Pet Peeves
 

How about a fun topic? What are some of the phrases you here relative to travel experiences that make you cringe?

Let start with, Magical.

This is a post in jest, so before you the flamer's come after me, think about it.

<I>Amazing</i> makes me cringe in any context. It's getting to be a catch-all for a dozen different adjectives, all having subtly different meanings.

Laziness like this is turning what was once a robust, highly inflected language into a pidgin.

Overused superlatives don't bother me (if a place doesn't have <i>something</i> magically amazing, it's probably not worth going), but "words" like "staycation" that make me puke.

"Training" - as in - "I'm training to Vienna".

Aaaargh

Hahahaha lawchick...love it...training isnt a word!!!

1. "You'll love it". No I bloody won't. If it appeals to someone who says things like that, it's bound to be crap

2. "Awesome". Usually meaning alright really, in a boring sort of way.

3. Those damnfool icons

4. LOL. WTF?

Ziploc bags

A. "To die for" and other overused catchphrases.

B. "Wonderful" - another lazy adjective.

C. Misuse of the term "jet lag" - as in, "What can I do on the first day of my trip when I have jet lag?" Being tired from a long airplane flight is not the same as jet lag. Do I have "car lag" when I'm tired from driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco? Jet lag, to me, is being wide awake at 4am, hungry at odd times after arrival to a far away destination because your body's clock is still in your old time zone - and you don't get over it in a day if you have it.

Most of the above plus "cute" and "quaint" make me cringe. I am afraid that I have been guilty of "magical." I'll think of an alternative in future.

Delvino, thanks for the post. It is always good to have a reminder to use more of the vocabulary of our rich language and to be precise in our meanings.

Hopper,

I disagree that one can't have jet-lag for one day. It's not from the length of the flight but from the missing bedtime, with morning suddenly appearing out of nowhere at your usual bedtime. What's the difference between being awake at 4am and being sleepy at 10am (4am home time)? And of course one can get over it -- after one night with the new bedtime.

I don't like these big paragraph long titles for things....emanating I think from self help books

Like

"Two fat ladies, one grandad, four kids, three days in paris, 47 bags and my new Mary Janes (and what about those ziploc bags???? ;)). I'm lovin' it!"

Another thing that dives me mad

"Is it worth it?"

"Is (insert name of famous European city) worth it?"

Another vote for "worth it". It makes me want to punch people.

On the other hand, ziploc (or ziplock or self-sealing) bags make me feel warm and cozy all over.

I'm reading a book at the moment called "Smile When You're Lying" by a travel writer, Chuck Thompson. Reasonably funny, and lots of pet peeved discussed.

Must-sees.

What is the best way to get from CDG to Paris (or LHR to London)..asked at least weekly!

My pet peeve isn't the use of particular words, but people who think travel to other countries should be spent racing around from landmark just to lay eyes on them (they might as well watch a travelogue at home), and those who want to spend their time in air-conditioned cars with English speaking tour guides so that they don't have to have any contact with the people, language or culture of the place they're visiting.

Deplaning.

Some are more funny than peeve-producing.
"What can I bring as a guest gift to....."
The last one did have maple syrup, but it didn't have packets of cake-mix.

Yum, yummo. yummy

People have already covered amazing and awesome.

Flight times and who they sat next to

What time they got up

What should I see?

I have never been to XXXX but I want to see the off-the-beaten path things.

I want to live like a local. (It sounds like they should put a bone through their nose and dance half-naked.)

Will I look like a tourist if I carry a camera, an upside down guide book, walk with a family of four in shorts in the business diitrict at noon, stare at the buildings, etc.

I am probably guilty of using the purple prose!

One thing that annoys me here is people that give advice about places they have never been!

"Is it worth it?" Oh, boy!

Is "training" worse than "motoring?"

"What kind of shoes are in style in Italy?"

Therese: I liked that Chuck Thompson book!