The 10 Unavoidable Truths of Travel

by Brenna Holeman

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About to head off into the unknown 

There’s an incredible mix of emotions we get right before we set forth on a new adventure: excitement, anxiety, anticipation. The beauty in travel is that we never really know what’s going to happen once we arrive in an unfamiliar place.

Except for these things. These ten things will definitely happen.

 

1. You will spend too much money. 

No matter how well you budget or plan, inevitably you will end up spending more money than you thought you would. This generally happens when something unforeseen happens, such as a cracking (but pricey) night out, an accident, or a necessary splurge on a nice hotel. I wish that I was better at budgeting, but I’ve never regretted any of the money I spent while travelling – it was all worth it.

When did it happen to me? Um, every time. I have gone over budget for every trip I’ve ever taken, though never more than I knew that I could eventually pay back. For example, in Dublin two weeks ago, 100 euros magically disappeared from my wallet. And by magically disappeared, I mean I magically spent it all. I looked at my credit card statement today and whimpered. I enjoyed every one of those spent euros, however.

Guinness

You’re welcome, Guinness

2. You will get sick.

I’m kind of a jerk and say things like, “I never got sick in India!” when people tell endless tales of Delhi Belly. Do not be mistaken, however – I have gotten sick countless other times around the world. You probably will, too. It only makes sense; you’re sleeping in unfamiliar places, eating unfamiliar foods, drinking water from unfamiliar sources, and generally putting a lot of stress on your body. Even if I take extreme cautions against getting sick, I still often catch that cold that is going around the hostel, or that stomach flu from the orange juice stall in Morocco. OK – I really didn’t take extreme caution against that one.

When did it happen to me? Uh yeah, you’re going to see a trend here. Every time. Not every single trip I’ve ever taken, but on any extended holiday, I’ve fallen ill a few times. Most recently, I came down with the cold that everyone at TBEX seemed to have gotten in Ireland. You’d think drinking all that delicious Irish whiskey would kill all germs, but apparently bloggers and industry folks are no match for the indomitable TBEX strain of cold.

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I both love and hate the fact that I have a photo of the actual glass of orange juice that gave me a stomach virus

3. Your feet will be nasty.

They will. You’ll get blisters and bites and stub your toes and all of the nail polish will chip off. Travelling around a place like Southeast Asia means you’re constantly wearing flip flops, which means you’re exposing your feet to, well, everything. Thankfully there are a lot of cheap pedicure places around, but don’t expect your feet to stay clean and soft for long.

When did it happen to me? I distinctly remember walking through a river of human/cow/who knows excrement and raw sewage in Jaisalmer, India. It was the only way to get back to the hotel, and a pipe had burst or something. Yes, I was wearing flip flops. No, it was not pleasant. Yes, I fought with my travel partner over first shower.

Cows in India

This was the day I walked through human poop

4. You will lose something.

It can be something tiny or something huge, something worthless or something incredibly valuable, but be warned: you will lose something. Even if it’s just your dignity.

When did it happen to me? Fairly certain I lost my dignity in a bubble machine on a beach in Koh Phangan, and horrible flashbacks of a few nights in Colombia come to mind. Other than that, I lost my best travel lock in Bolivia (still don’t know how it disappeared) and my favourite lipstick (on one of those nights in Colombia). Tiny things, but annoying to lose regardless. I’m quite responsible when I travel and have been lucky enough to not lose anything major… yet.

Full Moon Party

Dignity = gone

Partying in Cali

The last photo taken with my favourite lipstick, before it was flung onto the dance floor and never to be seen again. A terrible tragedy, especially because they don’t sell Cover Girl in Colombia

5. You will break something.

Hopefully it won’t be a bone, or a jaw. More than likely it will be a smartphone, or maybe your heart. Inevitably, something will smash in your bag or your locker, or your camera will conveniently stop working right before you get to Angkor Wat. Try to remind yourself that it is only a material thing, and that accidents happen.

When did it happen to me? That bit about Angkor Wat wasn’t pulled out of thin air – my camera really did have a complete malfunction/break-down while I was in 4000 Islands in Laos and about to cross over to Cambodia. I did what any normal person does in that situation: I reminded myself that it is only a material thing, and that accidents happen. Just kidding! I punched it. I punched my camera.

