My friend shared an amusing post on Facebook the other day, listing some complaints British travel company Thomas Cook had received from disgruntled clients. They included items from the “Just what did you expect when you booked a vacation there?” category: “The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room.” and “No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared.” From the “Why did you even bother leaving home?” department came these: “When we were in Spain, there were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners.” and “On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don’t like spicy food.” And then, from the folks who take “all-inclusive” waaaaay too literally: “Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers.” and “We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price.” I’ve worked for and with travel companies for over 15 years, and I can still be amazed at some of the unrealistic expectations and misconceptions some travelers pack with them on their journeys. Some can be chalked up to inexperience, some can be ascribed to someone looking for a giveaway from the travel provider to make up for some perceived slight or unfulfilled expectation. And you know that there are some folks who are perpetually unhappy and would find something to complain about no matter the situation. Experienced global travelers readily realize that they will indeed encounter foreign dishes in restaurants and  citizens may speak a different language than their guests. For them, that’s the appeal of travel. They understand things may operate differently than at home, but they revel in adapting to new situations and ways of doing things. And when there truly is reason to complain, they find the right avenue to do so effectively. (Click here to read Debra Bokur’s excellent article, “Damage Control,” from the September 2014 issue on addressing poor customer service.) I hope your travels this summer prove delightful and without disappointment (and be sure to pack your swimsuit!). — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor