Or, more correctly, what I realise I missed when I get home after a few months away. I don't have a particularly strong yearning for any sort of home comfort when I'm travelling (except for tea, obviously) - you learn to make do with what you have and what's at your disposal in a new city or country, and generally it's enough to see you comfortably through your visit.
However, there are always a few items that get reluctantly left behind or are simply impossible to take with you on your travels. Here are some of the things I make a beeline for when I touch down on home soil:
Plum tomatoes. So red. So juicy. So sweet. I went through an entire packet in one sitting on my first day back from Africa. And then grilled half a pack to go with dinner. #justcan'ttgetenough
Slippers! The best possible treatment for weary traveller feet. After weeks spent living in flip flops and hiking boots, soft bed socks + thick fluffy slippers = HEAVEN
For their size, perfume bottles take up more than their fair share of standard weight restrictions, so for me a spritz here and there has become one of life's little luxuries. I practically shower myself in the stuff when I'm home, even if the day's plans consist entirely of watching catch-up TV in my PJs
Hands down, this is the tastiest squash I have EVER had in my life. Might have polished off almost a whole bottle in 3 days. What of it?
Hostels don't generally have baths, and when they do, it's hard not to be suspicious of what you might catch if you settle down for a long soak - or you might be forced out early by a roommate in need of the bathroom. For our last night in Cape Town, Matt and I stayed in an en-suite with a beautiful bathroom and huge corner bath which was amazing (we'd both been suffering from colds for the past couple of days), but even though I'd satisfied my cravings for the bubbliest of baths I still jumped straight into one when I arrived home a day later. Along with your own bed, I reckon baths are up there with things travellers miss most. It's not all rest and relaxation; we need to unwind too!
Travel is kind to the soul, but not to your hair. Exposed to UV rays, sand and seaspray, hair dries out very quickly overseas, leaving you with brittle, straw-like hair with split ends to boot. After using everything in moderation to ensure it lasts as long as possible, it's beyond nice to get home and use lashings of salon-worthy conditioner and restore your hair to its former glory
Same goes for moisturiser - having huge tubs to slather on just for the hell of it is wonderful. Beats trying to make a travel size bottle last 6 weeks
Uggs! (Fakes, obv.) These are quite possibly the warmest, comfiest shoes in existence and I have found myself hankering for them on chilly days. With so little space in my backpack, my shoe 'collection' consists of 2 pairs of flip flops, white pumps and a pair of hiking boots. It's nice to come back and have more of a choice!
I have never appreciated the convenience of having a laptop to hand more than after getting home from my travels. The amount of time and money I've spent combing the streets of an unknown city for internet cafes boggles the mind; time and money I could have spent exploring (much as I love updating the blog). Potentially investing in an iPad or travel laptop for Asia and Oz
British. No explanation required.
Pub grub or a home cooked meal emulating anything remotely Wetherspoon-like. Foreign food is delightful but there's nothing quite like gammon & egg, roast dinners and toad in the hole
And these sillies, of course! xxxxxxx <3
