Six o’clock in the morning. Feels like a work day, but it’s actually a vacation tour. They want to sleep more, but the bus will be waiting for them at half past seven and they still have breakfast to take. It’s not a good idea to get late and awaken the angry side of people…

So, what’s on the programme today? A museum, a Roman amphitheatre, a waterfall in the middle of the mountains, meadows with cows or sheep, a church or a mosque… Ok, let’s go. The guide explains why what they are seeing it is important and then adds: “take the picture and move on”. They hardly have time to appreciate it… they look around and everyone is already out the door. Oh, they need to run a bit now. They are back on the bus, but need to go to the toilet. Next stop, next visit, and then, at the end, the guide says: “those who need to go to the toilet go to the right. We have ten minutes”. They need to rush even in their free time…

Oh, no, someone got lost. Everyone gets restless, partly because they are worried, partly because they are getting late with the programme. Finally, the lost people arrive. It’s a couple of old people who are profusely apologizing. They lost track of time. Now, most people are thinking “those old people shouldn’t travel, they are not fit anymore, they should stay at home sitting on the sofa watching soap operas instead of delaying everyone”, but saying “it’s all right, no worry about it, we have time”.

Lunch time. They were hoping to get some local food, but the meal is included, which means it is food for tourists, similar to all others. Not excellent, not bad. Choices have to take into account the fact that tourists may not tolerate the local food, so they meals are carefully thought out. After all, if they serve something odd, complaints will drown the guide… and put the agency and their partners in question. No one wants that.

Bip Bip. A message from home: “Are you enjoying?”

Answer: “Yes, very much, it’s just great!”

And then, some photos are sent.

Answer to the answer: “Wow, it’s so beautiful! How lucky you are for being there!”

Yes, true. And just like that, all the rush, all the angry people, and the not so good food disappear from the mind. Forget about the foot blisters for walking so much, the pimples on the face due to the strange water, the swollen stomach due to… ah well. Looking around, it feels like they are in a documentary, or a film, or a book. The breathtakingly mountains, the unique churches and mosques, and amazing objects in the museums… The talks with local people are also much enriched, getting a new perspective of the world and realising that, actually, we are all the same. That the beauty of the world is just unmissable.