Traveling is one of the most exciting things we can do in this world. Getting out to see the world, experience another culture, meet new people, try delicious foods you’ve never heard of before, and make lifelong memories. Whenever someone tells me that they just don’t have much interest in traveling around the world, I am flabbergasted. What do you mean you're not curious about anything and everything that the world has to offer?
But then they start to list all of the logistics that come along with traveling, and I start to understand their perspective. It can quickly become expensive, it’s exhausting, planes/trains/automobiles are always unpredictable, nothing beats the comfort of your own home, and keeping track of travel documents can be stressful.
One person, who knows these struggles all too well, recently reached out to the “Am I the [Jerk]?” subreddit asking if they were being too harsh for deciding to board a plane without their boyfriend after he forgot his passport. Below, you can find the whole story, as well as some of the responses from readers, and decide for yourself whether this boyfriend deserved to learn a lesson.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and then if you’re interested in reading a Bored Panda article featuring travel tips that can help you avoid situations like this in the future, check out this story next!
After their boyfriend managed to forget his passport, this person decided to go on a trip with their friends without him
Image credits: Levi Ventura (not the actual photo)
Now, she's wondering if she should have stayed behind
Image credits: Elizabeth French (not the actual photo)
Image credits: TAourtrip
The traveler later explained the "digital document" that their boyfriend insists upon relying on
Depending on where you’re coming from and where you’re going, traveling internationally requires a variety of things. You might simply need an ID card (if you’re an EU citizen traveling within the EU, for example), you might need only a passport, or you might require a passport, a visa, a negative COVID test, vaccinations, etc. The important thing is that you do your research and show up to the airport prepared. I can completely understand having a hard time keeping track of documents or being forgetful, but if you know this about yourself, you should take every precaution possible to ensure you make your trip.
Personally, I’m extremely forgetful. So I always leave a note in my phone reminding me where my passport is. That way, the next time I travel, I don’t have to spend hours rummaging through my apartment panicking. I know exactly where to find it, and I’ll be sure to place it in the backpack I’m traveling with a few days before the trip, so I can’t possibly forget it at the last minute. Amazingly, I have never managed to lose or forget an important document while traveling, but apparently, it’s pretty common.
According to News24, about 6% of UK travelers have managed to forget their passport at one time or another, but what’s even more interesting is that men are more than twice as likely to forget their passports than women. There are a variety of possible reasons for this, but one potential explanation is that women are just more avid travelers in the first place. Worldwide, women make up for about 64% of global travelers, whereas men only account for 36%, according to RV and Playa. If a woman is a more experienced and more passionate traveler, she might be less inclined to make an amateur mistake such as forgetting her passport or missing a flight.
World traveler Jessica Nabongo, who has visited over 150 nations and runs a boutique travel agency, told Vox in 2019, “When I do meet male travelers, a lot of them are gay,” she says. “In particular, straight men only travel if their girlfriend is planning it or if it’s a bachelor party.” Of course, she cannot speak for all men, but it’s possible that men who are less interested in traveling alone, or traveling at all, won’t be as active in the planning of their trips or as meticulous about their preparation.
One of the worst aspects of this particular story on Reddit, however, is that the partner could have easily brought his passport for him and avoided this whole situation if he had not previously scolded them for keeping track of his documents. He wanted to be a responsible adult, so he has no one to blame for this situation but himself. Why should they both have to miss out on an expensive and exciting trip just because he showed up unprepared? We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments, pandas, and then if you’re interested in checking out another article featuring travel tips to help you avoid moments like this, look no further than right here!
Readers overwhelmingly sided with the partner, reminding them that their boyfriend is an adult who should be capable of taking care of himself
