Day 23: 29 Awesome Reasons Why You Should Travel

Traveling is an eye opening experience and a great way to learn! (Photo credit)

I never travelled much for most of my life. But there has been a time when I got to travel the world and see different places. I have also traveled alone on work and otherwise. There is nothing more refreshing and eye opening than traveling. You a learn a lesson or two more when you travel alone. But it is also a great thing to do with family or friends. Here are a few reasons I have compiled:

1. It's fun
2. Broadens our mental horizons
3. Kicks us out of our comfort zone
4. Teaches cultural sensitivity
5. Hones our planning and packing skills
6. Takes us to different cuisines
7. Educates about local life
8. Boosts confidence
9. Leads to exciting experiences in life
10. Lets live life fully
11. Makes new friends
12. Gives a break from routine
13. Is for enjoyment and pleasure
14. Heals/destresses
15. Makes us more curious
16. Teaches us about history and civilisation
17. Helps discover ourself
18. Refreshes us
19. Offers new perspective to life
20. Gives more information about the world
21. Can make you a travel blogger
22. Gives an opportunity to appreciate monuments
23. Gets many stamps on your passport
24. Arouses our sense of adventure
25. Gives us stories/memories for life
26. Teaches us foreign languages
27. Helps reconnect with friends/partner over a vacation
28. Might teach us a survival skill or two
29. Creates opportunities to network

What other reasons would you like to add to this list? Share in the comments and let me know! Waiting to hear from you!

This post is a part of #NaBloPoMo which stands for National Blog Posting Month hosted by BlogHer.

Day 4: Flashback - Trip to the Grand Canyon

My man looking out at the Grand Canyon from the Skywalk!

Some trips are quite memorable but this one takes the cake. The mighty Grand Canyon is definitely worth a visit once in a lifetime. Grand Canyon is a natural gorge carved by the Colarado river and you can read more about how it happened on the Wikipedia page. What I really want to talk about is the personal experience of actually being there.

The Grand canyon was one of the places we visited during our US trip this March. Las Vegas is the closest to drive to the Grand Canyon and that became the starting point of this leg of the journey. Since this was our second time in Las Vegas, we just took it easy and did not do the touristy shows or the slot machines. In fact, sitting in our room at the Bellagio and watching the fountains dance from our room every evening was a good enough treat.

The room with an awesome view!

The drive to the Canyon is a breeze except that if you are running late, like we were, you also lose another hour going from Nevada to Arizona due to the time difference. But we did make it in time to get on to the last tour on the bus that left in a bit. And where it took us has to be the most spectacular site nature ever holds. Miles of orange rocks that run deep and scary! Man has conquered mountains but being amidst something like this definitely makes one feel diminutive and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Photo credit

And the most amazing thing is the man made sky walk at an elevation  of 4770 ft that juts right into the Canyon. And what's even more goosebumpy is that the floor of the skywalk is made of glass. So when you look down, it's like being suspended on nothing! It took some coaxing from the resident photographer - no cameras/cellphones allowed on this ramp and I think that's a great decision for safety reasons - for me to walk in and pose. I never looked down once! Peeping from the safety of the locker room was enough to make my heart skip a beat!

Photo credit

Putting the skywalk into better perspective

Photo credit

More photos from the trip

My man right on top of one of the hillocks. I'm too scared of heights to do it!

A shot of the Colorado river from the plane 

Another shot of the Grand Canyon with the river

That me, obviously! :)

The skywalk is suspended right into the Canyon and the photographer has his favourite poses! 

 We also went to New York, Hoover Dam and Disneyland in Orlando. But those are probably for another blog post some other time. Have you been on to a place that really blew your mind off? I'd love to add them to my travel list! Shoot!

This post is a part of #NaBloPoMo hosted by BlogHer where I will write one post everyday this month.

Solo Trip To Chokhi Dhani

When a post on a trip made earlier this year takes so long to appear on the blog, it has clearly been a bad year for blogging. The bigger challenge in writing this post was the photos. I'm not exactly a photo friendly person and find it quite daunting to transfer, organise and upload photos to make a decent post out of it. I have been working on this post - one step at a time - to put this together. 

I have been out traveling by myself on work. But this trip is special since it was planned solely for fun/leisure with no work involved. I was in Delhi earlier this year for a coaching conference and decided to give Chokhi Dhani a try since it is close by and was unexplored. After almost missing my flight, thanks to the Delhi traffic, I made it. Since it was off season, I was bumped to some royal suite. And as you can see, I was the queen of the space for a night. It's soaked in tradition in every element around - not just the room but read on to see where else. 

