For locals it's a hell-chariot locked in a never-ending loop between dull jobs and dull homes. For tourists, it's a Wonka-esque boat-ride around the dream factory.
Public transportation —
For locals it's a hell-chariot locked in a never-ending loop between dull jobs and dull homes. For tourists, it's a Wonka-esque boat-ride around the dream factory.
DALE de la REY/AFP/Getty Images
We take our own history and culture for granted. But when it's another country, their drab paintings and people in funny clothes look so much more fun than ours.
Museums —
We take our own history and culture for granted. But when it's another country, their drab paintings and people in funny clothes look so much more fun than ours.
ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images
Abroad, solicitous locals are fonts of cherished authenticity. But get us on home turf and the five most terrifying words in the English language are "mind if i join you?"
Friendly locals —
Abroad, solicitous locals are fonts of cherished authenticity. But get us on home turf and the five most terrifying words in the English language are "mind if i join you?"
Elena Eliachevitch/Moment Mobile ED/Moment Editorial/Getty Images
Food hygiene standards are for the daily grind, not for vacation. Sure, it can be hard to know if those symptoms are E. coli or a massive sangria hangover, but at least you don't have to get up for work in the morning.
Questionable food —
Food hygiene standards are for the daily grind, not for vacation. Sure, it can be hard to know if those symptoms are E. coli or a massive sangria hangover, but at least you don't have to get up for work in the morning.
courtesy Peter Halasz
Walking into a shop in your underwear normally happens only in nightmares, shortly before your teeth fall out on the morning of the big exam. On vacation? All good.
Swimwear in the street —
Walking into a shop in your underwear normally happens only in nightmares, shortly before your teeth fall out on the morning of the big exam. On vacation? All good.
Juergen Schwarz/Getty Images
When there's no hurry to get from A to B, stumbling across a great coffee shop at F or a cool little bar at Q is a delight. Until night falls and we find ourselves beneath a creepy bridge at X, a long way from the hotel back at C.
Getting lost —
When there's no hurry to get from A to B, stumbling across a great coffee shop at F or a cool little bar at Q is a delight. Until night falls and we find ourselves beneath a creepy bridge at X, a long way from the hotel back at C.
DOMINIQUE FAGET/AFP/Getty Images
What a tourist sees: a community coming together in joyful celebration. What a local sees: a sequined traffic disruption.
Parades —
What a tourist sees: a community coming together in joyful celebration. What a local sees: a sequined traffic disruption.
Keith Tsuji/Getty Images
On vacation, "character" trumps cleanliness and comfort. So what if the London <a target="_blank">pub dog</a> drools on our pork scratchings, or we risk electrocution as rainwater pours through the light fittings in that "old Shanghai" Airbnb?
Places with "character" —
On vacation, "character" trumps cleanliness and comfort. So what if the London pub dog drools on our pork scratchings, or we risk electrocution as rainwater pours through the light fittings in that "old Shanghai" Airbnb?
Fiona Freund
If we didn't need to replenish life-giving supplies of milk, bread and corn snacks, we'd never go. Visit another country, however, and it's a trove of artifacts from an alien culture -- such as milk, bread and corn snacks, but with different packaging and sometimes hilarious brand names. Spotted you-know-what, anyone?
Grocery stores —
If we didn't need to replenish life-giving supplies of milk, bread and corn snacks, we'd never go. Visit another country, however, and it's a trove of artifacts from an alien culture -- such as milk, bread and corn snacks, but with different packaging and sometimes hilarious brand names. Spotted you-know-what, anyone?
FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/GettyImages
"Excuse me. There seem to be bugs on my burger."<br />"I cannot see them."<br />"No, really, there are about 12 or 13 of them. There, on top of the cheese."<br />"Are you calling me a liar? Are you calling my wife, who made this burger, a dirty woman?"<br />Without experiences like this, what stories would we have to tell when we get home?
Bad customer service —
"Excuse me. There seem to be bugs on my burger."
"I cannot see them."
"No, really, there are about 12 or 13 of them. There, on top of the cheese."
"Are you calling me a liar? Are you calling my wife, who made this burger, a dirty woman?"
