And here I am at a 24hr laundromat, the beach may be beckoning but there's still the washing to do, turning your underwear inside out can only last for so many days (Ha! Totally joking ...)
Taking on the world and country hoping for months at a time is a dream, an experience I wish could be more of an everyday lifestyle rather than just a long awaited holiday. But be warned it's not always sunshine and palm trees, travelling does have a dark side. It's not all problem free table service, at least not when you're on a budget and the bulk of your travelling is through the developing world. Get ready for a culture shock no matter how experienced a traveller, there's always new unforeseen situations coming at you left of field. Even in first world countries the cultural nuances can confuse and seem quite foreign.
The realities of travelling begin before you even leave, with inoculation after arm numbing inoculation.
So there's living out of a suitcase and constantly being on the move.
Do you really want to take it all out only to repack it all again in 48hrs?
Things getting lost and forgotten somewhere at the bottom of your rucksack, then when you need that one thing at the bottom of your rucksack.
When things get wet and there isn't enough time to dry them, you gave no other option than to pack it in damp.
When wrinkled clothes become part of your everyday look.
When the souvenirs start to account for 60% of your suitcase and having to play luggage tetris every time you buy a new plate.
Lugging bags all over the place, especially when your hotel doesn't have an elevator.
Being eaten alive by mosquitoes - And then realising you forgot to take your malaria pill that morning.
How sand always finds it's way into your underwear.
When the humidity of island paradise makes your hair go all Afro.
The layered feeling of sunscreen, bug spray and sweat.
Having listened to your playlist over 100 times.
Having lost countless amounts of headphones and sunglasses.
Playing heads or tails over whether or not to risk it and brush your teeth in the not so filtered tap water, because you can't be bothered to get your bottle of water back in the tent.
When the novelty and luxurious allure of flying becomes lost on you.
Missing connecting flights, delays and running through airports because at boarding you realise you're at the wrong gate. But in my defence who has two flights to the exact same place, at the exact same time, by the exact same airline anyway?
If you're travelling alone empty airports with a lack of signage, confuse you and become akin to haunted houses.
Not being able to simply leave your stuff behind where you were seated just to go to the toilet because it might get stolen or you get accused of terrorism.
Stiff necks and layovers that seem to last an eternity.
Too many currency conversions.
Too many time zone jumps. My iPad's time is still somewhere in Zimbabwe.
It took me two months to get over my initial jet lag.
Having to carry a roll of toilet paper because it's more likely there won't be any than there will be.
When you begin to enjoy going 'bush toilet' over public toilets, or any actual toilet in the country.
When a store accepts both Visa and MasterCard.
ATM's that don't accept your card.
Street vendors continuously striking up conversation and trying to sell things to you.
Adjusting to slower paces of life, including when ordering food, getting transport, or just getting anything done
When your adapter doesn't fit into the electrical socket properly. ...electrical adapters in general.
Whilst I love collecting my passport stamps, it also requires tediously long, unorganised border crossing posts.
When the menu is only in Spanish and that bout of food poisoning you get because being weary of everything you eat is down right annoying and stupid.
Oh the irks of travelling, but what kind of traveller would you be without a few scars to accompany the tale.
In all honesty you have to work for it, the sights and magical moments. Walking, hiking and climbing in the sun, freezing cold and the rain. The dirt, the dust, the smells..... It takes waiting in lines, waking up at ridiculous hours of the morning and never feeling fully recharged.
Playing by another's rules, being culturally sensitive, wearing layers of clothes even though you're not used to it in the blaring heat, tipping, sometimes bribing. It gets uncomfortable before it gets amazing.
There's some things you can't avoid, but why do you want? This is life when travelling, a part of the experience, because that's a part of the reason why we travel to begin with, to experience the cultures and lives of those in other parts of the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment