On my recent caving trip with a group of caver friends in Mexico, we hit a snag – due to icy conditions in Houston, our layover there went from only a few hours to several days. Any other time when I’d be traveling with other people, that could have turned into a huge disaster and a ruined vacation. But not this time. This time, there were different factors that affected our experience and ended up turning it into an enjoyable experience. Here are my 7 lessons I learned on this trip to Mexico with an unexpected layover in Houston.
Lesson 1: Research Traveler Rights and Advocate for Yourself
This is one of the biggest lessons I learned on this trip, is to learn to advocate for yourself. Research what your rights are if there are travel disruptions. Consider travel insurance because they can often help. Write everything down you are told and double and triple check it.
One thing we were told by a ticket agent was that we could have our luggage released to us and we just had to go to baggage claim so we could have a change of clothes. However, when we got to baggage claim, we were informed that that was not the case, and they would not be releasing our luggage to us. This leads into another important lesson.
Lesson 2: Pack Some Essentials in Your Carry-on
This applies whether or not your luggage is lost or stolen, or in our case, when the airline refused to release our checked luggage. Pack some toiletries and at least a day’s worth of clothing in your carry-on bag. I haven’t needed to do so until this trip, but I’m glad I did. On a more recent trip, I was flying and sitting in airports for two days, and especially on a long layover like the one I had, it’s such a great feeling to not only be able to take a shower, but to also have a change of clothes.
Lesson 3: Travel with Like-Minded Friends
Traveling with like-minded people and maintaining a positive attitude: Being with a group of friends who share a similar mindset and are willing to make the most of an unexpected situation can enhance the overall experience. Their positive outlook can influence your own attitude, making it easier to find the silver lining in challenging circumstances.
Lesson 4: Cultivate a Positive and Resilient Mindset
This does not mean that you cannot think that this experience was awful and you feel certain emotions about it. You still can process all of these experiences and emotions because they are valid. However, it’s also important to say to yourself, “Ok, this really sucks, but what am I going to do to make the remainder of my experience better?” I think being around positive people in Houston really helped me maintain a positive mindset when my default response would have gone into negativity and talking as if the entire trip is ruined, but this was not the case. With just that simple mindset shift, we were able to enjoy the time we had there.
Lesson 5: Embrace the Unexpected and Find New Adventures
I think it was important at the beginning for us to acknowledge that it sucked and we were pissed off about it, but then instead of staying in that energy and being angry about it, we said, “Ok, now what are we going to do about it?” And that’s how we started looking into what interesting things there were to see in Houston.
I have often said this wasn’t the trip I would have expected, but it was definitely the most exciting because of how we were able to make lemonade out of the experiences. I’m so grateful that we were able to see different places in Houston. Before this trip, I’d never been to an aquarium but the Downtown Aquarium was interesting and informative. I never would have expected to see a Bengal Tiger in an aquarium, but this one had it.
I also would never have expected in a million years that I would have had the privilege of visiting Space Center Houston. I loved it there. I was never good at science in school, but I always respected it a great deal as a discipline. And of course, being a history major in college, I loved the history components. I went on a tram tour of the Mission Control Room. It was adorned as it would have looked in 1968 during the lunar landing, down to the screens showing the landing in real time. What a gift it was to be able to watch and experience the lunar landing as if for the first time from the restored family viewing area.
Lesson 6: Have a Backup Plan
Another biggest lesson from this trip that I can stress to you is to have a backup plan, especially when something like this happens. Budget for unexpected additional expenses on a trip, or just fun excursions you find while on the trip. Luckily, on this trip, most of the group was able to absorb the extra costs we weren’t expecting, but unfortunately, I was not. While I was able to absorb it later, I was not in a place to do so at the time.
Lesson 7: Embrace Experiences as an Opportunity for Growth
For me, growth opportunities are the biggest reasons why I travel. Even the smallest experiences can make a huge impact on your life and how you see it. Take some time and look back on your most transformative experiences? Did they happen around a trip you took? I can name several experiences on one hand. I will discuss one of these in particular in greater detail in a future post.
Have you ever had unexpected mishaps or detours during a trip? How did you navigate it? Share your experiences in the comments below!
Featured Locations in Houston
Downtown Aquarium - 410 Bagby St, Houston, TX 77002
Space Center Houston - 1601 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058
Additional Recommendations in Houston
Best Banh Mi Sandwich (We may have gone here a couple times!)
Nguyen Ngoc, 14015 Bammel North Houston Rd A, Houston, TX 77014
Themed Restaurant (I'm not a “Lord of the Rings” fan, but it was fun. The food was great and the mead was phenomenal)
Hobbit Cafe, 2243 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77098
Brewery with Beautifully Adorned Cars
Saint Arnold Brewing Company, 2000 Lyons Ave, Houston, TX 77020
For the More Macabre Like Me
National Museum of Funeral History, 415 Barren Springs Dr, Houston, TX 77090
Click here for my Google Maps list of these locations and more information.
Did you know that, in addition to blogging, I’m also a certified travel coach and travel advisor? I help first-time solo travelers shift their mindsets and boost their confidence through travel hacks and support before a trip. This assistance does not end when they return. I also help them integrate their travel experiences into their everyday life. I can even incorporate my travel advisor experience and provide optional booking services to give clients peace of mind and reduce pre-trip stress. Interested in learning more about travel coaching and how I can help you? Book a free clarity call with me here.
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