{"id":4214,"date":"2012-10-29T09:00:59","date_gmt":"2012-10-29T13:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/?p=4214"},"modified":"2024-06-19T07:25:02","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T11:25:02","slug":"time-for-a-change-the-professional-hobo-switches-gears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/time-for-a-change-the-professional-hobo-switches-gears\/","title":{"rendered":"Time for a Change: The Professional Hobo Switches Gears"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I realized it was time for a change a couple of months ago when I was house-sitting<\/a> in Switzerland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sitting.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traveling without moving<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost inexplicably glued to the couch. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I talked to my Mum on Skype, lamenting my guilt for not doing more despite my lack of desire and overwhelming fatigue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, honey,\u201d she started. \u201cYou love trains. Why don’t you just get on a train and enjoy a ride?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally this would have been a terrific idea. It’s easily enough done, it’s relaxing, and indeed enjoyable. In fact, train travel is one of my favourite things<\/a>, and Switzerland is home to some iconic train rides<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead I balked at the suggestion, finding even the coordination required for a panoramic train trip beyond my comprehension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMom. I’ve been<\/a> on<\/a> trains<\/a>. And I’ve seen<\/a> mountains<\/a>. What’s the point?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-Check: Uh oh. Really? \u201cWhat’s the point\u201d?! This, from a full-time traveler? <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even as the words came out of my mouth, I realized this was the beginning of the end. Or maybe the end of the beginning. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content. <\/em>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Beginning of the End.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To be truthful, the beginning of the end started a year ago in Grenada<\/a>. My first three months weren’t necessarily ideal<\/a> to start, but I fell in love with this lush Caribbean island pretty quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Mt<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

So it was an easy decision to return to Grenada last March for a second three-month stint after sailing around the Caribbean<\/a> for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was on my return to Grenada that something happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little thing called love. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only my love of Grenada and the people and cool easy pace of life, but of one person (or rather, two) in particular.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love? Meh. Been There, Done That<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you’ll recall, I’ve had a few cracks at romance on the road; spending my first few years of full-time travel with a partner<\/a>, and later starting a relationship<\/a> in New Zealand (before it ended in a less-than-graceful manner<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although incompatibilities and infidelities didn’t deter me, I also realized that finding (compatible) love on the road<\/a> as a full-time traveler is a tall order<\/strong>, and conceded that maybe it’s just not my time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite my decision to put love on the back burner of my life, it seemed that on my return to Grenada, love had different plans.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anonymity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For privacy purposes, you won’t get to meet or see my current squeeze, nor his adolescent daughter. It seems that not everybody is as enthusiastic as I am about displaying their lives online for all to see. Who knew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So you’ll just have to trust me on this one….there’s a guy, with a daughter.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wha-What?!<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Beach<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

But how does love, and a guy with a daughter in Grenada fit into the life of a Professional Hobo<\/a>; a girl with no fixed address who has been traveling the world full-time for almost six years?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has been the subject of an inner battle and emotional journey to which I’ve alluded for the last few months, and which in part dictated my relatively sedentary summer in Switzerland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been in shock. <\/em>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time for a Change. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I was in love when I decided to spend my summer in Switzerland. I also knew that my relationship wouldn’t end my traveling career per se, but that a lifestyle change was in store, and I needed some time on my own to emotionally process these changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When your entire lifestyle, personal branding, income, and even identity is wrapped up in the world of full-time travel, how do you make a change? <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is one of many issues I had to grapple with while sitting \u2013 dumfounded, fatigued, and apathetic \u2013 in Switzerland<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I’d been ready for a change for a while. I’d grown to feel more stress than excitement about new travel experiences, and the schisms of the full-time travel lifestyle in general:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n