The unspoken rule goes that, despite what social media might have you believing, nobody really wants to see an extensive collection of your holiday pictures. And, for the most part, people don't want to hear all that much about your trip, either.
Colleagues might ask, “How was your vacation?”, expecting a reply of no more than five words: “Yeah, it was good, thanks!”
Not me.
If I'm not there with you, I want to hear every little detail about a trip, from where you shopped at the airport and what your in-flight meal was like, to the bunker-turned-gallery you stumbled upon during a long weekend in Tirana.
This is one of the joys of working on the Features desk at The National – everyone's curious. From which beach getaway books you packed (and barely creased the spine of), to what the breakfast buffet was like at the hotel you stayed at on your trip to Greece, we're all ears.
This is how my colleagues and I recently got into a discussion of what makes the perfect plane movie.
Rami Malek's The Amateur is a potboiler made for the skies. Photo: 20th Century Studios
Is it a tearjerker? People's emotions tend to be heightened on planes, so movies such as Field of Dreams and Flow are ideal if a cathartic cry is needed. Then there's the nostalgia watch, one that makes easy re-viewing between meal trays and cabin announcements. See the rest of the team's suggestions here.
Of course, there are some types of road trips that are as much about drinking in the route as enjoying the destination – such as the ones Simon Wilgress-Pipe has rounded up around the region.
While road trips bring back memories of childhood holidays in the UK for me – which involved listening to 1980s ballads and 1990s pop on the radio (alongside some car karaoke led by myself), as we drove down to Cornwall or up to see family in Birmingham from London – flights are synonymous with my years of more independent travel, be it with others or solo.
Now, this has developed into a curiosity for all the different kinds of ways to travel. I recently embarked on a cruise around Alaska, which was a novel experience for me. Earlier in the year, I walked from Portugal to Spain along the famed Camino De Santiago route – although planes were involved for both.
A rendering of Dream of the Desert train, which will travel from Riyadh to Al Qurayyat. Photo: Saudi Arabia Railways
My bucket list also includes taking a sleeper train journey – perhaps Saudi Arabia's upcoming luxurious Dream of the Desert? Elsewhere, I've recently been reading about journeys by horseback, trips measured in marathon runs and endurance cycles from capital city to capital city. These are just some of the itineraries you can consider on returning from your summer break, all charged to plan the next adventure.
For those suffering from aerophobia, there are various options available that can help alleviate stress around flying. Getty Images
In part, alternative modes of transport have been on our minds this week after reading an insightful piece by Gemma White about overcoming anxieties about air travel.
As regular flyers, many of us don't think twice before jumping on a plane, eye mask and neck pillows at the ready. But aerophobia (fear of flying) is often cited as one of the most common phobias, and studies suggest as many as 40 per cent of people get nervous or feel uncomfortable when boarding a flight.
“For some, fear of flying is a discrete, situational phobia without broader psychological complications,” says Christi Gadd, psychologist at Thrive Wellbeing Centre. “This may involve fear of turbulence, crashing or losing control during a flight. It may be triggered by a past traumatic experience while flying, vicarious learning such as hearing about an aviation disaster, or classical conditioning related to safety and danger.”
Whether for yourself or a loved one, read here to find out tried-and-tested ways of conquering a fear of flying.
Enjoy the vastness of the Empty Quarter, but ensure your car is up to scratch. Stephen Lock / The National
For those of us who aren't heading home or flying off to a new destination in August, a staycation with a road-trip twist is a worthy contender for a long weekend away.
Be it cashing in on coastal charm while driving to Fujairah, or setting out for the lush valleys of Salalah, there are plenty of scenic routes both within and just outside the UAE.
In his round-up of seven of the best road trips to take from the Emirates, Simon Wilgress-Pipe describes these treks as “immersive experiences that demand a spirit of adventure”, noting they also require a well-prepped vehicle and driver.
Explore the little-visited rural areas of Penang island whilst in Malaysia. Getty Images
Travelling to Malaysia’s state of Penang, most visitors head immediately to the Unesco World Heritage site of George Town, a buzzing urban cocktail of colonial and Chinese architecture, hip boutique hotels, dazzling street food and gourmet fine dining.
But this luxuriant, tropical island – known for centuries as the Pearl of the Orient – also has a little-visited, unspoilt rural side, perfect to explore for a couple of days at a slow pace, away from the crowds. That was top of John Brunton's list as he set off to explore the sleepy town of Balik Pulau.
As his taxi took the opposite direction of city traffic, Brunton drove through the verdant heartland of Penang, writing: “Before long, the road is surrounded by rolling hills clad with thick rainforest.”
While there, skipping fancy hotels in favour of immersive stays is the way to do it, he says. “Opt for a slice of local life alongside a Malay family in a homestay, or try out the new trend of eco-friendly glamping locations popping up all over this part of the island.”
Inspired to embark on a long drive with friends or family? Make sure you prep ahead to keep up the in-drive entertainment, too.
If you're into quizzing, hunt down and download audio Q&A games from a streaming service, ready to play during the ride. If music is more your thing, Spotify allows you to create a link to share with every passenger to create a dedicated playlist before hitting the road.
Car-trip Bingo might need some prepping beforehand – and those keen can tailor it to their route – while 20 Questions and the Licence Plate game are always good on-the-go backups.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
