i honestly don't love travelling but ...

By Lia Kim

It’s taken years for me to admit this, but I don’t love travelling. Having a romantic sense of wanderlust is something I can only admire from afar. And look, I don’t hate holidays, obviously. I’ve been on my fair share of incredible trips that I’ve been fortunate enough to afford, as well as a handful of comped trips through work. But at the end of the day, Dorothy knows ball: there is simply no place like home.

Supernatural Season 8 (2012-13) | every season of supernatural feels like a tumblr fever dream

The more I watch, the more I’m convinced we need a modern version of this.

Troy (2004) | we have the odyssey at home

Bring back slutty little skirts for men. Also I forgot Rose Byrne is in this!

Insidious (2010) | when projecting your trauma isn’t enough

Patrick Wilson, stop angering spirits challenge: impossible. Also I forgot Rose Byrne is in this!

I’m also afforded a lot of creative freedom and support in my day job, so I’m lucky to say I enjoy working, but it’s also the kind of job that requires near-constant attention outside of hours. Taking an extended break almost doesn’t feel like much of a break, because I eventually end up doing what I do anyway: scrolling social media, collating thoughts on new movie and TV releases, and constantly seeking creative inspiration and how we continue to be moved and influenced by pop culture. It’s simply my default state of being.

Enter: the mid-week reset. This isn’t the strategic, annual leave-maxxing kind of break where you tactically maximise consecutive days off. This is for my type B girlies, where spontaneity is part of what makes the break extra valuable. You don’t have to plan to be away for too long, because emails can wait a day or two. You don’t need to plan outfits or itineraries or line up travel and accommodation dates. You just slink away for a couple of nights where you can confidently log the hell off, knowing you’ll be back before long anyway.

Microdosing a break like this felt like a little system reboot. I read recently that travelling can act like an identity reset: away from your daily responsibilities, you can discover who you are outside of obligations that build up and calcify around you. What I realised about myself during a generously gifted two-night stay at Cicada Luxury Camping is that I do, in fact, need to travel more. It’s not something I love spending money on TBH, because I’m really very comfortable in my routine and habits. However, I can also quickly and easily lose myself on autopilot mode, where weeks and months slip by without much thought.

You obviously don’t need to take an expensive glamping getaway to reset, but some kind of mid-week break certainly does wonders for the ol’ pattern disruption. Plus I didn’t have to “plan” my break by prepping work in advance or playing catch-up when I got back. I just went and came back with little fanfare. You still have the weekend as well, so you’re never more than two days away from another break, and a well-timed trip means off-peak prices, minimal crowds, and maximum reset. Planning my next one as we speak.