Not so favourite things

Least favourite things is an odd thing to write about!   However, I did promise that I would try not to write one of those blogs which is solely aimed at making people jealous and which contains lots of bragging and boasting and, ‘look how amazing my life is!’ type stuff- there’s enough of that crap on facebook and you don’t need a double dose of it here as well.  I promised that I’d be honest, balanced and realistic and ‘fess up when things aren’t that great, so that friends and family at home who are struggling with the miserable UK weather and the reality of work, deadlines and commuting wouldn’t hate me too much and stop being interested in my adventures.

So, here they are;

     Being ripped off by taxi drivers!  There’s no getting away from the fact that I am a tourist – whether it’s my blonde hair, the fact I’m taller than most or the 20 kilo backpack, I can’t quite put my finger on it– but they see me coming and do their best to lighten my purse.  Some are blatant and make up extortionate rates and others will drive you the longest route possible to your destination.  Unfortunately when you have no idea about an area or the going rate you don’t realise it has happened until the next time you take a taxi in the same town.  So, I have to get used to being a mug!

     Fat ankles! No I’m not pregnant … but when your circulation goes at the speed of the M25 and you spend A LOT of time on long distance buses, the results are cankles - the technical term for when your calf muscle runs in to the heel of your foot. Tree trunks doesn’t even begin to describe them, nor does elephant sized.   

And it takes forever, for them to go back to normal! Especially when you’re in the North of Argentina in the height of their summer.  I have a few methods for trying to keep them a normal size … firstly, wearing flight socks on the buses - prevention is better than a cure and all that!  I’m not sure whether the knee high flight socks are more or less attractive than tree trunk legs … especially when worn with shorts!  (Yes, I take fashion very seriously) Secondly, elevation. This is a pain, I hate sitting still and not being out and about seeing things, so I have to maximise my elevation at night when I’m sleeping. In the absence of 10 feather down pillows available in hostels, I’ve come up with something ingenious (that’s not true, it was my mum’s idea!!) Take one rolled up sleeping bag and put it underneath your mattress! Simples. Then feel all the blood rush to your head as you sleep! Better than cankles though.

Mosquito bites. For the past 2 weeks I’ve been in some pretty hot places.  It’s nice to be warm after the brutal weather in the south … but does it have to come with mosquitoes?!  I am under attack by the damn things … day and night.  I’m even being bitten in the ears!  My favourite set of bites (yes, they come in sets) is the one across my lower back as one of the buggers has got into my pants and bitten me in a perfect horizontal line.  Delightful! 

     Humidity = sweating, profusely. It is on average 35 degrees with 50% humidity at the moment.  I know compared to the UK winter this must seem amazing, but there is nothing amazing about sweating 24hrs a day. I have to plan days carefully, going out only in the morning, hiding in the shade all afternoon and then heading out again in the evening (with the mosquitoes … have I mentioned mosquitoes?!)  It doesn’t suit me.  When I’m travelling and only in places for short periods of time, I want to be outside seeing the area, the architecture, the scenery. But I’m forced to do nothing.  The positive of this is that I can catch up on bits and pieces; speaking with friends, blogs and boring chores like sewing on buttons!

 
There you have some of the tiresome things that have to be dealt with when travelling.  I’m sure if I really thought about it, I’d come up with more – but they’re not important!  They actually don’t detract from the adventure and the joy of exploring new places and meeting new people.  It may not be a bed of roses 100% of the time, but I still wouldn’t swap this experience for anything else right now!