This post contains affiliate links to products and or services. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links, but with no additional costs to you.
What do you miss most about travel? The all inclusive resorts with drinks flowing and beaches to pass out on? Time off work and getting away from your annoying boss? Getting lost while exploring a new city? Tasting delectable food around the world? Immersing yourself in a new culture?
Whatever it may be, most people around the globe are itching to get back on a plane and take off to another part of the world and explore, but with Corona in the picture, travel for tourism and pleasure has well, how do I put this? Been nonexistent at the moment. There is a light at the end of the airplane boarding tunnel though. With countries starting to slowly open up now and people gaining confidence to get back on a plane, travelling again is closer than you may think! YAY!
Read more: What Will The Future Hold For Travel After 2020
Read more: The 5 W’s Of Travelling Internationally
Read more: Essential Things To Remember Before You Travel
I do miss a lot of typical things about travelling, but…I miss a lot of really weird things about travelling too, so get ready for a good laugh because here is my list of strange things I miss about travelling.
Read more: Why I Now Prefer To Buy Experiences Rather Than Things
Figuring Out Foreign Washing Machines
The washing machines in Europe have more options than my damn car. There’s what looks like a sport mode, but it turns out it’s for exercise gear (maybe?), there’s numerous speed cycles, random emojis, lightning bolts, no clear indication where to place detergent and a lock on the door that holds your clothes hostage until it’s done. My place in Zagreb had a washing machine that looked like a bread maker and when I opened the lid, I was absolutely baffled. The last time I used a wash machine over in Europe in the Canary Islands, I literally googled the manual on the manufacturers site, sat cross legged on the floor with a beer and read through what all the symbols meant in order to do my laundry. I still ended up doing a three hour cycle by mistake and panicked when I couldn’t unlock the washer door to retrieve my clothing. Yes, it eventually unlocked itself and my clothes were freed. The next time someone complains they hate doing laundry in your household, slap them for me.
The Frisky Pat Down Of An Airport Security Officer
When you’re travelling alone 98% of the time and a good looking security guard asks if it’s okay to do a pat down for security reasons, you blush and say yes. Make sure to wink and say thanks after to make them feel loved, or uncomfortable.
Figuring Out Currency Exchange
Ok, so if 1 NOK equals $0.15 CAD, then 300 times 0.15 equals $44.00 CAD. Oh, great…my sandwich and beer in Norway just cost me a tank of gas for my car. Cool, cool. I’m no math wizard, but what I wouldn’t give right now to attempt to figure out my budget using a currency converter online while eating my lunch at a foreign restaurant.
Drinking An Overpriced Beer At The Airport Before Takeoff
Is there anything better than drinking a $12 small bottle of Heineken at the airport while waiting for your flight? Nope. It’s a place in time where it is acceptable and you feel extra deserving because hey, you’re on vacation as soon as you enter an airport, right? Right!
Read more: Airline Lounge Access – Is It Worth The Money?
Airline Mystery Meals
The feeling of when the flight attendant makes her/his way down the aisle during in flight meal time is a mixture of anxiety and excitement. It’s a quick decision to make when they come to your row give you that loving smile and ask, “Pasta, or chicken?” You say chicken, they pass you the tiny tinfoil covered mystery package and the anticipation builds as you slowly start to peel back the cover to see what’s inside. Will it be a disaster? Will you get diarrhea? Maybe it’ll be the best airline meal of your life. You unveil the meal, inspect it with your fork, pick up a small piece and slowly place it in your mouth. Meh, not bad, but it ain’t no Michelin Star restaurant, that’s for sure. Man, what I wouldn’t give to experience that mystery meal feeling right about now. *sigh* Oh, and does anyone actually eat that damn bread roll?
Knowing I Packed Two Weeks Worth Of Clothing For A One Week Trip
I tend to be a pretty light packer for the most part, but there’s a level of comfort knowing I packed at least two weeks of clothing for a week long trip. Maybe I’ll need to change more than once. What if it gets too hot? I definitely need to bring that sweater. Fifteen pairs of underwear sounds pretty safe too. Check, check and check! 😉
Read more: Mistakes To Avoid While Travelling
Window Shopping At The Luxury Stores In The Airports
Nothing shatters your dreams and self esteem like walking around the airport window shopping at Gucci, Prada, or Burberry and realizing that even with the 50% off sale, you’re still a poor bastard that can’t afford that beautiful bag. It doesn’t even matter, I still take a peek at things. I love wiping away my tears with my rolled up napkin from the bar I visited earlier for that $10 Heineken.
Annoying Airport Shit
The airport, as much as it’s a sign of good things to come, there is a lot of annoying shit that happens there too that I miss these days. Looking at the departure board and seeing my flight is delayed, or cancelled entirely. Oh, my gate changed? That’s nice! What the hell was that inaudible announcement about the gate closing early? The person in front of me in the security line can’t grasp the concept of putting their shit into two separate plastic bins rather than shoving it all in one and taking their sweet time to do so as I’m sweating my ass off? Why is the line SO long at security? Ya, I miss that. Good times!
