Travel Anxiety

I occasionally suffer from anxiety when traveling✈. I suppose this is normal but I really can’t be bothered to make plans, under the guise of preferring spontaneity and traveling on a whim, when in reality I get anxious.

Right now I’m couchsurfing in Budapest, which is lovely. Sunny and inexpensive, who can complain? I have been here for six days and have three more nights until I am back in Tel Aviv for gay pride. I told my host I’d say for four nights, but in reality I stayed for six nights. And it has been a bit awkward. They told me I could stay the whole trip but I don’t feel comfortable taking them up on that offer especially because we are all so introverted.

So last night I booked three night in a hostel that is literally two doors away from the place I was crashing in. Cost me $35 for the duration of my stay. What a steal!

But the anxiety is kicking in. I am nervous about this hostel.  It is an 8 bed room dormitory…. and I will be constantly surrounded by people, unlike my couchsurfing experience here. I had my own room and access to a lot of space while on my own. It’s completely irrational for me to be so nervous.  I have already worked at two different hostels, both half way across the world from each other. But my anxiety is being triggered. I spent an extra three hours in bed, generously provided by my couchsurfing host, watching Once Upon a Time and refusing to get up.

But I have to get going, my host facebook messaged me but I’m pretending to still be asleep to buy time. What’s wrong with me?
I am a bit of a nut.
But I am (usually) okay with that.

The Problem with Budget Airlines

As I was en route to Ben Gurion airport via public transit, I realized that I did not have the ticket I printed out last night for my Wizzair flight.

This shouldn’t be a big deal, I did a online mobile check in. So I checked online to see the protocol…
25 -30€ for a boarding pass!

What the actual fuck.  Who the fuck do these bitches thing they are? Obviously this is how discount airlines make their money but this is criminal, especially considering how cheap the flight is. I mean the cost to print out the ticket there is a third of the flight cost. I can’t even.

Luckily they offer a lower fee online if you opt for airport check in. So I got away with paying only 10 euros online but still… this is crazy.

It’s all good, I’ll be spending the three hours on board figuring out what I can take with me that cost about 10€.

Bitch you steal from me I steal from you. That’s how I work. ☺

Swearing off McDonald’s while Abroad

I think it’s fair to say that as American travelers we try to avoid defaulting and going to McDonalds over the local cuisine. But sometimes it’s the only place open or you’re just trying to save money.

Whenever the case, you succumb to temptation and get yourself a burger and fries. This happened to me in Tel Aviv. I was up late and wanted something to eat. Specifically a burger, so I went to Google maps and located a place within walking distance. The name of the place was in Hebrew so I figured it was a local burger joint. After walking for twenty minutes I arrive at a McDonald’s.

No way Google directed me to a Micky D’s. So I start circling around, looking for the real burger place. Realized everything was closed and eventually I figured out that Google led me straight to McDonalds, but translated it in Hebrew when I was navigating. Damn you Google! Had I known, I would have just searched for some falafel.

Anyways I entered into this McDonald’s where all the workers were Arabic and having a good time behind the registers, much like in the US. They weren’t really paying attention to me or anyone else for that matter. But when I finally got their attention I ordered one of their special burgers with the accompanying large size meal…

When I got my food, I was shocked at the proportions. They were enormous, the cup, the fries, much bigger than in the US. I’m not complaining, more is better…. right? Maybe not. The container for the fries was huge but less than half filled. They didn’t care to give me my money’s worth. Speaking of money, I ended up spending close to 17USD at that McDonalds. It was then… that I decided I would never eat McDonalds again!
The food was incredibly bland, not that I expected more but for $17 … c’mon! And to top it off, while I was trying to enjoy my meal and watch Sailor Moon on their subpar wifi, i was approached by two Israelis on their bikes. They demanded that I take off my headphones. I complied and they asked me something in Hebrew which I replied I don’t understand. Then they asked in English if i was gay. “Oh lord. Is this a hate crime waiting to happen?”
I replied, “Why does it matter?”
But he persisted and I finally replied bisexual, copout. I know, but I thought it was a happy medium. (I felt terrible afterwards). The guy then proceeded to ask if I had a boyfriend, while his other friend cornered me in with his bike. I forgot what I said but I do remember be saying he saw me on Instagram and that I do have a boyfriend… that’s when I played the American card. I got loud and started being oblivious. “What? HUH?! I don’t understand. I am a tourist. What???”
The guys eventually got it and told me to enjoy my meal as they rode off on their bikes. It just wasn’t my night.

So far I held up to that commitment. But it has only been 6 weeks. No more McDonald’s abroad!