Uncomfortable Situations While Traveling

Photo credit: Tambako the Jaguar via Visual Hunt / CC BY-ND

Ever have one of those days when you think to yourself "Man! I can't believe I did that!"? Well, that happens to me a lot. Especially while traveling…

1. Sharing a bathroom with the opposite sex in Europe.

It's not that I have a problem with it, or care even, it just seems weird.
Like when I'm washing my hands and water goes down my sleeve and I squeal in surprise. Then, the guy in the stall behind me, a friend no-less, asks "what's wrong?" having seen, or at the very least heard, everything without my noticing.

Umm … dude … you weren't exactly suppose to be in the restroom … or hear me. And besides, you're peeing, which is something I absolutely do not want to think about. Can we just pretend this conversation never happened? 😧😳

2. Then there is the whole "belief" that Europeans are more comfortable with nudity than those in the US, which I can neither confirm nor deny. (Europeans, your take? Are you?)

So, as mentioned in this post, when a friend says "Let's go take a bath" which may or may not have meant thermal bath/spa (which may or may not have required clothing), I was a little uncertain as to whether or not I wanted to go along with this idea. It took a bit for me to realize we were talking about ocean swimming in bathing suits.

2. Speaking of language issues … there was nothing quite like the humiliation I felt when trying to get a French man in Alsace to pronounce the "H" in my last name correctly.

In the US, if someone mishears my last name they are likely to pronounce it with an "A", which is fine so long as you aren't trying to check into a hotel, which is what we were doing. If the front desk looks for my last name with an "A", they won't find it. So, when it sounded like the French men was pronouncing my last name with an "A", of course I had to correct him. Two or three times through and Justin told me "He gets it. That's just how they pronounce the 'h' here." I *sigh*ed as I covered my face in shame. I felt so bad for having given the poor guy a hard time. And the best/worst part is that he ended up being a superb concierge helping us with everything we needed at the hotel and even going above and beyond! I highly recommend staying at Regent Petite France! :)

3. Running out of coins in Orlando and clogging up the toll line behind us…

which is kind of similar to going into the wrong toll booth in France, pressing the call button, backing up on a main road, and going to the correct toll booth.

Us and tolls … we don't mix. :)

4. Getting hurt every. single. time. I go to Europe.

I give myself a pep talk before going every time. This time will be the time I won't fall on my butt, stub my toe, or flounder inexcusably.

And what happens?

I fall. I stub. I flounder.

I am an inexcusable mess of embarrassment not only to myself but to the people who are with me.

Oh well. It happens I guess.

5. And then there is my lack of planning for most of my trips to Europe.

The first trip had Justin and I moving. We had to car shop. We had to wedding clothes shop. We had to Europe-travel shop. (Y'know buy converters and such?) Basically, we were running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

The second time I did manage to get some planning done. It was Christmas and we had to buy presents/cook/clean/buy warm clothing for traveling to places that actually get cold… And yet somehow I managed to plan. I just didn't get Christmas cards out that year. (Turns out no one cared.)

By the time, we found ourselves returning for a third time, I was back to my lack of planning. I was working extra hours and planning a trip to NYC for July 4th simultaneously. When I informed Justin I may not have time to plan, he told me not to worry about it. And, of course, that put all of the pressure on our friends for planning a small portion of the trip. Though I must admit the part of the trip I did plan, the part in Paris and Versailles proper, is the part they should have joined us on. I did a great job at planning that! :)

6. Loving to photograph everything, but realizing when you arrive to Europe that your phone is almost full of pictures already and you have nowhere to move them to.

Oops.

(I made it work.)

7. Having kept your maiden name as your last name while traveling with the in-laws who may or may not know that's what you did. 😳

Try checking into a hotel without saying your full name.

(And of course you can't book the hotel with the husband's name because all of the points are in your name!)

8. Getting off the train at the wrong stop then rushing to reboard.

So grateful for kind and generous "others" who helped us get our 50 pound bag back on the train. "Es ist schwer!" (It's heavy!) the helper exclaimed, and I knew it to be true. 😳

9. Waking up to a red nose.

Like seriously, when you are going to see people you only see once in a year do you really want to walk around with a red nose?

Answer: no.

Thank God for make-up.

(Of course, no one ever wants to wander around looking like Rudolph, so it's neither here nor there that we were travelling.)

10. Writing a blog.

As much as I love sharing my stories, I'm always afraid I'm going to offend a co-traveler.
Like, I love you, but you are part of my story… You are part of the reason I experienced what I did and so how can I leave you out?

So, if I ever offend anyone that I've travelled with, please let me know and I will be happy to take my post down. Even if half the world has already seen it. I love my friends and would never want to hurt their feelings. Any time I do, it is never on purpose.

What are some uncomfortable situations you've been in while traveling?