On my last trip aboard (to Portugal), I found myself once again doing 3 things I hate myself for doing:

1. Watching TV, particularly if it's a movie or TV show I would never watch at home. Add in ad breaks in a language I couldn't understand, and I might aswell as just slept in instead.

2. Going to Irish pubs. I don't go for the 'craic' or to see if I can make new friends, but I do go because there's a better than average chance that they'll have my favourite tipple. Even if that tipple is twice the price of all other beer and been on the shelf since it was purchased by the bar in 1987. I have managed to reduce this to an occasional 'treat' and will seek out local bars as much as possible.

3. Going to the same restaurant. This is one I'm actively discouraging myself from doing, but if there's a nice restaurant near your hotel, and you're back in your room at 8 at night and hungry after a day of hiking/sightseeing/sitting by the pool, it's so difficult for me not to just keep going back. I make it slightly more exciting by having a different dish each time, which might be just enough :P

reading a book by the pool for hours at a time. I can do that at home!

Eating and drinking too much, and exercising too little.

Hookers and blow !!

Seriously -- laying in bed and watching tv which I never do at home.

Not working out regularly, but I also use my trip as a way to heal myself.

Not getting up early enough to enjoy a walk on the beach before it gets crowded.

Not talking to locals enough, or at all

My downfall, too.

Not wearing ANY formal attire. Being a college student who travels 50'000+ miles a year, wearing a hoodie, wool coat, and paired with jeans didn't make for many approachable conversations :P

Bought a light blazer and some at least clean looking pants today. Hopefully I won't sweat in 100C anymore either!

Raiding the minibar. I know it's outrageous and unhealthy but something about the mini cans of Pringles. And I don't even like Pringles!
I also do not exercise and eat and drink too much--but I feel that is the purpose of vacation.
A successful vacation is 4-5 books read while horizontal and staring at water, preferably alternated with naps.l

Sleeping in. Spending too much time in my hotel room. Not talking to locals enough. Not eating street food.

[deleted] hookers and blow!!

But for real I wish I would spend less time in the Hotel room.

Do more exploring in areas that I know nothing about.

Not repeat the same restaurants so much.

Not being as generous as I should be.

I go through a lot of cities not making eye contact, shaking my head, saying "no, thanks" or the local equivalent. It's a learned response.

But then I get home and I realize that I live a life of relative luxury, and that I should be more generous when I'm away.

Not all the time, of course. But sometimes.

Not bothering to check work emails. Or, wait, is that good thing?

I don't drink much but when traveling guilty as charged on the other two.


When I was in Mexico last fall I got up the first day to walk along the beach and take pics of the sunrise. I was going to get up before sunrise to take more pics but never did.

My husband always tells me I should just go on holidays to a town an hour out of Sydney and sit in a hotel room there instead of reading in a hotel room on the other side of the world with business class airfares! He said it would be far cheaper for the same result.