The suite at Chokhi Dhani - traditional with modern amenities

The view from the room

The attraction is the village built around the concept of local, traditional life in Rajasthan. Low mud houses and figurines of local people doing different tasks are made around the resort. 

Life size figurines depicting everyday life at Chokhi Dhani

The actual village that opens at about 6pm and goes on till 11pm. There are traditional dancers and musicians, puppet show, games, acrobatics, shopping arcade (called Kalagram), restaurants among other things. 

Feeble attempts with my iPhone in the dim light 

The paintings strewn across the campus only serve to keep the art form alive. I am told that all of them are hand painted. 

In one of the huts in the village, an old lady was actually cooking bajre ka roti on an old style chulha and giving in leaf bowls with garlic chutney and a little jaggery with the roti literally dipped in ghee! It felt like a mother feeding her kids with the same love that probably families shared before they went nuclear. A couple of people just sat there and asked for more! The taste was truly divine! Fresh and hot!

There are so many pictures from the trip that brings back lovely memories!

Paintings on the walls

Mud huts that double as guest rooms

I think such places are really great and should be patronised. In the ever changing world where western influences and modern conveniences are taking over our live rapidly, Chokhi Dhani preserves the world of tradition. It is a must visit at least once. Going around the village, watching so many traditional dance forms, listening to traditional music and the man made mud huts felt like living a slice of life the way local people live. 

Why The US Is A Strange Country For An Indian Like Me

The first time one lands in the US of A from India, one is enthralled by the super straight roads, tall buildings, traffic signals - that are actually followed - everywhere, the sheer variety in every single thing available on earth, the huge portions of food (indicating abundance as opposed to shortage in our country), smiling strangers greeting you in elevators... Great!! But to me, a few days into this country and I realized what a pain-in-the-ass living here would be.

Before I go any further, I should also mention that I am highly partial when it comes to my country. I love it to bits - all the noise, dirt, pollution, stereotypes, prejudices included - and would never exchange it to live in any - even far better - country. I have travelled to a lot of foreign countries and never felt at home anywhere. Though this was my second trip to the US, I surprisingly don’t seem to remember the same impressions from the last time. Probably, because I was so overwhelmed, it being my first time. Or I had just started traveling and did have much of an opinion about places. 

So here is why the best country in the world failed to impress me:

1. Indian Stretchable Time: This is the first thing on my list and any Indian will understand where I am going with this. It’s nice to be punctual and all but I’m sorry, Indians are not on-the-dot punctual. Period. A buffer of 10-15 minutes is a given for us. And having to follow exact schedules is plain regimental. And a crime on a vacation! But guess what! If the ticket counter closes at half past five, it closes at half past five! 

2. Time zones: For someone used to the same time in Mumbai and Chennai, this seems one fucked up concept. I know this has more to do with geography but I still cannot wrap my head around it. When we started our drive for the Grand Canyon, we were a little short on time. But we’d still make it. Except for a little hitch - our clocks suddenly went an hour ahead on our way. Oh! Nevada to Arizona - two contiguous states - have a time difference of an hour. And remember, the ticket counter closes at half past five! Another time, I woke up nice and early for our flight to Mumbai to finish packing. Just as I got done, I realised that the clock on my phone is an hour ahead of my wrist watch. The auto setting feature on the phone picked up on the daylight saving and it was 10 am instead of 9 am and out of nowhere I lost an hour of my life! (Which is nothing compared to losing 3 hours between Vegas to Orlando!!)

The time zones in the US itself are so varying (Photo credit)

3. The levels of courtesy: I was, and still appreciate to a large extent, the courteous behavior people generally have here. Nodding, greeting, wishing people a great day definitely makes the place more cheerful. Plus, in deference to someone’s personal space ensures that people queue up with 4 ft between each other! Great! But by the end of a week, I had enough of apologising just because I got within 2 inches of people. I mean I don’t have a contagious disease I should be sorry for! Stop queuing up for change! (I always thought queuing up was too goody goody in any city) It’s ok to mind your own business sometimes and leave strangers alone!  

