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Top 10 Things About Returning Home

posted by Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy

Our month of posts about travel is almost over and we've certainly been to an exciting array of interesting places. However, having returned just a few days ago from my latest cruise adventure, I can strongly identify with Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz.

There really is NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

As much as I love to travel (and you all know I love it A LOT), I'm usually home sick after a couple of weeks and ready to hop on the nearest plane, train, automobile, or available transport device and head back to my humble abode.

So with a nod to David Letterman's Late Show, here then are my Top Ten Things About Returning Home:

  1. I miss my dogs! Sometimes I take them along, but usually I can't, and I always worry about them when they aren't with me. Plus, it doesn't matter if I've been gone five minutes or five weeks, they are always thrilled to see me when I walk in the door.
  2. I like sleeping in my own bed. For over twenty years, my mattress of choice has been extra firm. I seldom, if ever, encounter a mattress as firm as mine when I travel. Nope, not even in the fanciest hotels (which I don't stay in very often) and definitely not on cruise ships, nor the many B&Bs we've stayed in over the years. Coming home to my extra firm mattress is like nirvana!
  3. I miss talking to my friends and family. No, it is not always gossip... but sometimes I admit it is. Often, like onboard a cruise ship that is out to sea, I don't have access to a phone or a computer (and do NOT get me started on cell phones and lack of reception). I really miss getting that daily blab session with my closest friends and family.
  4. I like going through my accumulated mail. I know this is a weird trait of mine, but ever since I was a child, I've always loved getting mail. Yes, even bills! Okay, maybe not some of that junk addressed to occupant or Mr. Loucinda Jr. (I'm not joking! I get stuff with the weirdest variations of my name.) But I have a good time looking at catalogs, advertisements, and especially any cards and letters. Coming home to that big, unopened heap is almost as good as Christmas.
  5. I get twitchy if I go too long without my online fix (see my above comment about gossip). No, I have not yet perfected my travel-with-the-laptop technique. And sometimes I'm just too busy, or there isn't any conveniently available online access. Besides, strange computers do not have all my favorite sites bookmarked for easy reading.
  6. I miss certain TV programs. Admittedly, I don't watch all that much TV, but there are a couple of shows that I do watch, and I really HATE missing new episodes. Of course, with the shortened seasons and the frequent repeats, I can usually catch up pretty fast. I know, I know, I'm a Luddite. I don't own a Tivo. And again, I admit this too is more than a little weird, but I miss seeing my local news (must be that gossipy element again).
  7. Speaking of weird... I do NOT like other people doing my laundry, especially my unmentionables. Ironing and pressing is an entirely different story, but when it comes to the washing and drying, I'd rather do it myself. And what is it with dirty clothes taking up twice as much space in the luggage as clean clothes? I dunno why or how, but they always do!
  8. I miss my writing routine. Yes, I can write when I travel, but not as effectively nor as productively as I do at home in my personal writing space with my research materials close at hand, and my dogs checking up on me (see #1). I am very much a creature of habit, and I write at the same time and place everyday. When I'm not there, I feel out of kilter, and find if much more difficult to get into my 'writing groove.'
  9. I never relax as completely when I travel as I do when I'm at home. This goes back to the creature-of-habit feature in #8, but when I am in a hotel or a cruiseship cabin, I do NOT sit around in my ratty old bathrobe with my hair uncombed. I've admitted it here before, but when I'm home, I am NOT a morning person. Most days, I don't pull myself together before noon. It is NOT a pretty sight, but I know that nobody (except my dogs, who honestly don't care) will see me. When I travel, I'm usually forced to get my act together earlier than noon, and when I am relaxing in my room, I am not taking the chance of being seen in my 'at home' state.
  10. Once I get home, I can begin planning my next travel adventure!
All right, now that I've confessed, it's your turn! What do you like about being at home that can't be satisfied when you travel?

Comments

  1. I hate living out of a suitcase! Whatever I really need is not there when I get where I'm going. :)

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  2. Good question, AC!

    When I'm traveling I get tired of everything being a decision and every plan requiring logistical analysis. When I don't want to think of HOW to get to the next museum (or whatever) I realize I'm ready to go home.

    I guess I'm saying what I can get at home that I can't get when I'm traveling is the ease of familiarity. LOL! Talk about a blinding glimpse of the obvious.

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  3. Great post, AC! Travel is great, but I LOVE coming back home. There's nothing quite like your own bed, your own bathroom, and your own turf.

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  4. I do the mail thing too! How cool to know I am not the only one :)

    I only have a cat who could care less if we were gone forever, except then he would not be fed! But aside from that my list would be nearly identical.

    I also miss the space. Traveling involves a small car, a small RV (in our case), a small hotel room, a small airplane, and so on. I love being able to sprawl out and, quite frankly, not have the family (who I adore) less than 2 feet away from me anymore!

    Glad to have you back, Auntie. We have missed you. :)

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  5. I'm with you on the dog issue! I have a great petsitter, so I don't have to worry about them, but I miss them!
    But I have to admit that I LOVE writing in hotel rooms. Maybe it's because there are no dishes to wash and no cooking to do. I love airports too. Weird, I know.
    But East, West--home is best!

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  6. I'm with you; I miss my pets. We're having someone come in to stay with them while we're on our out-west trip this summer because I know they miss human companionship as much as I miss theirs. Gotta love unconditional love!

