So as I sit here on my sofa waiting for the sky TV man to come and fix my telly, I reflect. Following yet another week away I thought I would quickly share my top 10 fave things about traveling and being at home...(I'll give you my status later on..)
Travels
1. Meeting new peeps from different places. Both interesting and funny to see similarities and differences. I remember talking to a French colleague recently who was describing someone and she said we have a word we use in France but I am not sure what the English equivalent is - nonchalant. We stole that word (along with many others) didn't we?
2. New places. I am a great believer in the old Wizard of Oz adage, there is no place like home. There isn't i don't think. However there are some pretty cool places out there which in fairness I probably would never know about or even think to go to if it wasn't for work. I would quite like to be able to click my heels to come home though, I mean it would save a hell of a lot of time hanging around airports wouldn't it?
3. Different food and drink. I travel to Belgium a lot. Everyone always says to me - oh i bet you eat loads of muscles, chips and drink beer. Of course I have drunk beer in Belgium (it would a crime not to try it right?) but honestly until the last time I have never eaten chips there, ever. There are some amazing restaurants there which totally kick that stereotype out of the park. Although this past week my American colleague was put off a little when he saw pigeon on the menu and had visions of a man with a shotgun running round Brussels trying to catch dinner. But lets face it I have seen squirrel on a menu in London and that's basically a rat with a tale (a cute rat with tale but still...)
4. Hearing different languages and appreciating English is not the only way. I am a prime example of a lazy English person. I am pretty well educated, degree plus MA etc, however I can only speak English with limited how do I get to the station type phrases in French and German. To be frank, its rubbish and highly embarrassing when colleagues starts using words like inappropriate (don't ask!) when their first language is Dutch. Must must learn a language and stop being lazy person.
5. Different strokes for different folks (or different cultures at least). I live in the South East and I work in London. I have lived in Manchester before and the north is very different to the South. When you work in London I think sometimes you have to keep check of yourself as people kind of keep themselves to themselves. When you travel this is a whole new world. I missed my stop when going back to catch Eurostar once and a lovely lady got off the train at the next stop and took me back to Brussels midi to make sure I found my way. In London, that would never happen and to be honest we would probably question it if it did. I remember one time when I gave up my seat on the tube for an older lady she looked at me like I had stolen something. Traveling keeps you a bit balanced because it sends you out of your comfort zone so you behave less like a total fool on the tube.
Ok here come the shallow ones...
6. Airmiles/Eurostar/Hilton/Marriott/Radisson points (COME ON - you were all thinking it weren't you)
7. Having someone else make my bed and clean my room EVERY day - woo hoo, one place I went recently they did that twice a day AND left me chocolates on my pillows!! Awesome.
8. Having a lie in - traveling normally means hotel close to place of work so zero commute.
9. DUTY FREE!!! (ok bad for wallet but oh so GOOD)
10. Variety - it is the spice of life isn't it?
Homeward
1. My bed/my sofa/my house - no place like it ever. I was ill when i was away this week and that just sucked. I just wanted to be in my house, in my bed with my slippers (ok yes I'm old) and my pj's. The hotel was nice but when you wake up at 3am and cant sleep you want to be home. End of.
2. Tea. Nowhere in the world makes it as well as we do here in the UK and that is official. And we all need a decent cuppa now and then, well most days in fairness.
3. Eating what you want when you want. Traveling is fab for eating in nice places and having food brought to you in your room if you want it but lets face it, some nights you just fancy beans on toast or a bowl of cereal right. No can do when you travel. So you force yourself out for another slap up meal and watch that little number on the scale become a bigger number...
4. Clothing options. However much you practice you cannot allow for that morning when you wake up and want to wear something different which you didn't bring. You never have that problem at home (well I don't) unless I haven't ironed for a week or two...:S
5. Baths. I don't bath often. I am a shower girl however sometimes I like a bath. You know when you are tired, or you have worked out or you have a cold. I find it hard to have a bath in a hotel unless I am freeze my butt off cold. There is something not quite right about it.
6. Plane food. No need to say any more really is there.
7. My cats. Yes they are nuts, cost a fortune in vet bills but they are cute and miss them not following me round like dogs (yes they do). In fact one of my cats runs to the door when the door bell rings. I think she actually believes she is a dog. And no before you ask I do not walk them on leads. I may have tried once but thats for another time...
8. Being able to come home, put my trackies or PJ's on and watch bad TV or a movie. Where i stayed this week a movie cost 17.50euros to watch. Honestly (don't even get me started on the mini bar or wireless rates..). I have loads of DVDs and sky movies. Tis the small things in life that you appreciate when they are not there...
9. Again shallow one here - I cannot use data roaming on my iPhone when i travel!! Well I can but I may need to remortgage when I get home. I am an iPhone addict. This makes travel hard...
10. Home is home. There really is no place like it if you are lucky enough to have a nice one. Not just because I have a nice house and sky TV (OK they are is a factors) but also because my friends and family are here. Going away is great, fun and opens your mind but it also makes you appreciate your own home so much more... :)
BTW Sky man still not here *sigh*
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