We Hate Traveling!!!
Now if that statement shocks you, given the amount of traveling that we do, then let me illuminate the good, the bad and the ugly.
We truly LOVE being in different parts of the world, exploring various cultures, wandering through a wide range of flora and fauna, topography, cities and villages finding temporary homes in six hundred year old buildings; seeing, first-hand, sites with astonishing history that we have only read about or seen in documentary film. The range of culinary delights and mysteries, chance meeting of new friends, add many pleasures to our adventures.
So, to the ugly aspects of travel; let me be very specific about things that detract from our enjoyment.
We hate almost everything about what we have to do to get to our intended destination and to home. We do occasionally enjoy riding on trains and flying on planes, when they are doing what they are designed to do… MOVING!
The terminals and procedures one has to endure are irritatingly frustrating, often defying logical description. Watching other people's behavior in terminals and during a boarding process is beyond agony. Watching gate agents in airport terminals managing the throngs of passengers can be amusing at times since we know they have been trained to follow what seem to be constantly changing policies in undefined floor space and passengers do everything imaginable to frustrate the procedure. Once on board, listening to flight attendants continuous mantra about "... stepping out of the aisles", where to place which bags, what NOT to place in the overhead compartment, "on-time departures" is also agonizing, considering the number of people ignoring these messages. To expand the pain, International flights generally mean these messages are given in two or more languages.
So here we are, sitting in our idyllic cottage in northern England, preparing to walk,"over the river and through the woods…" on a bright and sunny day, planning a simple meal this evening with a nice glass of Chilean, Spanish or Italian wine and trying to suppress thoughts about our "transition" to Spain on the 24th. May 24th, on our planner is captioned,"Big Travel Day". The steps are clearly identified: walk, bus, train, walk, plane, bus, hotel, complete with planned departure and arrival times. We will "hotel" for one night at the end of the "Big Travel Day" and move to our next "home away" on the 25th and won't have to endure another "transition" until the end of June.
Home is where the heart is
A statement we all know,
Far from home, to a distant land,
To travel is where the hearty go.
Written by Jay, approved by Jain.
