Travel Tribulations—Accept Them or Stay Home

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I have been on the road more than I have been home the last couple of months, and there are several things that I have noticed.  One is that it is possible to travel too much, especially if you aren’t in one place for more than a few days at a time. I settle well into hotel rooms.  I have a travel backpack with all the things that I need when I am on the road.  I am good about living out of my suitcase, and I don’t require a lot of variety in clothing.  I have been known to come home from one trip, dump all my clothes into the washing machine, dry them, fold them, and put them right back in my suitcase.  But at some point, the lack of continuity of place gets to me. 

Then there are the things that you can’t control, and when you are reliant on plane travel, that is a lot of things.  They include weather, not just where you are but also where your plane is coming from, mechanical issues, flight personnel, and airport amenities.  Why is there not WiFi everywhere?  How come you can’t get a nice variety of food when you are stuck in a terminal?  Well, accept what you cannot change.  Run for a close connection because while you will miss some, you will also make some, and that is such a great feeling.  Be nice, it goes a long way.  Carry your own food at all times. If you pass a nice looking salad, get it.  You never know when you are going to be stuck and what your choices will be.  For me personally, an expensive chocolate bar and a bag of mixed nuts can go a long way to making an unexpected stranding go better.  And never count your chickens before they have hatched.  Just because you are on the plane doesn’t mean it will take off.  Be prepared for the worst because it will help you revel in your good luck when things go well.