Paddy, we're going to be here excitedly waiting for you! Don't burn yourself out! Take a break so you can enjoy Vietnam. We'll be here when you get back! We love your videos, but you are why we watch. Take care of yourself! That being said, we also appreciate your honesty and your perspective on the ups and downs if traveling.
i think you go from north to south in 30 days is not enough..not enough time for you to enjoy and rest..it forces you to run on motorbike continuously from one place to another..you like is racing against time....it drains you mentally and physically..thank you for sharing..give yourself a rest .take care..
Enjoying the beautiful scenery continuously for many years makes him overeating with tourism, this is called an occupational disease! Let's tie him in thailan with alcohol, drugs, pede for 1 month keep him interested in ytb!
Part of the charm of Paddy's channel is that he has these moments in which he tells us what's truly going on for him. I like it. It's more authentic and people identify with it. Good work Paddy!
I've been travelling as a "Backpacker" for over 30 years and the feelings that you 're experiencing are not unusual, some days you just say to yourself " what the hell am I doing here". My trips have all been solo which I prefer as I get to choose where and when I go at every turn and I rarely feel lonely as I've become conditioned to live like this on the road. My trips are for myself, at my own pace, with nobody to answer to. Through the years friends have said "you've been to so many places, you should write a book or film it" but that's not something I'm interested in as I fear it would remove the pleasure. On a couple of earlier trips I decided not to take a camera at all, in order to just enjoy the moments and there's no way I could do what you're doing. I think you have to remember that while you're documenting your travels, you're actually working and everybody needs a break now and again. Perhaps you haven't taken enough time between your various trips (all work and no play .....) in order to keep the segments coming. You could try returning to the UK for awhile until you get inspired to travel again, or simply take off some time just to do what you want and not document anything otherwise you may become totally burned out on the whole travel Vlogger thing.
Very well said. I too, travel alone by choice for all the reasons you mentioned. For me, its very important to call one of my siblings at least every other day to sort of ground me and doing private youtube videos for them, friends and others is fun and showcases my days without it becoming a business venture to entertain people. I also try to keep my personal videos down to about 6 minutes highlighting my unadverterous adventures...lol
The curse of YouTubing is YOU CAN’T TAKE A BREAK! If you do its algorithms will break you bad. Your chance of being recommended drops, resulting in your viewers drop, resulting in engagement drops, resulting in recommendation chance drops etc. The loop continues and it is so freaking hard to gain THE MOMENTUM second time around. This is why UA-camrs warn each other about “taking a break from UA-cam”. I guess finding the loophole of algorithms is “editing the BEST OF or COLLECTION videos” in advance to post weekly during your break. Or Q&A live-streamings instead of editing works.
@@jomontanee I agree with you.. I think the best way to be a youtuber is to do it strictly as a hobby for fun rather than a means to make a living. After all, even if it is fun to travel, once it becomes your means to pay bills, you're going to have some pressure.
@@jomontanee There's a part of truth in what you're saying but it's not completely true either. Thankfully, it is possible as a UA-camr to take breaks without publishing and it's not going to completely kill your channel. As long as when you publish, you publish a good video. From the top of my hat, I can think of Andreas Hem, who's publishing once every now and then since he started, and still reached more than half a million subs. Even me (on my main channel), I happened to not publish very regularly at some points, channel is still doing good and I make a full living out of it. What matters is that when you release a video, it's a video that people want to watch, that's all 😊 Now for a faster growth you're right, having a schedule and sticking to it helps tremendously.
I can't believe this guy is traveling solo. The quality of his travel videos is so good I thought he must have a whole production team following him. Outstanding work!
"Comparison is the thief of joy" You do you Paddy, we will all continue to watch your vids! The honesty is honestly one of the best features of your content. xoox
Paddy - It takes bravery to open up like this. This is what sets you apart and makes your channel so enjoyable. You have a talent for taking your viewers with you and making us feel part of the journey (good and bad). Hope your feeling better, but please know there are a lot of us that really enjoy what you do and are thinking of you.
I totally understand how you felt. I also travel alone for a month at a time. It's very lonely. That's why I decided to keep my full-time job in New York and work remotely from where I'm. I use the time difference between the two places to go sightseeing during the day. When I return to the hotel, I do 8 hours of work at night using Zoom to connect with my co-workers in New York. Keeping the norm and connecting with the people I know at night is the only way to reduce my lonely feeling. The lonely feeling is always there though. I comfort myself that it's better to travel alone than with somebody out of sync with me,
You're doing much better than you think you are Paddy! I'm loving this series and hope to follow in your footsteps one day. Your footage is great, your editing is great and your presenting is great... and your honesty and character are great! You're doing a fabulous job and I for one am appreciating your efforts with these videos.
Paddy, I watch your videos because you are open, honest and real in your video's, not to see tourist attractions - this gives a connection with your viewers. It's ok to be bored, down or feel lonely. Don't focus too much on the cool content, take some rest and keep doing what you are doing! I will keep watching!
This 100% an inner process. You need to get to where you feel at ease where ever you are. Not focus so much on the outisde, less plans and more flow! No one watch this channel to see you eat some special food or see some special destination. We are here to see you, with your wonderful personality, experience life! This is what makes this channel so great 🌸😊
I've been to Vietnam a few times (going again in January) and Hoi An and Dalat are my two favourites, followed closely by Hanoi. I know a few 'Full Time' You-Tuber's who have found that the pressure of having to create content day after day, week after week to keep their subscribers happy (and keep their subscribers) was just too much, they couldn't hack it, and burnt out, packed up their channels and went back to the normal life. It is a hard job being Alan Whicker or Michael Palin every day, they didn't do it every day though, just short bursts and took the time after the trips to do the editing and commentary and I think that's the way to go to stay sane. You only have one life, do what you want to do for yourself, sure, let others see what you are doing but don't let it dictate your life.
I've also been to Vietnam a number of times and have visited Hoi An and Dalat which I enjoyed visiting, but would not return as they are too touristic for me. It just goes to show how everyone has their own take on such things, and opinions on "how good a place is" are so subjective.
I think that's the model that Karl Watson uses, but it's risky on UA-cam. Their set up demands regular content to feed the algorithm. How important is YT to your revenue stream?
@@SimonRobeyns I guess it was the combination of climate, layout (central market area and open spaces) and the availability of fresh produce (the area is covered with greenhouses and farms) I instantly thought ‘I could live here’
Hi Paddy, I am enjoying your Vietnam series vey much as planning to visit there for 3 weeks in October. I actually loved this sincere monologue. Travel fatigue is absolutely natural and I found it touching and authentic. You shouldn't have felt bad about it. I am much older.... 56 and love traveling. Can't wait for my Vietnam adventure. Thanks for all the wonderful youtubes you put here!
Hi Paddy, Having followed you avidly around Thailand, I only just started dipping into your Vietnam series. I have missed your spectacular videography and intelligent, candid commentary. Thank you for keeping it real and being open..
Those feelings are natural. 4 months solo in India caused me to be irritated by every little inconvenience. Couldn't wait to leave, but ended up going back and newly appreciating the wonder of the place.
In Thailand you didn't have the time constraints of the visa and could stay longer in a place, to appreciate the beauty or wonder. But in vietnam, you are not able to enjoy the freedom of having no time constraints. Your videos are still of an extremely high quality and so enjoyable...try not to put pressure on yourself you are doing a great job. Perhaps you could have done Vietnam and Cambodia together which may have solved the visa issue and given you the additional time to enjoy places more. Never worry about not feeling a particular place or feeling emotionally and physically drained it is what makes you and your videos real. Keep doing what you are doing and there's nothing wrong with listening to Girls Aloud...if it takes you back to a happy time and helps you emotionally then go for it👍😉😁👊
From experience, by the time I reached the south I was drained. Can't imagine the extra time and effort put into the channel too. Hats off to you Paddy, hope you enjoyed your time and hope to have you back again soon.
I think you need a break from traveling by yourself. It is very lonely and exhausting for sure. Going thru Vietnam in such a rush by yourself will definitely break you physically and mentally. I feel that you are at a point in your life where you need to slow down and get some serenity. It seems to me that being a full-time travel vlogger on youtube may not be a right career choice for you at this time. Unless you could do it with another person and at a slower speed. Anyway, thank you so much for doing all the hard work and bringing us such amazing contents and beautiful video footage of Vietnam. Take care and please don't be too hard on yourself 😘😘😘
The thing I enjoy about your channel Paddy is that you are completely natural. You talk to us like we are with you on your trips. The information and videos you share are so much fun, so if you need to rant for awhile then go for it lol. Keep up he great work 👍👍
I think it's completely normal to feel this way sometimes, especially when you pick up challenges like you do. It's a challenge for a reason, it's meant to be hard sometimes. And you deliver every time. I love that you're not like one of these UA-camrs that only show the happy moments. I watch you, because I really get to know your perspective on things and also see the things that aren't as great as some people make it seem. In the end, the downs will make the highs even higher, but you have to go through them. And sometimes it's okay to change plans or take a break. Lots of luck and don't forget to take a well deserved break to unwind and recharge!
You have SUCH a great channel - keep it up! It’s nice to hear + learn how other travelers deal with what we call “burn out” - we have to just stop and settle for a few days - get a message - spa treatment - meditation - sleep in - just chill to get back going again. We’re all so lucky to travel, but it does always come with ups and downs. Thanks so much for sharing!
You’re one of the few travel channels I enjoy watching exactly for this type of video. I don’t want to see perfect, it’s not relatable and makes me feel bad about my own experiences. I definitely got travel fatigue near the end of a year long trip, as amazing as it was I just couldn’t be arsed anymore and wanted to stop and reset. You’re not alone!
I’m not usually one to comment on videos, I sit back and enjoy silently. But after watching this one, I wanted to just say thank you! Your content is something my boyfriend and I always look forward to. We love to travel and are headed back to Thailand in a few months. We love the authenticity of your videos! We always comment on how hard you work. Putting videos out so frequently, travelling the crazy distances you do… you deserve to rant! We all do it, and once you get it out, it’s easier to move forward! Can’t wait to see what other adventures you have in store!
Your doing an amazing job mate , it’s hard , stressful and of course you have your good and bad days but most of all you have friends and family and loved ones with you no matter what . You have been on the go and i personally think it’s time to sit back relax and revitalise your self with people and plan your next adventure we will continue support your adventures no matter what . Take care mate .
It's difficult doing anything alone, even things that are pleasurable, such as traveling. Our human nature wants to share our joys with others -- we have a need to connect with others to make our experiences meaningful. I can totally understand why traveling alone can get old quickly. I personally don't even like watching a movie alone, going shopping alone, going to the beach alone, or even taking a walk alone. Having someone else to share experiences with makes doing anything about 10x-100x better, even if what you are doing is supposed to already be fun.
You are doing an awesome job. Travelling alone is really good, but it also has it's difficulties. I've been in Asia a few years, and like to travel alone, but sometimes we can be in the busisest place, and its difficult to meet people. Ups and downs are part of the journey. I think your viewesrs will really appreciate your honesty. Too many YT channels are full of bullshit smiles. Reality is the better option. You'll always have a few people that will complain about any video made, but that's because they are miserable and probably jealous that they've not tried to do anything like this. Try not to beat yourself up too much. I do the same. It's ok to not be ok sometimes. We are all human. It's good that people understand that travelling alone can be tough sometimes. I am loving all of your vids, and I plan to do soemething similar next year. You've genuinely inspired me to put my plans into action, so thats very much appreciated.
I'm respect the openness from you Paddy! For me that is what keeps me coming back to your channel & budgeteers. Big ups to you! You are an inspiration 🙏🏼
Hi Paddy, mid Vietnam life crisis! From watching your videos it's clear a distinct contrast between your experiences and mood in the north and how you feel now. Perhaps related to the totally different landscapes and pace of life but also, perhaps, not surprising because of your hectic schedule and unrealistic expectations. I suspected you were struggling with those personal issues in Da Nang, and didn't really have enough time or patience to explore the place more fully.....it has much more to offer than you were able to show. The relentless schedule six or so weeks north to south it is impossible to fully absorb and enjoy the experiences plus trying to keep the youtube channel going, perhaps incompatible objectives. FWIW, you need to abandon the tight schedule, be more spontaneous, chill out more and distinguish between your demanding youtube duties and your personal needs, and your obvious love and joy of exploring and experiencing the rough and the smooth of what any place has to offer. Enjoy and take care. jim
Thank you for the fantastic introduction to Vietnam . As frequent traveller to Thailand and Cambodia I am really looking forward to some of the highlights of Vietnam. Thanks so much
Paddy love! Don’t give up. It sounds like you’re a little home sick. Don’t worry about the content because I hope you know that “you are the content”. You’re the main star! We all watch your channel because of you! Never give up! Love from the states ❤️
Really appreciate the honesty and insight, Paddy. I'm doing my first big solo trip to Thailand / Vietnam in a few months, and I'm sure I will confront feelings like this in my travels. It's nice to see a travel vlog that speaks about these feelings openly-it's good to know even experienced travelers get these feelings of lingering doubt. Hoping to take it slow and try not to come in with too many expectations. Videos like this that show it isn't all rays and sunshine all the time are important to ground the romanticization of travel into reality. Your content is appreciated by us fellow "miserable bastards", so keep doing you!
I subscribe precisely for the winging (sp?). I mean, not specifically for that but because Paddy is a genuine person who adds some real humanity that is missing from most vloggers out there. Nothing wrong with a bad day/week/whatever and recognizing the need to hit reset mentally. Glad you're taking the time to share rather than just disappearing from UA-cam (but if you need to do that for a bit, you should). Glad you decided to not "finish" Vietnam and wishing you well/sending positive vibes as you take a little time to reflect on what's next. I'm coming up on a big birthday and your Koh Samui video convinced me that's where I need to go. I'm super pumped to be there next month and grateful I stumbled on your channel in researching Thailand. Thanks for the great content!
Hats off to you Paddy! I was in Vietnam for 7 weeks almost the same time with you. I totally understand how you feel. Take a break, enjoy your surroundings and move on slowly. Have a beer on me Khong say khong ve! Love and hugs from Sydney.
Hang in there buddy. Your true fans will stay with you no matter what you do. Even through your struggles while in Vietnam you have made some of the most amazing YT videos I have ever seen. We all want to see you well and happy.
I like the imagery of you lying still on the grass while everything around you is going full speed ahead. It is powerful and sums up well how you seem to be feeling. Life is full of highs and lows and the comparisons, the light and shade are what make it interesting.
Your videos are great. I love them. Not only are they informative but they remind me when I took journeys. But I know that at times you are ‘skimming the surface’. You are in places that deserve more time to appreciate their wonder yet you leave too soon. Once in my past I had a dual 2 month Thai Visa & I even extended for 1 month that allowed me to be in Thailand 5 months. In those 5 months I saw only 1/3 of the country. There were no drives longer than 1 hour at a time. I covered many small villages everywhere. But please achieve your goal on your motorbike. You can always return to Vietnam in your future to complete your sightseeing to full satisfaction.
Paddy we love watching you. You are so selfless. I appreciate you being so real. Take time to rest and recover. We will always be here for you. You have an amazing community here. Keep shining. Looking forward to updates. We fully support you buddy. Thank you for your honesty.
Yours quickly became my favourite travel channel, as well as a true inspiration. Your honesty is admirable, and I related with parts of this video so deeply. Thank you :)
Ah travel fatigue is a real thing, isnt it? Its feels almost wrong to admit to it when you are a travel blogger/vlogger and are supposed to love travel. But it happens. It gets even harder, when you have to create content and enjoy the place at the same time. Especially, when you try to make content for multiple platforms. The good thing is, it only takes a little bit of rest to get over it. I had been travelling for a whole year and though i travel with my partner, I needed to stop. Rested for a couple of weeks and I am craving to travel again. For Dalat, I felt what you felt - like you are in an amusement park. I think the best part of Dalat are things that might not be enough for UA-cam (lol) but it is the solitary cafes they have on the side of mountains. Very peaceful and amazing sunsets. Always a pleasure to watch your videos Paddy.
We completely get you paddy! Keep your head up and just go where your gut tells you, we had the same feelings at times during our travels but it gets better and you’ll feel refreshed again when you can chill somewhere for a bit longer! ⭐️
Paddy, I can completely relate. Just his the 7 week mark of solo travel in Mexico and I am starting to feel lost, less patient and alone despite having the opportunity to travel and amazing country. Hearing you makes me feel better about this
Hang in there. I am sort of at the opposite end of the spectrum in life. I am 60 years old, and have had all the social interaction that I can stand. I just recently finished a 2 month remote work stint in Europe, and the worst part was when it ended, and I had to come home to friends and family. I cherish the alone time more than anything. But again, I am on the back 9 of life to use a golf expression.
Maybe this will give you some inspiration. I am 12 days removed from open heart surgery I'm only 57 they had to replace a faulty valve. I've been living vicariously through you and a few other vloggers counting down the days to retire not knowing if I should pull the plug now but I find inspiration and solace in your words and your videos. Keep on keeping on and follow your heart you only have today...
Hi Paddy. Just wanted to say I love watching your videos. The quality of each one is top notch. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to travel, make videos, edit videos every day. But you smash it every time. There will always be tough times unfortunately. It’s great that you are yourself in each video and not trying to be something you’re not, it makes the channel more real. Don’t ever change. Cheers big ears 🍻
Hey Paddy I really appreciate your Genuine honesty, humanity and humility! This is why we watch your channel follow you on your adventures! No need to apologise for sharing your thoughts and feelings, I can totally relate, having done plenty of solo travelling. I feel where ever you are in this world, there will always be ups and downs. And travelling, especially when you are alone, is an opportunity to find out more about yourself, as well as experience new things. But when your mind is not right space, you could be in paradise and still feel miserable... Thank you for all your efforts, keep doing what you are doing. And be at peace 🙏🏽
Paddy, as hard as it is…it WILL pass. I’m a professional musician who’s been touring for 35+ years. And the best advice I can give, when feeling lonely and missing home and loved ones on the road, is this: drop everything and have a YOU Day. Forget about filming, work or anything else…and go do a bunch of your favourite things. Get a massage, eat your favourite meal, take a bubble bath, eat sweets, watch a favourite movie or show, listen to fave music, read a book, nap etc. Trust me, it sounds obvious but it works-I do it on days off on the road sometimes. Don’t worry about anyone or anything else but YOU. Indulge in all things Paddy and your mind will shift. You will wake up the next day and be back to your old self. I swear by it-it works ❤️
The fact that you have been honest is more than we can ask for. Keep being you because that is what we need to see. Truth is we all have days that we feel alone. I watch your stories and they make me smile. Roll on mate. X
Hi Paddy - I can relate to how you feel. I was in France and Germany for nearly a month, traveling alone. It is amazing how one can be surrounded by people yet feel so alone, especially if the people speak a different language that you don't understand. Phone calls to family and friends back home is what made me feel better (temporarily). In your case perhaps a trip back to England to have family time is in order? Or at least back to Samui with friends. Definitely Miss P time is needed. I hope you get better emotionally soon!
I know this video is few months ago. I just want to say that what you doing is full on and the energy you have to put out everyday is a lot. Keep your head up and keep pushing. It’s okay to step back and take the time off and collect yourself. I think you should do what you love and stop thinking about us. The right people will sub to you.
Hi Paddy i get everything you said it must be tough at times but i like how you wear your heart on your sleeve and never change, stuff the critics. Some chill time with Miss P and hopefully all will be good 🤞🤞🤞
great video, don’t ever stop expressing how you feel, it’s your channel anyway! Those who had similar experiences know how you feel, it’s part of the process 💪🏻
Love watching you Paddy and we all have to vent! So don't worry and glad that you are feeling better. You are doing great traveling alone which is something that I could not do.
You're doing great Paddy and it will be alright! We all have our ups and downs and there's nothing wrong with sharing the darker sides of traveling too. I absolutely get you and could totally relate to my 3 months trip around southeast Asia in late 2019 alone where on average I've stayed in one place for not longer than 2-3 days (Bali, Cambodia, Myanmar, and a couple of days long stopovers in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Dubai). It was really tiring towards the end both mentally and physically, though when I look back still it was all worth it! Though these days, I try to really take my time if I can and rather see fewer points of interest when traveling to any destination and rather enjoy these more than having a mindset where I ''must'' see everything. If you're pushed by 30 days visas now, I would probably just take a trip from Saigon anywhere to rest a bit and do nothing, then come back and enjoy the rest of Vietnam.
This honest, real video is why I just subscribed. I feel the same way sometimes when I travel, it's refreshing to see that I'm not alone. Keep on keeping it real Paddy!
You've set yourself a relentless schedule, sure, part of that is the 30day visa limitation, but maybe an idea/lesson for the future might be to not try to do the whole of a country in one hit? Whilst I don't disagree with the 'culture shock' comments below, it sounds to me a lot simpler than that. You're constantly tired; you have the normal ups and downs of mood that everyone has, but you have no-one to make you laugh or to chat to. So the tiredness and isolation exaggerate and prolong the normal 'down' feelings until they seem much bigger than they otherwise would be. Great to see that you managed to find a bit more positivity by the end of the vid, and I hope you enjoy the fitba I for one would be very happy to see the occasional 'down time' vid, without any major adventures, but just capturing your reflections about the journey - your impressions are what makes the channel most interesting, at least for me (not saying that the visual treats aren't great, they are, you have a gift for editing and getting great footage.) Anyroad, what a long and rambling comment!
Hi Paddy. I watched your vids since you start your journey in Yala. Back then, I don’t subscribe just yet. I subscribed to your channel when you start your Vietnam adventure where you have flat tires so many times in a day. Sometimes, it’s not about seeing beautiful places. It’s about you enjoying yourself, that’s what makes us want to see you more. Take your time. Don’t be too hard on yourself & celebrate small wins.
“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up”--all of us,we know what you are going through and more so we feel you more for your honesty. Keep going brother 👍 and if you ever wish to laugh louder, there’s a place called Nepal 🇳🇵. Ride your mind to it😋
Love your channel. Love your videos and love your honesty. it is so refreshing in this era of superficial "entertainment." I'm a teacher here in Bangkok and your videos are currently getting me through a two week holiday before I regretfully signed up to teach summer school. You have inspired me to put both Vietnam as well as the Philippines on my bucket list. I feel like I am actually there while watching. Keep up the great work and don't be afraid or ashamed to share how you are feeling.
I just finished my motorbike trip from HCMC up to the the waterfall in ban gioc, where you started, logged 3600kms. While it was the best trip of my life, it took an incredible toll mentally and physically. Interestingly, my breaking point where i went through your Da lat revelations happened in the Ha Giang loop, the most beautiful part. I took a day off and felt much better after chatting with other travelers. Retrospectively, it gets better and i appreciate the test of solo traveling.
