There was a time when my uncle and I were late to catch a flight to Johannesburg.
We had taken the wrong turn to the airport, and that resulted in a major delay -and an influx of traffic to pass through!
We spent more than half an hour to get the airline to wait for us. After serious convincing, they obliged.
We managed to enter the plane 10 minutes after it was scheduled to take off.
Naturally, other passengers were not happy, some of whom rolled their eyes at us as we frantically tried to find our seats.
With a sweaty face and heavy pants, I was heavy embarrassed. It did not help when my uncle, two rows away from me, called out my name and said: “Hey, we made it.”
Embarrassing stories like this happen all the time for travellers. Some admit it, others would rather have the memory thrown away like they would their old boarding pass.
But, after my initial embarrassment, I realised that there was nothing to be ashamed of.
By the time I disembarked the plane, I was back to my old self, not bothered by the stares of other passengers.
Here are some quick ways to rise from your own travel embarrassment:
Things happen, you have to move on:
Whether you say something silly to your travel crush or fall face down at a landmark with hundreds of tourists, it's hard to avoid an embarrassing moment. The sane thing to do is move on. You may be the joke for a few minutes, but it shall be forgotten before their next tour.
Laugh it off:
Laughing at yourself is the best way to ease the tension of an embarrassing moment. I was at a lodge a few months ago when I walked into a glass door at their in-house restaurant. I immediately laughed and the mood lightened almost immediately.
You probably won’t be seeing these people again:
Even if something embarrassing happens, rest assured that you probably would not have to see those people again!
*Have an embarrassing travel story to share? Email yours to [email protected]