Uruguay

Sometimes even a bottle breaking can be devastating. This one in Uruguay was worth one dollar upon its return! The horror! 

6. You will be scammed.

Despite any research you may do about a place before arriving, there will probably be yet another scam developed by people hellbent upon ripping tourists off. Thieves are always evolving, and people will think of the most clever ways to get your money or your belongings. The best thing to do is just trust your instinct, and always take marked cabs. If something feels wrong, it probably is. We all lose a few bucks along the way, but a few bucks is better than a lot of bucks.

When did it happen to me? I’ve been fairly lucky in my travels, but I am 100% positive that I have overpaid at almost every market I’ve been to. Another scam I fell into was in Lisbon, Portugal; I had just arrived from Paris, and jumped in a taxi as I was exhausted and it was the middle of the night. My hostel said it should cost no more than 8 euros from the airport, and I watched as the meter went up to about 7,50. When I handed the driver the money he took it, but then said, “More.” My initial reaction was to think, “What? No!” until I realized that he wasn’t going to give me my backpack out of the trunk until I paid him an extra 10 euros. Hours later someone tried to steal my bag with a hook. What’s up, Lisbon? (still one of my favourite cities in Europe)

7. You will get lost.

Google Maps is great… if you have wifi and are walking around a city where it’s totally safe to whip your smartphone out in public. For the most part, though, I still rely on paper maps and guidebooks to get me around. The crappy part about that? Cities change, and maps don’t always reflect that (hi, London). Also, brains are weird, and we make mistakes sometimes. Even if you have the best sense of direction, you’ll still get utterly and completely lost at some point.

When did it happen to me? I got lost in Venice, but everyone gets lost in Venice, even the pigeons. I also once walked for an hour up and down the same streets in Zurich looking for a cemetery (I wanted to see James Joyce’s grave, and also I’m kind of creepy and like cemeteries). Finally I stopped and asked someone, “Do you know where the cemetery is?” The man replied, “No, I don’t, but you’re standing beside a sign that says cemetery in German.” Doh. I just couldn’t see over the walls. My advice? Always ask for directions, even if you think you’re going the right way.

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The essential words to learn before heading to Zurich: hello, thank you, and cemetery 

8. You will do something foul.

You know, like walking through human excrement in flip flops. Or using something that isn’t toilet paper as toilet paper. Or throwing up in a plastic bag and leaving it in a train rubbish bin. These are just random examples, guys. At some point, your limits will be tested and you will have to do something you would never, ever do in your hometown. We all do it.

When did it happen to me? That requires a whole other blog post. This one is really foul, though, and I swear on my life that it was NOT me, but that I was simply present: I was out for dinner with a girl I was travelling with through Thailand and we decided to keep the night going. We were on Koh Phi Phi, and found ourselves on the opposite side and end of the island to where we were staying, but that’s where the best nightlife was. As we approached the bars, though, she suddenly felt quite ill (diarrhoea. I’m talking about diarrhoea). We searched; no suitable bathrooms anywhere. So, she did what was necessary: she relieved herself behind a palm tree on the beach. Thankfully I had tissues for her to use. Do you know what we called the island for the remainder of our time there?… Do I really need to spell it out?…….. OK, fine. Koh Poo Poo. We called it Koh Poo Poo.

Koh Phi Phi

So picturesque, that Koh Poo Poo 

9. You will have a weird bug on you.

At some point in your travels, you will look at a creature so strange that your brain won’t even register that it is real. At another point in your travels, that creature will probably be crawling up your leg. I don’t mean to scare anyone, but you are guaranteed to have at least one insect on your body. You will also be riddled with bites. Sand flies, mosquitoes, spiders: they love tourist blood.

When did it happen to me? Well, there was that time I punched a cockroach off my arm while I was in bed. Seriously, by that point, so many cockroaches had crawled on me that I just didn’t care anymore. Never, ever stay in one of the hotels directly on the Haad Rin party beach in Koh Phangan, unless you want your nights to be filled with endless Rihanna songs and cockroaches crawling on your skin. Hey, I won’t judge if you do.

