travel is enticing and inspiring and appealing and compelling.
except when it’s exhausting and irritating and frustrating and demanding.
i am currently on a fabulous month-long european journey with my husband.
i’m growing and adapting.
i’m meeting interesting, fascinating people.
i’m challenging my beliefs and expanding my horizons.
i’m testing my limits.
i’m having fun.
but . . . it hasn’t all been the perfect world of facebook status updates.
the unglamorous side of travel (my not-so-flawless list for march 2015):
- long flights (the longest was over 10 hours), two layovers (sitting at one airport for 5+ hours), uncomfortable cramped seats (the ticket may say “world traveler” but it means “you’re flying coach”)
- jet lag (luckily i usually recover quickly from this)
- a “go go go” schedule (this trip is part pleasure/part business, with a lot of scheduled appointments)
- internet issues (not helpful when i’m trying to meet with clients and write a weekly blog)
- no hot water (for a full day)
- GPS problems (and getting lost/arriving late a few times)
- a mixed-up eating schedule (skipping meals and/or eating not-so-healthy meals, at all times of the day and night)
- driving through two (unexpected) snowstorms
- running out of change on toll roads (then having our credit card denied)
- waking up early one morning temporarily blind in one eye (fortunately this lasted less than 15 minutes)
- trying to avoid complaining/being annoying (a lot of togetherness on this journey)
- many days/hours spent in the car, at least 3000 miles driven so far (through four different countries)
- overcoming language barriers (i don’t speak portuguese or spanish or french, feeling somewhat like a toddler must at his early stages of learning)
- disturbances in my body’s circadian rhythms (i love to travel, my body usually doesn’t)
- rough toilet paper (although i always bring a few rolls of my own!)
- sharing one apartment with an army of ants and other bugs (kill.scratch.repeat.)
- sinks that don’t drain, heat that doesn’t turn on, laundry that doesn’t dry (those little things)
- enduring “that time of the month” (more than once in one month)
- city parking far far away from actual lodging (and hauling our luggage through the streets)
- trying to smile through those “you’re not from around here” stares (thankfully not often)
- hearing news of a horrific plane crash in a country i just left (six days before i have to board a flight again)
- packing/unpacking/repacking, over and over (at airbnb apartments, small inns, B&Bs, and hotels – a total of 12 different beds!)
what misadventures and escapades have you experienced while traveling?
please share them with me in the comments below!
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Haven’t been a traveler for many years but can totally relate to long haul flights, not having hot water and having to park far away from lodgings (I actually sometimes have to do that here at my own house which is a British style Victoria terrace!). But my greatest travel irritation was when I showed up one day early for a life changing flight to Tokyo from London! My own fault but irritating nonetheless and with no where to go back to before the flight, had to endure the humiliation of asking to sleep on a friend’s couch admitting my mistake! Great blog by the way #MyGlobalLife
I haven’t traveled much (yet) and I haven’t traveled for extended periods of time, but the biggest issues for me are food, sleep and body rhythms.
I can totally relate and I love that you share with us ‘the other side’ of the cheery Facebook updates. So honest. So real. Travel safely and keep the short list because I’ll want to follow in your footsteps when it’s time to return to France. Provence calling. . . xxoo
I love that you’re sharing your adventure with us! I traveling vicariously with you. Misadventures and all.
For me, I somehow struggle to keep up a routine! I have quite a bit of travel coming up, and I’m really hoping I get in some exercise, eat healthy, etc. I tend to just eat crap. Wishing you safe travels!
My husband and I love to travel, so I can TOTALLY relate to this list. Our longest stint was when we moved to Bali for several months, and there was one week where we didn’t have running water for a whole day. We also experienced rolling blackouts (which means no AC during hot, hot weather and no internet, etc). It’s amazing how we take the most basic things for granted! Great list.
Oh I can so relate – and yet I seem to forget all of these when I planning my trips. Travel brings out the best in me and the worst – it challenges me to grow. Just loved reading this April – have a fabulous time for the rest of your journey xx
I am about to take a 10 day trip to Ireland with a variety of people and ages – my husband, three teenagers and mother in law. Lots of personalities and ages can mean conflict so i am trying to practice FLEXIBILITY now rather than when I get there!
Well… there was that time I fell off my bike in Tuscany, which gave me a concussion and knocked the sense out of me. (I fell for a hotheaded Italian immediately after the crash. 😉 )
I can so relate to everything on your list! I love travel but some days are definitely better than others. They’re not fun when they’re happening, but all of the bad experiences I’ve had now make great travel stories!
Thanks for participating in the #MyGlobalLife Link-Up!
great post…I laughed, I felt compassion, I felt such sadness as I have and do about the plane tragedy, and can only imagine being so close to where it happened and facing flight so soon. Safe travels, blessings.
The worst for me was staying on a Disney property. The window lock was missing, there was some kind of a pill on the floor under the bed, and plumbing problems in the room. I was travelling with a toddler at the time, so having a very un-childproof room (at Disney of all places) was a nightmare for me. The hotel was VERY good about fixing it, but it was a hassle getting settled into the room. The only other nightmare I’ve had was checking into a cheap hotel (which kind of says it all) where the bedsheets were clearly NOT clean and the shower was a disaster. ick. We learned our lesson the hard way at that hotel.