By: Noemi Gamel

Long-term travel is not always glamorous. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, or as if I am complaining about this wonderful opportunity to travel around the world for one year, but the fact is that traveling constantly gets tiresome sometimes. We have no structured routine. Each time we arrive somewhere new we have to figure out where to buy groceries, where to do laundry, how to use public transportation, and I need to learn how to find my way around the kitchen. When you are on a long-term travel adventure, especially when on a budget, taking time to do nothing but rest and relax is essential in order to give yourself a respite from the stress of travel.

Fortunately, we found a way to do just that. We decided to split our flight between Easter Island and New Zealand with a one-week stop in Moorea, French Polynesia. It was a rough decision, but someone has to do it!

We spent the first three days in a cabin away from the tourist area, but then splurged for four nights in an overwater bungalow at one of the resorts in Moorea. We spent the week doing nothing but resting on the beach or by the pool. Beautiful sunsets, breathtaking vistas, and bright fish among the coral were our entertainment. We totally blew our budget, but we did not regret it. Of course, when you are on a long-term trip, only you can make decisions about your budget, but honestly, but sometimes you need to give yourself the wiggle room for one splurging adventure.