Um… The TravelnLass Takes a U-turn
An absolute FIRST for the TravelnLass.
Seriously. How many airplane tickets have I booked in my life? Surely HUNDREDS! It’s pretty much the first thing I do once I decide what corner of the globe I’ll head to next.
And how many times have I completely changed my mind after coughing up the rubles for said (nearly always cheapo “non-refundable“) air ticket?
ZIP. Precisely NONE. Ninguno. Nunca, Never.
Oh yes – I’ve often changed my tune on a new destination whilst still in the “Dreaming” stage (like here, here, and most recently here) But that was always BEFORE I’d finally settled (for sure) on my next adventure and determined the best time to visit my new target country(ies), as well a how much time I’d fancy wandering about. Oh and always, always – BEFORE dropping a hefty handful of Benjamin Franklins for an air ticket.
Note: Do be sure to read the “P.S.” at the end…
The Back Story…
After much ambivalent deliberation, finally back last February – I had settled on whizzing back to Europe for a month – a few days in Paris (merely as a “hub” for catching cheapo European air to most anywhere on the continent – though I did hope to visit the newly raised-from-the-ashes Notre Dame on one of my single days there either coming or going). Plus a week in Malta (a small isle in the Mediterranean, so a week should be plenty), and finally a 3 week explore of Albania. I was (relatively) excited to explore both Malta and Albania, and… I stumbled upon a very sweet $732 rt. air ticket from Ecuador (most every other option was well over $1,300). So… I grabbed it.
And after locking in my (didimention *non-refundable*?) air ticket – that was it. As always, I left all the rest completely open, not nailed-down, all “free cancellation” sleeps, no pre-arranged local transport, and of course no pre-booked activities in either Malta, or Albania.
IOW, free-as-a-bird to go about researching all that both countries had to offer. Perusing travel blogs, peeking into TripAdvisor forums, along with continuing to gaze at the steady stream of what my fellow wanderlusts were up to in my (several) FB travel groups.
So why the sudden (post ticket purchase) flip-flop but once in nearly 5 decades of hopping around the globe – why the drastic U-Turn?
Why on earth would I suddenly (voluntarily) choose to toss away a perfectly good round-trip plane ticket to Europe???
Nope, I’ve not broken a leg. Nor have I run off to Argentina with a dashing young lad from Buenos Aires (though that might well be tempting should I somehow get lucky). 😉
The “Perfect Storm”
No one, single reason really. Several considerations that recently all came together into the “perfect storm”. A merge of sobering reflections that told me (deep in my life-long, ever reliable) “gut” that… Nope, no matter the pitiful loss of more than $700 down the drain. A tiny voice in my heart/head kept persistently (for weeks now) silently whispering that another whiz to Europe just wasn’t the best move forward come September 23rd.
Essentially, it was a matter of several inter-tangled circumstances:
First, it had all started with Albania. I should have hopped across the Adriatic 3 years ago on my month-long romp in top-to-bottom Italy (incl. Puglia – Italy’s “boot” right across the sea from Albania). And though I was still blissfully happy w/ my decade-long life here in Cuenca, Ecuador – back then I was (uncharacteristically/momentarily) feeling a pang of “itchy (expat) feet” and thought – maybe, just maaaybe a good long settle in Albania might prove a nice change of pace. Indeed, especially ‘cuz of a unique quirk in Albania’s immigration regs allowing those of us from the U.S. to simply waltz into the country and be handed a full year visa – no questions asked.
Back then Albania still seemed blessedly off-the-beaten-path. But today? Everybody and their uncle has suddenly “discovered” it. In but a few short years, Albania seems to have become the latest “darling” of Europe. Indeed, I halfway predicted (in THIS post last March) that it was “worrisomely” popping up everywhere as the new kid on the “bucket list” block.