Bug in Laos

LOOK AT THIS BUG THAT WAS ON MY BEER CAN IN LAOS! (I touched it)

10. You will have the time of your life.

Did I just paint you a nice picture? You’re standing there, confused to which street you’re on. You may or may not have had your wallet stolen, but your iPad is definitely broken. Your stomach is still heaving from the Bali Belly you contracted. Your feet are covered in mosquito bites that seem to be worsening by the minute.

You know what? I bet you don’t care. I bet you’re having an incredible time regardless. These trips I keep ragging on? They were absolutely brilliant, and I loved every minute of them (seriously, I had a fantastic time in Koh Phangan, despite the lung infection and the cockroach infestation). I hope you read this with a sense of humour; I certainly wrote it with one. Because for all of these bad things that happen when you travel, there are a million amazing things that happen when you travel. There’s laughter and learning and love. There’s friendship. There’s food. There’s mountains and oceans, forests and deserts. There’s the best days of your life, there’s the best nights of your life. There’s new cultures and new music, new ways of looking at the world. Don’t let a few bad things spoil your trip; they really do happen to all of us. It’s about brushing it off, putting that backpack back on, and getting out to see what crazy adventure the world gives you next.

When did it happen to me? This time. The next time. Every time.

Crazy in Colombia

Having the best time in Guatape, Colombia

What do you think of this list? Do you agree? Would you add anything?

The 10 Unavoidable Truths of Travel

Check out some more unavoidable truths of travel: You Will Discover Wanderlust, You Will Question Your Role as Traveller

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78 comments

Scott October 21, 2013 - 1:51 pm

I’m still occasionally hacking and coughing from a cough that my friends brought back from Derry while I was at TBEX. We’ve christened it the “Derry Death”

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Brenna Holeman October 21, 2013 - 1:56 pm

Ha ha! I must have gotten the Dublin Death. Hope you’re doing well, Scott (despite the cough).

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Nurse-issistic Traveller October 21, 2013 - 2:44 pm

#4. I lost a pack of condoms(yes you have to stay safe especially during the Full moon party) in most likely the same bubble machine in Koh Phangan.

#7. I got lost in Venice too but that’s when I realized that when you’re in Venice you just have to put down that map and just follow those little arrows in the building walls. After all, Venice is the best place to get lost, right?

#10. Need I say more? A couple of setbacks vs. an experience that’ll last a lifetime? That’s a pretty good ratio, if you ask me…

Another awesome post Brenna. I’m gonna share this to my friends, especially the hesitant ones. That a little less explaining to do on my part.
Thank you!

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Brenna Holeman October 21, 2013 - 3:16 pm

Aw, thank you very much! I’m so glad that you could relate and that you think it could help your friends.

Losing a pack of condoms sucks, especially because Thai condoms are horrible. And you’re totally right about Venice, it’s all about getting lost there.

Thanks again for your great comment!

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Vicky October 26, 2013 - 3:41 pm

Hi Brenna,

A brilliant piece!

#8 — Numerous times peeing in the bush or the woods when doing a road trip by car in Tibet with two guys…yes, for two weeks, bcs most of the time we were just in the middle of nowhere, what could we do???

#9 — In the jungle of Amazon, a team of giant ants were marching on my boots and trying to get to the other side, as I was accidentally standing right on their route… totally freaked me out…

#11 or 12 maybe — Problem with visa and air ticket, anyone? I was once rejected to board the flight from Almaty,Kazakstan to Wroclaw,Poland (transit in Moscow and Warsaw) bcs I didn’t have a Russian visa (Which I don’t have to) and a paper e-ticket with me, and they couldn’t find my flight details in their system, so there is a “possibility” that I will be rejected at Russian customs and be deported back to Kazakstan… Although eventually I made it to Poland, still one of my worst travel experience in history…

But at the end, we all love traveling to death, don’t we 🙂

Vicky

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Helen October 21, 2013 - 3:43 pm

I am still trying to compose myself after reading about Koh Poo Poo. My most distinct memory from Phi Phi, was waking up in my dorm, to find the only people left in there were me and a very naked man on the bottom bunk across the room. I should call it Koh Pee Pee.