4. Driving hell: I know that we constantly complain about the lack of lane discipline and incessant honking in our country. And we all wish that we’d behave a little more on the roads. Driving in the US is just the opposite - it is like military rule. Yes, after you honk, scream, maneuver your way through the roads of India, driving in the US is like Taliban regime. The lanes are laid out, the speed limit carved in stone and there is absolutely no scope for making a mistake! I shudder to think of how people in the US make it through their learning phase!! While we were stuck in a 45 min traffic jam in Orlando, the first thought that came to my mind was how our ingenious country would have used the side lane, covered up the 4 feet gap between every vehicle and reduced the jam to half!! 

5. Automation heaven?: While I am inspired by the level of automation in the US - where most payments can be made with one swipe of a card - it does go a bit too far, if you ask me. I went through different hues of feeling strange, annoying and intimidating when the lady at an airport cafe told me to pick what I want and scan codes on my own. And at the end of it, I could swipe the card and generate the bill. That is like finding a new profession in my country! It might be a great thing for people living here, but I'm used to someone doing that for me back home. Spoilt, am I? Yes!! Checking in at airline kiosks is a great thing but quite intimidating for a first timer. Filling in petrol in your car on your own should come with a manual of instructions. 

6. Domestic travel: As if time zones and punctuality isn’t enough of a kill joy, try traveling to different cities within the country. I travelled to 3 cities and observed the same things and I think it’s safe for me to confirm them. Security in the US is a pain. Shoes and belts need to come off too. The security personnel are outright scary and eye everyone as if we are all guilty of some crime. There is no buy-all-the-food-you-want hospitality on the planes. So, each time it was - grab a bite at the airport and pick something to eat on the flight. Each checked in baggage costs!! (about 20-25 dollars per bag). The result - people try to pile on all their luggage into the cabin, the overhead storage is crammed, the boarding process crawls because people are trying to cram all the bags they have. (Plus food bags for the journey) I totally feel like a queen traveling in my country!

I think it’s pretty natural to be hit by the almost robotic, rule following lives that people there live after being in a free-in-every-sense country like India. Some sign boards made me want to yell, “How dumb are you! Isn’t it obvious!” So in conclusion, I think they need to become a bit of badasses and we need to straighten up a bit. Both the countries are like extremes of a spectrum. We can meet somewhere midway where they loosen up and we become more stringent. What do you think?

Why I hate road trips

Road trips don't make me happy! (Photo Courtesy)

Road trips have a connotation of being romantic, bohemian and what not. Pack your bags, dump it in the boot (or strap it to your bike), enjoy the scenery and drive into the horizon! Ah! Lovely picture! But now coming to reality. Ask me and I’ll say road trips are over rated and I hate them. And before I hear a chorus of dissenting voices, hear me out! I am entitled to my opinion, right? :) So here’s what I think. 

Let’s start with advantages of traveling by road:

1. No schedules to adhere to. The biggest advantage of traveling on your own by road is you can start or stop when you like. There are only self-made schedules - no reporting 60 minutes prior to departure time. 

2. There is no weight limit for the luggage. You can carry as much as your car boot has space in it. And can be unplanned too. I have dumped stuff in shopping bags and thrown inside the car. It’s my car, who cares! 

3. You don’t need a local taxi. Your site seeing transport is taken care of in your own vehicle. You don’t have a driver waiting for you with his meter on. If you wish to take it easy, saunter out of your room at 6pm for all your care. My vacation, who cares! 

Okay! I can’t think of any more reasons why road travel is good. So, I am moving on to the actual idea of why I am writing this post. 

Why I hate road travel?

1. I can’t drive: Driving for hours is for people who love driving or companions of drivers who love, well, just sitting there. I am of neither category. So my only choice to sit for hours strapped to my seat. This is exactly what I am not good at - sitting in one place and not being able to move around. I could look out of the window and enjoy nature! Since some places are accessible only by road, I have seen the hills, the meadows, the sunset and sunshine and the rest of it in between. So there isn’t much entertainment in doing that too. I could read in the car (yess!) at one time and that kept me going. But I get motion sickness just sitting in the moving car now, so that’s not possible. I can listen to music but for how long? Most importantly, I am a destination person than a journey person. So it isn’t fun for me to be going through a journey for hours.  So, yeah! It’s boring to travel by road.

2. No schedules to adhere to: In our case, this is also a disadvantage. We are bad at making self made schedules and usually end up driving after dark which pisses me off. And since I am not in control of the steering wheel (You just read why), it irks me. It’s always harder to sit next to the driver and watch him negotiate dangerous turns on the dark or drive through heavy rain than actually doing it. It just adds to me stress levels. And let's agree, it's plain dangerous!

