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?