How long did it take you to complete your trip? The time pressure must be tough for Paddy cos he also has to produce content in addition to the physical travel. Congrats on completing 3,600km
@@ViewTalay completed it in around 24 days. Yeah for sure, tought for paddy! In places that there where other tourist, i mainly made friends for the day and got out
You’re right, people don’t subscribe for winging content, people subscribe for honest opinions and some common sense. In other words for someone they could trust. Which is why I just subscribed to your channel. Keep the good work and thank you 🙏🏻
Alright Paddy, quick one: First Dalat is amazing and that's because the husling and bustling, the crowd, the energy etc is indeed FUN, when you're in the right head space. And you're obviously not, like you said. I think you do indeed need to take it easy, stop rushing from town to town, take some days off, try and meet some people in hostels? We miss your interactions with other locals/travellers but you're in such a tight agenda that you don't have time to meet anyone anymore. It's a bit of a shame. It feels like you're just crossing items off your list, without enjoying it =/. Take your time ! Meet other people, show interactions etc. It feels like you're alone most of the time and you don't seem like the type of guy who thrives being alone. That's my 2 cents.
I think you're right. That said I can understand that he find this more difficult since there might be less travelers now because of COVID and since there might be a bit of a age gap with the usual hostel crowd, and because of that also a gap in interests. He mentioned this in the beginning of the series.
@@jonathanbos There are 100 million Vietnamese though 😅 The key to enjoying Vietnam is the people, but yes, I see your point, too 👍🏻 I think Paddy didn't connect with the people and coupled with his manic schedule, it's contributed to how he's feeling now. I do about one video a month and that's almost enough for me 😅
@@TheBureauAsia true that there are many locals, but in my experience it can be harder to make real connections with locals since they have to work or sometimes don't speak the language that well. With travelers you have at least time and one shared interest, travel.
Its not easy being a stranger in a strange land. Its nice to be in contact with people who share common interests with yourself. Why not take time out to interview some expats on your journey, that would make for interesting viewing.
Thank you for sharing Paddy! I complete understand how you feel and have felt the same way during my time traveling alone. It's okay to feel this way. I have a lot of respect for you showing the ups and the downs, you're real and that what I love. I also noted you love the traveling part and I agree. It's not always about the destination it's about the journey (however much it hurts your butt 😂) I'm not a UA-camr but my piece of advice is, continue doing what you love, if you don't feel excited going to the tourist traps then don't. My favourite videos of your are when you are in nature, you're in your element and it really shows. If people want to visit tourist traps then that's fine but they can find other UA-camrs for that. The minute you care more about what we think rather than doing what you love, that's when this will feel like a chore to you and you're enthusiasm and enjoyment will fade. Love your content Paddy! Keep doing what YOU love.
Hey brother, I prefer these REAL experiential moments you shared versus the influencer travel farts that the lots of them carbon-copied each others. Friendly advice, there's nothing wrong with seeing the tree and missing the forest. In fact, it's probably more refreshing and rewarding at many juncture (and junctions) in life. You got my vote for embracing quality over quantity! Bon voyage my Anglo-Saxon brother!!! ⛵️
I love that your a real normal person, having ups and downs like everyone else, This is the Main reason i enjoy your channel so much, too many other youtubers are so fake and pretending life is fantastic all the time, Keep it real mate :-)
I know the feeling... I did a 6 months trip a few years ago. I was totally exhausted when I got to Australia after 4 months. I thought Australians were the most annoying people on earth and I couldn't care less about herds of kangaroos and a big red rock in the middle of the desert....maybe not quite fair to Australia. It was obvious that I had pushed myself too hard to see as much as possible. I'll probably have to come back and pay that amazing country some respect :)
I love your honesty and being authentic, this is actually much nicer to watch than people being perfect travellers. I think you just shoot footage of what you like not what you think 100k strangers want to see
Paddy, I've been watching you since before you went on this trip, starting in Thailand. I'll be honest, I saw the fatigue building up in you in Thailand. I think you really need a long break. Right now, you're blaming Vietnam, but it's actually age. You're not a young guy anymore, and constant travel is very, very hard. It's something that a 20 something would have no problem with but once you reach mid-30s, it becomes hard. I noticed you spending a LOT more interlude time in Bangkok. It's your recharge time. It's alright to admit that you want some creature comforts and a routine for awhile. I don't think you recharged yourself enough before the Vietnam trip. You started the Vietnam trip as something you HAD to do because you said you'd do it. Going through the motions. Your trip through Vietnam has been half hearted, starting with Haiphong. The scenery was great through Ha Giang, but the sense adventure in YOU was missing. It's not the same as when you were traveling to Southern Thailand. Quite frankly, your Northern Thailand trips were also lacking the oomph from your southern Thailand trips. You need to go back to Bangkok and just recharge and not travel. Do not underestimate travel fatigue. If you do, you will have the same problem in Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and wherever else you go. Only go to the next country when the curiosity overwhelms you and not because you feel it's your duty to make content for your audience. If that's 3 months, so be it. If that's 6 months or a year, so be it. You owe it to yourself and your channel to be genuinely curious.
Paddy, I don't think you're doing UA-cam sustainably. You didn't survey the land and see how sustainable UA-camrs continued on. Most UA-camrs flame out because of YT fatigue. Travel YTers fatigue from both YT and travel. Most quit. Look at the most successful UA-camrs who have staying power. They don't post every day or every week. They post well researched travel when the videos are done. In between, they rest and have quiet time. You need this for mental health. Look at how often people like Baldur, Bald, Retired working for you posts. Your pace is unsustainable and you will flame out if you continue this pace. Your VN series outside of Ha Giang, if I'm being honest, has been mediocre. Shooting into cities for a day and showing the most venal tourist activies just isn't interesting. There is no research. Stop blaming visa and VN. It's your desire to squeeze all the most common (and usually most uninteresting) things into an alotted time frame. You didn't even do the most interesting things in many of these cities. It's a sign that both YT and travel fatigue is intense. You were already displaying these symptoms in northern Thailand. Stop and take a break. You completely bypassed the best parts of Cat Ba, Haiphone, Danang, and Da Lat. Dude, go back to Bangkok, rest up, and don't travel till you believe you're ready. Don't even finish the rest of this trip through VN. You're doing a big disservice to yourself, your audience, and Vietnam.
Great advices. Hope Paddy will get a chance to read it. I think we all wish to have a friend, a relative, ect.. in our lives, to give us objective/accurate feedbacks, observations, analysis… when we needed the most (or when we don’t know we needed it).
Go back to the time at the beautiful Wat and how you felt, the east offers a lot more than the thrills, serenity and a chance to just be here now, meditate, find out who you are. Love your openness and honesty, enjoy the journey. love . Dont let things Hanoi you, just breath in and sigh gone.
You are as much of a feature of this channel as the places you visit, so don't worry about being honest even if it's not always pleasant feelings. Your story on this channel is a work in progress and it is captivating so don't give up on it. To address some of what you bring up in the video, I think your primary affliction at the moment is loneliness and it tends to manifest itself most severely when one is alone amongst the crowds. I think it would be a good idea to try to partner up with someone for the next adventure and see how it goes. Second, don't fret too much about the direction of the channel. The learning process for a creator never ends. The good news is that you've built enough momentum and goodwill with your viewers that you have plenty of room to maneuver while you figure things out. Speaking of momentum, in my opinion your channel growth has reached a point where I think you could afford to slow the pace of production down a bit for your own mental health. I can't see how such a frenetic pace doesn't take a toll on a person. Maybe aim for three videos every fortnight ... something like that ... and spend a little extra time at each stop getting to know some of the locals. Be a little less ambitious in the amount of geography covered. Finally, when you're feeling unfulfilled and are doubting yourself, just remember that what you are doing matters to an awful lot of people here, myself included. Thank you for your hard work and creativity. (Oh yeah, one more thing - I mentioned on your Instagram post that I lived in Vietnam for two years and, while it is a beautiful, wonderful place, the traffic, the noise, and the incessant peddling in the urban areas did my head in and I had to escape every few months or so. You're not alone in feeling that way. That's why, when it's time for me to retire in a few years, I'd prefer to live in Thailand over Vietnam.)
Without doubt Paddy you are one of the best You tubers out there. Nearly 100K subs in a year is such an achievement. Your schedule on Vietnam sounds horrendous, maybe a break is needed. What ever decision you take we will all be waiting for you, listen to your body and do what ever you need to do? Take care Paddy and don't quit you Tube please.....
Glad you're sharing this Paddy. There are also downs while traveling and I think you showed that perfectly. Too bad you had it in Dalat though, it was one of my favorite places in Vietnam
Well, love, everyone of us who follow you is due to YOU. Might’ve started as let’s see the sights, exploring our options, but we’ve stayed because of YOUR journey, your personality. Do whatever it takes to balance yourself, we’ll ALL still be here for the REAL because of our understanding we are human with faults farts and foibles, and your journey is better than any book, movie or show! Your growth in skills, practically cinematographer you are, so do what you need. Woohoo those SPLITS at the end 😮😮😮…you’re such a clown lol ouch! Enjoy your ride with smooth travels to Saigon, enjoy your game, rejuvenation of the soul with friends!🧐🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️
We all have high and down times in life. This is called "Life In Balance". We need the down time, so we can appreciate more when it's high. This vlog is needed to fulfill the viewers' experience of your trips.
I agree with Cameron about the stages of culture shock.. When I'm not in Thailand, I teach English to newcomers to Canada. I often see these newcomers going through culture shock. There are ups and downs along the way, but the basic, basic stages are an initial high, excitement and action, then a nosedive into the depressing blahs, then a rise in spirits with a levelling off mid-point often signalled by a bit of a sense of humour. It's hard to identify when you're the one going through it. But you've expressed it by talking about it in this episode. A good reminder -- We can't escape going on this roller coaster ride. The beginning of this film serves as a kind of metaphor for this phenomenon. A fine cigar (don't inhale) and a shot of Scotch whisky helps. Thanks for sharing another part of the larger picture. Great stuff!! Cheers! dcb
@@returntothailand Hi Return to Thailand. You posted this as a reply to me. I believe you wanted to post your thoughts to the community in general for everyone to see. Cheers . . . Dave.
You're entitled to feel that way no matter what people think! It's your life and nobody has the right to say how you should feel! I can only imagine traveling for that length of time on your own would get lonely! Sending you all the best on your journey from Scotland! 😊
Oh, Paddy, if you don't feel a place you just don't feel it. Like everyone seems to love Chiang Mai and I ask myself what the charm is 😅 Just few days ago my sister was telling me that as a traveller I shouldn't complain, but I actually disagree. Especially if you travel for a long time you're going to experience negative things or negative feelings and you'd not be honest to yourself if you pretended everything is great. By the way Dalat doesn't seem that exciting to me. The beepy traffic puts me off instantly 😅 P.s. We love Paddy "miserable bastard" too 😊😊
8:40 bro I watch your video's to get inspiration for my trip to Vietnam that I am doing soon and your video's are the best for it. This is exactly the topic that I was thinking about. Won't get tired traveling around non stop? A lot of youtubers only tell the side of the trip that the audience wants to hear. Your video's are always in a way of "is it actually worth it" and not only "do this an do that". Keep it up!
Love the Dalat roller-coaster. Looks like so much fun. Then the waterfall just beautiful. Would love to go for a dunebuggy ride in those dunes. I have watched this video several time not sure how to respond next. Think its time to rethink the channel format any one spending month on the road alone would feel lonely.i have no idea how you can travel alone for months. You need to take care of your metal health mate. You don't have to do an entire country at one time. Love you and your channel!
