It happened when I was flying to Oman, specifically during take-off, that I started thinking about stuff I need to confess. Travelling a lot doesn’t mean that everything is always smooth, that you make things right, that you are a pro and are brave about whatever happens, or even that you will never book a wrong ticket by mistake.
I started making a list in my mind of things I wanted to confess to you. So I am laying it out bare for you. Enjoy a glimpse of the good and the bad aspects of being a travel addict. Here are my confessions as a travelholic:
I don’t like museums
There, I said it! Now don’t judge me for that. I have been to many interesting museums around the world, like Vatican Museums, and more. Honestly speaking, I don’t enjoy all that slow walking and praising the object for 10 minutes! I don’t have any curiosity in knowing when and how the painting was made. I keep on walking and if I like something, I stop, take a quick look, and move on. Unless it’s a very popular one, I normally don’t visit museums.
I visit cliché places
I feel the pressure of visiting crowded tourist attractions when I visit a new country. For instance, going to see Eiffel Tower in Paris, La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, or Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The list is long! But sometimes, I am able to muster up the courage to skip doing such touristy stuff (Can you believe I didn’t see Trevi Fountain when I was in Rome!). But I still do cliché things because I need to show them to my audience via my travelogues and posts.
Some places make me cry
Well, I am getting emotional right now as even the memories of such places are too deep! I don’t just hop to new destinations; I also revisit places that mean something to my heart. There are many special places in this world and some of them made me cry. There are 4 possible reasons for that:
- The time spent there was so amazing that I miss it.
- An extremely special memory is attached to it.
- I have no idea when I will be able to go back there.
- I simply would like to stay there forever.
The Andaman Islands, India is a perfect example of 4 of these cases. As a matter of fact, I also miss the girl I was in Barcelona (travelled to Spain in 2022).
I change plans last minute
I don’t want to but I do! This is one of the biggest reasons why I prefer travelling on my own. When I am on a trip, I make all the decisions solely by trusting my gut. I would like to believe that I have developed a strong sense after all these years of travelling solo and I don’t want anyone to doubt me when I cancel/modify something at the very last moment. This doesn’t happen frequently though but when it does, my travel companion gets annoyed with me. I understand that but I can’t do much about it.
I don’t always like local food
I am not a foodie still I like trying local dishes. But I got disappointed many times. In addition to that, I am a vegetarian and there have been instances when I couldn’t find anything (in Manila, Philippines and Jakarta, Indonesia to state a few). It happens and I have learnt to accept it. And this is the only reason why I have second thoughts about becoming a vegan. Moreover, sometimes I don’t like the taste of a specific famous dish and I wonder why everyone talks so much about it!
I intentionally get lost
Sometimes I look for chances to get lost in a new country. Recently this happened in Bahrain when I didn’t know where I was going and didn’t want to know either. After I was done exploring Bahrain Fort and came out, I kept on walking for a couple of hours and didn’t ask anyone where I exactly was. To top it all, I was out of Bahraini Dinar. I just wanted to see what happens now. The adrenaline rush was too strong in those moments of disorientation. I keep getting lost during my trips and it’s the best feeling ever!
I annoy travel companions
I am a solo traveller but once in a blue moon, I do decide to travel with someone. I stop to take pictures all the time and also want them to capture my videos & photos. Also sometimes, a short walk might turn into a long one. That’s a crucial part of my job but I feel that this may annoy whosoever is with me.
I am always thinking about the next trip
And that also includes the time when I am already on a trip! I get anxious when I don’t have any booked flight on a future date. I am addicted to browsing through hotels & flights to far ends of the earth, and reorganizing my bucket list. Frequenting travel sites and scanning airfares give me a dopamine hit. I spend 1-2 hours daily on this even when I already have an upcoming planned holiday in a completely different continent.
I often stay in cheap accommodations
I do enjoy luxurious vacations at times but I identify myself as a budget traveller. I always look for ways to cut down on costs. Trust me, there are several ways to do that; spending less on hotels being the most effective one. I have stayed in shabby properties just because of the price. I really don’t mind staying in a cheap hostel as long as I make the trip.
I hate public washrooms
I mean, who doesn’t? Especially the ones I have to use on long road trips. But being travellers, we all know that we will be using them sooner or later!
I feel happy to be back at home
I LOVE travelling! But I also love arriving home after a long trip, sleeping on my bed, using my own bathroom, and telling my friends & family about my travel adventures. However, I feel like this only for a few days and after that, I start thinking about the next trip again.
And my biggest confession is that every night before I sleep, I pray that they invent teleportation very soon!
Confess with me…