Will Puke For Travel

Travel can be quite ugly at times. It’s not always sunshine and roses. It can be frustrating, exhausting, and even messy… like when I threw up on the boat in Italy.

I never was the greatest with being on water. It messed up my equilibrium in ways that did not end pretty. But this was a special occasion. I was on vacation in Italy with my family back when I was in high school. We had a nice day trip planned, and despite the fact that there was a boat involved, it was expected to be a short ride.

It was all smooth sailing at the beginning (pun intended). I felt great, it was a gorgeous day outside, and I was in Italy after all. This was all good to be true, of course. Soon enough, the waves got increasingly choppy until it seemed like we were in The Perfect Storm. Okay, slight exaggeration. But the waves certainly were picking up, and I wasn’t the only one feeling it.

The crew began walking around with the dreaded “barf bags,” passing them out to the pale faced passengers. The crew themselves did not seem to be phased at all. “Look out at the horizon,” they said, which sounds great in theory, but I was glued to my seat. Any sudden movement and I was sure I would explode.

Just a little longer, I kept telling myself. We should be there any minute now.

Apparently my inner monologue wasn’t enough to keep the seasickness from making its mark. Just minutes before our arrival, the sea got the best of me. Thankfully I wasn’t the only one green with nausea. There were plenty more passengers on board who were having just as hard of a time fighting off the queasiness.

The question is, why put yourself through all that?

Because travel is so beautiful that it conquers the ugly.

There comes a time for everyone to have a bad travel experience. Whether that be getting sick, robbed, or simply having a bad case of jet lag. Whatever you do, NEVER let the negatives define what travel means for you. The world has enough debbie downers.

Think about what you learned from these bad experiences. How can you help others to make sure the same situation doesn’t happen to them? You never know what may come from a travel mishap. I have multiple friends that have lost their passports while in a foreign country. Not too fun at the time. However, they tend to make great stories looking back! If losing your passport means you get an extra day in Barcelona or Athens, it may not be such a bad thing after all!

As for throwing up on the boat in Italy? That boat was heading to the beautiful island of Capri.

It ended up being my favorite part of my trip to Italy. Traveling is all about stepping out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself to seek out new experiences. Take the risk of being uncomfortable for a while and the reward will be even more worthwhile.

It’s been years since I’ve been to Capri and would love to visit again. Nowadays, there are plenty more options to cure motion sickness. But even if there weren’t?

I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

What would you do for a spectacular travel experience? Hitchhike across the country, eat caterpillars, or give up technology? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!