Wanderlust. We see the word everywhere. It’s splashed across stationery, pinterest posts, t-shirts, blog articles and, most prominently, it’s a favourite travel tag for any social-media addict.
Derived from German and referring to “the strong desire to travel”, every snap of a beach, airplane window, towering cliff-top or famous monument gets stamped with this phrase time and time again. To date, over 14 million photos have been shared with the tag on Instagram, meaning this once ‘hipster’ word has become almost grossly mainstream.
Get ahead of the crowd with these alternatives, guaranteed to cause bewilderment to friends and family who will probably end up using them too…
Resfeber
This Swedish word encapsulates the blend of nerves and excitement all travellers feel before setting off on their latest journey, describing a restless heart that is also eager for their awaiting adventure to begin.
Eleutheromania
Similar to wanderlust itself, but far more difficult to spell (and pronounce!), it expresses an overwhelming desire for freedom. Basically, this is what you feel when you scroll through Instagram on your library study break.
Cynefin
A Welsh word that describes the sensation you get when visiting a place that feels like home, with everything around you feeling welcoming (basically any of us passing through the gates of Disneyland then!).
Nefelibata
This delightful term is Spanish in origin, literally meaning “cloud-walker”. It describes a daydreamer who lives in their imagination and goes against what is expected of them in society, making it the perfect for any girl in their twenties who has no idea what they want to be but knows exactly where they want to go.
Smultrostalle
A brilliant Swedish word that translates to “a place of wild strawberries.” More specifically, it is the idea of somewhere that is discovered, loved and returned to when in need of relaxation.
Fernweh
Just like ‘wanderlust’, this word is also German and expresses the same feeling – except nobody has really hard of it yet. It is defined as the ache for distant lands, the need to travel and to explore.
Edited by Naomi Upton
Sources:
http://www.geckosadventures.com/tales/24-inspiring-travel-words-youve-never-heard-of/
http://wordables.com/words-wanderlust/
Image sources:
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/421227371373792645/
https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/352336370825612149/
http://www.worldofwanderlust.com/9-foreign-words-that-should-be-in-your-vocabulary/