I’ve been following your Vietnam series since episode 1 and enjoyed it. I’ve always wanted to experience my birth country and you’ve given me that. Thanks! Being from Vietnam but living and working in Sweden I got this feeling throughout watching that we want to experience the country, but at times it feels rushed. It’s an escape from western life and the responsibilities, but at the same time we don’t want a life as the locals, despite the country being so beautiful. We see beauty, misery, poor people, rich people and ask ourselves where we belong. My guess is that some of these asian countries such as Vietnam is an escape to you, but deep inside you are the UK person and this is temporary. You want to finish the project on the cost not being able to experience it fully, at the end of the day it’s an experience and the memories that come with it. Cost, time, energy and effort put in, is it worth it you ask yourself? This is temporary, enjoy it mate!
Hey Paddy great video as always. Thanks for sharing your thoughts it really adds a great dimension to your videos. My advice would be I thought the pace of travel during your first month in the North was amazing. Some of your best ever content. Had a real travel and exploration feel to it. Was clear to see you werent in a rush. To continue to produce that level of quality and general vibe I think you would have to take pretty much three months to do the whole of Vietnam which in hindsight you maybe should have. Either way its been a great series and insight into Vietnam. Thanks.
You would probably fall in love with Da Lat if you had been there a decade ago (may be a decade and a half). It’s used to be a dreamy, quiet and breathtakingly beautiful place. There was a super famous Vietnamese that literally dubbed Dalat as a ‘sad city’ (literally translation but it’s more like a sleeping city) I went back a year ago and despite how much infrastructure they built and how developed it seems, I believe they kinda ruined it. There are people every where and it’s so noisy. Hardly a sleeping or a dreamy city anymore.
Đà lat không phải là đồ cổ , là một vật phẩm trong tủ kính của một viện bảo tàng , Đà lat là một vật thể sống , một thành phố , nên sự phát triển là đương nhiên , miễn là sự xây dựng phát triển không phá vỡ cảnh quan thiên nhiên và môi trường , Đa lat vẫn còn nguyên nét mộng mơ , bạn không cảm nhận được điêu đó vì bạn không đi , bạn chỉ ở trong thành phố với những tòa nhà và các tiệm cafe , tiêm ăn , nếu muốn giữ mãi cái vẻ hoang sơ , trầm buồn giờ chỉ còn có ở nam cực thôi bạn a , với sự nóng lên của trái đất có lẽ một ngày nào đó nam cực cũng không còn là nam cực như bạn mong muốn nữa , chào bạn !
Your videos are truly inspirational and please never feel guilty about your openness and honesty. That is refreshing and very welcome. We can get falsehood from many places in life, but not here. Life is not sugar coated and I would rather see it as it is, including knowing how you are reacting to where you are on your journey (geographically and emotionally). Thank you.
What I appreciate most is when people are honest about their feelings and communicate freely about them. I feel lost myself at this point right now as well in a studying process for a certificate I need for my new job. But what keeps me going is working which my down as well as my ups. I am honest with myself and at times I tell myself that I won't do it it's just too much! Right when I say that to myself I tear up a little (just as well when I saw you in your emotional state in this video because of Empathy) and let it out. But after some time I am getting a motivation out of it to get back do my books and be strong again and sort it all out. It helps being honest with yourself. What you describe as clearing your head is exactly that I guess. You could tell yourself to go leave Vietnam and that makes you not leave Vietnam.Because you got a Vision and the right mindset is just taking a little nap, a time-out. It will come back after you have spent time with your friends.After a good trip.After hearing the right music or as you get closer to the south. After fatigue and negativity comes endurance and positivity. We will both be fine. Cheers!
So many emotions and emotions that I think many people can and have related with. Part of your charm paddy is being so vulnerable on screen and sharing YOUR story. No fluff, no trying to please everyone while pleasing no one, and just how it is for you. Your vulnerability is what makes you relatable even when times aren’t always perfect and if anyone dare say you shouldn’t they are dead ass wrong. We came for the travel but stay for you (& your travel) ❤️.
Oh Paddy D.... 🙂 Those of us who have been around awhile don't mind the wingeing and moaning... Because we know you'll snap out of it. 😊 Work-life balance ... We don't want you to burn out or leave us without our Paddy videos, so.... 😏 It's the lack of 7-11s..... And cold beers.... Ok, ok... Done commenting for now. 🥰
Love you videos Paddy. Thanks for sharing. Keep on sharing your view of the countryside and the cities. Maybe film more of the scenes you enjoy most, and the emotion will flow on through the lens. Cheers.
It gets rough being on the road a long time like you have, especially solo. There is an old saying its about the journey, not the destination. Just enjoy the journey and do what you want to do. There are bound to be low days and high days, also the drive to Dalat really sucked. When I was in Dalat I also did not feel the vibe much. I loved Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi, Ha giang loop, ninh binh. Hope you find your groove again. Cheers.
@@seanmac5093 Du lịch để trải nghiệm , để khám phá , để lùi lại nhìn ngắm thế giới từ những vi sao , du lịch để thay đổi không khí , thay đổi những gì đã quá quen thuộc để đến với một sự mới lạ , để tạm quên đi những gì ở phía sau , để tận hưởng niềm vui ,vvv , Paddy đã không biết điêu đó , trèo lên đinh núi để nhìn ngắm xung quanh , mở rộng tầm mắt , nhưng để lên được đinh núi thì phải trải qua muôn vàn gian khố , rất tiếc cho Pady đã biến cuộc vui thành cực hình !!! biến tiếng cười thành những lời than vãn kêu ca !!! Pady nên dừng lai !!!!
Don't think I can add any more to what people are already saying Paddy, but your videos are brilliantly edited, your honesty is a breath of fresh air compared to some other youtubers. Please continue doing you and your videos! We all love you Paddy!
It sounds like part of the issue is you're going through the stages of a case of culture shock my man. Maybe look into collaborating with someone for future trips so you don't have to feel like this. Either way, thanks for being vulnerable. Definitely one of my favorite channels
I started watching the budgeteers in 2019 and got the inspiration to travel to Sri Lanka October of that year luckily before COVID because of you guys!!! And now I've been watching your videos of Thailand and others, they have all been great and so helpful for different reasons. Sometimes it is good to Give yourself a break and take some of the pressure off of having to show every town and just let something random happen, you never know, you might meet a local who shows you a cool local place that's off the beaten track. Still love the videos!!!
I loved this episode. It's so refreshing to hear honesty and actual emotion and not this "OH MY GOD THIS PLACE IS AMAZING" non-sense other youtubers constantly upload. I have to be honest I really didn't like Vietnam when I was visiting this year. I enjoyed it years ago but this time it just felt so annoying and I only spend 4 weeks there. Coming to Thailand after that was a total revelation. People are polite, friendly and considerate. Vietnamese are the total opposite which is why I will always prefer Thailand over Vietnam. I always feel so comfortable and calm in Thailand while in Vietnam I find myself constantly annoyed and irritated.
I went to Vietnam in 2020 and while the countryside was beautiful, I just didn't gel with the people or cultural aspects and found people to be extremely rude and inconsiderate. I rode from South to North and by the time I was 2/3's of the way to Hanoi I was just done. Ended up skipping out on riding the North pretty much entirely and just hibernating for the last part of my trip figuring I'd go back at some point and do an exclusively Northern Vietnam ride to see what I had missed.
It's not non sense from other youtubers, it's call personal preferences, and nobody forces their likes and believes in others .....There are large expat communities all across Vietnam from big to small cities, and they're there for a reason
@@anhbinbaccuc8850 It has nothing to do with Vietnam. Some youtubers "love" every place they go to. It makes no sense. No one can love all places he/she goes to.
@@martin3399 Yeah it is part of the aesthetic of being a travel influencer. Generally you have to be super happy and positive and upbeat all of the time and showing how everything is incredible and amazing etc etc etc. Paddy even alludes to that in this video. If you aren't always 100% the sun is shining and the world is rosy then you get haters piling up on you and telling you that you're ungrateful.
Tôi là người Việt Nam,xin lỗi về những trải nghiệm không tốt của bạn khi ở Việt Nam nhưng nhìn chung đất nước chúng tôi vẫn được đánh giá là một nơi thân thiện và không có một nơi nào hoàn hảo cả,có thể có những điều khiến bạn thất vọng,cảm ơn vì sự góp ý của bạn,chúng tôi sẽ ghi nhận và khắc phục,chúc bạn may mắn
When we travelled long term. We had to keep having a break from Asia, we always turned but sometimes you just need a break from the crowds. You’ve always taken inspiration from you and the Bugeteers so thank you
I used to enjoy your VN series but this obsession with only the natural thing is great and "tourist trap" criticism gets old. If you don't understand Vietnam's effort to make life better for its people and visitors, which include not only historical/natural things to look at but also fun modern things for people to do as a family group or group of friends, then I think you've missed the boat on Vietnam's effort through the last few decades. I hear the same complains about Venice, Barcelona, etc being too touristy, well that's because you're late to the game and those places have wonderful things and "wonderful" is not just historical/natural wonder but also fun things to do, which draw a crowd over the years. If you want natural beauty without the crowd, go and try unknown places around the world, without the convenience and see how long you last there. I spent 10 years in VN and if anything, they try to balance historical with modern development, natural beauty and man-made fun places, even their food have variety, and at the end of the day, their society is communal in nature and they live and enjoy their life as a group.
I don't think Paddy means that Vietnam shouldn't do this, it's just not what he is looking for. Also, he said that he normally would enjoy some of the things he did that day, but that his mood made him not enjoy it as much. He shares his view and that's perfectly fine. Other people probably enjoy it a lot and might dislike things Paddy liked. That's all okay and nothing worth with that.
@@jonathanbos I take your point Jonathan. I think vlogger or tourists should take their site for what it is. Well known sites will have crowds of interested tourists, through no fault of their own, so don't get disappointed with the crowd. Stop labeling it as "tourist traps". You don't like crowd, go somewhere there's no crowd. For every "tourist trap" and complaints about crowd, there are groups of people enjoying and being themselves.
I like your comment. I'm sick and tired of hearing travellers complaining about crowded 'tourist trap' while they are tourists themselves. Why can't they just disappear so the 'tourist trap' will be less crowded.
This video was an eye-opener for all of us ..when there are hardships in our current job role... Your videos are awesome ... please stay strong and healthy 💪
Thumbs up for Girls Aloud ♥️
Paddy, we're going to be here excitedly waiting for you! Don't burn yourself out! Take a break so you can enjoy Vietnam. We'll be here when you get back! We love your videos, but you are why we watch. Take care of yourself! That being said, we also appreciate your honesty and your perspective on the ups and downs if traveling.
You need to travel with Miss P! No need to film her as that's her wish but I'm sure it would be amazing for you!
i think you go from north to south in 30 days is not enough..not enough time for you to enjoy and rest..it forces you to run on motorbike continuously from one place to another..you like is racing against time....it drains you mentally and physically..thank you for sharing..give yourself a rest .take care..
What’s your connection with Newcasle paddy ? Great city 👍😉❤️🇬🇧
Enjoying the beautiful scenery continuously for many years makes him overeating with tourism, this is called an occupational disease! Let's tie him in thailan with alcohol, drugs, pede for 1 month keep him interested in ytb!
Part of the charm of Paddy's channel is that he has these moments in which he tells us what's truly going on for him. I like it. It's more authentic and people identify with it. Good work Paddy!
I've been travelling as a "Backpacker" for over 30 years and the feelings that you 're experiencing are not unusual, some days you just say to yourself " what the hell am I doing here". My trips have all been solo which I prefer as I get to choose where and when I go at every turn and I rarely feel lonely as I've become conditioned to live like this on the road. My trips are for myself, at my own pace, with nobody to answer to. Through the years friends have said "you've been to so many places, you should write a book or film it" but that's not something I'm interested in as I fear it would remove the pleasure. On a couple of earlier trips I decided not to take a camera at all, in order to just enjoy the moments and there's no way I could do what you're doing.
