island of Phuket, and the paradisiac nature and beaches of Phi Phi and The Similans. Maybe it was the kindness of Thai people, the amazing nature, the thought of knowing that being so far away from home in a country where most things we are used to in western societies are so different, but I was certain that I have never felt more alive! I was free, curious, fearless, amazed, excited and felt a sense of happiness that I had never experienced before. Once back to London I could not resist. My heart was telling me to start looking for my next adventure right away! Being caught again in everyday life made me realise that routine was not for me. I needed to be on the move, explore new countries, cultures, talk to people I never met, challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone to see what I was really capable of. Well, since that moment I knew it. I had caught it, the Travel Bug and feeling of wanderlust would have never abandoned me again!

Me at James Bond Island in Thailand

How to Deal with the Travel Bug

It sounds crazy but for some the desire to travel might be so strong that a constant sense of anxiety and depressive feelings might arise. The reason why I’m saying it it’s because I experienced it on my own skin.

Pandemic & emotional struggle

The pandemic was a jail I could not escape from. When I heard the news on TV that Airports were being shut down due to the virus and I could not travel or go and see the rest of my family back home for God knows how long, it was unbearable! The sense of Wanderlust kept growing more and more every day…

Different ways people cope

I believe that there is no straight forward answer on how to deal with your sense of Wanderlust, and if there is it might be a different one for all of us. Many start to look at ways that will allow them to work remotely to be able to travel the world full time, some try to manage their holiday at work as best as they can, while others decide to momentarily, please their sense of wanderlust by taking a sabbatical year in South-east Asia… Personally, as I’m currently still working full time (2026 spoiler alert, I'm now travelling full time for the past two years!). I feel lucky to have a job that allows me to take short breaks every month, as well as longer trips (usually not more than two weeks) at least two to three times a year. Therefore, I manage to satisfy my desire to travel looking forward to my next trip.

Your personal balance

If you are in full time employment but caught the travel bug, spend your time planning your next trip, watch travel vlog, read about the places you want to visit and get ready for your new adventure. Trust me it helps! And most importantly, don’t be one of those people who think that travelling full time is impossible. It is, and thousands are doing it right now, especially with the popularity that smart working has gained after the pandemic. Look for a way that will allow you to leave everything behind, be free and travel the world the way you want to.

Time is the most precious thing we have in life and it should not be wasted living a life you don’t feel as yours!

However, with such ideas in mind, I perfectly understand that many people might think that you are a weirdo, that you should stop dreaming and get back to planet earth. So if you are one of those lucky people, who like me, caught the Travel Bug, you might feel lonely in your own world sometimes but promise yourself not to ever give up on your dream, no matter how crazy they sound!

My Conclusions

Catching the Travel Bug can feel overwhelming at times, especially when your lifestyle doesn’t yet match the way your heart wants to live. But wanting more from life, more freedom, more experiences and more meaning doesn’t make you unrealistic or irresponsible, it makes you human. If travel is what makes you feel alive, then it’s worth listening to that inner voice, even if others don’t understand it yet. Time is the most precious thing we have, and it shouldn’t be wasted living a life that doesn’t feel like your own.

If you need a bit of a push, have a look at one of my related blog post here or at the bottom of this page.