Ever notice how most people are rather upbeat and optimistic at the beginning of a trip whether it is for work or “pleasure.” The other morning at a hotel a family was at the front desk asking travel related questions as I was dropping off our keys. The parents and the children were talking about what a great night they had and how they were looking forward to the rest of the week.
Several hours later we stop for lunch and had to wait for a table as there were after church folks as well as lots of travelers wanting lunch as well. There was a family standing/sitting near us. They were also on a trip and they were at the end. The father told the mother and the two daughters that everyone was tired, but the three of them were awful. They needed to suck it up.
Don’t get me wrong, as we waited for a table, I knew I was also among those suffering from the traveling blues. You know the ones. The symptoms can include (but are not limited to):
- fatigue
- grouchiness
- lessening ability to control emotions
- quickening temper
- headaches
- loss of feeling in one or more extremities
- pain just about anywhere and everywhere
- children/spouse/parents becoming more irritating
- strangers becoming more irritating
- family and friends who aren’t even there becoming irritating
- increasing impulse just to get home
- and building elation at the thought of being home where just a few days before you were so optimistically happy to leave.
Yes, the only true cure for the traveling blues may be returning home where you vow never to do that again. Alas, a few months roll around and you forget just enough to make you want to venture out again.
To any of the tens of you reading this who may be traveling: May the traveling murk blues turn to traveling sunshine yellows and may you safely return to where you began.
