Some days ago I was thinking about the things that most annoy me when I travel. First world problems, I know, but you can’t really help it if you start to dislike something. So far, the good things about traveling outnumber the bad. I still long for new trips whenever I come back home, but here are the things that totally make me see red:
1. PEOPLE TRAVELING WITH OVERSIZED HANDLUGGAGE
If someone asked me what irritated me the most while traveling, this is what comes to mind first. It happens in almost all flights here in the U.S, and really has made me dislike flying. After the airlines started charging luggage fees separately, many people started traveling with their hand luggage only, and often, with far too large ones. Then while you are in line to board the plane, you will hear the announcement that everyone fears: “Unfortunately all the overhead bins are now full. We will be checking the rest of the hand luggage to the cargo bay”. Damn it! If you are at the end of the line, this is where you start to rattle off some bad words. Why do some passengers get to bring in their oversized bags and a hand bag when others get to bring in none? They will have to check in everything important they wanted to bring into the cabin with them. What about all the easily breakable things like laptops and for example your toddler’s foods? Not fair! This really takes all the fun out of traveling!
2. THE REST OF THE WORLD GETTING MORE AMERICANIZED
Yes I am saying that even though I live in the U.S. It really does make me see red! Americans know how to commercialise everything and it has been noticed almost everywhere else as well. More and more countries with their own unique traditions set them aside in order to make room for big businesses and big bucks. When visiting famous sights, I would rather see some local products or try some local tastes than go to a fast food place. And when arriving to a new country, I would love to see some local things to make me feel like I am somewhere else than home.
About 15 years ago I visited the U.S. for the first time. While I was working at a busy tourist destination on a work study program, we often laughed about the things that were built just to amuse tourists. Sometimes you really had to wonder what is real and what is fake. On one day trip to the woods, we discovered that in the middle of the forest there was a huge souvenir shop with a burger bar. There we were, eating our burgers and wondering whether the fish in the river operated on batteries.
It actually makes me kind of sad that most of the airports nowadays look exactly the same. They all want to be international. But by being international they lack personality, and they also miss a great opportunity to promote local products to people who come to their country.
3. THE MASSES OF TOURISTS IN FAMOUS PLACES
In recent years there has been more and more talk about the tourist masses that take over all the known places and destinations in the world. Some of these places are actually struggling because their nature and infrastructure can’t handle so many visitors, but at the same time they are dependent on tourism. Even though I have often traveled outside of the actual travel season, I have to admit that many of these super popular spots are on my list too. We all want to see the most beautiful places in the world!
4. SUPER TIGHT SECURITY CHECKS
I guess here I should say that what really irritates me, are all the risk factors that have made the security checks necessary. They are of course for our safety, and of course I am all for them. So in that sense I am happy to walk through all the check point they have. But I don’t love the fact that I have to spend so much time from my trip standing in line to do these security checks. It is so hard to estimate the time you need for a layover for example, or how much earlier you should arrive to the airport. Sometimes there are no lines but a few times it has taken me over an hour to get out from the security check. It’s not fun, especially when travelling with kids! Everyone is hungry and tired, or they need to go to the restroom, so no wonder people’s nerves are really tested there. I have to say, that to some extent all these extra lines and wait times have taken the fun out of traveling.
5. LITTERBUGS
We call people leaving trash out in nature litterbugs, and unfortunately they are many! Especially in Asia but also here in the U.S. some people just throw everything out of their car window, or go hiking and leave all their trash behind them. It feels unreal that even in 2018 some people still like nature enough to go there, but not enough to take their garbage with them. We like to visit a lot of national parks and other places where we can hike, and all the litter makes me see red!
What kind of things make you see red when you travel?
All the points stated by you are so correct and they make me go red too especially the crowded top tourists spots. I too avoid travelling in peak season but still the famous spots are always crowded. Another thing that I hate is so much of commercialization everywhere. Visiting some small villages is no more fun as they have set their old culture behind to follow the herds and it makes me feel immensely sad. But as you said the good sides of travelling is still higher than the bad ones and that’s what makes me keep going.
I am with you when you say that some things do take over the fun of travel though travel is mostly about good memories. I was nodding my head for all the above but the fourth point is extremely annoying. I hate those security checks where they make one feel like criminals. Of course, litterbugs need to bring the change in themselves.
Well, number one point is something I myself is working on. But rest of the points like litterbugs and masses at famous places irks me as well. There are some people who don’t want to know anything about the place just click photos and more photos.
Some sane advice and thoughts for sure. I agree with everything getting too commercialized and hordes of tourists at famous places. But, that is something that can’t be controlled as traveling is way easier now as compared to yesteryears.
I hate super tight security checkups too
Those things are definitely annoying. I heard about hand luggage issue a few times when I fly as well, so I had to put mine under the seat, and it’s uncomfortable. I’ve never been to the US so I don’t know about security check there, but I heard it takes ages to go through.
You got that right….countries or places should preserve and proudly display their culture. That is what makes them so different and desirable. And yes, those litterbugs definitely irk me. It’s sad that this is the case everywhere.
I have been to USA last year and saw litter all around which made me surprised. I too hate those over sized baggage and super tight security check ups. You are true all airports look like same and the peculiarity and originality is missing now, which is sad.
I understand what you mean here! I am bored of the clinical similarities of airports across the world. What makes travel fulfilling is the new experience we get in other countries. The shock value is plummeting thanks to a suffocating standardization of everything. I cracked up at ‘fish in the river operated on batteries.’ Haha. I am surprised to read that the citizens of USA also litter.
I think one of the biggest things that bothers me is seeing trash everywhere when I go hiking. Some of my friends actually will bring trash bags with them on hikes so they can pick up trash along the way, which I think is an awesome idea. Some of these things we can’t change, but for the things we can change, our time is definitely better spent coming up with solutions than commiserating over the annoyances!