I think you have to remember that while you're documenting your travels, you're actually working and everybody needs a break now and again. Perhaps you haven't taken enough time between your various trips (all work and no play .....) in order to keep the segments coming. You could try returning to the UK for awhile until you get inspired to travel again, or simply take off some time just to do what you want and not document anything otherwise you may become totally burned out on the whole travel Vlogger thing.
Very well said. I too, travel alone by choice for all the reasons you mentioned. For me, its very important to call one of my siblings at least every other day to sort of ground me and doing private youtube videos for them, friends and others is fun and showcases my days without it becoming a business venture to entertain people. I also try to keep my personal videos down to about 6 minutes highlighting my unadverterous adventures...lol
Well said!
The curse of YouTubing is YOU CAN’T TAKE A BREAK! If you do its algorithms will break you bad. Your chance of being recommended drops, resulting in your viewers drop, resulting in engagement drops, resulting in recommendation chance drops etc. The loop continues and it is so freaking hard to gain THE MOMENTUM second time around.
This is why UA-camrs warn each other about “taking a break from UA-cam”.
I guess finding the loophole of algorithms is “editing the BEST OF or COLLECTION videos” in advance to post weekly during your break. Or Q&A live-streamings instead of editing works.
@@jomontanee I agree with you.. I think the best way to be a youtuber is to do it strictly as a hobby for fun rather than a means to make a living. After all, even if it is fun to travel, once it becomes your means to pay bills, you're going to have some pressure.
@@jomontanee There's a part of truth in what you're saying but it's not completely true either. Thankfully, it is possible as a UA-camr to take breaks without publishing and it's not going to completely kill your channel. As long as when you publish, you publish a good video. From the top of my hat, I can think of Andreas Hem, who's publishing once every now and then since he started, and still reached more than half a million subs. Even me (on my main channel), I happened to not publish very regularly at some points, channel is still doing good and I make a full living out of it. What matters is that when you release a video, it's a video that people want to watch, that's all 😊 Now for a faster growth you're right, having a schedule and sticking to it helps tremendously.
I can't believe this guy is traveling solo. The quality of his travel videos is so good I thought he must have a whole production team following him. Outstanding work!
I wondered the same thing. I thought someone was filming him.
"Comparison is the thief of joy"
You do you Paddy, we will all continue to watch your vids! The honesty is honestly one of the best features of your content. xoox
Paddy - It takes bravery to open up like this. This is what sets you apart and makes your channel so enjoyable. You have a talent for taking your viewers with you and making us feel part of the journey (good and bad). Hope your feeling better, but please know there are a lot of us that really enjoy what you do and are thinking of you.
I totally understand how you felt. I also travel alone for a month at a time. It's very lonely. That's why I decided to keep my full-time job in New York and work remotely from where I'm. I use the time difference between the two places to go sightseeing during the day. When I return to the hotel, I do 8 hours of work at night using Zoom to connect with my co-workers in New York. Keeping the norm and connecting with the people I know at night is the only way to reduce my lonely feeling. The lonely feeling is always there though. I comfort myself that it's better to travel alone than with somebody out of sync with me,
Thanks for sharing Winnie ❤️ sound like you have figured out a solution
Aw
You're doing much better than you think you are Paddy! I'm loving this series and hope to follow in your footsteps one day. Your footage is great, your editing is great and your presenting is great... and your honesty and character are great! You're doing a fabulous job and I for one am appreciating your efforts with these videos.
Ditto to that.
Paddy, I watch your videos because you are open, honest and real in your video's, not to see tourist attractions - this gives a connection with your viewers. It's ok to be bored, down or feel lonely. Don't focus too much on the cool content, take some rest and keep doing what you are doing! I will keep watching!
This 100% an inner process. You need to get to where you feel at ease where ever you are. Not focus so much on the outisde, less plans and more flow! No one watch this channel to see you eat some special food or see some special destination. We are here to see you, with your wonderful personality, experience life! This is what makes this channel so great 🌸😊
Finally, a real person with real feelings, perspectives and “funks” on You Tube. That’s why I subscribe to you.
I've been to Vietnam a few times (going again in January) and Hoi An and Dalat are my two favourites, followed closely by Hanoi. I know a few 'Full Time' You-Tuber's who have found that the pressure of having to create content day after day, week after week to keep their subscribers happy (and keep their subscribers) was just too much, they couldn't hack it, and burnt out, packed up their channels and went back to the normal life. It is a hard job being Alan Whicker or Michael Palin every day, they didn't do it every day though, just short bursts and took the time after the trips to do the editing and commentary and I think that's the way to go to stay sane. You only have one life, do what you want to do for yourself, sure, let others see what you are doing but don't let it dictate your life.
I've also been to Vietnam a number of times and have visited Hoi An and Dalat which I enjoyed visiting, but would not return as they are too touristic for me. It just goes to show how everyone has their own take on such things, and opinions on "how good a place is" are so subjective.
I think that's the model that Karl Watson uses, but it's risky on UA-cam. Their set up demands regular content to feed the algorithm. How important is YT to your revenue stream?
What was so good in your opinion about Da Lat?
@@SimonRobeyns I guess it was the combination of climate, layout (central market area and open spaces) and the availability of fresh produce (the area is covered with greenhouses and farms) I instantly thought ‘I could live here’
Hi Paddy, I am enjoying your Vietnam series vey much as planning to visit there for 3 weeks in October. I actually loved this sincere monologue. Travel fatigue is absolutely natural and I found it touching and authentic. You shouldn't have felt bad about it. I am much older.... 56 and love traveling. Can't wait for my Vietnam adventure. Thanks for all the wonderful youtubes you put here!
Hi Paddy, Having followed you avidly around Thailand, I only just started dipping into your Vietnam series. I have missed your spectacular videography and intelligent, candid commentary. Thank you for keeping it real and being open..
Those feelings are natural. 4 months solo in India caused me to be irritated by every little inconvenience. Couldn't wait to leave, but ended up going back and newly appreciating the wonder of the place.
In Thailand you didn't have the time constraints of the visa and could stay longer in a place, to appreciate the beauty or wonder. But in vietnam, you are not able to enjoy the freedom of having no time constraints. Your videos are still of an extremely high quality and so enjoyable...try not to put pressure on yourself you are doing a great job. Perhaps you could have done Vietnam and Cambodia together which may have solved the visa issue and given you the additional time to enjoy places more. Never worry about not feeling a particular place or feeling emotionally and physically drained it is what makes you and your videos real. Keep doing what you are doing and there's nothing wrong with listening to Girls Aloud...if it takes you back to a happy time and helps you emotionally then go for it👍😉😁👊
🙏❤️🙏 thanks mate
From experience, by the time I reached the south I was drained. Can't imagine the extra time and effort put into the channel too. Hats off to you Paddy, hope you enjoyed your time and hope to have you back again soon.
Yeah, the effort Paddy is putting into this is pretty crazy. All the kilometers he has to cover, all the editing etc. It's seriously hard work.
I think you need a break from traveling by yourself. It is very lonely and exhausting for sure. Going thru Vietnam in such a rush by yourself will definitely break you physically and mentally.
I feel that you are at a point in your life where you need to slow down and get some serenity. It seems to me that being a full-time travel vlogger on youtube may not be a right career choice for you at this time. Unless you could do it with another person and at a slower speed.
Anyway, thank you so much for doing all the hard work and bringing us such amazing contents and beautiful video footage of Vietnam. Take care and please don't be too hard on yourself 😘😘😘
Appreciate the advice ☺️
The thing I enjoy about your channel Paddy is that you are completely natural.
You talk to us like we are with you on your trips. The information and videos you share are so much fun, so if you need to rant for awhile then go for it lol.
Keep up he great work 👍👍
I think it's completely normal to feel this way sometimes, especially when you pick up challenges like you do. It's a challenge for a reason, it's meant to be hard sometimes. And you deliver every time. I love that you're not like one of these UA-camrs that only show the happy moments. I watch you, because I really get to know your perspective on things and also see the things that aren't as great as some people make it seem. In the end, the downs will make the highs even higher, but you have to go through them. And sometimes it's okay to change plans or take a break. Lots of luck and don't forget to take a well deserved break to unwind and recharge!
You have SUCH a great channel - keep it up! It’s nice to hear + learn how other travelers deal with what we call “burn out” - we have to just stop and settle for a few days - get a message - spa treatment - meditation - sleep in - just chill to get back going again. We’re all so lucky to travel, but it does always come with ups and downs. Thanks so much for sharing!
You’re one of the few travel channels I enjoy watching exactly for this type of video. I don’t want to see perfect, it’s not relatable and makes me feel bad about my own experiences. I definitely got travel fatigue near the end of a year long trip, as amazing as it was I just couldn’t be arsed anymore and wanted to stop and reset. You’re not alone!
I’m not usually one to comment on videos, I sit back and enjoy silently. But after watching this one, I wanted to just say thank you! Your content is something my boyfriend and I always look forward to. We love to travel and are headed back to Thailand in a few months. We love the authenticity of your videos! We always comment on how hard you work. Putting videos out so frequently, travelling the crazy distances you do… you deserve to rant! We all do it, and once you get it out, it’s easier to move forward!
Can’t wait to see what other adventures you have in store!
Your doing an amazing job mate , it’s hard , stressful and of course you have your good and bad days but most of all you have friends and family and loved ones with you no matter what . You have been on the go and i personally think it’s time to sit back relax and revitalise your self with people and plan your next adventure we will continue support your adventures no matter what . Take care mate .
It's difficult doing anything alone, even things that are pleasurable, such as traveling. Our human nature wants to share our joys with others -- we have a need to connect with others to make our experiences meaningful. I can totally understand why traveling alone can get old quickly. I personally don't even like watching a movie alone, going shopping alone, going to the beach alone, or even taking a walk alone. Having someone else to share experiences with makes doing anything about 10x-100x better, even if what you are doing is supposed to already be fun.
You are doing an awesome job. Travelling alone is really good, but it also has it's difficulties. I've been in Asia a few years, and like to travel alone, but sometimes we can be in the busisest place, and its difficult to meet people. Ups and downs are part of the journey. I think your viewesrs will really appreciate your honesty. Too many YT channels are full of bullshit smiles. Reality is the better option. You'll always have a few people that will complain about any video made, but that's because they are miserable and probably jealous that they've not tried to do anything like this. Try not to beat yourself up too much. I do the same. It's ok to not be ok sometimes. We are all human. It's good that people understand that travelling alone can be tough sometimes. I am loving all of your vids, and I plan to do soemething similar next year. You've genuinely inspired me to put my plans into action, so thats very much appreciated.
I'm respect the openness from you Paddy! For me that is what keeps me coming back to your channel & budgeteers. Big ups to you! You are an inspiration 🙏🏼
Hi Paddy, mid Vietnam life crisis! From watching your videos it's clear a distinct contrast between your experiences and mood in the north and how you feel now. Perhaps related to the totally different landscapes and pace of life but also, perhaps, not surprising because of your hectic schedule and unrealistic expectations. I suspected you were struggling with those personal issues in Da Nang, and didn't really have enough time or patience to explore the place more fully.....it has much more to offer than you were able to show. The relentless schedule six or so weeks north to south it is impossible to fully absorb and enjoy the experiences plus trying to keep the youtube channel going, perhaps incompatible objectives. FWIW, you need to abandon the tight schedule, be more spontaneous, chill out more and distinguish between your demanding youtube duties and your personal needs, and your obvious love and joy of exploring and experiencing the rough and the smooth of what any place has to offer. Enjoy and take care. jim
👏
I hope you overcome this low feeling soon. Take some time for yourself.
