Traveling is overrated

My coworker told me: “I have to use my PTO. I’m planning a trip to Paris, Spain, Portugal and Rome in Europe..”

Don’t get me wrong. These places are absolutely stunning and phenomenal but there are a few cons to traveling in general.

1. Exhaustion — I am so tired from traveling, meeting people, making small talk, uncomfortable beds, terrible hair products, subpar hotel cleanliness, inaccessible filtered water, unreliable internet connection due to network issues
2. Money Depletion — I am spending an abundance of money on overpriced food, convenient transportation, and four star hotels
3. Food poisoning — I have never gotten food poisoning through all my experiences but there has been a few moments where the prepared food was pleasantly disgusting
4. Lifestyle Inflation — the more money I earn, the more money I spend on extravagant experiences — upgrading to Chanel handbags, AWAY suitcase, and business class tickets
5. Lifestyle Disruption — does the experience enhance or bring value to my life? Does it take me to a place that feels like a five-second dream to avoid a lifetime in reality. This sounds similar to the phrase “ 5 seconds of fame”. In other words, we are experiencing “5 seconds of travel.”

As an introvert and a homebody, traveling drains me. I have a limited amount of money, resources and do not understand why people get all worked up about going to the most popular scenery on Earth — Eiffel Tower, Hollywood Sign. However…