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How I want to travel

26 August 2018

I have a complex love-hate relationship with travelling. Travels can be exciting and rewarding as a way to get out of your routine, for the new places you visit, the new people you meet, but they also come with their share of hassles that combines with feelings ranging from “ok so that’s the National Geographic picture” to “what am I doing here?” to create an overall feeling of weariness.

I still love some parts of travelling. I love flying, I have fun taking public transportations in a new country, listening/talking in a different language, but I hate having to show my ID that I usually never take around. I enjoy the different rhythm, discovering new (veggie) food/new beer but I resent this habit for rental places to be furnished with poor bedding and cooking utensils.

So eventually, my perfect plan for a ride out of my routine would probably look like this.

  • It would last for about three or four days. Enough for changing my mind, less tiring than the one-day return trip marathon, and I still get to avoid my fears related to laundry. If I push to one week, I am usually happy to head back home;
  • It would involve no more than one piece of luggage, fitting in the overhead compartment. I hate bulky items, carrying them around creates fatigue, sweating, and is not compatible with public transportations. Luggage are not fun and I believe you mostly don’t need them. I prefer to take the risk to forget something and buy it there if I happen to really need it;
  • It would start at the local airport. Did I say I enjoy flying? Still, I would avoid low-cost airlines at all cost: they are unreliable (you can name them all!) and prone to push human nature to its darkest corners. The staff is not trained or concerned to make your travel pleasant or comfortable;
  • It would be designed to feel too short. I like to leave the place with the impression I still have things left to see, with the feeling that I could come again in few weeks and still have things to plan and discover;
  • I don’t like hotels or rental places as they are designed to be similar and impersonal wherever you go. I don’t like the “white”, I often fear the smells, I am usually frustrated with their breakfasts. Rental places are either cheaply furnished or provided by people with different (poor) tastes. This all makes me feel uncomfortable so I would rather bother a close friend at his place as far as it is possible;
  • I need time to be alone. I like to choose a nice coffee place, sit and take time to read a good novel. I enjoy walking around, hiking or running more than rushing through the list of guidebook must-sees and getting ripped off around tourist traps.

I guess I am still flexible enough to accept violating one or two of these “general rules” and still enjoy my time 😇