Thank you for the fantastic introduction to Vietnam . As frequent traveller to Thailand and Cambodia I am really looking forward to some of the highlights of Vietnam. Thanks so much
Paddy love! Don’t give up. It sounds like you’re a little home sick. Don’t worry about the content because I hope you know that “you are the content”. You’re the main star! We all watch your channel because of you! Never give up!
Love from the states ❤️
Always so great to be able to head into an adventure with you. It's such a pleasure. Thank you so much! Appreciate this a lot! : )
Really appreciate the honesty and insight, Paddy. I'm doing my first big solo trip to Thailand / Vietnam in a few months, and I'm sure I will confront feelings like this in my travels. It's nice to see a travel vlog that speaks about these feelings openly-it's good to know even experienced travelers get these feelings of lingering doubt. Hoping to take it slow and try not to come in with too many expectations. Videos like this that show it isn't all rays and sunshine all the time are important to ground the romanticization of travel into reality. Your content is appreciated by us fellow "miserable bastards", so keep doing you!
I subscribe precisely for the winging (sp?).
I mean, not specifically for that but because Paddy is a genuine person who adds some real humanity that is missing from most vloggers out there. Nothing wrong with a bad day/week/whatever and recognizing the need to hit reset mentally. Glad you're taking the time to share rather than just disappearing from UA-cam (but if you need to do that for a bit, you should).
Glad you decided to not "finish" Vietnam and wishing you well/sending positive vibes as you take a little time to reflect on what's next.
I'm coming up on a big birthday and your Koh Samui video convinced me that's where I need to go. I'm super pumped to be there next month and grateful I stumbled on your channel in researching Thailand. Thanks for the great content!
Hats off to you Paddy! I was in Vietnam for 7 weeks almost the same time with you. I totally understand how you feel. Take a break, enjoy your surroundings and move on slowly.
Have a beer on me Khong say khong ve! Love and hugs from Sydney.
Hang in there buddy. Your true fans will stay with you no matter what you do. Even through your struggles while in Vietnam you have made some of the most amazing YT videos I have ever seen. We all want to see you well and happy.
I like the imagery of you lying still on the grass while everything around you is going full speed ahead. It is powerful and sums up well how you seem to be feeling. Life is full of highs and lows and the comparisons, the light and shade are what make it interesting.
Your videos are great. I love them. Not only are they informative but they remind me when I took journeys. But I know that at times you are ‘skimming the surface’. You are in places that deserve more time to appreciate their wonder yet you leave too soon. Once in my past I had a dual 2 month Thai Visa & I even extended for 1 month that allowed me to be in Thailand 5 months. In those 5 months I saw only 1/3 of the country. There were no drives longer than 1 hour at a time. I covered many small villages everywhere. But please achieve your goal on your motorbike. You can always return to Vietnam in your future to complete your sightseeing to full satisfaction.
Paddy we love watching you. You are so selfless. I appreciate you being so real. Take time to rest and recover. We will always be here for you. You have an amazing community here. Keep shining. Looking forward to updates. We fully support you buddy. Thank you for your honesty.
Yours quickly became my favourite travel channel, as well as a true inspiration. Your honesty is admirable, and I related with parts of this video so deeply. Thank you :)
Ah travel fatigue is a real thing, isnt it? Its feels almost wrong to admit to it when you are a travel blogger/vlogger and are supposed to love travel. But it happens. It gets even harder, when you have to create content and enjoy the place at the same time. Especially, when you try to make content for multiple platforms.
The good thing is, it only takes a little bit of rest to get over it. I had been travelling for a whole year and though i travel with my partner, I needed to stop. Rested for a couple of weeks and I am craving to travel again.
For Dalat, I felt what you felt - like you are in an amusement park. I think the best part of Dalat are things that might not be enough for UA-cam (lol) but it is the solitary cafes they have on the side of mountains. Very peaceful and amazing sunsets.
Always a pleasure to watch your videos Paddy.
We completely get you paddy! Keep your head up and just go where your gut tells you, we had the same feelings at times during our travels but it gets better and you’ll feel refreshed again when you can chill somewhere for a bit longer! ⭐️
Paddy, I can completely relate. Just his the 7 week mark of solo travel in Mexico and I am starting to feel lost, less patient and alone despite having the opportunity to travel and amazing country. Hearing you makes me feel better about this
Hang in there. I am sort of at the opposite end of the spectrum in life. I am 60 years old, and have had all the social interaction that I can stand. I just recently finished a 2 month remote work stint in Europe, and the worst part was when it ended, and I had to come home to friends and family. I cherish the alone time more than anything. But again, I am on the back 9 of life to use a golf expression.
Man up
@@sirgalahad1470 We are alike. Cherish the solitude so much. ❤️✨💞💖
Maybe this will give you some inspiration. I am 12 days removed from open heart surgery I'm only 57 they had to replace a faulty valve. I've been living vicariously through you and a few other vloggers counting down the days to retire not knowing if I should pull the plug now but I find inspiration and solace in your words and your videos. Keep on keeping on and follow your heart you only have today...
Hi Paddy. Just wanted to say I love watching your videos. The quality of each one is top notch. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to travel, make videos, edit videos every day. But you smash it every time. There will always be tough times unfortunately. It’s great that you are yourself in each video and not trying to be something you’re not, it makes the channel more real. Don’t ever change. Cheers big ears 🍻
Hey Paddy I really appreciate your Genuine honesty, humanity and humility! This is why we watch your channel follow you on your adventures! No need to apologise for sharing your thoughts and feelings, I can totally relate, having done plenty of solo travelling. I feel where ever you are in this world, there will always be ups and downs. And travelling, especially when you are alone, is an opportunity to find out more about yourself, as well as experience new things. But when your mind is not right space, you could be in paradise and still feel miserable... Thank you for all your efforts, keep doing what you are doing. And be at peace 🙏🏽
Paddy, as hard as it is…it WILL pass. I’m a professional musician who’s been touring for 35+ years. And the best advice I can give, when feeling lonely and missing home and loved ones on the road, is this: drop everything and have a YOU Day. Forget about filming, work or anything else…and go do a bunch of your favourite things. Get a massage, eat your favourite meal, take a bubble bath, eat sweets, watch a favourite movie or show, listen to fave music, read a book, nap etc. Trust me, it sounds obvious but it works-I do it on days off on the road sometimes. Don’t worry about anyone or anything else but YOU. Indulge in all things Paddy and your mind will shift. You will wake up the next day and be back to your old self. I swear by it-it works ❤️
The fact that you have been honest is more than we can ask for. Keep being you because that is what we need to see. Truth is we all have days that we feel alone. I watch your stories and they make me smile. Roll on mate. X
Hi Paddy - I can relate to how you feel. I was in France and Germany for nearly a month, traveling alone. It is amazing how one can be surrounded by people yet feel so alone, especially if the people speak a different language that you don't understand. Phone calls to family and friends back home is what made me feel better (temporarily). In your case perhaps a trip back to England to have family time is in order? Or at least back to Samui with friends. Definitely Miss P time is needed. I hope you get better emotionally soon!
I know this video is few months ago. I just want to say that what you doing is full on and the energy you have to put out everyday is a lot. Keep your head up and keep pushing. It’s okay to step back and take the time off and collect yourself. I think you should do what you love and stop thinking about us. The right people will sub to you.
Hi Paddy i get everything you said it must be tough at times but i like how you wear your heart on your sleeve and never change, stuff the critics. Some chill time with Miss P and hopefully all will be good 🤞🤞🤞
Haha thanks mate. Will do ☺️
great video, don’t ever stop expressing how you feel, it’s your channel anyway! Those who had similar experiences know how you feel, it’s part of the process 💪🏻
I did a 6 week trip there alone and had some incredible highs and some very lonely lows. What you are going through is normal. Keep on being awesome 😊
Love watching you Paddy and we all have to vent! So don't worry and glad that you are feeling better. You are doing great traveling alone which is something that I could not do.
You're doing great Paddy and it will be alright! We all have our ups and downs and there's nothing wrong with sharing the darker sides of traveling too. I absolutely get you and could totally relate to my 3 months trip around southeast Asia in late 2019 alone where on average I've stayed in one place for not longer than 2-3 days (Bali, Cambodia, Myanmar, and a couple of days long stopovers in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Dubai). It was really tiring towards the end both mentally and physically, though when I look back still it was all worth it!
Though these days, I try to really take my time if I can and rather see fewer points of interest when traveling to any destination and rather enjoy these more than having a mindset where I ''must'' see everything. If you're pushed by 30 days visas now, I would probably just take a trip from Saigon anywhere to rest a bit and do nothing, then come back and enjoy the rest of Vietnam.
This honest, real video is why I just subscribed. I feel the same way sometimes when I travel, it's refreshing to see that I'm not alone. Keep on keeping it real Paddy!
Thanks for the sub!
You've set yourself a relentless schedule, sure, part of that is the 30day visa limitation, but maybe an idea/lesson for the future might be to not try to do the whole of a country in one hit? Whilst I don't disagree with the 'culture shock' comments below, it sounds to me a lot simpler than that. You're constantly tired; you have the normal ups and downs of mood that everyone has, but you have no-one to make you laugh or to chat to. So the tiredness and isolation exaggerate and prolong the normal 'down' feelings until they seem much bigger than they otherwise would be. Great to see that you managed to find a bit more positivity by the end of the vid, and I hope you enjoy the fitba
I for one would be very happy to see the occasional 'down time' vid, without any major adventures, but just capturing your reflections about the journey - your impressions are what makes the channel most interesting, at least for me (not saying that the visual treats aren't great, they are, you have a gift for editing and getting great footage.) Anyroad, what a long and rambling comment!
That's a good point. Food for thought for sure 🙂
Hi Paddy.
I watched your vids since you start your journey in Yala. Back then, I don’t subscribe just yet. I subscribed to your channel when you start your Vietnam adventure where you have flat tires so many times in a day. Sometimes, it’s not about seeing beautiful places. It’s about you enjoying yourself, that’s what makes us want to see you more. Take your time. Don’t be too hard on yourself & celebrate small wins.
“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up”--all of us,we know what you are going through and more so we feel you more for your honesty. Keep going brother 👍 and if you ever wish to laugh louder, there’s a place called Nepal 🇳🇵. Ride your mind to it😋
Love your channel. Love your videos and love your honesty. it is so refreshing in this era of superficial "entertainment." I'm a teacher here in Bangkok and your videos are currently getting me through a two week holiday before I regretfully signed up to teach summer school. You have inspired me to put both Vietnam as well as the Philippines on my bucket list. I feel like I am actually there while watching. Keep up the great work and don't be afraid or ashamed to share how you are feeling.
I just finished my motorbike trip from HCMC up to the the waterfall in ban gioc, where you started, logged 3600kms. While it was the best trip of my life, it took an incredible toll mentally and physically. Interestingly, my breaking point where i went through your Da lat revelations happened in the Ha Giang loop, the most beautiful part. I took a day off and felt much better after chatting with other travelers. Retrospectively, it gets better and i appreciate the test of solo traveling.
I would add that you inspired my trip, so thank you for that experience.