Another thing you invariably break on the road… your heart. And I must say, I’ve lost a number of cameras to the travel Gods…

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Brenna Holeman October 21, 2013 - 4:49 pm

Ooooh good one re: the broken heart. I may have to edit the post to add it (with your name attached, of course!).

Why on earth do so many men sleep naked in hostels? And why is it always the man who you would NOT want to see naked? I don’t get it.

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Kristine February 9, 2014 - 7:30 am

I totally agree with overspending and then losing things. I almost lost my luggage on my way to my next destination. I forgot I carried a luggage inside the taxi from the airport. I realized it when I was to unpack. Taxi driver was good enough to come back.

I also agree with having your heart broken (and the advice that you should bring “protection” just in case).

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Brenna Holeman February 9, 2014 - 1:47 pm

Oh no! I’m sorry you lost your luggage. It seems that all of us make travel mistakes sometimes…

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Alyssa October 21, 2013 - 6:07 pm

This is hilarious! A lot of these have happened to me. Notably the night I spent in Paris: my feet were dirty and grey from the sand around the Seine, with splash marks…That will soon be explained in a blog post, as soon as I can get legal permission from all of the characters involved….

*cough* I didn’t get that TBEX cold. *cough*

P.S. Tom says, “All of these things have happened to me. In London.” Bahaha!

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Brenna Holeman October 21, 2013 - 10:41 pm

Ha ha ha re: Tom!

And now I really want to read that story. Sounds scandalous!

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Tom @ Waegook Tom October 21, 2013 - 8:46 pm

AMEN. I love this, Brenna. Also I’m sure none of those foul things were you. Not at all. Especially the using something that isn’t toilet paper as toilet paper. I’ve totally never done that either. Never. Ever.

A part of my camera just randomly fell off when I was in Istanbul a few months ago. I stared at it for a few seconds before picking it up. I didn’t really care, though. I was full of delicious food. The streets were lit up, as was the Blue Mosque during Ramadan. I got it fixed the following week in Korea anyway.

As for the scams, the last time I got ripped off was by a taxi in Belgrade, on my most recent trip! He tried to charge me £30 for a 10 minute ride. I refused to pay and he bumped it down to half, which was still waaaaay too much. I’ve downloaded CityMaps2Go on my iPhone so I can walk in the future and not fall prey to taxi drivers at bus or train stations.

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Brenna Holeman October 21, 2013 - 10:43 pm

Nope. Not I. Not any of them.

OK no but really, seriously not the Koh Poo Poo one.

I totally know that feeling of something happening – like a piece of a camera falling off – and just not caring. Life is too short and travelling is too amazing to worry too much about those little things.

Good tip about the CityMaps2Go! I am sure I’ve been ripped off by many a taxi driver in my day. I always try to figure out how much the taxi will be beforehand, but we never can know for sure…

Thanks as always for your comment, my friend. x

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Mikeachim October 21, 2013 - 9:26 pm

Number 7 is pretty much *why* I travel. (Seriously, Google “Gadling Mike Sowden lost” if you want proof). My way to number 10 has been, again and again, through number 7. I absolutely adore that feeling of not having a clue where to go next, and having to piece it together, detective-style.

Not when I’m in a hurry, though. That’s a living hell, yes.

As for being robbed, yep – in Dusseldorf. With 6 hours to go before my plane. And they stole all my credit cards, my travel tickets…and my passport. I got a new one, in 5.5 hours (some kind of record, I believe).

That day would have been a really, really bad day for number 7 to strike.

Nice post. 🙂

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Brenna Holeman October 21, 2013 - 10:48 pm

Thank you, Mike! I’m glad that you liked the post.

I actually have quite a good sense of direction, but I often try to get lost on purpose. You’re right, it’s the way to number 10. I love that feeling, too.

And that is a crazy story about Dusseldorf – not the robbery, but the fact that you got another passport so quickly. I am impressed and amazed. Thanks again for your comment!