3. Loo problem: This is probably my biggest issue with road travel. Women don’t have the anatomical advantage that men do and hence one has to just wait till the next decent place where you hope you will find a decent loo! I stop having liquids hours before travel. I still have to go on the way. And I am dehydrated by the time I get to the destination.

4. Why drive, if you can fly: Most people don’t agree with this concept, but I don’t see why would you want to drive for 10 hrs to say, Goa when you can fly in an hour! And party the rest of the time in Goa! You may party on the way but only when you have a group (which I don’t). Maybe one time to enjoy the view but then why do that every time? And to every other place that can be reached through other modes of transport that have a loo built into them?

I think my views are valid because I have traveled quite a bit and haven’t based my views on trips few and far between. Drop me a line and tell me what you think about road travel. You can also tweet to me on @Suman_Kher. I’d love to hear from you! 

Get travel ready with 27coupons!

Travel arrangements can be quite hectic! Photo credit

Holidays are just around the corner. And the heat is getting unbearable. What better way to chill out than to travel to cooler climes. Spend some quality family time. And come back with memories for a lifetime. Vacations are fun. But planning them can be stressful. Finding the right dates with the right flights, the stay, food, recreation, entertainment ...Phew! I love to travel but sometimes just the thought of all the planning puts me off. Plus, with the summer holidays around, the flights and hotel rates spiral through the roof. And annual vacations, if not planned well, can throw budgets off kilter. How I wish there were discounts and additional discounts to help us save precious bucks and yet have the time of our lives! So time to hunt for those special offers that can save you from digging a hole in your pocket. 

The internet is full of travel sites, we have used at one point or the other, to make our travel plans easier. My favourite has been cleartrip.com. I have been using the site for about 7 years now since I was first initiated into the world of travel planning by my ever voyaging husband. And since then it has been my first go-to place for flights, hotels and trains. It is quick, easy, gives you all the options available and helps you book in a jiffy. It also has offers and cash back on various credit cards and return flights. 

But what has added new wings to my vacation dreams is additional discounts that 27coupons can get me on cleartrip. I recently came across the site and discovered to my delight the whole range of discounts they have to offer on a variety of products. Food, books, electronics, entertainment, home decor, fashion and pretty much anything you can think of. 

But what caught my eye were the unbelievable discounts on travel! And that’s definitely a bonus while planning a long overdue break. Their summer sale offers upto 50% cash back on domestic flights and huge discounts on international travel. They also have combo deals if you wish to book your flights and stay together. I was happy to find some codes that apply to cancellation of hotel bookings at no extra penalty. I love such deals because I can choose to change hotels to better options without a penalty. The deals are available across airlines so that you can travel on the airline of your choice and still benefit. 27coupons accept most credit and debit cards making it easier to fit it into my usual booking process. The coupons are easy to redeem by just adding the coupon code while booking. 

There couldn’t be more exciting news for frequent travellers like me. The discount savings straight go into me shopping kitty. 27coupons has added that zing to my vacation planning because, let’s accept it - who doesn’t like discounts! I am adding it to my travel planner along with cleartrip. Looks like a winning combination to me! 

Check out their awesome deals on travel here 

You may want to read other posts that I have written on my travel experiences here: 

6 tips when you travel abroad

4 tips to travel safe as a woman

This is a sponsored post written for 27coupons.com 

Traveling abroad? 6 tips that can help

Holiday beckons!

Earlier, I wrote about what travel in the country has taught me over the years. I thought it’ll be a good idea to also share some tips from my experience in international travel. Whether you plan a quick shopping trip or plan to beach holiday, planning for a holiday itself can be quite stressful. I hope this list will help you sort most things out. 

1. Apply for visa well in time: The single big reason why I don’t look forward to international travel is the stress of applying for a visa in time. Since most of our plans are last minute, visa process just adds to the mayhem! Hence, preparation for travel overseas has to start much earlier than traveling within the country. Visa papers need time for processing. Every embassy has their own working time. In my experience, visas generally do not get rejected as long as all your papers are in place. But the haughty embassy staff will always make you believe that there could be a problem. The air tickets and hotel bookings already made make the suspense worse. 

2. Remember to carry your passport: OK! Now this is insulting your intelligence, right? Who forgets passport on an international trip? Just Joey and Rachel!! Better be safe than sorry, correct? I think it was important to add this point because when I follow my routine of packing for travel, there have been times when I have had to remind myself to fish out my passport and carry it along. When we are used to doing certain things in a particular way, we may forget that one odd little extra that needs to be done. And I do add that to my own last minute check list! It is a good idea to invest in a passport holder with pockets which can hold your cash, a pen, immigration forms etc. This way it’ll be convenient to have everything in one place and pull it out at different counters. (check in, immigration)

3. Do your research: Just like I mentioned in my post on domestic travel, research is the key even in international travel. Acting like a localite might not be of help here especially of you are going to a different part of the world. You will need real intelligence from the internet. A few things that you should look up are:

a. Hotel reviews: Booking a hotel in a place you have never been to is quite challenging. I was at my wits end when I had to do it all by myself for a hotel in Zurich. After a lot of research, I zeroed in on a popular chain of hotels. Yet, the rooms turned out to be smaller than the standard ones. Still, research is your best bet. Sites like tripadvisor have unbiased reviews from hundreds of users which can be trusted while booking. Consider factors like location (preferably city center), modes of transport available close by (a train station or a metro), presence of a market place/shopping area, restaurants etc. 

b. Geography/climate/culture: Google maps and Wikitravel can help you understand most aspects of a region. Reading up helps understand the culture of the place - laidback/fast, safe/unsafe, wealthy/third world, crowded/not so much etc. You will find enough stories online to tell you about things cabbie behaviour, food habits, popular food joints etc to give you a hang of how the city functions. You can understand routes, modes of transport, the type of area you will stay in (city center, suburbs, mountainous) and how the local travel system works. Wikitravel also helps you with the climate, temperature range etc which will help you decide the kind of clothes/shoes you will need.

c. Things to do: Unless you are going to a destination where you intend to just laze on a beach, it's a good idea to check out things there are to do - city tours, museums, beach trip, adventure sportsAnd then you can choose what you prefer to do. This way you will be ahead by planning your days according to the city tour pick and drop (if you choose to do that) or the closing time of famous monuments/landmarks.

It's best to understand what's in your food before you go for it!

d. Food: As Indians, we have varied food habits. For instance, many dishes in Mumbai will have Jain and half Jain versions - because just vegetarian isn't specific enough! Travelling abroad can be challenging, especially in countries like China, if you are a vegetarian or a vegan. I am a non-vegetarian and thought chicken was a safe bet in any country but was sadly mistaken. Boiled, bland chicken with its skin intact (served in South Africa) is not my idea of appetising food. In most countries, chicken stock is commonly used and considered vegetarian. You may want to research your food options in advance. It may not change what is available in that country but will help you be prepared for it.

4. Money matters: Understand the currency conversion ratio of the country you are visiting. You will need to convert sufficient Indian rupees in order to have enough cash even after conversion. In certain countries, a huge amount in rupees turns out to almost nothing when converted. Make sure you don't keep all your cash in one place, lest an unfortunate incident robs you of everything. If you choose to go shopping, it makes sense to convert local prices into our own currency before you decide to spend. Sometimes, a silly shirt turns out to be way more expensive in dollars/pounds and could have easily been purchased back home at half the price. 

5. Invest in appropriate clothes: Our first foreign trip was the beautiful city of museums - Amsterdam. But the trip was marred by lack of warm clothes suitable to the country. Living in a city like Mumbai doesn’t give you the option of buying over coats that can hold against winters in Europe. I had literally all my woollies on me every single day! Before the trip, it felt like a waste of money to buy warm, bulky stuff for a trip and hoard it afterwards. But you could always borrow and return later. Or if you have to buy them, give it away to friends/relatives who will find it useful. That way your investment still wouldn’t go waste and you get to enjoy your trip comfortably. 

6. Stay safe: Your research should also give you an idea of how safe the place is going to be. Don't expose yourself to late night traveling if it is advised otherwise. Use the security locker provided in rooms to lock up your gadgets, cash, passports and other valuables. Don't leave them carelessly around assuming it's safe. General common sense should mostly guide you to avoid danger. 

All said and done, travelling to different countries is the best way to broaden your horizons of thought. Take care of the important things and be sure to enjoy yourself and make it memorable!

Do you have any experiences to share? Would love to hear your stories. Hack away on the comments! 

4 things I have learnt about traveling safe as a woman

Photo credit

I have traveled alone a lot of times in india, mostly on work. Initially, it did feel odd going to new places and managing on my own. But through the years, I have found a few things that help, especially if you are a woman traveling alone. I thought I could put down a quick list that can help others get sorted before a trip. It isn’t rocket science and there is nothing to fear even if it is your first outing by yourself with just a few basics in mind.

