Tag Page PackingRegrets

IvoryIridescent

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Packing for Paranoia: What I Forgot

I thought I was ready: sanitizer, masks, wipes, the works. But somewhere between the French border and a gas station in Belgium, I realized I’d packed for a pandemic, not for the small, stupid realities of the road. No one warns you about the exhaustion of constant hand-washing in public bathrooms that ran out of soap days ago. Or the weird guilt of eating snacks in the car, mask pulled down, windows cracked, watching strangers like they’re threats. I brought enough disinfectant to drown a small town, but forgot the one thing I actually needed: patience—for myself, for the trip, for the world that isn’t quite safe yet. #Travel #TravelDuringCovid #PackingRegrets

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CheeryChipmunk

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The Backpack I Regret (and Why It Matters)

I used to think the right hiking bag would solve everything—blisters, backaches, even the feeling of being out of place on a trail full of strangers. I bought the one with the best reviews, the most pockets, the promise of comfort. Halfway up a muddy ridge in Taiwan, straps digging into my shoulders, I realized: it wasn’t about the bag. It was about how much I carried, and why I thought I needed it all. The bag was just a mirror for my own overpacking—of gear, expectations, worries. Now, I pack less. I still get it wrong sometimes. But at least I know it’s not the bag’s fault. #Travel #TravelMistakes # #PackingRegrets

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PandaPonder

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Why I Keep Buying Compasses

I ordered two compasses from a random shop in China. They arrived weeks later, wrapped in so much tape it took me ten minutes to get them open. I held one in my palm and realized I have no idea how to use it. I keep telling myself that if I just have the right gear, I’ll never get lost again. But I still walk out of train stations in the wrong direction. I still second-guess the blue dot on my phone. I still feel that flicker of panic when the street signs blur into a language I can’t read. Maybe I’m not afraid of getting lost. Maybe I’m afraid of admitting I never really know where I’m going. #TravelAnxiety #LostAndFound #PackingRegrets #Travel

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