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  7. I loved your post, Cindy! It was like looking at myself in a mirror, well except for the dogs. I don't have any pets. But the one thing I treasure most at home that I never get when traveling is my "alone" time. I love a day when there are no errands to run, no appointments to keep, no dinner to cook because hubby is away on business, and all I have to do is read, or draft scenes for the book I'm working on.

    Amelia

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  8. Morning Terry!

    Yes, you can tell Aunty still has jet-lag to be up this early on the West Coast! :-P

    I can never find what I need inside my suitcase either. How can you lose something inside a 9X14X22 inch space? I dunno, but I manage to do it!

    AC

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  9. Good one, MM!

    I tried to put the bit about planning and decisions on my list but I couldn't manage to express it as coherently as you. Yup, at home I can cruise on auto-pilot and sometimes I need that!

    AC

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  10. Well said, Cheryl!

    Bed, Bathroom, Turf! Nothing else quite feels as comfortable, no matter how luxurious... or spartan!

    AC

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  11. Sharon! My sister-of-a-different-mother! I thought I was the only one with that mail thing going on... Now if I'd said MALE, I know we'd all identify. LOL! ;-)

    And you are soooo right about the space issue! Is it just me, or have airplane seat/space grown miniscule? And much as I love my DH, after 2 weeks of him in my face 24/7, I am ready for a break. :-P

    Missed all of you too!
    AC

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  12. Same here, I really miss my critters.

    I want at least cell phone reception so I can chatter away if nothing else.

    Travel is fun, seeing new things, but yes, there's no place like home.

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  13. What a great list! I can identify with the pet one for sure. With two dogs and three cats, we generally have a live-in pet-sitter stay here when we're gone for more than a couple days (plenty of our trips end up being in the 2-4 week range).

    My husband is always happy to get home, but I tend to want to wash a load of laundry, play with the pets, and set out on another adventure. Alas, that won't be an option until I win the lottery or sell a few organs on the black market. Anyone want to buy an appendix?

    Tawna

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  14. Great post Aunty Cindy and I totally agree there is nothing better than my own bed and having everything familar around me family friends my dogs as well and I can truly be myself at home LOL.
    But in saying that I do love to get away here and there for holiday although I am never away longer than 2 weeks at a time oh and I agree dirty washing always takes up more room than clean clothes and unless I have a washing machine and dryer that I can use I bring the dirty stuff home to wash as well.

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  15. I miss my alone time--not that I have much. When you travel, you're always with people. I like some time to myself.

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  16. Hi Aunty Cindy,
    I also miss my bed and my blow dryer(the hotel ones are weak.)

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  17. Hey Joanne,

    I have a rather pricey kennel where I take 'my girls' and they are spoiled even more rotten. But since my son has moved back into the area, he house and dog sits, so I really have no reason to worry about them but I still do. :-P

    I worry if they are sick -- probably not. Or if they are behaving themselves -- again, probably not! What can I say? I'm just a big softy when it comes to those little fur-balls.

    And MORE POWER TO YA, Girlfriend on being able to write productively in hotels and airports!

    AC

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  18. Yes, Judi, my BFF and I say about our pets, "The only true love money can buy!" ;-)

    Hope you have fun on your out-west excursion.

    AC

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  19. Hi Amelia,
    I treasure my "alone" time too! Not that I don't love my DH, my family, and my friends, but sometimes it's nice to have only yourself for company.

    AC

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  20. Linda,
    I know we share the same feelings about our critters. :-)

    There are real issues with cell phone reception on cruise ships, so you might not like cruising as much as I do.

    AC

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  21. Hey Tawna,
    I happen to be missing both an appendix and a gall bladder. But I'm really not in the market for replacing either one. LOL!

    AC

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  22. Thanx for popping by, Helen!

    Glad to hear I'm not the only one whose dirty laundry seems to expand. I'm still not finished washing everything I took on this last trip. :-(

    Hope you and your grandson enjoyed your movie.

    HUGS!
    AC

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  23. Shana,
    Good point about there always being someone around when you travel. Even when I used to travel alone for business, there were always people at meetings, or calling from my office, or something. BLECK! I never really enjoyed traveling for work.

    AC

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  24. Hi Jane!
    Great to see you here! And you are so right about hotel (and cruise ship) blow dryers. They are pretty pathetic. I have very thick hair and can never get it completely dry without my own blow dryer. :-P

    AC

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  25. Sorry I'm late in responding. I have a sick kid home (sigh) so my schedule got all turned around. As for me. I think I would be happy traveling forever. I can see myself living on a huge sailboat, sailing from place to place and living on board. As long as I have my family (dogs and cat included) I'm home. If we're talking traditional traveling, I guess I do miss my bed, I sometimes miss my kids, but I've yet to be gone long enough to miss my pets. I know, I'm terrible, and it's not as if I don't adore my pets, but I haven't been gone for more than a week, and the entire week of Nationals, I was so busy, I didn't have time to miss my husband.

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  26. Hope your kiddo is feeling better, Robin.

    On this cruise, we met a couple who lived on a sailboat on the West Coast. They sold it and now live on a trawler off the Florida Gulf coast. They said the trawler is as large as a 2 bedroom condo, which sounded pretty darn good to me! I did think it a bit strange that people who live on a boat would take a cruise.

    AC

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  27. Every one of your reasons is on my own list, AC. It's wonderful to get away and take your mind off your day to day responsibilities, but it's even better to get home and put that fresh perspective back into your routine.
    Thanks for a great post!

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