by Beth Powell
I was bitten by the travel bug in my early twenties and have been on the go ever since. I love seeing new places, experiencing new cultures, tasting new flavors and reminding myself that there's a large, relevant world outside of these United States of America.
As a broke twenty-something I saved my nickels for travel, and during my thirties, as a corporate road warrior, I mostly traveled on the company's dime. Today, in my currently unemployed, early-forties state, I'm still traveling. How? By spending all the frequent flier and hotel club points I accumulated during my thirties. The most important part of that last sentence is that I'm still traveling.
There is a saying that travel is the only thing you can spend money on that will make you richer, and I believe that wholeheartedly. I also believe that anyone can afford travel, they just have to make it a priority. Travel is fantastic, you've gotta getcha some, but always travel with an open mind, and with the understanding that there will be the occasional mishap.
I've experienced my fair share of travel misfortunes. Some of which I consider actual disappointments, others were less grave but still downers. Today I'm counting down my Top 5 Travel Bummers in hopes that should you experience a travel hiccup you'll remember this blog and not let it ruin or your trip or negatively affect any future travel plans. My travel snafus never made me so upset that I stopped boarding planes, in fact, they never even got to the point that I felt like I'd wasted money on the trip, although #2 did get close. Remember travel snafus are not real problems, lack of food & shelter are real problems. Travel is a treat, and even when things don't go exactly the way we'd planned, we're still damned lucky to be on any trip.
Remember when President Clinton made Newt Gingrich exit Air Force One by the back door so Gingrich got mad and, by his own admission, (in part) forced the government shut down because of it? No? Well, I do, because due to what was essentially a pissing match between two stereotypical politicians, who frankly look like matching bookends, except that Gingrich has a few pounds on Clinton, the whole federal government went on furlough. I, along with approximately 800,000 federal workers, were affected by this battle of egos; the 800,000 federal workers because of no paychecks (a real problem), and me because I took my first trip to our nation's capitol during that time (a not-so-real problem). I spent New Year's Eve in Bethesda, MD with friends and then planned to visit the Smithsonian Museums and other Washington sites, but nothing was open because the Federal Government was unable to write paychecks. I've been back a few times since then, always for business, and to this day I have yet to visit the Smithsonian. Now that I have a kiddo, I'll wait until he's old enough to enjoy the D.C. trip before I go back, but in this post 9/11 world, I understand that it won't be the same visit that it would have been in 1996. Dadgumit!
Ok, so this is really two in one but they occurred on the same trip so I'm lumping them together. Our plan was to visit Notre Dame and then Sainte Chappelle. Notre Dame is certainly the more famous cathedral of the two but Saint Chappelle is considered the masterpiece of Flamboyant Gothic Architecture. You may remember from the Paris blogs that Gothic Architecture produces a hellish feeling outside with it's harsh exterior and gargoyle decorations, but a heavenly feeling inside, with it's stained glass windows causing light to fill the space with serenity. The church protects its people from the negativity of the outside world. Sainte Chappelle is considered sublime, and sublime in art is entirely different than the 90's rock band (although I like them too). Sublime is a philosophical term, it's not just beauty, it's more awe-inspiring than beauty. According to Immanuel Kant, the sublime is made up of three parts: the noble, the splendid and the terrifying. Our travel book recommended that we be the last people in the cathedral when it closed, as the sun was low in the sky and the stained glass was fully illuminated and (play heavenly ah-ah-ah music in your head) experience the sublime. But it closed at 5pm. and we got there at 5:02. No sublime for us.
I was disappointed about Sainte Chappelle, but I was even more upset about missing out on a trip to the Paris Flea Market and here's why: I've decided to stop buying crap. I know, I know, you're thinking, why would you go to a Flea Market if you're no longer buying crap? I define crap as items that are void of personality, charm, history, or a story that goes with them. In my opinion handmade items reflect the personality of their maker. Items bought during travel have a story that goes with them. Vintage items have history. I'm opting out of today's mass-produced version of American consumerism. Pottery Barn, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, etc... magazines, that appear in my mailbox, immediately go into the trash, I only look for items I specifically need at vintage markets, antique stores or Etsy shops - I don't allow myself to browse anymore. The Paris flea market would have been perfect for my developing sense of alternative-consumerism. No such luck, we realized on the Monday evening of our trip that it's only open Saturday thru Monday & we were flying back out on Friday.
In 1999 I went on a large group ski trip to the Italian Dolomites, and after a good night playing poker and hustling foosball (not kidding) at the ski lodge, a smaller group of us had enough extra cash for a side shopping trip in Milan. Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't love shopping, but I was very excited about this side trip for two reasons: First, it was to be my first European train ride, and it would be on an Italian train to boot! Since I'm a history geek an Italian train ride is even more special, because "Say what you want about Mussolini, he made the trains run on time." was the Fascists' last-ditch excuse. It apparently wasn't even true, but truth never stops great marketing minds from creating self-serving myths. Anyhow, the second reason I was excited about this trip was because Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper painting lives in Milan and I had talked my shopping-minded friends into going to the church where it was housed. So, we enjoyed a great train ride over in upgraded seats (because nice Italians) and upon arrival in Milan we went directly to the church that housed The Last Supper, but it was closed. We didn't just miss visiting hours either, it was closed for renovation, and not the church's renovation, the painting's. It would be closed for two more months. No famous da Vinci depiction of Christ's last supper for me. Bum-mer.
