Even though I have gone on countless trips and vacations in my lifetime, I still always find myself a bit frazzled the day and night before my journeys. I’m a worry wart by nature (though I’m working on it!), and regardless of what I do to put the brakes on those tendencies, I find it hard to stay perfectly calm on the eve of travel. I’m leaving town tomorrow morning, and it’s happening again.
Where am I going? I’m headed to NYC tomorrow for the second annual Travel Blog Exchange Conference. Maiden Voyage is almost a year old, and I’m thrilled that I will get to meet many of the travel bloggers I’ve interacted with so much online for the past year in person. I think I will also come away with tons of tips and tricks for making this site even better. One of my best friends in the whole world lives in NYC, so I’m staying with her the first two nights, then staying at City Club Hotel the last night to review it for TravelIntelligence.com (I’ll cross-post the review here once it’s up). I can’t wait!
Despite my excitement, I can’t completely shake the pre-travel jitters. I fret that I forgot to pack something, that I didn’t finish something at work, that my flight will be delayed, that I will accidentally sleep through my alarm, that I will get stuck next to an unpleasant person on the plane, and all other kinds of worst-case scenarios.
If every flight experience went smoothly, I’m not sure I would be as fretful. But I’ve had experiences like almost missing my plane, sitting on a tarmac for over an hour while technical problems are being fixed (and then having to get off the plane and go wait in the terminal another hour). I’ve forgotten to pack things, though fortunately most things can be found and bought wherever I go.
No matter how you slice it, travel can just be stressful. You’re at the mercy of busy airlines, annoying travelers, late trains, and more. My coworker headed to New York City today (unrelated to my trip) and emailed me while she was on the tarmac–they told them to not be alarmed if lightening struck the plane while en route! Yikes. (I researched this, and it turns out that the last time a plane in the U.S. crashed from a lightening strike was 1967…phew.)
I’m working hard at accepting that things may not always go as planned. I keep reading that embracing the act of letting go of control is the key to being worry-free. I just squeezed in a good, long workout so I won’t be as antsy tomorrow. I might get a chair massage at the airport if I have time. I have had my Continental business credit card for just over year (I use it for my freelance writing/editing business), so I just received my anniversary President’s Club passes. This means I get to relax in the President’s Club before my flight there and before my flight back. Sweet! This should all help make the day less stressful.
Now I’m off to finish packing….
What about travel stresses you out? How do you deal with it?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I do the same thing! I have noticed that as I get older, the worries increase in quantity, as well as ridiculousness
I imagine all the things that could go drastically wrong, and then plan on each and every one of them happening. I actually cried before my big trip to Tanzania! What on earth? I think that had more to do with leaving my fiance though. Such a sap I have turned into. I was fine and tear-free the moment I pulled out of the driveway though!
I find packing to be the most stressful aspect of pre-travel. So, I simply procrastinate and end up hurriedly packing the day before I leave for a trip – typically, hung over! Have fun at TBEX!
@Claire — I’m so glad I’m not the only one! I also do find myself getting more stressed as I get older…as responsibilities increase, there’s so much more to worry about! I keep meaning to try meditating…
@Matt — I agree! Packing is the worst. It’s so hard to figure out what to bring and leave behind, and there’s always that fear of leaving important things, like medication or phone chargers, behind. I’ve started making lists of “can’t forget” items a few days in advance as I remember them so I can refer to them the day I actually pack.
I always worry that I’m going to forget something or that I’m going to be late to the airport for some reason. It never happens though as I’m always way early to the airport but you never know when traffic or an accident might popup!
one thing i can say, u are not alone! i worry a lot not only with the stressful packing thing, but more on the things i will miss back home (as if im not comin back!), the safety of the plane im in, the homesickness (like im gonna be away for years!) and all those stuffs… will be travelling to US for the 1st time for 3 weeks (work and vacation)…im based in manila =)