Here, there and everywhere

There’s an advantage to traveling off-season unless you mind the hordes of senior citizens that are flocking southward along with the migrating birds. Fall used to be the best time to go to those relaxing, scenic spots. Recently returning from an extra-long weekend — a mini-vacation — it soon became apparent that taking a spur-of-the moment trip was bringing entirely new sounds and sights to the experience.

While travel within these circles has previously felt comfortable, it morphed into something quite unique. Finding oneself amidst a pushing and shoving crowd outside a popular restaurant or listening to the complaints heard from the roadside rest-stops, it occurred to me how somewhere else can mirror the ultra-charged political atmosphere of home.

Trying not to horn in on the conversations of my fellow travelers, I had nowhere to turn toward less-populated quarters. We have all continued to get a daily blast of phone calls and advertisements on television, radio and social media.

After all the adaptations that have been made to ensure a relaxed experience in even the most popular places, this mid-term election season has made it impossible to relax.

Whereas summertime travel was filled with masses of inter-generational crowds, the age of the traveler did not dictate how everyone enjoyed their vacation. While all of us are used to out-of-control toddlers, some recent reports by frequent travelers to popular vacation sites have indicated that all ages of travelers are stressed this mid-term election season. The laid-back, low-key vacation vibe that so many of us crave is missing. A constant barrage of ads from the ever-expanding, aggressive efforts made to support extreme political platforms causes distress everywhere. It doesn’t matter whether the crowd is young, middle-aged, or older, the stress wreaking havoc from the political front has the same effect.

Private cell phone calls and casual conversations overheard in a wide variety of public spaces solidify that view. Almost every overheard snippet of conversation in public spaces (airport runs, busy restaurants, bank lobbies, grocery stores) confirm that this is the case. As Election Day approaches, one hopes it will change again. Enough already!