I've experienced my fair share of travel misfortunes. Some of which I consider actual disappointments, others were less grave but still downers. Today I'm counting down my Top 5 Travel Bummers in hopes that should you experience a travel hiccup you'll remember this blog and not let it ruin or your trip or negatively affect any future travel plans. My travel snafus never made me so upset that I stopped boarding planes, in fact, they never even got to the point that I felt like I'd wasted money on the trip, although #2 did get close. Remember travel snafus are not real problems, lack of food & shelter are real problems. Travel is a treat, and even when things don't go exactly the way we'd planned, we're still damned lucky to be on any trip.
Travel Bummer #5 - The missing Blue Marlin
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, 2014
 |
| Blue Marlin wake |
Chris hired a small fishing boat to take us to the rock formations at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula and on the way back a beautiful Blue Marlin swam right next to our boat, literally surfacing within six inches of our boat. Many people would consider this a misfortune because they didn't have a pole in the water to catch him, and I think Chris falls in with that group of people, but I don't. I just wanted a picture of him, and I had the camera in my hands so I moved quickly and snapped the picture but the Marlin was lightning fast and all I photographed was his wake. I named him Flash.
Travel Bummer #4 - The Federal Government Shut Down of '95-'96
Washington D.C., 1996
Remember when President Clinton made Newt Gingrich exit Air Force One by the back door so Gingrich got mad and, by his own admission, (in part) forced the government shut down because of it? No? Well, I do, because due to what was essentially a pissing match between two stereotypical politicians, who frankly look like matching bookends, except that Gingrich has a few pounds on Clinton, the whole federal government went on furlough. I, along with approximately 800,000 federal workers, were affected by this battle of egos; the 800,000 federal workers because of no paychecks (a real problem), and me because I took my first trip to our nation's capitol during that time (a not-so-real problem). I spent New Year's Eve in Bethesda, MD with friends and then planned to visit the Smithsonian Museums and other Washington sites, but nothing was open because the Federal Government was unable to write paychecks. I've been back a few times since then, always for business, and to this day I have yet to visit the Smithsonian. Now that I have a kiddo, I'll wait until he's old enough to enjoy the D.C. trip before I go back, but in this post 9/11 world, I understand that it won't be the same visit that it would have been in 1996. Dadgumit!
Travel Bummer #3 - The Paris Flea Market & Sainte Chappelle
Paris, France, 2015
I was disappointed about Sainte Chappelle, but I was even more upset about missing out on a trip to the Paris Flea Market and here's why: I've decided to stop buying crap. I know, I know, you're thinking, why would you go to a Flea Market if you're no longer buying crap? I define crap as items that are void of personality, charm, history, or a story that goes with them. In my opinion handmade items reflect the personality of their maker. Items bought during travel have a story that goes with them. Vintage items have history. I'm opting out of today's mass-produced version of American consumerism. Pottery Barn, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, etc... magazines, that appear in my mailbox, immediately go into the trash, I only look for items I specifically need at vintage markets, antique stores or Etsy shops - I don't allow myself to browse anymore. The Paris flea market would have been perfect for my developing sense of alternative-consumerism. No such luck, we realized on the Monday evening of our trip that it's only open Saturday thru Monday & we were flying back out on Friday.
Travel Bummer #2 - Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper painting
Milan, Italy, 1999
Travel Bummer #1 - Sean Connery's knighting ceremony
Edinburgh, Scotland, 2000
In July of 2000, my friend Gina and I went on a driving tour of Scotland. We flew into Edinburgh on July 5th, the very same day Sean Connery was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. The Queen knighted Connery after a long wait, reportedly because he supported an independent Scotland. The knighting ceremony was not in London, but instead in Connery's beloved Scotland. In fact, in Edinburgh. On the day we arrived. Unbeknownst to us. We missed the whole dang thing. We read about it in the paper the next day and felt properly bummed out as we set out to visit St. Andrews Golf Course.
Also, while we were in Scotland we visited the Isle of Skye, but we did not visit the Fairy Pools at the Isle of Skye because we did not know they were a thing. Turns out they are a thing, and a pretty cool thing at that, but still a thing we did not experience. Stuff happens.
Also, while we were in Scotland we visited the Isle of Skye, but we did not visit the Fairy Pools at the Isle of Skye because we did not know they were a thing. Turns out they are a thing, and a pretty cool thing at that, but still a thing we did not experience. Stuff happens.
In the end, I have no real regrets, and will stress again that I believe that travel is an enriching experience. It forces you to gain perspective about your place in this world and it makes you feel appreciative about the things you have - like climate controlled houses, plenty of food and interstates. For example, the driving tour through Scotland made me appreciate our American interstate systems. The snafus themselves probably provide the best lessons simply because we tend to focus on the negatives and might pay more attention to the messages embedded within them. Book a trip & experience some travel bummers of your own.
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