How long did it take you to complete your trip? The time pressure must be tough for Paddy cos he also has to produce content in addition to the physical travel. Congrats on completing 3,600km
@@ViewTalay completed it in around 24 days. Yeah for sure, tought for paddy! In places that there where other tourist, i mainly made friends for the day and got out
You’re right, people don’t subscribe for winging content, people subscribe for honest opinions and some common sense. In other words for someone they could trust. Which is why I just subscribed to your channel. Keep the good work and thank you 🙏🏻
Alright Paddy, quick one: First Dalat is amazing and that's because the husling and bustling, the crowd, the energy etc is indeed FUN, when you're in the right head space. And you're obviously not, like you said. I think you do indeed need to take it easy, stop rushing from town to town, take some days off, try and meet some people in hostels? We miss your interactions with other locals/travellers but you're in such a tight agenda that you don't have time to meet anyone anymore. It's a bit of a shame. It feels like you're just crossing items off your list, without enjoying it =/. Take your time ! Meet other people, show interactions etc. It feels like you're alone most of the time and you don't seem like the type of guy who thrives being alone. That's my 2 cents.
I think you're right. That said I can understand that he find this more difficult since there might be less travelers now because of COVID and since there might be a bit of a age gap with the usual hostel crowd, and because of that also a gap in interests. He mentioned this in the beginning of the series.
@@jonathanbos There are 100 million Vietnamese though 😅 The key to enjoying Vietnam is the people, but yes, I see your point, too 👍🏻 I think Paddy didn't connect with the people and coupled with his manic schedule, it's contributed to how he's feeling now. I do about one video a month and that's almost enough for me 😅
@@TheBureauAsia true that there are many locals, but in my experience it can be harder to make real connections with locals since they have to work or sometimes don't speak the language that well. With travelers you have at least time and one shared interest, travel.
@@jonathanbos Yep, fair call 👍🏻
Thanks for sharing Paddy, nobody expects you to be a robot and it’s your rawness that is the big appeal of your channel.
Its not easy being a stranger in a strange land. Its nice to be in contact with people who share common interests with yourself. Why not take time out to interview some expats on your journey, that would make for interesting viewing.
Thank you for sharing Paddy!
I complete understand how you feel and have felt the same way during my time traveling alone. It's okay to feel this way.
I have a lot of respect for you showing the ups and the downs, you're real and that what I love.
I also noted you love the traveling part and I agree. It's not always about the destination it's about the journey (however much it hurts your butt 😂)
I'm not a UA-camr but my piece of advice is, continue doing what you love, if you don't feel excited going to the tourist traps then don't. My favourite videos of your are when you are in nature, you're in your element and it really shows.
If people want to visit tourist traps then that's fine but they can find other UA-camrs for that. The minute you care more about what we think rather than doing what you love, that's when this will feel like a chore to you and you're enthusiasm and enjoyment will fade.
Love your content Paddy! Keep doing what YOU love.
Hey brother, I prefer these REAL experiential moments you shared versus the influencer travel farts that the lots of them carbon-copied each others.
Friendly advice, there's nothing wrong with seeing the tree and missing the forest. In fact, it's probably more refreshing and rewarding at many juncture (and junctions) in life. You got my vote for embracing quality over quantity! Bon voyage my Anglo-Saxon brother!!! ⛵️
I love that your a real normal person, having ups and downs like everyone else,
This is the Main reason i enjoy your channel so much, too many other youtubers are so fake and pretending life is fantastic all the time,
Keep it real mate :-)
I know the feeling... I did a 6 months trip a few years ago. I was totally exhausted when I got to Australia after 4 months. I thought Australians were the most annoying people on earth and I couldn't care less about herds of kangaroos and a big red rock in the middle of the desert....maybe not quite fair to Australia. It was obvious that I had pushed myself too hard to see as much as possible. I'll probably have to come back and pay that amazing country some respect :)
I can’t help but smile, I share with some of your thoughts and I’ve been living in Oz for 20 years! 😂
I love your honesty and being authentic, this is actually much nicer to watch than people being perfect travellers. I think you just shoot footage of what you like not what you think 100k strangers want to see
Paddy, I've been watching you since before you went on this trip, starting in Thailand. I'll be honest, I saw the fatigue building up in you in Thailand. I think you really need a long break. Right now, you're blaming Vietnam, but it's actually age. You're not a young guy anymore, and constant travel is very, very hard. It's something that a 20 something would have no problem with but once you reach mid-30s, it becomes hard. I noticed you spending a LOT more interlude time in Bangkok. It's your recharge time. It's alright to admit that you want some creature comforts and a routine for awhile. I don't think you recharged yourself enough before the Vietnam trip. You started the Vietnam trip as something you HAD to do because you said you'd do it. Going through the motions. Your trip through Vietnam has been half hearted, starting with Haiphong. The scenery was great through Ha Giang, but the sense adventure in YOU was missing. It's not the same as when you were traveling to Southern Thailand. Quite frankly, your Northern Thailand trips were also lacking the oomph from your southern Thailand trips.
You need to go back to Bangkok and just recharge and not travel. Do not underestimate travel fatigue. If you do, you will have the same problem in Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and wherever else you go. Only go to the next country when the curiosity overwhelms you and not because you feel it's your duty to make content for your audience. If that's 3 months, so be it. If that's 6 months or a year, so be it. You owe it to yourself and your channel to be genuinely curious.
Paddy, I don't think you're doing UA-cam sustainably. You didn't survey the land and see how sustainable UA-camrs continued on. Most UA-camrs flame out because of YT fatigue. Travel YTers fatigue from both YT and travel. Most quit. Look at the most successful UA-camrs who have staying power. They don't post every day or every week. They post well researched travel when the videos are done. In between, they rest and have quiet time. You need this for mental health. Look at how often people like Baldur, Bald, Retired working for you posts. Your pace is unsustainable and you will flame out if you continue this pace. Your VN series outside of Ha Giang, if I'm being honest, has been mediocre. Shooting into cities for a day and showing the most venal tourist activies just isn't interesting. There is no research. Stop blaming visa and VN. It's your desire to squeeze all the most common (and usually most uninteresting) things into an alotted time frame. You didn't even do the most interesting things in many of these cities. It's a sign that both YT and travel fatigue is intense. You were already displaying these symptoms in northern Thailand. Stop and take a break. You completely bypassed the best parts of Cat Ba, Haiphone, Danang, and Da Lat. Dude, go back to Bangkok, rest up, and don't travel till you believe you're ready. Don't even finish the rest of this trip through VN. You're doing a big disservice to yourself, your audience, and Vietnam.
Great advices. Hope Paddy will get a chance to read it.
I think we all wish to have a friend, a relative, ect.. in our lives, to give us objective/accurate feedbacks, observations, analysis… when we needed the most (or when we don’t know we needed it).
Go back to the time at the beautiful Wat and how you felt, the east offers a lot more than the thrills, serenity and a chance to just be here now, meditate, find out who you are. Love your openness and honesty, enjoy the journey. love . Dont let things Hanoi you, just breath in and sigh gone.
You are as much of a feature of this channel as the places you visit, so don't worry about being honest even if it's not always pleasant feelings. Your story on this channel is a work in progress and it is captivating so don't give up on it.
To address some of what you bring up in the video, I think your primary affliction at the moment is loneliness and it tends to manifest itself most severely when one is alone amongst the crowds. I think it would be a good idea to try to partner up with someone for the next adventure and see how it goes. Second, don't fret too much about the direction of the channel. The learning process for a creator never ends. The good news is that you've built enough momentum and goodwill with your viewers that you have plenty of room to maneuver while you figure things out. Speaking of momentum, in my opinion your channel growth has reached a point where I think you could afford to slow the pace of production down a bit for your own mental health. I can't see how such a frenetic pace doesn't take a toll on a person. Maybe aim for three videos every fortnight ... something like that ... and spend a little extra time at each stop getting to know some of the locals. Be a little less ambitious in the amount of geography covered.
Finally, when you're feeling unfulfilled and are doubting yourself, just remember that what you are doing matters to an awful lot of people here, myself included. Thank you for your hard work and creativity.
(Oh yeah, one more thing - I mentioned on your Instagram post that I lived in Vietnam for two years and, while it is a beautiful, wonderful place, the traffic, the noise, and the incessant peddling in the urban areas did my head in and I had to escape every few months or so. You're not alone in feeling that way. That's why, when it's time for me to retire in a few years, I'd prefer to live in Thailand over Vietnam.)
Thanks Scott, great advice and you're spot on 🙏
@@PaddyDoyle. out of all comments and advice, he’s speaking my thoughts and advice I’d give as well🙏🏻❤️🧐
Well stated Scott👏👏👏I concur 🙏🏻❤️
Tôi là người Việt Nam,giao thông và tiếng ồn là vấn đề nhức nhối mà chúng tôi đang cố khắc phục,chúng tôi sẽ thay đổi trong tương lai,cảm ơn.
@@lindabuck2777 Thank you, Linda.
Without doubt Paddy you are one of the best You tubers out there. Nearly 100K subs in a year is such an achievement. Your schedule on Vietnam sounds horrendous, maybe a break is needed. What ever decision you take we will all be waiting for you, listen to your body and do what ever you need to do? Take care Paddy and don't quit you Tube please.....
Glad you're sharing this Paddy. There are also downs while traveling and I think you showed that perfectly.
Too bad you had it in Dalat though, it was one of my favorite places in Vietnam
Well, love, everyone of us who follow you is due to YOU. Might’ve started as let’s see the sights, exploring our options, but we’ve stayed because of YOUR journey, your personality. Do whatever it takes to balance yourself, we’ll ALL still be here for the REAL because of our understanding we are human with faults farts and foibles, and your journey is better than any book, movie or show! Your growth in skills, practically cinematographer you are, so do what you need. Woohoo those SPLITS at the end 😮😮😮…you’re such a clown lol ouch! Enjoy your ride with smooth travels to Saigon, enjoy your game, rejuvenation of the soul with friends!🧐🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️
We all have high and down times in life. This is called "Life In Balance". We need the down time, so we can appreciate more when it's high. This vlog is needed to fulfill the viewers' experience of your trips.
I agree with Cameron about the stages of culture shock.. When I'm not in Thailand, I teach English to newcomers to Canada. I often see these newcomers going through culture shock. There are ups and downs along the way, but the basic, basic stages are an initial high, excitement and action, then a nosedive into the depressing blahs, then a rise in spirits with a levelling off mid-point often signalled by a bit of a sense of humour. It's hard to identify when you're the one going through it. But you've expressed it by talking about it in this episode. A good reminder -- We can't escape going on this roller coaster ride. The beginning of this film serves as a kind of metaphor for this phenomenon. A fine cigar (don't inhale) and a shot of Scotch whisky helps. Thanks for sharing another part of the larger picture. Great stuff!! Cheers! dcb
@@returntothailand Hi Return to Thailand. You posted this as a reply to me. I believe you wanted to post your thoughts to the community in general for everyone to see. Cheers . . . Dave.
Thanks David 😊
You're entitled to feel that way no matter what people think! It's your life and nobody has the right to say how you should feel! I can only imagine traveling for that length of time on your own would get lonely!
Sending you all the best on your journey from Scotland! 😊
Oh, Paddy, if you don't feel a place you just don't feel it. Like everyone seems to love Chiang Mai and I ask myself what the charm is 😅 Just few days ago my sister was telling me that as a traveller I shouldn't complain, but I actually disagree. Especially if you travel for a long time you're going to experience negative things or negative feelings and you'd not be honest to yourself if you pretended everything is great. By the way Dalat doesn't seem that exciting to me. The beepy traffic puts me off instantly 😅
P.s. We love Paddy "miserable bastard" too 😊😊
8:40 bro I watch your video's to get inspiration for my trip to Vietnam that I am doing soon and your video's are the best for it. This is exactly the topic that I was thinking about. Won't get tired traveling around non stop? A lot of youtubers only tell the side of the trip that the audience wants to hear. Your video's are always in a way of "is it actually worth it" and not only "do this an do that". Keep it up!
