As "homeless" motorcycle travelers, we don't often feel homesick. For one thing, we now feel at home anywhere and probably a stranger in our own hometown - strange but true. For one thing, you could always fly home and with all the glorious modern technology, it's now easier than ever to video call friends and family for free, and for another, we transport our "four walls" (our much loved tent) on our motorcycles.
Still, sometimes we miss certain Austrian things, like local beer, a Brettljause at a Carinthian Buschenschank, a good slice of brown bread, and sometimes just the simplicity of everyday things, like doing laundry with your own washing machine at any time of day.
Cooking: Nothing reminds you of home like home-cooked meals. While it can be difficult to find the ingredients for a mom's style dish abroad, it can be done with a little imagination. The best thing to do is go to the nearest supermarket, get some ingredients and cook something that reminds you of home. An instant mood boost is guaranteed.
We just had this situation at the last Christmas party: you can make a home-cooked mulled wine almost anywhere in the world and it's guaranteed to be a little mood booster!
Writing: Keeping a journal sounds like something out of a self-help book, but here's the thing: Writing everything down clears out clutter, helps get rid of mental baggage, and does so entirely without annoying your friends or partner. If you get homesick on the road and keep thinking about things, journaling can be a great way to get the thought out of your head. The best part is that your friends don't have to listen to how awful everything is while they sit at home and would rather be where you are. Another benefit is that you're also creating memories with your journaling that you'll probably laugh about years later!
DHL (or whatever they're all called): If you miss something very specific from home - be it an old t-shirt, your favorite book that you would have liked to have wrapped - you can have it sent to you. So we'll be getting a little package of socks in the near future. Sounds funny but we have a lot of wear and tear on socks and our feet should feel comfortable when they are stuck in motorcycle boots all day in often 30+ degree weather.
Taking a vacation: When you pitch your tent on a different beach every day, drive through palm groves and enjoy exotic food, "taking a vacation" sounds completely counterintuitive. But even traveling gets monotonous at some point. Discovering so many new things every day and experiencing so many situations that you'd naturally love to remember forever can really push you to your limits every now and then. To recharge your batteries, it often helps to take a few days or weeks off from your trip. It's even better if you still invite friends or family to this treat and they actually come!
What's your favorite remedy for homesickness while traveling?
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