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(Begin RANT) All thanks to the (imho, blight) of social media – e.g. hundreds of YouTubers and bloggers scrambling to supplement their own travels via earning a pittance on “views”, “subscribes”, ads, and a steady stream of (dubiously credible) “affiliate links” by touting their every move with their newly-minted passport. Not to mention many folks now blindly using “AI” (which is nothing more than a mindless bot vomiting a synopsis of what every traveler on the Planet happens to be doing, eating, seeing) to breezily “plan” their entire itinerary (b/c travel planning is soooo “stressful”). #dontgetmestarted (/RANT) |
IOW – thanks to all the digital nonsense (and rampant commercialization) that’s (drastically) changed the face of my life-long beloved travel industry in the past 5-10 years. The digital masses (in FB groups, travel forums, blogs and of course YouTube) are presently raving about Albania both as a travel destination AND the next hot expat retirement spot on the Planet. The former, muchly due to Albania NOT being in the European Union and thus the perfect option if you’re hell-bent on continuously doing the “Schengen Shuffle“. And the latter… (one of few) still (relatively) low COL spots within cozy range of Western Europe, along with the aforementioned easy-peasy long-term visa regs (esp. for those from the U.S.).
In short – sadly, Albania seems destined to become (yet another) cookie-cutter “Disney-esque” destination crowded (even in the “shoulder-season”) with all flavors of travelers – including the newly-coined “slow” vs. the standard “fast” travelers, and of course the slew of (arguably * culturally-appropriated): “digital nomads”.
Um… what can I say? That I’ve never been keen on “following the herd” (especially when it comes to my travel destinations) goes without saying.
Plus – What’s Albania and Malta Got for Me, Anyway?
With further research, there was also the small problem that (leastwise for my peculiar travel interests) both countries on my radar weren’t measuring up to much more than a whimpering “meh”.
Um… pebbles.
As I’ve likewise never been much of a “beach person”, the splendor of the touted “Albanian Riviera” didn’t make my heart go pit-a-pat . Plus most of the beaches seemed to be primarily “pebbled” rather than sandy, so even a limited linger at any of them didn’t entice. The capital city of Tirana actually looked the most appealing w/ lots of restaurants, a handful of somewhat interesting sights along with the allure of the nearby Grand Park (an artificial lake surrounded by a 280+ hectare public park). But overall, there really didn’t seem enough to interest me in Albania – leastwise not enough to warrant the looong cramped fly across (both) the Atlantic and the Mediterranean to eastern Europe.
Malta too seemed less than seductive. Of course there’s boatloads of YouTube videos (all nearly identical) touting “The Blue Lagoon” this, and the “Blue Grotto” that (not to mention the absurdly cartoonish “Popeye Village”). And no doubt the combo of Malta’s ancient pink stone ramparts and vividly blue water at every turn is worth a look-see. But again, nothing that was calling my name, nothing that I couldn’t live another lifetime without (um, like the apparently daily disgorge of tourists that the monstrous cruise ships – often 3+ docking at tiny Malta per day – each coughing up to 2,000+ passengers!)
No doubt many would disagree. Indeed, some would likely gasp at the sheer audacity of my presumptions about two perfectly fine destinations that I’ve never even stepped foot in. But what can I say? Each and every one of us has very different druthers when it comes to exploring the world. And after nearly 50 years of pretty much continuously doing just that, I dare say that I’m the most trustworthy person to decide just which place is worth my own precious travel time and dollars.
Indeed, as a veteran lifelong DIY traveler, I’ve already been uber-duper privileged to have experienced many of the globe’s most extraordinary natural and man-made attractions (Uluru, Easter Island, Mongolia – I’m lookin’ at YOU!) And sure, there are one or two things in Albania and Malta that I’d kinda like to see (and eat!) But anymore, it takes something truly remarkable about a place to capture my attention – especially if it’s gonna take a big chunk out of my travel piggy-bank to do it. Which leads me to my (near) final reason for chucking a round trip ticket to Paris into the dumpster.
Tossing Good Money After Bad?
So o.k. perhaps I was a bit hasty in slapping my plastic on that (non-refundable) air ticket back in February. Turns out – after carefully sifting through what-all Albania and Malta have to offer me (and watching the frenetic social media attention that Albania is now getting in spades) – suffice I was beginning to regret that (not slight amount for this frugal traveler) $732 purchase.
