Back to Reality? Or Expanding It?

After returning from an incredible trip to Cambodia, one of the first things people have said to me is, “Back to reality then?”

It’s a phrase we’ve all heard, and probably said ourselves, but it got me thinking. Why do we frame it like that? As if the time away, the adventure, the different pace of life was somehow not real; just a temporary escape from the so-called “real world.”

The truth; my trip was very much reality. In fact, it might have been a more connected, present, and authentic version of reality than the day-to-day routines back home. I was trying new things, meeting new people, tasting new foods, fully immersed in the moment. That’s as real as it gets.

And yet, there’s an underlying tone of negativity in that phrase, as if everyday life is something heavier, something to return to, endure, and settle back into. But what if it’s not about escaping reality when we travel, but expanding it?

Taking the Best of 'Holiday Mode' into Daily Life

Since coming back, I’ve realised that some of the changes I naturally adopted on my trip have followed me home, and honestly, I’m better for it.

In Cambodia, I was eating fresh, vibrant food every day, loads of fruit, unprocessed meals, and simple, nourishing ingredients. It wasn’t about restriction or dieting; it was about how good it felt to fuel my body with clean, whole foods. And the difference was huge, more energy, better digestion, and just feeling lighter in myself.

Western food, by comparison, is so heavily processed, and wow, did I feel the effects when I came back and slipped back into some of those patterns. It was a wake-up call.

So now, instead of falling into that “back to reality” mindset, where travel habits fade away and old routines creep back in, I’m making a conscious choice to hold onto the good stuff. More fresh fruit, more whole foods, more mindful eating. Not because I’m trying to recreate the trip, but because those choices are part of my reality now.

Reality Is What You Choose

The idea that “holiday mode” and “real life” are two separate things is flawed. We get to decide what our reality looks like. Sure, the structure of daily life, work, responsibilities, routines, might not be as flexible as travel, but that doesn't mean we can’t bring elements of that lighter, more vibrant feeling into everyday life.

What if reality isn’t about returning but reclaiming?

What if we stopped seeing travel as an escape and started seeing it as a reminder of how good life can feel when we live with intention?

So no, I’m not “back to reality.” I’m expanding my reality to include the best parts of what I learned on that trip. 

Reality isn’t where you are, it’s how you choose to live.

Because the trip was real. And so is this.

Sue 💛