Moving away from your home can be rough and while I’ve been fortunate that I’ve never had to leave Arizona for work or school, I’ve known plenty of people who have. And guess what? Almost every one of them realized in a short time period how much they missed this dry, dry land and came back the moment the opportunity arose. Here are a few things that seemed to plague them during their months or years out of state.

1. On missing those seemingly endless sunny days: “Maybe I don’t need vitamin D.”
Rick Schwartz/Flickr
It’s so easy to take all those sunny days for granted. Sure, the first couple months of persistent gray skies is pretty cool but the novelty wears off once you realize how much it really does affect your mood.
2. “Dry heat really isn’t that bad.”
Kf0nz1/Flickr
Have you ever tried trekking a few miles in 90-percent humidity? Talk about a workout.
3. “I miss having dry towels after I shower.”
Tom Small/Flickr
Have you tried drying yourself with a damp towel that has been "drying" on a rack all day?
4. “You know where there aren’t any toll roads? Arizona.”
Bill Jacobus/Flickr
You don’t realize what a privilege this is until you have to fork up $3 to drive for 10 minutes on a toll road.
5. “You know where there isn’t Daylight Savings Time? Arizona*.”
Laura Gilmore/Flickr
* Unless you’re in the Navajo Nation.
6. Accessibility to Mexican food and ingredients can be a bit more dismal in other parts of the country.
Alan English CPA/Flickr
It’s slightly easier these days but try finding halfway decent salsa that doesn’t taste like watery ketchup north of Page.

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7. “Few places feel as open and spacious as Arizona.”
Angus MacRae/Flickr
8. You quickly miss the intensity of those monsoon storms.
Michael Wilson/Flickr
9. “There’s nothing like the smell of creosote after rainfall.”
Take A Hike Arizona/Flickr
10. “Arizona knows how to make even rocks look gorgeous.”
Leandro agrò/Flickr
Arizona does land erosion right.
11. “Where else would I get to see one of these guys walking down the street or walking up to my house?”
bob/Flickr
12. When contemplating physical activity in winter: “If I were home in Arizona, I could probably go out for a hike or a jog right now.”
Michael/Flickr
Except on especially cold days in places like Flag, you generally don’t need to worry about slipping on ice during winter here.
13. “There’s no place quite like home.”
Allen/Flickr
Seeing the sign welcoming you back to the state is like a warm hug.

This list could definitely go on and on and on. What are some things you’ve missed the most after moving away from Arizona?

If you happen to be away from Arizona, here’s an article full of gorgeous photos to remind you of the beauty of our state: 15 Times The Sun Made Arizona The Most Beautiful Place On Earth.

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