A Traveler's Regret

There are the travel decisions we love and then there are the travel decisions over which we beat ourselves up. Sometimes the regret is instantaneous, and sometimes it comes to us later when we've had time to mull things over. Either way, the essence of regret means that if given the chance to do it again, we would do it differently. There are a few situations I feel this way about.

Shall we begin with the most recent mental flogging?

Travel Regret #1
I didn't go to Greece with the rest of my friends!!  Some of you who have been following me for at least a year will remember that:
A) this time last year I got married, and,
B)  right before that  I decided it would also be a great time to go to Turkey.
I lived it up in Istanbul for a few days and then came the moment when I departed for the airport to catch a flight home, while the rest of them caught a flight to Greece. Why, why, WHY? It had something to do with being a good little bride-to-be and spending my time finalizing wedding details.
You know what? They went to Greece and had an amazing time (minus those pesky riots) while I was at home, performing the aforementioned "finalizing of the wedding details." Guess who had more fun? Not me. And you know what else? The wedding went off almost without a hitch (minus a caterer who I am trying to purge from memory).  So you see?

Lesson learned: Just go to Greece next time.

Travel Regret #2

Yes, that is me making throw-up faces

I was not at all excited about the food in China or Hong Kong. In fact, this picture at right will demonstrate to you my actual feelings on the matter. At the time, I blamed it on the copious amounts of rice I had eaten during a previous trip traipsing around southeast Asia and had grown increasingly sick of.  As a result, I ate very "safe" foods, minus one endeavor to consume snake on a stick. McDonald's frequently called my name, as did  various other fast food establishments. Never once did I really allow myself to experience and indulge in the flavors of a country that is home to a plethora of savory cuisines.  I am kinda mad at myself for that. Reading other people's blogs doesn't help this regret much.

Lesson learned: Eat whatever the locals eat.

Travel Regret #3
This one is is just plain cringe-worthy and should be blamed on the immaturity of youth and a large amount of alcohol.  After nearly two months on and off the road in Central America, we were back in Antigua, Guatemala for one last week of Spanish school. We stayed at the home of a young woman, who was probably not much older than us. All went well until she asked us for money to pick up some medicine, promising to pay it back the next day.  One of us forked over 100 quetzales (about $13).  The next day she did not have the money, nor had she made dinner (as per what we were paying for in our homestay), apologizing to us that she had been sick and had not had a chance to get the money . No problem. We are human, we understand.  We were not so understanding though a few hours later, when who did we see out dancing the night away in one of Antigua's bumpin' clubs?
You guessed it.
You should have seen the look on her face when she saw us. I approached her, questioning "Estas enferma?" with all the snotty attitude I could muster in a different language. She mumbled something and melted away in the crowd. We went back home after several more hours of drinking and dancing, and collapsed into bed. We were leaving first thing in the morning for Costa Rica and in the haze of the night, we realized one thing: we had been scammed. What to do? Nothing much to do, really. Who can you call? Could we delay a trip for $13-a significant amount when you're on the road for a while? Early morning found us up on the roof, pacing, feeling the effects of the previous eight hours, and trying to figure out a plan. It was then that I honed in on the dozens of glass gallon jars littering her rooftop.  All were clean and clearly being reserved for some purpose.  I glance at the jars, lock eyes with my friend, and in an instant, the plan becomes clear. We proceed to smash nearly every jar on that rooftop, leaving a giant mess of glass shards and fragments.

An alcohol-fueled hissy fit if there ever was one.

Yeah, the woman was wrong to take the money. No doubt about that. But the truth of the matter is that it was $13. Even worse, we were in someone's home, destroying their property. Still worse, perhaps the scene that greeted her later on her own rooftop sowed the seeds of an irreparable stereotype of Americans.

Lesson learned: Get over myself. Also, note to self: Get a grip!

Do these moments define who I am? Not in the least. We travelers pride ourselves on being cultured by our exposure to the world's humanity. Really though, traveling just exposes our own humanity. It is what we do with that unveiled truth that will either make us a good traveler with bad travel moments or an all-around bad traveler. Because yes, there are bad travelers. You know who they are-you've met them.

What about you? Any regrets?

To Turkey Next Tuesday

I have barely given one thought to this trans-Atlantic jaunt next week. What with the bachelorette hooplah in Austin, the minutiae of nuptial planning plaguing almost all of my thoughts, the attempt to find a place to live  post-wedding, and last but definitely not least, the impending doom I feel coming upon me as I prepare to take the first of two major  exams meant to finally shed myself of the "substitute teacher" moniker. Oh, and then there is the pesky little matter of a certain volcano spewing ash hither and yon over important parts of Europe. Parts that I must fly through to get to Istanbul. So what do I decide to do at work today? Spend 45 minutes looking for non-existent peacock-themed cupcake liners. Try to find them, I dare you. When my wrist felt as if carpal-tunnel was setting in and the liners in quest were nowhere to be found, I gave up. 45 minutes of my life I will never get back.

I can safely say that perhaps scheduling a trip to Europe so close to my wedding and exams has not been one of my most brilliant ideas, but what's done is done. Besides, I occasionally like to live on the edge. At least I have my passport, which as of yesterday, at least one member of our little group still did not have. As in, it has not yet been issued by the U.S Department of State.  Now that is living dangerously.

And speaking of walking the wild side, brace yourselves. I have not purchased a Lonely Planet guidebook to Istanbul/Turkey (gasp!) to accompany me on this trip.  Those of you who know me, know that I rarely leave the U.S without said guide. You just never know when that thing will come in handy. For example, in a crowded Tanzanian bus station last November, in the midst of teeming throngs of over-zealous cab drivers,  fumes of a bajillion buses,  eager touts waiting to sell me something I didn't need, and a no-show ride, I was able to somewhat calmly pull my guide out and find the nearest spot to access the internet.  Of course, communicating this to someone proved to be another issue, but no matter, thanks to Lonely Planet, we had a PLAN!  I digress. You get the idea of my passionate feelings on LP. So now,  throwing caution and all responsibilities to the hopefully ash-free wind next Tuesday, I will depart for a quick trip to Turkey. I will, I hope, return with the following:
1. A wedding ring
2. Ideas for future lesson plans to inspire my minions of young minds
3. Shoes! I never need an excuse to purchase footwear, but certainly going to another country always qualifies.
4. A calm outlook on life that will last for at least the next 6 weeks. 

Speaking of calm-brace yourself for a rant completely off the topic of this blog.  This is fresh, which is why this tangent begins....now.  WHY do people lose all sense of politeness and decorum and ETIQUETTE when it comes to weddings??!! I have just arrived home after a very long day to find yet another rsvp card in which the person has graciously responded with a "plus one" where none was given. READ THE ENVELOPE!  There are budget and space issues. You didn't get a "plus one" for a very good reason. If you are not dating anyone and you are already going to know a bunch of people there, then just come and enjoy yourself-no date really necessary right? good grief.

Am I being unreasonable here?

If you have any thoughts on anything mentioned in this post, please weigh in. From ash, to weddings, to your own tales of stress and woe,  wedding or travel, let me hear from you. It may serve to calm me down just a tad. I am normally a very calm person. Some people even  go so far as to call me "stoic."  Not today though.

Oh, and if you should happen to know where I can find peacock cupcake liners, tell me and  make a girl happy.