Next Time You Travel, Pack Your Humor

Laughter Thought Leader: Elaine Williams

Come on, it will be fun! Famous last words.

We’re climbing up the steps of the Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy. Never mind that there have been record-high temperatures the past month, specifically in Milan. Never mind the hundreds of tourists who are climbing the steps with us and crawling all over the top of the cathedral.

“Whenever he looks really angry, I usually start to giggle”

I wanted to see all of the churches that I’d seen in millions of pictures of Milan. My companion wanted to kill me. We took breaks in the shade, panting from the heat, and the steep stairs. Whenever he looks really angry, I usually start to giggle, which in turn usually makes him laugh; which is so much more fun than fighting, right?

This was a common occurrence on our month-long trip to the Adriatic that ended in Milan.

We Make A Great Team:

I’m a very in-the-moment, big-picture kind of person. I understand the value of planning. But I love to be spontaneous, especially when traveling. My travel partner, however, is really into planning and thinking things all the way through.

If we’re not driving each other crazy, we make a great team (most of the time). When you have two humans with very different personalities who operate in extremely different ways, how do you keep them from not blowing up at each other throughout the day? With humor! We’ve traveled together before, but not for this long or with so many challenges.

Humor Makes It Work:

We started our journey on a “yacht”, island hopping in Croatia. Sounds heavenly, right? Except that our “yacht” turned out to be a small sailboat. I thought it was going to be romantic, but our tiny cabin smelled like pee most of the time, situated as it was next to the boat’s leakiest bathroom. And there were seven other strangers on the “yacht” with us, in very close quarters.

Some nights, there was no spot in the marina so we had to stay out in the harbor, tied to a buoy and leave the windows open even though they didn’t have screens! Those nights were hard. How did I handle it since I’m super delicious for the mosquitoes 

“After the cruise, the journey continued with just me and my travel companion – with humor.”

I kept telling myself, this will be hilarious someday! Getting to jump into the beautiful aquamarine waters throughout the day helped for sure. After the cruise, the journey continued with just me and my travel companion – with humor.

Humor Helped Through The Hottest Summer:

Afterward, we were so excited to have a hotel room with a nice smelling bathroom, never mind that we kept bashing our heads on the walls because it was an attic room. Even though Europe was having its hottest summer in recorded history, we walked and climbed and sweated through wondrous old cities and ancient Roman ruins.

We kept making jokes to crack the other person up. Yes, I love seeing the ancient architecture, but for me, laughing with others, even if you don’t speak the same language, that’s what makes travel special for me. I love getting out of my comfort zone so that I can get a new perspective on my business and life. I love connecting with others from other cultures, even if it’s just for a moment.

Embracing the mishaps with humor allows us to turn potential frustrations into cherished memories. Being able to laugh at ourselves and find the silver lining in challenging situations fosters resilience and makes us better human beings. 

So, the next time you embark on a travel adventure, remember to pack your sense of humor. Embrace the unexpected, laugh at the little absurdities, and relish the joyous camaraderie that only travel and humor can provide. Bon voyage and may your journeys be filled with laughter!

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