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Anyone who says constant traveling is easy is lying. Clearly, I love it and maybe it’s partially because of the challenge of it all. Even the little things can be difficult. Packing strategies, airport security, jet lag, traveling to an unknown place. But the reward for the stress of these types of things is so much greater. AND even if I choose to showcase the more glam and fun side of things, there are a few travel confessions I have that I think may surprise you.
Sometimes I take the bus to NYC. This is the way I used to travel in my more frugal of days but in this past year I have rediscovered the bus and why it really is a better deal than flying or taking the train. First of all it is cheaper but, bottom line, it’s also more reliable time-wise and the wifi kicks ass.
Even though I tend to stay in luxury accommodations, I think hotel slippers and robes are a waste. In fact, I really dislike pajamas too. Oh, and TVs in the bathroom are dumb. One TV is really more than enough.
This fall I had a super glam day in LA where I got my hair and make up done and styled in high fashion for a photo shoot. It was awesome. BUT one thing you don’t know about this starlet day of mine is that my hair on fire during the photo shoot. See those darling candles on the wall in the background of this photo. YEP, they torched up a chunk of Lola’s hair. And that dude at the bar in the background smacked the flames out.
I travel with a clothesline and often do my laundry on the road. If I’m gone for just a few days or maybe even a week, I won’t bother. But, if it’s longer than that, a few things have got to be washed. AND, I think I do a better job than most washing machines, to be honest.
I’m excellent at reading old-fashioned maps but have an actual terrible sense of direction. Like if I say go left, you should go right…unless I have a map in my hand. Even GPS systems throw me. True story.
I do try to look my best on and off the road but, in order to save time, I often don’t wash my hair for days. And even though I do shower, I don’t wash off my eye makeup and just continue to pile on the mascara. It may sound gross but I ask you, would you know if I didn’t tell you? Case in point, in this photo above it was day 4 for my hair. Yes, I did hop in a pool in Miami, which probably helped with it not looking *as* dirty. I’m THAT glamorous. 😛
Unless I have dinner plans, I’m terrible about eating on the road and often end up wanting Mexican food in the middle of the night, which really isn’t easy to find in most places. In fact, I usually don’t eat bad fast food but, in the span of 2 weeks, I ate McDonald’s twice this fall. I hadn’t eaten McDonald’s in like 4 years!
Wax museums freak me out and I really don’t know what purpose they serve. THAT IS ALL.
My favorite pricey purchase from my Eurotour last year turns up in the most unlikely of places but then, when I think about this luxury handbag and its original intended purpose, I think it’s very apropos that it has gotten soaked on a yacht and gone ATVing through the desert. Louis Vuitton is waterproof and meant to be rugged. I know because I’ve put it to the test 😉
Which of these confessions shocks you the most? Maybe none of them because you also don’t wash your hair to the point of baby dreads and can get lost in your own hometown.
Lola washing her own clothes?? I haven’t seen that one. So I guess it’s time Queen and Lola hit the road for longer than 4 days!!
happy NY!
I can’t believe your hair went on fire! That’s a shocker! I burnt a chunk of mine once and it was mortifying (the smell was horrific).
You are also so right about bathroom TV sets in hotels. I can’t see the point in them either!
Clare recently posted…Sunburn on the Moon
I’ve been married for a long time so I long ago got over the shock of how women can keep looking great with hair that hasn’t been washed in days. I hear baby powder helps? I wash my hair sometimes twice a day, and I keep mine very short. Honestly, I was probably most shocked about the bus. And happy. It’s nice to hear that even the glamour girl travels like an everyday Joe too!
Lance | Trips By Lance recently posted…One Bucket List Item for 2014
Crazy, odd bird you are. Enjoy 2014.
Michael Hodson recently posted…A big anniversary in my life
LOLA + clothesline? LOL
Robert Schrader recently posted…Where Do You Want to Travel This Year?
I do my own laundry on the road as well but usually just end up laying my clothes out all over the bathroom. Good call with the clothes line!
Britany recently posted…How I Went From Hating Snow to Loving Winter in Lake Placid, NY
I can’t imagine you not washing your hair for that long – and I’m surprised about the bus, but hey, I’m sure you can Lola-fy your seat. Plus if the Boston-NY bus is anything like the Providence-NY bus I took, then they’re actually not bad anyway!
My travel secrets…I do a lot of laundry! I think people forget about it when they travel, in the sense of you don’t realise you have to do it until you have no clothes left. But I refuse to wear dirty clothes when I travel and, even though I travel with a backpack, I always try to travel with at least one nice outfit, in case a night at a fancy cocktail bar pops up, or if I want to impress someone – or just feel good by dressing up!
Despite my love of food, I can be pretty bad when it comes to eating on the road too, unless there’s a specific kind of thing I really want to try. I ate McDonald’s in Brno and Moldova, KFC in Colombia, and gorged on Burger King at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul. Sometimes you just have to listen to your stomach!
Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted…14 Resolutions That I Have An 80% Chance Of Breaking
Your hygiene kind of shocks me, but I’m the boy who had to do some extreme manscaping as my armpits were just reeking from the sweat of working in the outback fit his week.
Joshua | Engineer on the Road recently posted…2013: My Year of Travel
That first photo here in the post, with the crown and that sly/evil/all-knowing grin? Yeah, that one. Love it, Lo, but remind me never to be on your bad side; ne’er to be on the wrong end of the pink fury/haze. But I will confess I will slum it at fast-food because I can be extraordinarily lazy while on the road …
Henry | @fotoeins recently posted…Fotoeins’ 13 Instants from 2013
I totally understand you!!! It is so easy to be seduced by Mexico’s amazing street food!!! Unfortunately, finding good places to eat it abroad is extremely hard 🙁
Raphael Alexander Zoren recently posted…A Journey to the Great Wall of China
I have to agree, TVs in the bathroom are really dumb!
And I don’t wash my hair or take off my eye makeup for days too when I’m travelling. Dry shampoo quickly becomes my very best friend!
Monica recently posted…A yoga and detox retreat at Azul Fit in the Canary Islands
Brilliant post! So honest and I know this luxe-loving gal can sure relate to a few of those confessions. The candle bit had me rolling on the floor–only because you were okay of course 🙂
Travelingpanties recently posted…Best Things to Do in New York City: A Visit to The Frick Collection and Review of the Vermeer, Rembrandt and Hals Exhibit from Mauritshuis
Thats dirty?? Wheres the good stuff! lol
Karl recently posted…Why you should be vegetarian on your next flight, and it’s not why you may think.
boy oh boy… who knew (I did). Easiest bunk mate ever!!!
I will never forget the hair episode as I was right there and it was so quick – we had to act. Sorry about the smack but needs must(ed). I must say I was surprised with the hair – no way mine would last 4 days. And yours looks great which makes me VERY jealous. And again, this was tried and tested
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted…2013: My year in travel – 50 flights, 80k miles and 105 nights away
Happy New Year queenie!!! xxx
Scarlett recently posted…The Lazy Girl’s Guide to… losing the Christmas bloat!
In fact, I think unwashed hair for days on end actually is better! You can style it easy and there’s that glossy look that comes from dried grease into your hair strands. Once I wash my hair, it balloons up or lies flat, never the way I want it to be.
Totally agree about MacDonalds. Before I started travelling, I never went to MacDonalds for more than 5 years. But as I searched in vain for Wi-fi in Australia, only MacDonalds had the key but you needed to buy a meal. So I thought, why the hell not, it’s not going to affect my body shape too much. Now I’m buying clothes one size bigger…BIGGER I Tell you! BIGGER!!!!!!!!!!!
Ed Rex recently posted…2013: It’s Been A Funny Old Year…
Thanks for sharing. I dont think that is dirty comfessions lol!
Share Travel Experience recently posted…Xiamen-Shenzhen high speed train starts today
Hahaha, this made me laugh, a lot, because I can totally agree. BTW that picture of you in Miami…hot! Love the idea of not washing my hair – so much better for it anyway!
OH, and McDonald’s…my FAVORITE travel treat! Opps…
Erin – The World Wanderer recently posted…Music Monday: Another Story.
Love the nacho / taco picture 🙂
Thanks for sharing your confessions and interesting to read of your travel style. Do you find you have enough room on the bus? If it had wifi I’d want to get my netbook out.
Ouch on the burning hair story!
The Guy recently posted…Etramping Meet Up: Big Night In China
Ha! I totally agree with you about wax museums. I’ve never understood the allure.
Gina recently posted…One Day in Munich
In fact you have said it. This is our life, this is what most travelers life looks like. Thanks for being honest.
Jeff recently posted…Finding Accommodations for Your Next Vacation
Lola,
Great post. Can’t believe I haven’t seen it before now. I break down for hamburgers all the time on the road, as I am always jonesing for Mexican food and in most places I have been I can find anything that resembles Mexican food! The fire in the hair deal must have been a little scary!
Mike
Mike (Nomadic Texan) recently posted…Photo of The Day #61
I’m dumbfounded that you don’t wash your taco for days on end.
Oh wait, just re-read that — it’s DO eat tacos and DON’T wash hair. Nevermind.
Raymond @ Man On The Lam recently posted…South Africa’s Gondwana Game Reserve
Nice one. I am guilty of a couple of these for sure.
Shaun
http://www.Thislifeintrips.com
Shaun recently posted…Instagramming Istanbul
Ha. I am SO with you on the wax museums. Eeep. Also, washing hair is overrated. I have pretty dry hair so I usually only wash once every three days. And that’s at home, so when I’m traveling I can usually go at least 10 before anyone notices.
Syd recently posted…Milford Sound: Marble Beaches, Forty-Dollar Campsites and Fresh Snow
To travel with a clothesline is a good idea!
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