Read more: You Missed Your Flight…Now What?
Hotel Rooms
Nothing beats a warm welcome to a nice hotel when you’ve been travelling all day and look like a hot mess. I also love the anticipation of arriving at a new hotel and turning the key to my new room for the first time and hoping that the pictures online match the room. Sometimes you get a view of the mountains and an alpine lake, other times you get a view of a brick wall, or a bunch of hookers walking the streets below. It’s always a mystery! Ahh, hotels. I don’t need to make my bed, or clean up after myself and when I come back from exploring, freshly made bed and new towels are waiting for me! Score! And who doesn’t like to steal those little hotel room shower gels, moisturizers and body washes? I paid for them technically, so they are mine!
Being Crammed In A Flying Tin Can For 8+ Hours
Most people complain that airplanes are packed tighter than a sardine can, but you know what? I’d give anything right now to be shoved into a flying tin can for eight hours while potentially getting deep vein thrombosis from not walking enough on board knowing that I’ll be eating some schnitzel and walking through cute as a button Medieval streets the next day. Sounds like a dream right about now to be perfectly honest. I also miss being choked out by someone in my row smelling like the overpowering stench of too much Chanel No. 5 with no room to escape, or to breathe. Yummy!
Read more: The Ultimate In Flight Refresher Routine
Read more: How To Make Long Haul Flights More Bearable
Smell Of Jet Fuel
That slightly uneasy feeling of waiting on the plane before takeoff and getting a big ‘ol whiff of jet fuel for some strange reason…Mmm ya, baby! 🙂
Never Ending Construction On European Buildings & Churches
No matter how many times I’ve been to Europe, there’s always a major attraction covered in scaffolding every single time. The Zagreb Cathedral in Croatia has currently been under construction for thirty, yes 3-0 years now and with an earthquake that just recently hit the capital city a few months ago, this could and will probably add another decade, or two to the restoration process. It truly is not a trip to Europe without seeing some construction, so get ready to have all your wonderful photos jam packed with scaffolding and cranes! Yippie!
Unsafe Modes Of Public Transportation
Another thing I miss about travelling right now is seeing my life flash before my eyes while taking public transit. Jumping in a tuk-tuk, or rickshaw and whizzing through the busting streets of India and Thailand is the cheapest, most entertaining and easiest way to make sure you value your life once you arrive to your destination safely and unscathed. Didn’t stop for one red light on the way to your destination, but still lived to tell about it? Winning!
Read more: 25 Photos That Will Inspire You To Book A Trip To India
Read more: 25 Photos That Will Inspire You To Book A Trip To Thailand
The Term “Breakfast Included”
This is the term I love to see when booking a room, or hotel. Grand buffets filled to the brim with delectable foods for the taking and I can go grab food in my pajamas if I wish to do so. Spoiler Alert: I actually don’t enjoy buffets that much at all, so I am always the first one up in the hotel and down at breakfast, so I avoid all the nasty people and their kids that tend to follow after to avoid them sneezing and touching everything. Gross! Breakfast included also means that I will have more money for beer and shopping later on and while I’m at the buffet, I’m not shy to grab a few snacks to take back to my room. Do not judge me. I paid for it.
Read more: What Solo Travel Has Taught Me
Read more: 5 Solo Travel Myths That Need To Be Debunked
Read more: Tips For Travelling Within Europe
The Sound And Struggle Of Luggage Wheels On Cobblestone
*clickity clack clickity clack thump thump thump clickity clickity clack* The sound of tiny plastic luggage wheels getting dragged and destroyed on cobblestones streets would sound like a soothing lullaby to me right now. Struggling with squirrely luggage wheels while making your way around town in Europe is quite honestly, a right of passage for a traveller. You will never know the true feeling of instant defeat until you have to roll your luggage a kilometre to your hotel, or hostel while having one of your luggage wheels break, or jam and I can’t wait to experience it again one day soon!
Writing this post, albeit mostly satirical, made me realize how much we take for granted while travelling. Not travelling for so long has people longing for even the little annoyances that occur during our trips because in the end, it makes for the experience and adds to the story. What’s the saying? You don’t know what you have until it’s gone. I’m glad that travel and tourism is starting to pick back up again, so people have something to look forward to and small businesses, shops and restaurants can open up and get back on their feet again.
What’s a weird thing you miss about travelling? Let me know in the comments below! xo
Love! I had to smile as I read each of the items you missed. I can relate to every single one. I miss traveling so much. Thank you for sharing this post. 🙂
Hahaa Glad you enjoyed the article, Liz! Thanks for stopping by to have a read! 🙂