Not only was I now not overly keen on what Albania and Malta had to offer, but – when I finally started to add up the full estimated expense for a near month of (ever rising) costs for most everything in Europe… suffice it was beginning to amount to quite a spendy sum. The rt. air over there was mighty cheap, but then there would be the flight from Paris to Malta, another flight from Malta to Tirana, and yet another flight from Albania back to Paris. Altogether, that $732 initial ticket purchase, was gonna ring-in closer to more than $1,400 for airfare after all. And of course, a month of sleeps, plus food, land transport, and a modicum of museum entries, activities, etc. (not to mention a month’s hire of a sitter for my dear “Dulce”)…
In short, the estimated tab for my little hop back to Europe again was clocking in at (conservatively) $3,500 to $4,500. And for what? To endure another marathon flight to and fro across the Atlantic – only to see a few mildly interesting (to me) sights? (rhetorical question)
And Besides…
I have to ask myself – why do I insist on enduring these pricey protracted excursions across the Atlantic? When… I’ve already visited 90% of the countries in Europe (not to mention lived in 2 of them). I mean… where ELSE might I toss all those precious travel dollars?
When… there’s plenty of far closer corners of South America I’ve still not explored?
IOW… why not instead look to neighboring countries right here scattered around my adopted Ecuadorian home-base? Like…
Colombia for example (comparatively just down the street).
Colombia, a country I’ve only very briefly dropped into. A land with a wide variety of diverse corners, but a few hour’s flight from Ecuador. A country where I can get a robust guided food tour for <$40 (vs. the European usual of $80+), and where I have my pick of comfy boutique hotels (with 9+ ratings) often for less than $35/nt.
Shoot – with just a quick search on my neighbor to the north – turns out Colombia even has eclectic door knockers much like on Malta’s portals that I was looking forward to ferreting-out (and it’s a LOT shorter flight to see them). Not to mention, a fantastic sanctuary of blushing FLAMINGOS on the north Caribbean coast (a fascinating species I’ve long stalked in other corners of the globe).
Oh, and the FINAL STRAW
Just as I was teetering to ‘n fro as to whether or not I should shred my round trip Avianca air ticket to Paris come 23 September…
Avianca kindly handed me the final, dooming answer: They sent me an email informing me that the flight itinerary I’d so carefully chosen nearly 8 months ago (GYE ->BOG ->PARIS) had changed. Instead of departing Guayaquil at 9:45 am (with a 2 hr. layover in Bogotá) – my GYE flight would now depart at *4:30 AM* in the wee hours of the morning! Yeah, like I can easily shuttle down this 8.400+ ft. mountain from Cuenca to Guayaquil in. the. DARK! And furthermore…
No change to my onward flight from Bogotá to Paris, so now (instead of a sweet 2 hour layover in Bogotá) I had an *8* hour wait in Bogotá before boarding my onward 10 hour flight to Paris.
Oh, and – though my outbound itinerary was (unilaterally) changed (by the airline, NOT ME) making it effectively *impossible* (even for a 20-something, much less this dodderin’ grandmother) – nonetheless, it was of course, still “non-refundable”.
So – done and… DONE!
Absolutely no more dither. No way. I was NOT going to meekly accept the new flight schedule. Indeed, the flight change actually seemed like a “sign”. Clearly the entire Paris/Malta/Albania dilemma was shuffled permanently off-the-table. Period.
$732… kerplunk!
So Does This Mean the TravelnLass is Done Traveling?
NOT. ON. YOUR. LIFE.
Nosirreeebob. No way is a stray (but once in 50 years!) $732 non-refundable air ticket blunder gonna stop this lifelong wanderlust from bouncing full-speed-ahead to explore ever more corners of the globe.
Though admittedly I’m slowing down a tad from even just 10 years ago. And true too – as I’ve never been one to “count countries” (I ceased that nonsense at 50 ‘cuz there didn’t seem to be much point) just heading to a new country makes little difference to me unless there’s something there that seriously interests me. So there’s honestly not all that many destinations that are presently calling my name.
Then again, that could (and historically often does) change in a TravelnLass heartbeat. So do stay tuned to find out if/when/where my next skip into the “Wild Blue Yonder” will be.
