For most of us, travel is one of life's biggest pleasures. We hop on board a plane, leave our lives behind, and absorb ourselves in a different way of life. We relax on beaches and explore cities. A few times while we're away, we'll utter the words "I don't want to go home" and "I wish I could stay here forever". But how true is that? How often do you think about uprooting your life and staying somewhere completely different... forever?
So is it just a little crazy thought? A sentence we say without thinking about it realistically? Or is there one place you've travelled to that you genuinely feel like you could stay forever?
I spoke to some of the world's top travel bloggers to find out if there was one place they've been to, that they would like to stay forever.
Vicky from Flip Flop Travels
I'm currently in Japan and absolutely love it. The food, the culture, the emphasis on being outdoors and just the general atmosphere - it's brilliant here. I'll definitely be coming back one day to visit the beaches in the south, and to try and visit all the things I've missed out in the five weeks. I'd love to come for the Cherry Blossom Festival and to go skiing again in Niseko - it was the best I've ever experienced.
Bino from I Wandered
It's a hard one but I would say New Zealand comes close. It's one of the most scenic countries I've visited. It's very conducive to the outdoors that even the most dedicated homebody will love exploring the great outdoors once they move there.
Julie from A Lady In London
I would choose Paris. I spent a summer working there when I was at university, and I fell in love with the city. The beautiful architecture, great food, and world-class art make it one of my favorite places in the world, and I could easily spend the rest of my life there.
Stephen from A Backpackers Tale
Nadine from Hey Nadine
Tough question but I would have to say New Zealand. Because in no other place I've been to, can you experience all types of hot and cold weather, have endless backdrops to photograph, dozens of activities to do, beautiful cities and stunning nature, and be greeted with such open hearts and wicked friendly people! (I also lived there already for 6 months so I'm a bit biased!!)
Steph from Twenty-Something Travel
It's so hard to choose but I think I would pick Italy. There is so much regional variation, particularly with the food, that I would always find new things to explore and discover.
Robert from Leave Your Daily Hell
If I could do that, I would've already stopped traveling and set up shop there.
Wise words... and interesting to see that even the people who spend their lives travelling, have found places they love, but they wouldn't necessarily stay there forever. I have toyed with the idea of living in Mexico. I love the Caribbean coast, the Mayan history, and the culture in general. It's got a really feisty energy, the people are a bit crazy (generally in a good way), and the food is delicious! I've visited, and revisited several times, each time staying a little bit longer. I've had a feel of what it would be like to live there, but have come to the conclusion that while I love it, I don't think I would want to move there permanently.
As Robert says, if we found the place for us, we would probably have settled there by now! So for now, I guess I'll keep exploring, and see what I find. Oh and it looks like I should definitely add New Zealand to my 'Must Visit' list!
Have you ever been somewhere that you genuinely thought you could stay forever? Leave a comment below.
Check out Chloe's latest adventures at Wanderlust Chloe.