Open Tab
What do you do in a city after you've seen everything once
It’s day 20 of a 34-day sit and I’m starting to get restless. Usually we’re packing up and heading out but I’m staring down the barrel of another two weeks here. That travel itch is getting more pronounced. Settling in for the first two weeks was really nice and makes staying here really easy, but it’s the off-the-clock time that makes me say “what now?”
I know my experience as an adult and settling down is less than average. I’ve been used to moving every 9–18 months since I was in college — something most people move out of once they leave college. And honestly, once I got used to the rhythm I never looked back.
But that does leave me at a disadvantage when it comes to relating to the rest of the world. People who settle down and live in the same area for large lengths of time — time to grow a static career, start a family, and become a known element to a local community. I’ve never had that and really I never wanted that.
We’re in Salt Lake City for a month right now and at week three I’m looking around asking myself “How do these people stay here? What do you do with your time after you see all the big attractions?” My partner, who’s owned property before, says people just watch TV or splurge for the big local attraction like Disney (is there a more Florida answer). I did that for a while when I lived in Florida across three different apartments and I still was crawling the walls looking for something to do.
Housesitting and traveling full time hasn’t helped that feeling of what do you do in a city after you’ve seen everything once. I’m even finding myself now looking for that next new thing and we still have another two weeks left here. Maybe that’s just me — a glutton for new and exciting and adventure — but that means I’m always looking for my next hit. A new location or house or dog.
Maybe I’m getting too greedy and I’m consuming these experiences at a pace that’s not going to last forever. Maybe I should think about slowing down and learning to savor things at a slower pace. But to be honest, I don’t really want to right now. I like this pace, I like what I’m doing, and I’m not ready to change anything. Ask me again in three years and my answer might change.