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Julika October 21, 2013 - 10:20 pm

Great post Brenna! I had the Dublin cold too — what’s the deal with travel blogging conferences and colds? 🙂
An regarding Lisbon: I paid thirty Euros instead of ten for my cab ride from the airport to my hostel. The driver didn’t even care to turn on the meter in the first place. After that scam however, I practiced saying hallo and my address in super colloquial Portuguese — and I was never cab-scammed again during the next five months 🙂

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Brenna Holeman October 21, 2013 - 10:45 pm

Thanks, Julika! We all got each other sick, I think. But…the real question is…who had it first?

Hmm, interesting that the same thing happened to you in Lisbon, but great tip about learning the local language so as not to get scammed! Thanks for your comment.

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Alana - Paper Planes October 22, 2013 - 5:22 am

Oh my gosh – I love this!

Like, LOVE it.

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Brenna Holeman October 22, 2013 - 10:03 am

Thank you, Alana!

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Merete October 22, 2013 - 2:45 pm

Love this post!!

A lot of this things just HAVE TO happen 🙂

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Brenna Holeman October 22, 2013 - 9:54 pm

Thank you!

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Jennskie October 22, 2013 - 4:04 pm

While reading this, can’t help but smile and reminiscing my travels. I can relate to all except for #9.haha! Maybe I’m just lucky. :))

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Brenna Holeman October 22, 2013 - 9:55 pm

I’m so glad that you got a smile out of it! And yes, I think you’re quite lucky. I’ve had all sorts of bugs and creepy crawlies on me…

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Casey @ A Cruising Couple October 22, 2013 - 4:04 pm

Awesome unavoidable truths! Unfortunately the getting sick one is especially true for me. Every time I visit a new country I get sick at about the two week mark. It certainly gets frustrating! I’m not a huge fan of the crazy bugs either, but I’ve at least given up worrying about it 🙂

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Brenna Holeman October 22, 2013 - 9:56 pm

I think that’s the key – to give up worrying about it! I always get sick after a few weeks, too, wonder what that is…

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Steph (@ 20 Years Hence) October 22, 2013 - 4:27 pm

A thousand times yes! After 14 months of traveling through Asia, I have personally experienced each and every one of these things… multiple times in most cases. Traveling really strips you down and makes you vulnerable in ways you really can’t appreciate until you’re out there on the road and suddenly anything & everything goes. Let’s just say I’ve seen (and possibly been a party to) things that make your (I mean, your friend’s…) Koh Poo Poo story sound like a fairytale.

But at the end of the day, you’re absolutely right: it’s all totally worth it. Those pains make the pleasure all the sweeter!

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Brenna Holeman October 22, 2013 - 9:53 pm

Ha ha – I want to know those stories! The dirtier/grosser, the better.

I’m really glad that you could relate to this post, thank you so much for your comment.

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Sam October 22, 2013 - 8:48 pm

This just got me so excited for my upcoming trip. I have been so stressed about getting everything in line and then I read this and just want to hop on the plane and let all the adventure and misadventure begin! Thanks for sharing!

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Brenna Holeman October 22, 2013 - 9:52 pm

Oh great! I’m so happy it could help you out a little bit. I’m positive you’ll have an amazing adventure.

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Zalie October 23, 2013 - 11:38 am

All part of the adventure, but I think you know that already 😉

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Brenna Holeman October 24, 2013 - 10:20 am

Yes, but it’s always nice to be reminded…

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Marie October 23, 2013 - 6:36 pm

Another great bunch of stories!! Great pics….love the one of you and Z! And we got lost in Venice as well.

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Brenna Holeman October 24, 2013 - 10:21 am

Thank you Marie! I’m so happy that you enjoy my blog.

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Lauren October 24, 2013 - 11:42 am

Yep, yep, and YEP to all of these! Earlier today I was wondering if my feet will ever be clean ever again. (Probably not, but that’s okay–small price to pay for the time of my life!)

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Brenna Holeman October 24, 2013 - 12:29 pm

The worst is when you take off your flip flops…and you can still see the line of the flip flops. Ah well, as you said, it’s a small price to pay!

