Read about the peculiar solace found in the midst of unfamiliar surroundings, where the scent of hotel sheets and the presence of miniature toiletries offer a sense of comfort. From the pristine spaces untouched by life’s messiness to encounters with fish purging impurities, travel presents a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in new environments. Amidst the laughter, adventures, and sometimes discomfort, there lies an unexpected home away from home. Join us on a journey filled with serendipity, where you can revel in the joys of unconventional experiences and relish the comfort of the unknown.
A Strange Comfort
There lies a strange comfort
In the smell of hotel sheets, little bottles line the vanity
Everything you need to clean but miniature.
A fresh airplane, or perhaps a rented car,
Not yet graced with the messes that real life presents
No spilled drinks, or stray McDonald’s fries
Littering the pristine floor
Sink your feet into sand
Or snow or clear flowing stream
Feel fish pick apart the impurities
In the very humanity they detest
Drink a smoothie, inhale the smells
Of sewage and wreckage and too much
Laughing gas you took last night.
Tie up your boots, smear the SPF
Sit down for breakfast, pray the menu is in English
Regret eating the eggs after hours on the toilet
“it’s a part of the experience”
The guidebook drones on and on about where
To go, what to see, who to talk to
What’s safe for you, and where you are unwelcome
But there lies a strange comfort
In the mess of Serendipity beach in the raw mornings
Cigarette butts and straws may impregnate the turtles
But at least you had a blast dancing on tables and
Cooking away chemicals in the heat of your bodies
You mock their accents, and eat their rice
And provide their livelihood
And you’ve never felt so strangely comfortable
A home away from your home, a pleasant
Welcoming unfamiliarity
You wake in the morning, caressed by clean hotel sheets
Rise and rinse and repeat with a tiny bottle
Wipe away the mist in the mirror, gaze into your glazed eyes,
I hope you feel uncomfortable.
Written by Adri Rocks
Author: Adri Rocks @arockspoetry
Header Art: Anne-Marie Dimanche @amdfwu
