Over the past few days I’ve watched a number of ‘My Travel Personality’ posts appearing in my social feeds. So what is my Travel Personality?
As much fun as competitors gush about The Amazing Race being, my travel personality is pretty much summed up as ‘the opposite’. Given the chance I’d be the one sitting in the corner crying while my teammate stresses out.
It takes the right travel buddy
I’ve written before about solo travel as an introvert.
When I was in my early 20’s and single I found it difficult to find travel buddies as my friends were all studying/ saving for houses or had other spending priorities. So I travelled alone and met up with friends along the way.
I’m not always the best when things go wrong, and I’ve seen flat tyres, got hopelessly lost in foreign cities and run out of petrol on the Pacific Coast Highway and not necessarily dealt with them spectacularly.
When I’m travelling with other people, I need a travel buddy who can force me to get it together and give me a clear instruction, so I can assist in getting us out of the predicament. And it’s helpful if they can work out if I’m hangry or need to sleep.
I prefer a plan
I like booking flights well in advance and getting a great deal. I don’t like booking them on the fly and being subjected to insane prices
I also prefer to have accommodation booked and know where I’ll be staying the night (not be aimlessly running around the world looking for Phil Keoghan). The rest I can join the dots on as we go.
Typically how Mike and I plan trips is that I do lots of research, he ignores my emails for several weeks, I stress out about rising prices, he redoes the research in under an hour and then books something entirely different.
While I might pretend I’m intrepid and love casually dropping an upcoming one-way flight to Phuket and lack of further plans into conversations, that is not how I travel. Plans will be nailed before we leave.
I require suitcase and clean clothes
I’ve never been a true backpacker as I’ve never owned a backpack. I’d rather drag a suitcase. And the ability to do laundry somehow is a must.
I need sleep
Call me high maintenance but I can’t sleep in an airport, on a plane, or actually anywhere which is not a bed. And nothing’s all that fun when you’re massively overtired.
I went through a short period of staying in hostels and cheap accommodation, but with a partner to share with these days as well as an increased budget as a working adult we can afford a step up. The added bonus of not sharing is a good night’s sleep and a room and bathroom to yourselves.
‘Racing’ is not my style
I prefer to take my time and mix running around ticking off the tourist destinations with time to just chill out and enjoy being on holiday. Always being on the go is exhausting.
Reading posts like this and this about what goes on behind the scenes of The Amazing Race actually makes it sound pretty fun though!
I need a suit case too! I totally agree.
I definitely couldn’t last on the Amazing Race either!
Author
There must be many personality tests when they recruit in order to find the right mix to ensure they actually have a show!
I love watching The Amazing Race but I think I would be a terrible contestant! I’ve never owned or used a backpack for travel either, I’d get way too stressed out with things like getting lost or taking too long to complete a challenge, not to mention getting hangry or grumpy from lack of sleep
Author
I would absolutely be stressed about all the above Stacey! No time to just chill out and enjoy the ride, or simply eat and sleep when required (which definitely makes excellent viewing material).
I’ve never been able to do proper backpacking or staying in a hostel. Apparently I’m too much of a princess for that. I just like having a nice base where everything’s safe!
Author
Simple needs right?! Princesses can hardly be called high maintenance when you look at it like that.
I love to watch Amazing race, but I don´t want to be a competitor there. It is quite entertaining show. I need much more time to discover and enjoy place I visit.
Anna
Author
It can actually be quite stressful to watch when you’ve got a favourite team you really want to do well! But yes – certainly little is discovered anywhere you’re racing through at top speed simply completing tasks!
Haha while my style sounds a lot like yours – complete opposite to the Amazing Race, I like to have a plan etc it has always been a major fantasy of mine to be on the show. I guess I’d see it as such a separate thing/experience from typical travelling.
Author
Good way to look at it – I think you’d be a great competitor as your previous travels and experience would get you a long way!
Ha I’m so with you on this! While I’ve only seen a couple episodes of Amazing Race, I still don’t know if I could do it. Traveling the world would be fun… but it’s not like they are actually seeing anything. They are too stressed out and so rushed, I doubt they even know what country they are in lol.
Author
Haha so true! I guess that’s the incentive with the trips they give away to the winners of each leg and the overall prize money – that they might be able to go back and do it all properly!