Before I begin my list, I want to point out that traveling within the country is a smaller challenge compared to traveling outside it - which is the topic for another post! In India, we can blend into crowds with ease which works to our advantage. Of course, if you are a fair North Indian, you will attract stares in Chennai! But by and large, it isn’t too difficult to gel along with these simple things to do.

1. Do your research. I generally don't do a lot of research about the culture and habits of people for Indian cities. We all have a fair idea about how things work in different parts of the country. You may definitely want to go through websites like tripadvisor.com for hotel reviews before you choose your accommodation. Or check it out in case your client booked it for you. Maps and travel websites help you reach a pretty fair estimation of the location and facilities of the hotel you are going to be in. Also, remember to come back and write a review on tripadvisor because you got to give back to the community as well.

2. Know your map: This is one thing that gives me the most confidence on my travels alone. It is pretty hard for anyone to mislead you or for you to get lost with this marvel of technology called Google maps. If you don’t have a data plan, it’s a good idea to activate it at least for the time you are traveling. I always look up the distance between destinations before I have to negotiate with the rickshaw guys. If you know your whereabouts you are less likely to be cheated by touts.

3. Be confident. Act like a localite. Yes, one look at your suitcase and people know that you are a traveler. And more often than not that acts as a signal to treat you as vulnerable. My suggestion is you walk out of the station/airport with your head held high with an air of confidence about you. Nothing holds people off like a confident woman! (and the converse is also equally true!). Plus your research back home should help you assume an air of authority.
 

Photo credit

4. Better safe than sorry. If you are a woman traveling alone, it’s not a good idea to pick up a very low cost hotel since it will reflect in the quality of their service and level of security. Here too, make sure that you act like a pro during check in. Keep your door bolted from inside at least when you go to sleep at night, just as a precaution. I usually put up the DND tag outside, when I am in the room to avoid anyone ringing the bell and also when I step out because I do not want anyone to get into my room when I am not around. And most decent hotels will respect your wish to remain undisturbed. (smaller cities have the facility but the staff is not polished enough to understand what it means and housekeeping will get into your room in your absence anyways). When not in your room, make sure you do not leave valuables like gadgets, watch, money etc and leave temptation staring up at the staff. Lock them up in the room safe or just zip them away in your bag.

I think I have covered the most important points that come to my mind. Are there any more that you can think of? Feel free to share your travel experiences in the comments below.

Travel troubles

i must have easily taken a few hundred flights in my life. All in the last 6 years, to be precise. But, even now, i am jittery before a flight. Even a domestic flight. i finish packing up the previous day (most of it at least). Have copious check lists ready, every single time. i cant eat anything before I leave home. If i do, i feel queasy on the way. My cabs are booked for exactly an hour before the reporting time. If the cab arrives, say 10 minutes early, i set off for the airport by the original cab arrival time. And the horrible airplane food after i’ve starved myself doesn’t add any joy to the prospect of traveling.

My husband, on the other hand, must have taken a few thousand flights in his life. Though he has definitely changed now, there were times when he would begin throwing things into his travel bag as the taxi arrived at our doorstep. It was pretty difficult for me to cope with this habit of his considering how seriously i take my traveling. He still doesn’t pack on the previous day (rolling eyes!) but he’s not as last minute as he used to be.

People who know me are surprised at this reaction. i am generally a confident person. And have conquered most of my fears since i have begun running life full time. So after thinking about it for a bit, i have realized that i take after my mom in this trait. She was much less exposed than i am. But the basic nature comes from her. Her reaction to challenges was much stronger where she would get all tensed and would worry too soon. Even though i am not as irrational and keep my cool most of the times. Still, the script at the back of my mind is constantly telling me to avoid trouble - be on time, write things down, run your check lists, weigh your bags etc

i will also attribute this idiosyncrasy to some real life unpleasant adventures while taking flights which tell me that things can wrong and my fear is very real. Thanks to my husband’s earlier habit of testing flight dead lines, there have been several times when we were racing against time while stuck in traffic jams on our way to airports. We would almost give up hope of making it. i think we must have also made a record by being allowed to board an international flight just 20 minutes before take off time!! (Yes, not even 20 min before boarding time!). So, there are genuine reasons to play safe.

In conclusion, it felt nice in my head to be rational about it and know that i am not really paranoid about making it on time. And i wouldn’t want to change this because i think it’s good to be organized and respect times lines. Rest assured, that i enjoy the travel that comes my way - voluntary or necessary.

What kind of a traveler are you? Chilled out or tensed up?