| You're living the dream; turning up at a new and | | | | lose yourself in a favourite book. |
| exciting destination every few days, checking out | | | | Consider taking a night out of the backpacker |
| the local dishes and exploring the sights of | | | | ghetto and checking into a swankier pad. It may |
| temples, markets and local life. This is the | | | | involve some extra dosh but it will enable you to |
| life….until one day you're stuck in a tuk tuk | | | | get the max out of your travelling experience, |
| breathing in the heavy traffic fumes, worrying | | | | rather than longing for the Heinz Baked Beans |
| about where you are going to lay your sleepy | | | | back home. |
| head for the night when a local seller pushes | | | | Are you missing loved ones? With services like |
| some fried chicken claws in your direction and | | | | skype there is no excuse for not staying updated |
| argghh you can't stand it all anymore! You're hot, | | | | - give your folks a call if it helps. |
| definitely bothered and have had it with the | | | | Take your new culture in stages. Diving straight |
| pollution and the smell of sewage. The skewered | | | | from the plane and straight into a prawn curry |
| locusts that once astounded you now just make | | | | with extra chillies is probably not the best plan. |
| you feel queezy. Before you scoot into the | | | | Allow your body to get used to the new food, |
| closest internet café and book a flight back | | | | climate and time zone. |
| home take a minute out. This feeling has probably | | | | Having the right attitude is key. The new culture |
| happened to all the seasoned backpacker you've | | | | you are in is different but it is not worse than |
| met. The diagnosis is a case of new-culture | | | | another culture. It's good to see each country in |
| overload and here are a few remedies that will | | | | its own unique light rather than comparing it to |
| get you back to the state of avid adventurer in | | | | another culture. We know this is easier said than |
| no time at all! | | | | done when the plate of fresh pasta you ordered |
| Give yourself a break. Find a quiet, clean air | | | | arrives looking, and smelling, like an octopus |
| conditioned café with no stray animals lurking in | | | | shaped mush but smile, stay calm and breathe in |
| the corners. Buy something familiar (a mug of | | | | the new world around you. |
| coffee and a slice of toast can work a treat) and | | | | |