Questions About Travel I’m Asked Most Often
After countless travel related conversations over the last few years (about my travels, their travels, future travels, etc) I’ve noticed a trend of a few specific questions I’m asked most often. I’m going to (attempt to) answer some of those questions here. So in no particular order… Here’s answers to the questions about travel I’m asked most often.
How do you get so much time off from work?
In case you didn’t know this already I’m a flight attendant. (And I love it!) One of the HUGE perks of the job is how much flexibility you have with your schedule. I’m required to work a certain number of hours per quarter. So, as long as I meet that requirement I still have a job 😉. What I usually do when I go on a big trip is organize my work schedule so that I’m working the FIRST 10-14 days of one month, and the LAST 10-14 days of the next month. Sometimes I’ll put some vacation hours in there as well which gives me another 1-2 weeks off and takes my grand total of time off to about 4-6 weeks.
I’m not always guaranteed this schedule; it all comes down to the needs of the company and seniority within the flight attendant group. (Seniority basically means that the flight attendant who’s been at the company for the longest gets first pick of their schedule for the following month, and it goes down the list from there.) Sometimes I’m lucky and I get my dream schedule with all the days off I asked for and other times not so much… So I end up having to get some of my trips (or shifts) covered on the days I needed off.
So that’s how I get all the time off that I do. It doesn’t always work out perfectly, but overall I can’t complain. :]
What / how do you pack for that long?
Any trip I’ve ever gone on I’ve taken a 45 liter backpack. And everything I’ve needed has always fit just fine in it. If you’d REALLY like to hear the breakdown, here it goes:
Generally speaking I usually pack…
– 2-3 pairs of shorts and 1 pair of pants (unless I’m going somewhere cold and then it’s just 2-4 pairs of pants).
– 5 shirts (not including the one I’m wearing).
– About 10 days worth of socks and undies
– 1 pair of pajamas (so basically just some comfy shorts and a t-shirt)
– At least 1 swimsuit and swimsuit cover-up (more depending on where I’m going)
– 1 “workout” outfit. I think I’ve only used my “workout” outfit for working out while traveling like…. Maaaaayyybe 10 times in the last 7 years. Terrible, I know… Haha. But it’s nice to have JUST in case I do decide to go running or something. It also comes in handy for unexpected outdoor activity type stuff. Orrrrr to have something to wear while I’m doing laundry and washing EVERY single other thing in my backpack….. (Although my swimsuit and cover-up come in handy for that, too!)
– 1 warm jacket
– 1 pair of comfy shoes, a pair of sandals, and a pair of flip flops
– Toiletries (with enough travel size shampoo and body wash to last me for about 3 days or so. I buy bigger bottles of that stuff once I’m there.)
– Plenty of girl products (TMI? Probably. But hey, when I’m in a country or region that doesn’t have that stuff, or they DO have it but it’s some funky, weird kind that I’m a little bit afraid of… I’m sure glad I stocked up on those supplies from home!)
Outside of my backpack:
– I always take a messenger bag on my trips. Inside it I keep my camera, wallet, passport, phone, external batteries, etc. (Basically anything I want to have quick and easy access to.) I specifically use a messenger style bag because I still have easy access to everything inside it when I’m wearing my backpack, too.
And I thiiiiiiiink that’s pretty much it… The important thing to remember is that you can ALWAYS do laundry on the road. So there’s no need to pack EVERYTHING you own. The less you pack the more you’ll thank yourself on those long travel days when you’re lugging your backpack around for hours and hours.
How can you be gone for so long? Don’t you get tired of being on the road?
I don’t know if I could ever get tired of traveling. I definitely start to miss aspects of home; friends and family (and most recently my roommate’s adorable little dog!), hot showers, my own bed, food that doesn’t make me sick, etc, etc. But I find that when I’m on the road for a lengthy period of time, it kind of just feels like normal life. If I’d like to spend an extra day somewhere so I can rest and do laundry (for example), I do! When I want to sightsee in the morning and then take a nap that afternoon, I do! If I want to spend all day exploring the place I’m in and soak up as much of it as possible, I do!
I find that when I have a lengthy amount of time for my trip and I’m on my own schedule I can make plans based on my mood and how fast I do or don’t want to move through the stops I make. I don’t get tired of being on the road when I’m able to cater my plans to what works best for me.
How do you get around with only speaking English?
Easily. My experience has been that so so SOOOOO many people speak English everywhere I’ve gone. (Except for China… That got a little tough.) But more often than not I’ve found that most people are happy to help even if they speak little or no English. (That usually just means lots of pointing at maps and signs, nodding heads, and giving thumbs up; but successful communication nonetheless.) As for hostels, hotels, and touristy places I’d say it’s rarer for there to NOT be English speakers around. So, I know the thought of a language barrier can be a little scary but it’s really not as big of a challenge as you may let yourself think, I promise. :]
Do you ever feel unsafe? (Especially when you’re traveling alone?)
Overall I’m going to say no. I’ve never felt any less safe while traveling than I do living away from my family in Chicago. But I’ll also say that I make an effort to make safe choices. Like, using the buddy system or at least making sure I’m in places where there are other people around. Listening to my gut when something feels a little off about a person I’m around or situation I’m in. Taking extra precautions in (or in some cases steering clear from all together) places/cities/regions/countries that are known to be less safe than others, etc. Really when it comes down to it I feel like this is the kind of stuff I do even when I’m NOT traveling. If anything I’m probably MORE conscious of making safe choices when I’m abroad than I am when I’m at home where my guard is down a bit.
People are people and strangers are strangers whether you encounter them in your hometown or a foreign country. There may be some “bad people” in the world but there are also so many “good ones,” too!
So there you have it. The answers to some of my most frequently asked questions about travel. But you know what? None of these are the single question I’m asked the MOST about my travels… That one is getting its own post, so stay tuned. 😉
Safe travels, friends.
CE
