Substack Cross Post: Nothing Beats a Jet2Holiday
The latest viral meme is pulling the curtain aside and sharing the wildest travel /vacation moments I’ve seen caught on video. It made me think back to my own chaotic, confusing, and embarrassing “Jet2Holiday” travel experiences. Thankfully not as physically dangerous as some out there but definitely an Instagram vs. Reality moment plus lessons learned.
(warning: mild scrapes & blood)
(I'm putting this story first so you can avoid the jumpscare of bloood)
1. Carry-on an extra outfit: I try so hard to not check my bag when flying internationally but some airlines are strict on sizing. What I should have done was pull out one extra pair of pants for my backpack. Because sometimes you spill a drink in your own lap and you have to sit in wet leggings until you get off the plane. And then the airport terminal for your layover doesn’t have a store that sells pants, shorts, or even dresses! Thankfully for me, the gift shop did sell very large T-shirts. I spent my 3 hour layover in the women’s bathroom of Dublin Airport, pants-less, wearing an oversized tee, washing my leggings in the sink, and drying them with the hand blower.
2. Wildlife in Belize: On a boat tour around Caye Caulker, there’s a quiet side where big fish are waiting. I didn’t realize that putting my hand over the water to point at them would be tempting them with the promise of food! A Tarpon fish leapt out of the water and engulfed my arm up to my elbow, scaring me for life! Thankfully they have very tiny teeth but I learned to keep my hands inside the boat from then on.
3. Underwater hazards in Costa Rica: Picture this, I’m wading into the knee high waters at Tamarindo Beach to get a perfect sunset picture. The downside of looking through the lens was not seeing a deep underwater hole made by rocks. I lost my footing and scraped my knee. Thankfully I was able to keep my camera above water. Am I clumsy or am I just really committed to getting the perfect shot?
4. Banking headaches: Security of your bank account while you are overseas is a good thing to have. Unfortunately sometimes it can be too much of a good thing. As I tried to login to my bank, they saw my overseas IP address and locked my account down. Not only did they lock the account but they created a whole new one for me with a new number. That meant my debit card would no longer work. Getting a replacement card while abroad was impossible. Unfortunately that meant I couldn’t access cash and I couldn’t use the cancelled card to pay for things. Thankfully I had another credit card in my wallet. This happened before things like Apple Pay and Virtual Cards existed, but even if you don’t think you need to, go ahead and tell your bank when and where you’re travelling to avoid unnecessary lockdowns.
5. Passport Safety: Travel advice usually includes locking your passport and valuables inside the safe in your hotel room. But how safe is too safe when you’re under-caffeinated and trying to catch an early morning train to a new city three hours away? I dug into my purse in the lobby of my new hotel in Madrid, and literally face-palmed when I realized I left my passport in my Barcelona hotel. Thankfully I had a digital copy of my passport so I could use that to check in. I called the previous hotel and arranged for an overnight courier. It cost about $75 and I’m just lucky I didn’t do this before a flight.
I hope those other travelers out there don’t feel so bad, embarrassing mistakes happen to the best of us while abroad.
Originally posted on Substack - HERE
