Alyosha RobillosFact: Women will cry about 4,680 times in their lifetime and men, around half that number. Another fact: We’re more likely to shed tears while on a flight, a study confirms. Did you also know that one in every 50 passengers falls in love on an airplane?
But that’s besides the point, which is: Travel makes you feel a truckload of emotions. So it wouldn’t be so farfetched to admit that there are times when travel makes us cry. We spoke with real-life travellers who readily shared how travel had made them emotional wrecks at some point (but we had to pinky swear we’d keep them anonymous). We’re sure you’ll be able to relate with some of these testimonies…
1. The call of nature HAD to be answered
“I almost cried on the bus in Korea because we were so far away from our hotel and I had to pee.”
There are a lot of things that are beyond our control when we travel. There’s traffic, the weather, and our physiology. There are instances when our bodily functions get the best of us. Sometimes it’s PMS and sometimes it’s something as random as having to pee. Before you throw shade, you should know that some people have really weak bladders! Pair that with fatigue and a delayed flight, and you’ve got one very emotional (and cranky) traveller in your hands.
Also read: Survival Tips If You Have a Weak Bladder and You Travel Often
2. Separation anxiety hits
“It was my first out of the country trip with a bunch of my closest friends. At first, I was so excited to board that plane and get going! But then I was on my way to the airport and suddenly I started crying in the car because I knew I’d miss parents and my dogs.”
Raise your hand if separation anxiety has hit you at least once during your many adventures. This happens to the best of us, even on the best of holidays. So don’t be surprised if, at one point, you find yourself getting emotional when your thoughts wander to what you’ve left behind back home or in a place that you’ve absolutely fallen in love with.
Also read: I Saved Up to Travel Abroad For the First Time When I Was 25 & Here’s What I Learned
3. Things gone wrong back home
“Not sure if this counts, but I cried when I was in HK because I received a call from the dog daycare that my beagle dog died. #DogsAreFamily”
‘Nuf said. No, we’re not crying — you’re crying.
4. When the world literally takes your breath away
“A friend literally cried because the view was so beautiful in Switzerland. Ever since he told me that, I’ve wanted to plan my own adventure there. I’ll probably have my honeymoon there.”
Of course, not all tears shed during travel are sad. Some tears are the kind that warm your heart for days on end.
5. Near-death experiences in a foreign country
“Nepal, when I thought I was going to die in the mountains (4,000+ MASL) in the cold.”
“Of course, my Vietnam accident — when I thought I was going to die abroad, not even in my homeland.”
Most of us fear death no matter where it happens, or at least we fear not knowing what lies after. But having to face the fact that you might actually die abroad while you’re travelling is a whole other matter… and it is as terrifying as it sounds.
Also read: I Almost Died in Vietnam & Here’s How It Restored My Faith in Humanity
6. Dealing with creeps
“I escaped a creepy volunteering host and was overwhelmed by the help I got from my friends.”
“Was walking alone late at night in Thailand. Almost cried when I noticed that a strange man was following me. I ran as fast as I could to my hotel.”
Sadly, harassment is very rampant in the travel scene. It happens it all corners of the globe, and most victims have to deal with trauma for the rest of their lives. We wouldn’t want to wish it on anyone, but know what you can do to protect yourself when this happens.
Also read: Dear Female Travellers, You Don’t Need to Be Polite All The Time
7. Getting lost
“I had a panic attack in Taiwan when travelling with my childhood friends, because I thought we had lost each other somewhere along the way and they weren’t familiar with the place.”
I remember bawling my eyes out in a mall when I was a toddler, all because I thought I was lost. Turns out, my parents knew exactly where I was and they left me all alone to teach me a lesson about wandering off “unsupervised.” Getting lost can be thrilling at times, but too much of it can frustrate any traveller to the point of a cryfest.
8. There’s no place like home… but I don’t want to go home yet
“I cried the day before we went home from a one-week trip with friends.”
“The day after I got back from Cambodia, I cried in the washroom at work. I think it was mostly because I didn’t want to go back to my everyday reality just yet.”
Sometimes, travel presents a sort of alternate reality where everything is just more laidback and ideal. When it’s time to go back to your daily grind, it can be a tad too overwhelming.
9. Too tired to travel
“I have to travel a lot because of work. There was one weekend I really didn’t want to leave, I might have let a few tears drop while packing my things.”
Have you ever heard of travel fatigue? We’re telling you — it’s real.
Also read: This Sucks: Travel Burnout & How I Dealt With It
10. Love trouble in paradise
“My friends who were a couple broke up in the middle of their grand multi-country vacation, which was supposed to take more than a month. They were both devastated, but they still had a few weeks to go so they made the best of it, travelling together for the rest of time but going their separate ways when they reached a new destination.”
There are times travel brings us closer to our travel buddies and loved ones, but there are also instances when it tests our relationships. And of course, there are those who firmly believe that some places are downright cursed…
Also read: The Bali Breakup Curse: Are Couples Who Visit Bali Doomed to Split?
11. When misfortune strikes
“My luggage was stolen. Of course, I cried buckets before I could fix the situation.”
Like I said, there are MANY things we can’t control when we travel — mishaps included. Can you imagine losing your passport? Or being detained?
12. Sad stories from locals
“This was a looong time ago. I was in Boracay and this little boy kept asking us to pose with a sandcastle he just made. I thought it was so cute but I lost it when he told me he would do this after school and on the weekends so he could have lunch money for the next school day.”
Even the most beautiful destinations hold stories that simply break our hearts. But they make their mark and change the way we perceive the world we move around in.
13. When you’ve worked hard for travel
“I’ve always known how hard it was for my parents to raise the three of us. They struggled so much and I witnessed how they both worked and gave their all to give us a good life. Fast forward to today, it tears me up knowing that we finally get to enjoy seeing places together. There’s nothing but gratefulness in my heart because my parents deserve the world.”
It’s heartwarming stories like these that make us love helping you guys #maketravelhappen. *wink*
Do you have any stories to share? Let us know and we might just include you in our next round-up!
