5
Irritating Things About Traveling
Traveling
is one of those necessary evils that almost none of us can escape
from. Whether for work or pleasure, it has become a part of our
lives. Mobility has increased so much that nobody thinks about having
to travel as something special. Most of the times traveling is fun.
You discover new places. Meet new people. Learn something new. But
there are times when it simply becomes a pain in the neck.
Among
the many annoying things that you will encounter while traveling,
below are 5 that you would rather not discover.
-
People Taking Up (or spilling over) Your Seat
This
little nuisance comes in many forms. You can choose and select which
is your favorite variety. There is the instance of ‘bigger’
passengers spilling over the arm rest into your seat. These
‘neighbors’ could be large enough that their shoulders, back,
chest and abdomen temporarily rest in part of your seat.
In
transport which has a reclining chair, people in front of you can
constantly keep their chair in a reclining position. It was not
designed to be used in this manner. It obviously makes it difficult
for you to move out of your seat, if you have this seat intruding
into your personal space.
My
favorite is when your side passenger uses your shoulder or head for
their personal pillow. They enjoy their siesta while you worry about
any contagious diseases which might be migrating as they sleep.
-
Public Transport
Trying
to figure out the public transport systems in foreign lands is like
trying to figure out their ancient mythology. You could be forgiven
for not knowing left from right, or for that matter, downtown from
uptown. The change necessary for the fare is another common issue, as
most travelers do not keep a handy stock of change as one of their
traveling priorities.
In
many countries, you have no clue where you’re headed. So getting
down at the right stop is another challenge. True, by missing your
intended stop and getting down someplace else, you would have a
‘real’ new experience. It is just a question of how much chaos
can you take before you become chaotic yourself.
-
Hidden Fees
There
seems to be an unwritten law that the traveler and tourist in
particular, is the chum. Airports are a favorite villain with their
crazy charges. They love to nickel and dime their customers. They
will charge you to use the trolleys in which you move your luggage
around. They will charge you to park your car, for those coming to
see you off. They will charge you for any extra weight in your
baggage. I understand that they are running a business, but sometimes
it all gets to a point that anybody would consider taking the bus
instead.
-
Tourist Hunters
These
are those shady characters who will approach you out of the blue.
They will act as your best friend, even though you have never ever
seen them before. They will offer you advice and tell you the best
place to buy anything under the sun. A guide is fine, but the scary
thing is when these chaps are only interested in skimming money off
the top for any ‘deals’ that they do involving you. I remember a
shop in Hong Kong which had different signs for the same thing in
English and in the local language, Cantonese. Basically they were
opening distinguishing between those who could speak the local
language and tourists. In the tourist
places of India, it is not uncommon for ‘tourist rates’ to be
far above the rates charged to locals for anything and everything.
-
The Plane Talker
Beware
this dreadful species. These are those ‘friendly’ people who will
say ‘Hi’ to you even before you have taken your seat. They can’t
wait to get a conversation started with you. It is as if they are
feasting on your brains. These pseudo-cannibals will just not stop.
It may begin innocently, with tales of their summer camp or first
Christmas gifts. Then the horror unfolds. The tale takes many a turn
and winds up god-knows-where. I have found that the best way to
tackle these predators is to tell them politely but firmly that you
would rather prefer silence. They will probably act shocked at your
social manners. In the end, it is a simple choice. Who is going to be
the fool tonight?
About
the Author
Rohit is a frequent traveler.
Having traveled in many countries, he knows that each time you take a
step out of your house, it is the beginning of an adventure. How
pleasant or wild it will be, nobody can tell. Maybe that uncertainty
is part of the fun of it all. You can find more travel articles by
Rohit at www.transindiatravels.com.
