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Travel anxiety

Tuffsy

Tuffsy

Well-Known Member
I'm finally going on a long awaited camping trip in my campervan for about 4 months. It was delayed due to covid causing our states to close their borders. It's about a week before I head off and I'm feeling a bit anxious because traveling to unknown places and new experiences always does that to me.


I wish I could just arrive at a new camp ground and relax, but first I stress about finding the right parking space, then about whether the other campers are going to be nice, or feral. Then if someone else had a dog not on a leash, unlike mine who are always on a leash, then about whether someone's campfire is going to blow smoke into my van (and why they even need a campfire when it's over 25 degrees celsius (77f)!)


After about a week I should get in the swing of it, but I still get anxious. That's life!
 
What is more disruptive of our daily routines than to physically venture well beyond our home and community?

Travel, whether by choice or necessity.

It's just indicative of who and what we are. Serious creatures of habit who find dynamic living to be arduous to say the least. - Even a vacation.
 
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I like staying in predictable chain accommodation. But you get a lot of atmosphere from camping out and it's great for the dogs too. Are you moving around a lot over the 4 months, or will you stay a while each time you stop? It sounds exciting!
 
Thinx said:
I like staying in predictable chain accommodation. But you get a lot of atmosphere from camping out and it's great for the dogs too. Are you moving around a lot over the 4 months, or will you stay a while each time you stop? It sounds exciting!
Click to expand...
Yes, predictable is better for sure. I plan to stay at each place at least 2-3 days up to a week. Mostly free camping and the odd van park to restock. Will do about 4,000 km in one direction, then home, or maybe further. Australia is a big place!
 
I hope you have fun camping!! Australia is a very cool place. I have been dreaming about going there since I was a kid!
I’ve actually never been truly “camping…” just in a cabin, never in an RV or a tent. But I think it would be fun. I am an avid hiker and traveler though.

I totally understand about worrying about people having loose dogs… mine are always on a leash too except for in a controlled environment, and I make sure they are fully trained and 100% responsive to voice commands. I always have to remind myself that just because my dogs are trained, doesn’t mean everyone else’s are :confused:
I will usually say something to people who have uncontrolled loose dogs… like “It’s probably best to keep your dogs on a leash here. There are kids and other dogs around.” And I will confront them in a less friendly (but still respectful) manner if their dogs go after mine. I’m a certified dog trainer so I’m very serious about those things.

I worry about neighbors being nice too :(
I’m a nice person. I’m friendly and polite and I treat everyone with respect unless they’re bullies. But I’ve met so many people that were not nice that now I really worry about it. :(
My best advice would be to be friendly, politely introduce yourself, and if you get the sense that they’re not nice, you don’t have to keep interacting with them. Be cordial, but you don’t have to have lengthy ongoing conversations with them if they’re not someone you “vibe” with. :)

Hope this was helpful. And enjoy your trip! :) Definitely post photos on the forums if you take any! I think most of us would love to see the Australian scenery and wildlife :)

- Luca
 
Remember camping in Arizona with young child and the rain flooded and came right up to air mattress in our tent.

Good luck, enjoy, and may it peaceful for you.
 
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Tuffsy said:
I'm finally going on a long awaited camping trip in my campervan for about 4 months. It was delayed due to covid causing our states to close their borders. It's about a week before I head off and I'm feeling a bit anxious because traveling to unknown places and new experiences always does that to me.


I wish I could just arrive at a new camp ground and relax, but first I stress about finding the right parking space, then about whether the other campers are going to be nice, or feral. Then if someone else had a dog not on a leash, unlike mine who are always on a leash, then about whether someone's campfire is going to blow smoke into my van (and why they even need a campfire when it's over 25 degrees celsius (77f)!)


After about a week I should get in the swing of it, but I still get anxious. That's life!
Click to expand...
What I learned, especially when working overseas, was to Embrace Imperfection, whether missing a flight in Morocco, or confusion in Indonesia. That gave me resiliance to replace anxiety. (well, still a twinge of it)
 
This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but, I think I would feel too much anxiety
driving long distances alone.
Then again, it would be stressful living like this with someone also.
I would never feel truly free with someone wanting to do things their way and trying to get me
to do so.

To do things my way is the only true feeling of freedom.
Maybe someday!

