Why is flexibility such a fundamental trait for travelers? Because if you are unlucky like me then you know that things almost never go smoothly or as planned. My father has always encouraged me to over prepare and then go with the flow…but as always life can get in the way.
When I was flying from JFK to Dubai in 2015, the lock I had on my carry-on malfunctioned and wouldn’t open. I was lucky enough that the gap between the two zippers was enough for me to wedge my had in to get my wallet and passport. I stewed, angry for hours, on the long flight to the UAE about how prepared I had been, how neatly I had packed my bag full of things that I would need along the way. The whole trip I was preoccupied on having to cut into an $80 carry on that I had just bought in order to get to my belongings. This is a classic example of how my life tends to go: comical from only certain points of view. As aggravating as the whole situation was, I learned a very important lesson: I way over packed. Yes, the change of clothes and toiletries would have been nice after the long hours on the plane. But I didn’t need two books, a sketchbook, and my travel paint set to doodle on the plane. Hana, have you ever heard of a thing called turbulence. As a seasoned traveler, but spoiled when it comes to comfort, I thought I had to have all these things around me. Turns out, all I needed was my passport and a pair of headphones.
Being afraid to leave details to the last minute can keep things from happening to travelers spontaneously. It’s important to keep a sense of adventure, let the world keep you on your toes a bit. This is how I like to travel. Although it often can lead me to sleeping in weird places or being dropped off by buses in the middle of nowhere with little clue as to where to go next. This can cause a great deal of anxiety for some, and often for me as well, but what a great storyteller I have become.
Most recently, and the whole reason I am writing this post, I am planning a weekend get-away to Asheville, NC. It’s an easy trek for me from here in Charleston. I like to get up there and do the mountain-goat thing and climb mountains. While loosely planning my weekend I looked into an AirBNB about a week and half in advance. The host that I sent a request to was gracious to inform me that the air quality had shifted from the last report and was Code Red (not suitable for children or the elderly). She wanted to make sure that I was confident in my plans before confirming my request (thereby saving me from the strict cancellation laws of AirBNB!) I had looked into the air quality and spoken to a few of my friends that were already on the trails in the area and thought that I could sneak through the smoke. (If you have no idea what I am talking about, take a look at what’s happening across US South Eastern states here They had a few days of clean air this past week but she said the wind shifted and caused the whole city to issue warnings to stay inside.
I found myself torn between my options, I could go ahead and make the reservation and risk losing my money if I ended up not being able to hike. If the smoke was bad I could just hang out in Asheville for the day but the whole reason for me to travel to NC would be to get outside and burns some post-Thanksgiving calories. After spit-balling with my travel companion I decided that we will wait to the last minute to see if the wind will be in our favor. If it is, we will jump in the car and head north with adventure nipping at our heels. Even if that means sleeping in my car overnight on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Flexibility is what makes the pitfalls and curve balls of life bearable. If you’re too rigid or too careful your plans will snap at the first forceful blow. So if you have to plan, go ahead and Google your vacation details until your fingers fall off. But when the forest catches on fire, or your lock malfunctions, or if you find yourself wandering hopelessly lost take a minute to appreciate life’s unpredictability. How boring would be it if there wasn’t a wrong turn or two? Stay calm and work it out, keep your head up and your eyes open because you’re bound to see something new. Take notes from Gumby and stay flexible, friends.
The Way U Carry It 