What DO you do?

(I missed last week’s personally-imposed deadline, but I was up against the internet restrictions in China and in between the international dateline. But this will give you a glimpse of what I was doing, anyway.)

It must be so exotic, right? Traipsing across the globe and ending up on another continent in a posh hotel— but what do I do after that?

The truth is, well, anything and everything. Sometimes I’m adventurous and explore the locale (like transiting the Panama Canal, upcoming in another blog post!) or I might grab a drink with the crew. But, like any other human being, I’m tired after work! Sometimes I just want to rot in bed, so I turn into a slam clicker— the sound the hotel room door makes, the crewmember not to be seen until van time.

When I do that, it’s not personal. It's just that I've spent 10 hours or more next to coworkers, and I don’t need to spend any additional time with them, even if they’re nice. But it also works out splendidly if you *don’t* like the other person. 

My recent routine is bougie. The hotel in China has an excellent gym. After I’ve dusted the sea salt out of my eyes from crossing the ocean, I’ll mosey downstairs and hit my travel yoga mat that goes everywhere with me— but that’s not the motivation. The locker room has a fantastic sauna and hot tub (yes! In the locker room!), so I alternate between sauna, cold plunge shower, and hot tub. I know it seems nuts, but I love the shock of a cold shower, even before work; it gets my brain and breathing focused. And after a hot sauna, it feels refreshing. This isn’t novel— the Scandinavians mastered this art eons ago, going between the sauna and cold water. It has a host of benefits, but the best of which is mental clarity. I’m not saying it clears up jet lag, but it certainly puts me in a good state of mind. 

Granted, I don’t take cold showers every day. My dear friend Morgan once said to me, “Darling, why would you take away the small joy of a hot shower?” Trust and believe, I am not that crazy— yet. It’s just nice to break up the monotony on the road.

And I would be remiss not to mention the inexpensive massages (not THAT kind, but I digress; other freight dawgs know where to go). For about $30 USD, I can get 90 minutes of a full body massage. And don’t you dare tell them to be “firm,” lest you underestimate the strength of a small Asian woman straddling your body, airing her grievances as her punching bag. “Hurts so good” doesn’t even begin to describe it!

I also make the trek to a nearby mall with a "boutique grocery store" and take advantage of their sushi— I got all of this sushi for less than $15, and it makes for a nice treat when I don't feel like venturing out for a big bowl of noodles (which costs no more than $2). It's a story as old as time that some American pilots always end up at an Irish pub in search of the most western food they can find. But I try to get out of my comfort zone, despite never having met a noodle I didn't like.

That said, it’s really not as glamorous as it sounds. Behind it all, you’re either working against your body or coaxing it to do something it doesn’t want to do. My blanket statement is this: I sleep when I’m tired, and I eat when I’m hungry. People try to get creative on their techniques, but there’s no way around it— this is taxing on our physical form. And I still have a job to do on top of it. Even when I get home, it takes a solid four or five days before I feel completely back in my body.

But as I’ve stated before, I’m a cozy and comfortable person, so I make sure I’m taken care of everywhere. For now, while I’m younger and a bit more resilient, I look forward to the adventure of international travel, especially with an upcoming summer filled with time off!