I am an introvert, and I love to travel solo. In situations when I am not travelling alone, I can be found with another introverted guy with similar interests. Finding interest in mundane activities of the locals, taking photographs of cats or just observing life going by in some sleepy village in a lesser known town is something that I enjoy the most.
There are things that I absolutely love about travelling solo. I can move at my own pace, I can choose less happening destinations where none of my friends want to go to, and I don't have to listen to advice, suggestions, requests, cribs and rants from anyone.
But an unfortunate experience was awaiting me. Sadly, I had to take a work trip with six other people to Manali, all of whom were extroverts. This is a tale of the miseries that I had to go through:
1. I had to start enjoying myself
Extroverts feel that when you are enjoying yourself, it should be visible. You could not possibly be enjoying unless you are shrieking, howling or listening to loud music. So when I was not doing it, I was probably sad, and needed to be cheering up. Of course, I was made to enjoy the trip as soon as we entered our traveller.
2. I had to put an end to my 'weird' conversations
Usually, my limited interaction with anyone is about the local politics, deities or flora and fauna of the region. However, my extroverted companions found it weird when I began talking about the different gradients of the two streams flowing nearby. Eventually, I had to give in to a fun conversation about the lifestyle of colleagues who were not travelling with us.
3. I had to do everything
On a nice, bright day, I enjoy sitting under the sun on a hilltop, thinking about my personal life, career and interests. This activity itself is quite fulfilling. But to my extroverted companions, I looked like a lethargic person parked on a meadow. They forced me to jump and run around and to enjoy the beauty of nature while they cracked the most cliched jokes from the recent pop culture.
4. I was made to dance
Dancing skills and extroversion may not go hand in hand, but breaking into a dance playing the latest Bollywood number is something extroverts just can't miss. I was forced into making my body move in strange ways, and was booed at for being bad at it.
5. I was assigned photography
What happens when you are walking quietly in a group, avoiding their uncontrollable personality spill over on you? You are assigned photography. Everybody wants a picture, and an introvert is always an easy target as the guy who can point and shoot. To oblige, they clicked my pictures a few times themselves. But I hate being clicked, especially with poses directed by extroverts. I have a picture of me eating the sun, can you imagine?
6. I was the person doing the boring jobs
While I don't mind organising stuff, and keeping the work-flow neat. Extroverts easily brushed off all boring tasks like filling up forms, making the bookings and taking care of the minor stuff. This is a bit sad because as extroverts, they walk with glory as they can easily shout out their achievements to everybody else, while introverts like me shy away from getting attention.
7. I was told that booze is the answer
Someone said, "You don't need shoes to run, but they definitely help. The same holds for alcohol". I was definitely not that person nor did I support their point of view. I don't need alcohol to enjoy things and have fun. I can seriously enjoy a lot more without chugging one sip of alcohol. Then they panicked when I asked for it. Later on, I panicked seeing the horrors post the booze session.
8. I was the one who handled the spillover
Once intoxicated, extroverts are just dead. It is the introverts who who have to clean up and tuck them in bed like angels. And of course, I became an angel they did not deserve.
My work trip brings me back to my reason why I stopped travelling with others in the first place. I could not travel to the most popular destinations on Instagram with a bunch of people who wanted to take their picture in the same pose as they had seen on their feed.
I could not give up a session of introspection to discuss the whereabouts of a meme-worthy colleague. I could not take my steps away from solitary trails in the wild to cacophonous claustrophobic clubs. And even though I might have considered it in the past, and also given it another chance, I knew it clearly that
This leads me to the conclusion that I cannot travel with extroverts.
Put your experience travelling with extroverts in the form of a rant in the comments below.
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