Hope you have fun on your excursions. :)
 
Autism friendly visits
This is parks Victoria info
Autism Connect can advise on autism support ,autism friendly places
The places I saw in 1996 were mainly quiet ,uluru(Ayers Rock) was quiet ,park area in S.A also quiet .
Same for kakadu campground, stayed there 4 days, never saw one dog ,only saw wild birds when I left the camp in kakadu, people used the free barbecue to cook on or the kitchen which was nearly always empty.
The noisy places were the pub (that was only in Alice springs beside the backpacker hostel )so don't park beside a pub.
Maybe camping changed after Azaria Chamberlain died in the v.late 1970s-v early 80s
 
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Ooohhh Oz! I was lucky enough to visit there in 85. I loved the road between Adelaide and Alice Springs, Uluru, Phillip Island Penguin Parade, the cane fields aling the gold coast (I had never seen sugar cane before)Well, I've got a few favorite highlights so I'll stop gushing.

Keep a notebook handy on your van dash. Along the way you might have ideas about how to make small improvements to van life and you will want to capture them. Even ideas about how to rearrange storage can make a huge difference in a small space. And keep a few favorite happy songs lined up for when you need cheering up.

Good luck! You will do great.
 
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SusanLR said:
This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but, I think I would feel too much anxiety
driving long distances alone.
Then again, it would be stressful living like this with someone also.
I would never feel truly free with someone wanting to do things their way and trying to get me
to do so.

To do things my way is the only true feeling of freedom.
Maybe someday!

Hope you have fun on your excursions. :)
Click to expand...

Sometimes you find someone who likes you enough to do things your way in life. Lol.

We aren't all control freaks. Relationships are great when it's about 60/40 or 70/30.
 
I like to know about things in advance, and prepare, but also like to pretend or half convince myself its not going to happen to lessen the anxiety-stress. Or even better have it slip my mind until it actually arrives.

An example would be to know I have some appointment coming up in 2 weeks and do what ever needs doing up front but then forget completely about the appointment till the night before.

It's kind of having to sneak up, on myself. :D
 
SusanLR said:
This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but, I think I would feel too much anxiety
driving long distances alone.
Then again, it would be stressful living like this with someone also.
I would never feel truly free with someone wanting to do things their way and trying to get me
to do so.

To do things my way is the only true feeling of freedom.
Maybe someday!

Hope you have fun on your excursions. :)
Click to expand...

I hope you get a chance to experience a simpatico companion. You can let go knowing that they will do their best to not screw up. That is actually the best kind of freedom.
 
Tuffsy said:
I'm finally going on a long awaited camping trip in my campervan for about 4 months. It was delayed due to covid causing our states to close their borders. It's about a week before I head off and I'm feeling a bit anxious because traveling to unknown places and new experiences always does that to me.


I wish I could just arrive at a new camp ground and relax, but first I stress about finding the right parking space, then about whether the other campers are going to be nice, or feral. Then if someone else had a dog not on a leash, unlike mine who are always on a leash, then about whether someone's campfire is going to blow smoke into my van (and why they even need a campfire when it's over 25 degrees celsius (77f)!)


After about a week I should get in the swing of it, but I still get anxious. That's life!
Click to expand...
I do not travel well...never have. My experiences...upon arriving at said destination, I want to sleep for 2 days because of how stressed out I get. Since I am no fan of large crowds, finding a vacation destination worth traveling to is difficult. Now that I have noise cancelling headphones, travel may not be as bad as before...hmmmm. But then there's people...there's always tradeoff.
 
Tuffsy said:
Yes, predictable is better for sure. I plan to stay at each place at least 2-3 days up to a week. Mostly free camping and the odd van park to restock. Will do about 4,000 km in one direction, then home, or maybe further. Australia is a big place!
Click to expand...
Which highways?

I used to sort of live near Taree.
 
I don’t really have much helpful advice or anything like that to offer but I hope that you enjoy your vacation regardless of how you feel at the moment.


Tuffsy said:
I'm feeling a bit anxious because traveling to unknown places and new experiences always does that to me
Click to expand...

I feel like this often. I like to call it anticipatory anxiety, going into the unknown. It can be quite aN anxiety punch up depending on what it is.
 
watersprite said:
Which highways?

I used to sort of live near Taree.
Click to expand...
Mostly back roads, across the snowy mountains to the Grampians, then up the Stuart Hwy, if the flood damage has been repaired, to Uluru & Darwin by winter. Then maybe back via QLD & NSW, might go thru Taree depending on free camping availability.
 
upload_2022-2-17_7-46-30.jpeg
 
We would be totally open to any pics you post for us to view-the chair travelers here. Lol
 
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