It was a somewhat distressing situation, albeit one that many frequent travelers have faced. Years ago, after flying from Bangkok to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, I waited at the gate for my connection home. But the agent made a rather important announcement: Not everybody would be making the trip across the Pacific. At least not today, because the number of passengers exceeded the number of seats on the plane.
The flight was oversold. And everyone’s minds began to whir. Who would be bumped? How was the airline going to sort this out?
I immediately saw the opportunity. Not because I consider myself particularly smart, or insightful, or forward-looking. (I’m not.) But rather, mostly because I had no immediate plans for afterward. And, at the time, had never visited Japan. Approaching the agent, I asked if there would be any remuneration for those who voluntarily gave up their seat to fly instead in a few days.
As it turned out, there was indeed. So I took the cash, which she dispensed on the spot, in yen, and made a quick booking at an affordable business hotel in Asakusa. Mere minutes later, I was thundering toward the heart of the capital on the Narita Express. And the next three days were awesome: I attended a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome, ate untold amounts of yakitori on back lanes and, ultimately, fell in love with Japan.
Make Inconvenience an Adventure
Whether your flight is canceled, your cruise ship is heading into a big storm, or your tour guide didn’t show up, the first thing to do is try and be cool. True, I can testify that it’s hard not to get worked up. But after allowing yourself a brief, private scream into a pillow, take a deep breath and decide to roll with it. Try and find the adventure in it all.Make Friends
In a tight situation, strangers can be your best friends. So it doesn’t hurt to strike up a conversation with those around you. Especially if things look like they might be going south.
An example: I was flying to a mountain town, but my connection kept getting delayed. Everyone at the gate chatted nervously about whether the flight would actually take off that day, and what to do if it didn’t.
When in Doubt, Turn Left
Nothing too fancy here. It just seems most people naturally turn right. So when you face an annoyingly long line where there are two options, take the one on the left. There might be fewer people (I’ve generally found that to be the case).Be Nice to the Staff
If you’re having a bad day, chances are the people working at the train station, hotel, or airport are having an even worse time. They’ve got the responsibility of working out that troublesome wrinkle while also dealing with the complaints of a whole bunch of frustrated travelers.Keep Perspective (You’re Still Pretty Lucky)
You know how they say, “A bad day on the lake is still better than a good one in the office”? Try to always keep that in mind.Once, I was on a trip to a tropical Southeast Asian island. The plans for the few days there were nothing short of fabulous: snorkeling, a sunset catamaran, maybe a surprise helicopter tour. But then, those first drops started to fall. And they didn’t stop. At all. Ever, for the length of the stay.
Some sort of monsoon was moving through. It washed away all those activities. But you know what? The pool was still cool. The views remained dramatic, even more so because of the never-ending storm. The food in the restaurants? Remained delicious.
