Traveller bubble

Traveller bubble is a phenomenon where you're just struck in an nice hotel near the beach, eating some familiar foods, washing it away with a Kingfisher and topping it off with some banana pancake while all your contacts with the locals are limited to cabdriver, waiter and the guesthouse owner. And in your own opinion you are experiencing new cultures and exploring the world when all that differentiates you from the normal package holidayists is the fact that you booked your own flight and live in a cheap-ass guesthouse pretending to be something special and different. A traveller.

The situation above kind of describes me quite well for the moment but I guess in Goa it is a bit hard to do anything else. At least it doesn't come as easily since the whole state seems to be geared up for the western tourists. At first I didn't mind the feeling but somehow I am able to actually feel guilt about settling down for a few days, getting my protective layer of suntan on and adjusting my internal clock from the jetlag. After all, this trip is supposed to be everything but performing things, making plans and using your time effectively. That is easy to achieve in normal day-to-day life, forgetting what day of the week it is isn't.

Of course the fear of just "lying around here for a while" becoming the main theme for the trip is a bit scary but so what... My trip, my money, my time. Aren't I actually supposed to do whatever feels good instead of planning my weekly schedule in advance and not feel pressure to do and experience more so that I would have more things to tell at home. Amazing how the performance-oriented society really bothers one even though the fundamental part of going was to get away from it all. I'll be damned if I won't have other opportunities to do similar trips during my life so why should I stress over seeing loads of things on my first backpacking trip?

Many independent travel guides recommend spending at least a week just shaking the rhythm of everyday rat race from your shoulders. After three days with 50 or so coming I guess I really shouldn't be worried about my performance as a traveller. But still I'm feeling guilty for being idle. Twisted are the ways of my brain.