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* Ironically: “…the descendants of the colonizing societies which wiped out the nomadic tribes now inheriting that same label and referring to themselves as nomads because they feel it hints at their free spirit and perceived coolness, while they wouldn’t know a first thing about the actual nomadic lifestyle.”
P.S. It’s a MIRACLE!!While (AIS in my post) I’d already accepted that I’d rather EAT my $730+ non-refundable air ticket – than drive hell-bent down a foggy Andean mountain in the middle of the night only to drop an additional $3-4,000 or more to visit two countries that I honestly now had little interest in. Nonetheless, as the days closing in on that nutso (unilaterally changed by the airline) 4:30 *AM* flight departure from Guayaquil drew nearer… Honestly – just for the sheer heck of it (‘cuz no way did I expect Avianca would even give me the time of day, much less any sort of refund on my “non-refundable” rt. air ticket to Paris), nonetheless I shot them a quick refund request via their online trouble-ticket system. I simply stated the facts: A. I’d deliberately purchased an air ticket way back in February for a (reasonable hour of) 9:45 am departure from GYE with a (reasonable) 2 hour layover in Bogota prior to my (10+ hour) onward flight to Paris. B. I live in Cuenca, and there’s no way I should be expected to risk my life driving down a dark/foggy 8,400+ ft. mountain in. the. middle. of. the night. – in order to meet the new (didimention – unilaterally changed?) 4:30 *AM* departure time. C. Not to mention… sit in the Bogota airport for *8* straight hours (vs. the 2 hour layover – that. I. originally. purchased.)
Instead… LO ‘N BEHOLD!!! Within a few hours, a real life PERSON at Avianca sent me a detailed note, apologizing for the disruption of my trip, and issued a FULL REFUND of the entire $732 on the spot!!! Seriously. I’m still STUNNED! Never did I dream that they’d refund the ticket – even in part, much less in FULL! In short – WOO-HOOO! Just goes ta show that apparently even a “non-refundable” ticket can be mitigated when a great big ol’ airline suddenly changes the rules of the game. |
About the Author
Dyanne Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion,and I’ve always lived life “like-a-kid-in-a-candy-store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been: This ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks!
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Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion, and I’ve always lived life “like a kid in a candy store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been:
Hi Dyanne!
Loved this post. I was feeling like I ‘should’ visit both the countries you mentioned and like you found myself having doubts.
I think, in these times of climate change and surging tourism, we need to think carefully about justifying our travels. I’m looking forward to reading about Columbia!
Glad you enjoyed the post Julie, and quite the coincidence that you likewise, have been on the fence about precisely those two destinations.
And yes, (the blight of those massive cruise ships vomiting thousands upon thousands at Valletta daily, aside…) no doubt tourism is an economic boom for some developing destinations, nonetheless – it’s the recent uber-SURGE in world-wide tourism (all flocking to the same-same social media darlings du jour) that’s straining many otherwise pristine/beautiful environments around the globe. 🙁
We have also decided to slow down. Instead of 3 or 4 countries for a month each, we are thinking of just 1 month in Greece in 2026. Never been there, and we hear it is a good place to slow down.
We spent a couple weeks in Colombia in 2015, and loved it. If you are interested in what we wrote (https://www.mindstormphoto.com/page/2/?s=colombia). No idea why that search brings up a lot of Chile, Peru, etc, but the second page of the response is all about that 2015 trip.
Well hey there Burt – good to hear from you, hope you and Evelyn are doing well. The link worked fine – directly to your (excellent, as always) pics of your Colombia trip (oh my, those GIANT avocados!) (IF) I end up going, my focus will be on Bogota (for the eats), bypass Medallin (just another expat haven, no?), Cartagena, and that wondrous flamingo sanctuary at Camarones on the NE Caribbean coast. I remain on the fence though… not keen on the muggy temps on the coast. lol – so spoiled here in sweetly temperate Cuenca (as you well know).
Greece, eh? Excellent choice. I was there waaay back in the late 70’s (w/ my young dds in tow). Athens, Santorini, and Crete – such fond memories, so unspoiled back then. Far different nowadays I think – maybe focus on the less touted isles (like Syros, Tinos, Poros?) In any case, viajes seguros siempre!