I’m on holiday, and it’s a pretty good holiday, but as of today it’s been 7 days since I touched a guitar. It’s the longest time since I started playing in late 2021 - the previous longest was about two days.
There aren’t even any guitar shops where I am.
I’ve seen a couple of buskers around and wanted to rip the guitar away from them and play. I’m day dreaming about fingerpicking… it’s so hard not playing. Usually I take my cheapo Yamaha away with me on road trips but this vacation is overseas. I keep thinking about playing, but I can’t.
5 days to go until I get back to my guitars. Send help!
I remember feeling the same on my last holiday! But that feeling when the guitar’s back in your hands is terrific. In many ways the break can do you some good, all that learning you’ve done (especially you JK!!) is settling in to you unimpeded by new stuff.
But yes it is a form of torture. Have a lovely rest of your holiday though!
Alcohol!! And lot’s of it, if possible. That or whatever floats your boat.
It has helped me through some rough patches during holidays.
And hey, it’s a holiday, right?
Have you tried alcohol (other drugs are available )
No, but seriously, even if you can’t play, you can still work on learning music.
Work through some theory you’ve been putting on the long finger.
Ear training. learn the fretboard, the circle of fifths. There are apps for everything
Try writing a song!
Of course all of the above will just make you want to pick up a guitar even more, but at least you shouldhave something to show for it at the end.
If the shakes get too bad, head over to my YouTube channel and watch some of my cr*p.
That will remind you of all the downsides to this pointless pursuit.
(Warning: please watch responsibly and in moderation)
Sorry to hear of the pain you are suffering JK. I’m thinking you need to buy a cheap Uke that you’ll be able to take with you and with it being cheap, if those baggage peeps did it damage I guess it wouldn’t matter too much.
Apart from the lack of playing, I hope you’re having a great holiday and at least you’re on the flip side now and you’ll be home soon.
Those of you who read my posts will know I’m not long back from a four week break from guitar. To be honest, I didn’t miss it too much while I was away as I was busy doing other things. Also, where can you play guitar in a caravan and not disturb others?
It wasn’t practical to take my dreadnaught guitar in terms of size and because of temperature/humidity and damage issues.
I often think I should buy a travel sized cheapo guitar and have asked in the past for advice on the forum. In fact I was in a guitar shop last weekend and tried a few but they all sounded and felt pretty rubbish. Probably because I was looking at the cheapo options!
The main issues on my return were soft fingertips and a loss of practice routine but I’m back on track now.
I picked up a carbon fibre travel guitar that has a detachable neck so I can take it on airplanes with me as carry on luggage. Mine is the Journey OF660, but others make similar, played a Rainsong recently that’s almost identical to my Journey.
Another option is the Yamaha silent guitar for travel.
I’ve been living in a caravan with my wife and guitar (notice the order I put them in ;-). ) for nearly 3 years now. It’s a full size acoustic guitar and I’ve got two guitar hooks inside the caravan to make it easy to grab. I do get a bit stir crazy just playing it in the caravan so use whatever outside area / camp kitchen depending on where we are staying.
Yamaha Silent guitar with a good set of headphones is one option. The journey or rainsong travel guitar with detachable neck is another option.
I’ve had a bit of the same. In my case it was a last minute business trip to Manila which I had confirmed a couple of days before I was traveling to KL for a whisky event with my Brother-in-law.
With work meetings and existing commitments, I ended up having about 15 minutes to pack before my taxi turned up. I do have a travel guitar, but assumed I wouldn’t have time to use it, so didn’t take it
Out on Friday evening to KL, whisky event on Saturday, then out to Manila on Sunday afternoon ready for meetings on Monday morning, and a full-on week, heading home the following Friday afternoon.
Except…
They then asked me to remain another week. Thursday is a public holiday here, so I am now flying back to Singapore tomorrow (Wednesday).
So I stayed over the weekend in Manila on my own and, as it’s not the safest place for an obvious visitor (being white and about 40 cm taller than the average Filipino) I was advised to not venture outside certain areas on my own.
So I really wish I had brought my travel guitar with me as it would have relieved a fairly boring weekend which largely involved bar hopping and avoiding the local “professional ladies” who seemed magnetically attracted to me.
My leave is coming up next week and I’ll be away for 2 weeks from all my guitars I brought some guitar back from my home country to my new home few months ago and I thought I will leave one in so I have a piece I can play on… Well my dad decided to give it away to Ukrainian lady that fled her country with not much and always wanted to learn to play - I would be a bad guy if I stayed mad at him wouldn’t I?! But at the same time…
I can understand you! Husband and I usually have a couple of weeks in the mountains in the summer and I always miss my guitars, especially at the end of vacation. I learnt to practice songs in my mind and…oh…they sound so much better
)
I brought some guitar back from my home country to my new home few months ago and I thought I will leave one in so I have a piece I can play on… Well my dad decided to give it away to Ukrainian lady that fled her country with not much and always wanted to learn to play - I would be a bad guy if I stayed mad at him wouldn’t I?! But at the same time… 