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Emy October 24, 2013 - 8:17 pm

I loooved this post!
And I absolutely agree! Though I haven’t broken something … yet.
But I’m guilty of all the other ones, especially getting sick&spending too much money!

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Brenna Holeman October 25, 2013 - 5:06 pm

I’m so glad you enjoyed it and could relate to (most of) it!

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Carmel October 26, 2013 - 1:21 am

We’re just under 6 weeks into our RTW and already experienced about half those things. Can’t wait for the other half! Just kidding. It wasn’t so fun not being able to find our bus stop for the airport bus in Seoul at 5am with all our belongings and running after the bus with all 14 kilos strapped to each of our backs…but we eventually found the stop…so, all’s well that ends well, right?

And we love cemeteries, too. It’s not weird. Right?

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Brenna Holeman October 26, 2013 - 12:27 pm

You will inevitably experience the other half, but I promise that you won’t really care when they happen – you’ll be too happy wandering the world! I think that going through all of these things teaches you a lot about travelling and about yourself.

And I hope loving cemeteries isn’t weird…I find them absolutely fascinating!

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Jac October 26, 2013 - 4:45 am

Ah so is TBEX where this crazy cough/cold I’m having came from – thought it was the drastic weather change for me (live in Singapore, it is hothothot here) – I’m still hacking though, bleargh

Great post though! My friends love having me around because I’m the resident bug squasher, though having stuff crawl on me makes my skin crawl just thinking about it.

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Brenna Holeman October 26, 2013 - 12:28 pm

Honestly, I think we ALL got that TBEX cold!

Resident bug squasher – that’s a good title. Travelling has definitely made me less squeamish about bugs.

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Amy October 27, 2013 - 10:46 am

So true. The Koh Phi Phi story is really horrid though, I haven’t done anything that foul yet! I also woke up with a cockroach crawling up my arm in the Philippines and I’ve learned to accept the fact that in Asia, your feet will never be clean!

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Brenna Holeman October 27, 2013 - 1:58 pm

Ugh, I hate when cockroaches crawl on me. Then again, who DOESN’T hate that? *shudder* And it’s so true about feet!

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Emily McIntyre October 27, 2013 - 7:56 pm

Incredible post! Some, not all, of those things have happened to me. Glad I have so much to look forward to! I would add that sometimes you’ll find glory in the most prosaic of places, humdrum lives in the midst of majesty, and develop a deeper and deeper sense of curiosity.

EWM

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Brenna Holeman October 27, 2013 - 11:45 pm

Thanks for your comment, Emily! I was trying to showcase all of the not so pleasant things that happen to us on the road, but if I write a positive list, those would definitely be on it.

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Kathryn October 28, 2013 - 3:26 pm

Thanks for the entertaining post. I’ve been lucky in my travels so far but Lopermide (anti-diarrhoea) is my friend and has come in useful many times on my trips to Cambodia. I look at that fateful photo of you with the orange juice and I want to shout out “Don’t do it!!”

I always have it nearby I have been scammed in both Cambodia ( by a European guy claiming he’d lost his passport/wallet) and New York (chap saying he’d been pick-pocketed). Each time it was very upsetting but then I think of the many wonderful, generous people that have helped and befriended me on my travels and I put it in the right perspective.

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Brenna Holeman October 28, 2013 - 6:53 pm

I look at that photo and think the same thing! I always travel with Imodium. 😉

That’s too bad that you’ve been scammed twice, but I think you have an absolutely great attitude about it. You’re right – it’s all about perspective.

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Kara Basmayor November 4, 2013 - 5:21 pm

This is a nice and helpful article. And, i also had F-U-N reading it! I’ll surely keep these things in mind. Oh Truth. =)

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Jessica Wray December 27, 2013 - 10:24 am

Such a fabulous post! I loved it and found every inch of it entertaining.

Hilarious how you have that photo with the orange juice. I have a few photos of my meals that made me sick…..I can’t bare to look at them…..

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Brenna Holeman December 31, 2013 - 12:25 pm

Cheers, thanks! I have a photo of a meal that gave me food poisoning… I should just delete it, but somehow I like having the evidence, ha ha.

