The Overwhelm of Travel - Beyond the Glamour and Adventure
Aren’t some journeys overwhelming? In my opinion, the travel in which the journey seems never ending and inflicted with helplessness thoughts of your loved ones is particularly the worst. My latest travel experience, which occurred as the first trip of the year 2024, was not enjoyable for me. I found myself torn between two different time zones, as I had to leave my children behind in order to take care of my aging parents. And again on the return journey, I was sad leaving behind my parents to go back to my children. I couldn’t be more grateful that I was there in time for mummy and papa, who were more than delighted and relieved on my arrival in Bengaluru. And similarly all my sorrows vanished when I was welcomed by little small hands tugging me hard with kisses and hugs at my return in The Hague.
Somehow my children and aging parents are my biggest weakness. You may wonder why my sister and husband are excluded from this. No, my husband and sister are not excluded, however there is a prevailing perception in my mind that they are fit, young, and capable of taking care of themselves. With my parents and children, the perception is that they are dependent and helpless. This time, however, the fact that we all live far apart, even on different continents, intensified my travel anxiety.
Usually, I thoroughly enjoy the entire process of travel planning, from booking my trip to meticulously organizing my packing weeks in advance. The sight and smell of airport chaos, the the unperturbed indifference towards the long waiting transit times, and the exhilaration throughout the flight have always filled me with adrenaline, leading me to believe that travel is incredibly exciting. I was always fully covered on social media with my posts and reels showcasing my adventures and experiences in a new tourist destination. I never shared any glimpse of the challenges or difficulties I faced because, honestly, I didn't encounter any. However, everything changed when a medical emergency occurred on a Tuesday morning in January.
I was on the next plane out and my most cherished Emirates airlines was flying me through a 16 hours overwhelming journey to my home country. And suddenly there was no adrenaline packed. I breezed past the airport sights and smell, the duty free and my favourite Asian poke bowl at my go-to airport restaurant didn’t allure me. I silently sat immersed in my thoughts at the boarding gate desperately waiting for the time to tick while the staff nonchalantly announced the boarding process. The journey felt the longest, the most intense travel ever. Tears rolled down steadily thinking about my little munchkins back home. They would’ve come back from school only to realise mumma had left with a promise to come back soon. The Soon was uncertain yet a promise had to be made because it was the first time their mumma was leaving them and flying out, not for business, not for leisure, but to be the one to hold the fort while her aging parents most needed her around. And ironically I was in the same position when I flew back home to the Netherlands with the thought of leaving my old parents to manage by themselves. It never felt like this before when I left a zillion times to go back after vacations. Yes I missed them a lot but this time was different. I noticed their crinkled skin, their tired eyes, their slow movements and warm hands hugging me tight to make me smile and send me off happily reassuring me that they will be fine.
I always arm myself with a camera, a map and my phone notepad on my travels, documenting every experience I encounter, photographing every moment or enchanting attraction. On this occasion, the only image I captured was that of the sunset I observed from the hospital window. It had a surreal quality to it, reminding me of all the times I had traveled far and wide to witness the most breathtaking sunsets in the world. However, the truth was that I was confined to one place, stranded in the hospital, and yet the sunset appeared just as beautiful as any other. It made me reflect on how travel is always portrayed as exciting and glamorous, while seldom revealing the reality behind it.
Apart from a situation like mine dealing with homesickness and helplessness, there are also issues of jet lag, navigating unfamiliar places, experiencing language barriers, dealing with unexpected delays or cancellations, and managing culture shock that are unspoken about. If we shared these challenges, we could provide a more balanced view of travel and help others prepare for the realities they may encounter. My takeaway - Not every trip is a breeze. Travel throws curveballs, so brace ourselves yourselves for the unexpected.
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