Love the Dalat roller-coaster. Looks like so much fun. Then the waterfall just beautiful. Would love to go for a dunebuggy ride in those dunes. I have watched this video several time not sure how to respond next. Think its time to rethink the channel format any one spending month on the road alone would feel lonely.i have no idea how you can travel alone for months. You need to take care of your metal health mate. You don't have to do an entire country at one time. Love you and your channel!
Thanks mate..I'll figure it out ❤️
I’ve been following your Vietnam series since episode 1 and enjoyed it. I’ve always wanted to experience my birth country and you’ve given me that. Thanks!
Being from Vietnam but living and working in Sweden I got this feeling throughout watching that we want to experience the country, but at times it feels rushed. It’s an escape from western life and the responsibilities, but at the same time we don’t want a life as the locals, despite the country being so beautiful. We see beauty, misery, poor people, rich people and ask ourselves where we belong.
My guess is that some of these asian countries such as Vietnam is an escape to you, but deep inside you are the UK person and this is temporary. You want to finish the project on the cost not being able to experience it fully, at the end of the day it’s an experience and the memories that come with it. Cost, time, energy and effort put in, is it worth it you ask yourself? This is temporary, enjoy it mate!
Hey Paddy great video as always. Thanks for sharing your thoughts it really adds a great dimension to your videos. My advice would be I thought the pace of travel during your first month in the North was amazing. Some of your best ever content. Had a real travel and exploration feel to it. Was clear to see you werent in a rush. To continue to produce that level of quality and general vibe I think you would have to take pretty much three months to do the whole of Vietnam which in hindsight you maybe should have. Either way its been a great series and insight into Vietnam. Thanks.
You would probably fall in love with Da Lat if you had been there a decade ago (may be a decade and a half). It’s used to be a dreamy, quiet and breathtakingly beautiful place. There was a super famous Vietnamese that literally dubbed Dalat as a ‘sad city’ (literally translation but it’s more like a sleeping city)
I went back a year ago and despite how much infrastructure they built and how developed it seems, I believe they kinda ruined it. There are people every where and it’s so noisy. Hardly a sleeping or a dreamy city anymore.
You're right, they have been detroyed everything in this city which used to call a romantic city in VN, a bad local government
Đà lat không phải là đồ cổ , là một vật phẩm trong tủ kính của một viện bảo tàng , Đà lat là một vật thể sống , một thành phố , nên sự phát triển là đương nhiên , miễn là sự xây dựng phát triển không phá vỡ cảnh quan thiên nhiên và môi trường , Đa lat vẫn còn nguyên nét mộng mơ , bạn không cảm nhận được điêu đó vì bạn không đi , bạn chỉ ở trong thành phố với những tòa nhà và các tiệm cafe , tiêm ăn , nếu muốn giữ mãi cái vẻ hoang sơ , trầm buồn giờ chỉ còn có ở nam cực thôi bạn a , với sự nóng lên của trái đất có lẽ một ngày nào đó nam cực cũng không còn là nam cực như bạn mong muốn nữa , chào bạn !
Your videos are truly inspirational and please never feel guilty about your openness and honesty. That is refreshing and very welcome. We can get falsehood from many places in life, but not here. Life is not sugar coated and I would rather see it as it is, including knowing how you are reacting to where you are on your journey (geographically and emotionally). Thank you.
What I appreciate most is when people are honest about their feelings and communicate freely about them.
I feel lost myself at this point right now as well in a studying process for a certificate I need for my new job.
But what keeps me going is working which my down as well as my ups. I am honest with myself and at times I tell myself that I won't do it it's just too much!
Right when I say that to myself I tear up a little (just as well when I saw you in your emotional state in this video because of Empathy)
and let it out. But after some time I am getting a motivation out of it to get back do my books and be strong again and sort it all out.
It helps being honest with yourself.
What you describe as clearing your head is exactly that I guess.
You could tell yourself to go leave Vietnam and that makes you not leave Vietnam.Because you got a Vision and the right mindset is just taking a little nap, a time-out.
It will come back after you have spent time with your friends.After a good trip.After hearing the right music or as you get closer to the south.
After fatigue and negativity comes endurance and positivity.
We will both be fine.
Cheers!
Ah thanks for sharing your story. Head up and let's get it done!
So many emotions and emotions that I think many people can and have related with. Part of your charm paddy is being so vulnerable on screen and sharing YOUR story. No fluff, no trying to please everyone while pleasing no one, and just how it is for you. Your vulnerability is what makes you relatable even when times aren’t always perfect and if anyone dare say you shouldn’t they are dead ass wrong. We came for the travel but stay for you (& your travel) ❤️.
Oh Paddy D.... 🙂
Those of us who have been around awhile don't mind the wingeing and moaning... Because we know you'll snap out of it. 😊
Work-life balance ... We don't want you to burn out or leave us without our Paddy videos, so.... 😏
It's the lack of 7-11s..... And cold beers....
Ok, ok... Done commenting for now. 🥰
Maybe none of this would have happened if only Vietnam had 7 Eleven 😂😘
Love you videos Paddy. Thanks for sharing. Keep on sharing your view of the countryside and the cities. Maybe film more of the scenes you enjoy most, and the emotion will flow on through the lens. Cheers.
It gets rough being on the road a long time like you have, especially solo. There is an old saying its about the journey, not the destination. Just enjoy the journey and do what you want to do. There are bound to be low days and high days, also the drive to Dalat really sucked. When I was in Dalat I also did not feel the vibe much. I loved Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi, Ha giang loop, ninh binh. Hope you find your groove again. Cheers.
Cheers Paul 😊
I'm personally tired of listening to his constant whining.
@@seanmac5093 Du lịch để trải nghiệm , để khám phá , để lùi lại nhìn ngắm thế giới từ những vi sao , du lịch để thay đổi không khí , thay đổi những gì đã quá quen thuộc để đến với một sự mới lạ , để tạm quên đi những gì ở phía sau , để tận hưởng niềm vui ,vvv , Paddy đã không biết điêu đó , trèo lên đinh núi để nhìn ngắm xung quanh , mở rộng tầm mắt , nhưng để lên được đinh núi thì phải trải qua muôn vàn gian khố , rất tiếc cho Pady đã biến cuộc vui thành cực hình !!! biến tiếng cười thành những lời than vãn kêu ca !!! Pady nên dừng lai !!!!
Don't think I can add any more to what people are already saying Paddy, but your videos are brilliantly edited, your honesty is a breath of fresh air compared to some other youtubers. Please continue doing you and your videos! We all love you Paddy!
It sounds like part of the issue is you're going through the stages of a case of culture shock my man. Maybe look into collaborating with someone for future trips so you don't have to feel like this. Either way, thanks for being vulnerable. Definitely one of my favorite channels
Copy that ♥️
I started watching the budgeteers in 2019 and got the inspiration to travel to Sri Lanka October of that year luckily before COVID because of you guys!!! And now I've been watching your videos of Thailand and others, they have all been great and so helpful for different reasons. Sometimes it is good to Give yourself a break and take some of the pressure off of having to show every town and just let something random happen, you never know, you might meet a local who shows you a cool local place that's off the beaten track. Still love the videos!!!
I loved this episode. It's so refreshing to hear honesty and actual emotion and not this "OH MY GOD THIS PLACE IS AMAZING" non-sense other youtubers constantly upload. I have to be honest I really didn't like Vietnam when I was visiting this year. I enjoyed it years ago but this time it just felt so annoying and I only spend 4 weeks there. Coming to Thailand after that was a total revelation. People are polite, friendly and considerate. Vietnamese are the total opposite which is why I will always prefer Thailand over Vietnam. I always feel so comfortable and calm in Thailand while in Vietnam I find myself constantly annoyed and irritated.
I went to Vietnam in 2020 and while the countryside was beautiful, I just didn't gel with the people or cultural aspects and found people to be extremely rude and inconsiderate. I rode from South to North and by the time I was 2/3's of the way to Hanoi I was just done. Ended up skipping out on riding the North pretty much entirely and just hibernating for the last part of my trip figuring I'd go back at some point and do an exclusively Northern Vietnam ride to see what I had missed.
It's not non sense from other youtubers, it's call personal preferences, and nobody forces their likes and believes in others .....There are large expat communities all across Vietnam from big to small cities, and they're there for a reason
@@anhbinbaccuc8850 It has nothing to do with Vietnam. Some youtubers "love" every place they go to. It makes no sense. No one can love all places he/she goes to.
@@martin3399 Yeah it is part of the aesthetic of being a travel influencer. Generally you have to be super happy and positive and upbeat all of the time and showing how everything is incredible and amazing etc etc etc. Paddy even alludes to that in this video. If you aren't always 100% the sun is shining and the world is rosy then you get haters piling up on you and telling you that you're ungrateful.
Tôi là người Việt Nam,xin lỗi về những trải nghiệm không tốt của bạn khi ở Việt Nam nhưng nhìn chung đất nước chúng tôi vẫn được đánh giá là một nơi thân thiện và không có một nơi nào hoàn hảo cả,có thể có những điều khiến bạn thất vọng,cảm ơn vì sự góp ý của bạn,chúng tôi sẽ ghi nhận và khắc phục,chúc bạn may mắn
When we travelled long term. We had to keep having a break from Asia, we always turned but sometimes you just need a break from the crowds. You’ve always taken inspiration from you and the Bugeteers so thank you
I used to enjoy your VN series but this obsession with only the natural thing is great and "tourist trap" criticism gets old. If you don't understand Vietnam's effort to make life better for its people and visitors, which include not only historical/natural things to look at but also fun modern things for people to do as a family group or group of friends, then I think you've missed the boat on Vietnam's effort through the last few decades. I hear the same complains about Venice, Barcelona, etc being too touristy, well that's because you're late to the game and those places have wonderful things and "wonderful" is not just historical/natural wonder but also fun things to do, which draw a crowd over the years. If you want natural beauty without the crowd, go and try unknown places around the world, without the convenience and see how long you last there. I spent 10 years in VN and if anything, they try to balance historical with modern development, natural beauty and man-made fun places, even their food have variety, and at the end of the day, their society is communal in nature and they live and enjoy their life as a group.
I don't think Paddy means that Vietnam shouldn't do this, it's just not what he is looking for. Also, he said that he normally would enjoy some of the things he did that day, but that his mood made him not enjoy it as much. He shares his view and that's perfectly fine. Other people probably enjoy it a lot and might dislike things Paddy liked. That's all okay and nothing worth with that.
@@jonathanbos I take your point Jonathan. I think vlogger or tourists should take their site for what it is. Well known sites will have crowds of interested tourists, through no fault of their own, so don't get disappointed with the crowd. Stop labeling it as "tourist traps". You don't like crowd, go somewhere there's no crowd. For every "tourist trap" and complaints about crowd, there are groups of people enjoying and being themselves.
I like your comment. I'm sick and tired of hearing travellers complaining about crowded 'tourist trap' while they are tourists themselves. Why can't they just disappear so the 'tourist trap' will be less crowded.
You're not miserable Paddy. You're an amazing travel host who unearths the unique charms of each place you visit - keep doing what you're doing! ✨️
its not you. Thailand > vietnam.
Agree
This video was an eye-opener for all of us ..when there are hardships in our current job role... Your videos are awesome ... please stay strong and healthy 💪
Paddy you’ve done a great job!!❤️❤️❤️it’s ok to express your feelings. We all appreciate everything you do for us with your beautiful videos 🎉🎉🎉