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Phillip Levene March 2, 2014 - 7:56 pm

A really great article. Really accurate. You seem to have been to many places. I really respect that. You write really well. It’s engaging and informative.
I’m currently in Thailand. Been travelling for nearly 2 years now. Been to a few of the places you have visited.
I’ll definitely be reading more of your articles, peace and smiles

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Brenna Holeman March 2, 2014 - 10:59 pm

Thank you so much, Phillip! I’m really glad that you could relate to the article, even though it was tongue-in-cheek. I’m so happy that you’ll be reading more, I look forward to your comments!

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Franca March 3, 2014 - 1:40 pm

It is pretty accurate list. Based on my experience though you might end up spending less money than you would have expected which it can only mean that you can travel for longer 🙂

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Brenna Holeman March 3, 2014 - 10:57 pm

Yes – I think a lot of people would agree with you! I have always been a spender, though, so I’m sure I’ll continue to go over budget. C’est la vie…

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Robin March 8, 2014 - 5:02 pm

I loved this article! I don’t have anything quite as adventurous as this coming up, but I am getting ready for a 2 week visit to Ireland, with a long weekend in Paris in the middle. I’ve never been to Europe and am overwhelmed by trying to absorb information….from what to pack, to language barriers, to cultural differences. Your humor and insight brought home the point to relax, enjoy the adventure, and take in stride the bumps in the road. Thank you!

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Brenna Holeman March 10, 2014 - 1:25 am

Thank you so much, Robin! I’m really glad you enjoyed the article. Have an amazing time in Ireland and Paris!

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Adrienne March 11, 2014 - 4:31 pm

All very true!

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Brenna Holeman March 11, 2014 - 4:34 pm

Thanks, Adrienne!

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Chelsea June 2, 2014 - 11:02 pm

~ You will do something terrifying!

While volunteering at a wildlife reserve in Bolivia, I spent a month walking an ocelot (I should really say “being walked”) through the jungle. Only once did we get lost and have to wait in the dark for a rescue party…

One of my favourite travel experiences!

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Brenna Holeman June 3, 2014 - 3:08 pm

Ha ha, a good one to add! Thanks for the comment Chelsea.

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Martin June 10, 2014 - 2:08 pm

Truly speaking most of this happens to me also during my trip to Thailand… it remind me my old memories. Thanks for sharing your traveling experience with us…

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Brenna Holeman June 11, 2014 - 1:37 pm

Thanks for the comment, Martin!

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Kate August 4, 2014 - 9:36 pm

I just found your blog and am spending a happy few hours reading though your archives. This article really made me laugh! Reminds me of my travels a few years ago and is whetting my appetite for more travelling next year.

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Brenna Holeman August 5, 2014 - 12:20 am

Aw, thank you very much, Kate! I’m glad that you’re enjoying the blog.

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Alexis August 11, 2014 - 9:15 pm

Just stumbled across your website and love it! A great read and inspiration for us female travelers.

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Brenna Holeman August 12, 2014 - 1:21 am

Thank you very much, Alexis! I’m glad you’re enjoying the site.

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Patrick February 10, 2015 - 12:53 pm

I agree with you on the money thing. Nothing is ever cheap in travel even when you go backpacking.

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Brenna Holeman February 10, 2015 - 2:56 pm

I always end up spending a little bit more than I planned! Oh well…

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Nomadic Foot August 10, 2016 - 8:15 pm

Really these are the truth people face when they travel. Some people wouldn’t like the post but guys it’s true. Even people like us who keep on traveling face these situations. Great post thanks for the sharing.

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J October 25, 2017 - 5:31 pm

Hilarious.. and so very true!

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Jodi Suckle December 18, 2017 - 7:50 pm

Yes to all of these things!
The thing that broke at the elephant sanctuary in the jungle in Thailand was in fact a bone (in my foot). I survived and it makes for a great story. I also feel braver and more invincible now.

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Quinn July 11, 2019 - 6:27 pm

You are right, true, this is unavoidable 🙂
Thank you

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