“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

So, here we are, staring out at some jaw-dropping view and you wonder how you’ll ever be satisfied with dreary weather and mum’s cooking again. Maybe you’ve been away a hundred times, maybe this was your first trip abroad, but when you know you know. Here’s 5 signs you’ve caught the travel bug:

You taste a new food that blows your mind

That’s it, you’re never going to be satisfied with a Costa caramel shortbread again. You’ve tried that one Moroccan dish or the wine that’s really Italian, and you can’t wait to instagram it and maybe repost on a ‘Throwback Thursday’ when you’re back to beans on toast.

You witness landscapes that make you feel insignificant

Standing out and looking at a mountain, and bam, you feel like an ant. But in the best possible way. This is a big problem because as soon as you start realising the earth is a vast majestic beast, you’ll want to see it all.

You wonder what those locals are up to right now

Whether it’s an elderly street vendor or a young tour guide, there are so many people that make travelling memorable. You’ll often start to wonder what they’re up in a longing ‘it’s 6 hours ahead there so they’ll be up when I’m going  to sleep!’ kind of way.

Mundane activities really start to suck

You feel bad, but taking the bins out has somehow even less appeal after you’ve sipped an alcoholic beverage whilst floating on a lilo. Especially when you live in England, and this task is coupled with lots of rain.

Religious Facebook stalking of people who are on holiday

Jess is in Thailand?! Time to stalk her every photo upload, perhaps start noting down her check-ins for travel tips. You may even become a like addict, letting her know of your insane jealousy.

Airports become your second home

That first trip is confusing, do I have anything to declare? But after a few attempts it only signals the excitement of a new adventure (or the end of a great tan top up) and you feel well prepared enough to start handing out directions, maybe even arrive a little later than three hours before a flight…