Without experiences like this, what stories would we have to tell when we get home?
KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images
Raise a smile, living statue. Don't be shy, jazz flute busker. You may be pariahs among your own countrymen, but -- like David Hasselhoff in Germany -- there's an audience out there who loves you.
Street performers —
Raise a smile, living statue. Don't be shy, jazz flute busker. You may be pariahs among your own countrymen, but -- like David Hasselhoff in Germany -- there's an audience out there who loves you.
RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images
Weaving along the sidewalk like an inebriated tortoise, halting without warning to take a selfie or to swing your rucksack into someone's face. We wouldn't do it at home, so why do we think it's acceptable elsewhere?
Causing an obstruction —
Weaving along the sidewalk like an inebriated tortoise, halting without warning to take a selfie or to swing your rucksack into someone's face. We wouldn't do it at home, so why do we think it's acceptable elsewhere?
Johannes Simon/Getty Images
OK so there's the ice, snow, blizzards, traffic chaos, burst pipes and early-stage frostbite, but winter scenes sure are Instagrammable. Just gotta remember to wear some touchscreen gloves when taking snaps with shivering hands.
Cold weather —
OK so there's the ice, snow, blizzards, traffic chaos, burst pipes and early-stage frostbite, but winter scenes sure are Instagrammable. Just gotta remember to wear some touchscreen gloves when taking snaps with shivering hands.
VANO SHLAMOV/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Movie tickets aren't cheap, so it makes sense to be choosy. But settle back with your in-flight entertainment system and the corny rom-com, cheesy action flick and the so-bad-it's-really-very-bad "comedy" are all within tempting reach. But beware, your seatmate is judging you.
Bad movies —
Movie tickets aren't cheap, so it makes sense to be choosy. But settle back with your in-flight entertainment system and the corny rom-com, cheesy action flick and the so-bad-it's-really-very-bad "comedy" are all within tempting reach. But beware, your seatmate is judging you.
Mario Tama/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Honestly, the rest of the year it's existential philosophy, but those Proust tomes are too heavy to pack.?This airport potboiler about a sexy mathematician who solves crimes will just have to do.
Cheap thrillers —
Honestly, the rest of the year it's existential philosophy, but those Proust tomes are too heavy to pack.?This airport potboiler about a sexy mathematician who solves crimes will just have to do.
JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty Images
Be it cultural misappropriation or failed fashion experiment, vacations are the time to try new headgear. Imagine the howls of derision if we tried to get away with that Panama in our local bar.
Wearing idiotic hats —
Be it cultural misappropriation or failed fashion experiment, vacations are the time to try new headgear. Imagine the howls of derision if we tried to get away with that Panama in our local bar.
MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images
Our ancestors gave us sewers and hot, clean running water for what? So we could go roll around in mud at a music festival or pee behind a bush while camping?
Medieval levels of sanitation —
Our ancestors gave us sewers and hot, clean running water for what? So we could go roll around in mud at a music festival or pee behind a bush while camping?
CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images
Imagine nail polish remover with a Coca Cola mixer. And yet, he's likely having the time of his life -- because he's living the authentic vacation experience.
Exotic booze —
Imagine nail polish remover with a Coca Cola mixer. And yet, he's likely having the time of his life -- because he's living the authentic vacation experience.
Kamilia Lahrichi
18 things we love on vacation but hate at home
CNN  — 

When we travel, we become children again – every experience is box-fresh with a new-car smell.

Public transportation? A magic train ride to awesome.

Grocery stores? An Aladdin’s cave of unfamiliar vegetables and hilarious brand names.

Back home, we have our security filters on high alert. That friendly stranger must be a lecher, lunatic or bore.

A carnival parade is a sequined traffic disruption and street performers are bell-ringing pariahs. But on vacation, we let ourselves be open.

We’ll taste that testicle souffle, we’ll sample that snake-venom liqueur. And when our stomachs rebel later that night, we’ll still be glad we tried.

We’ve chosen 18 things we love when we’re on the road but hate when we’re back home.

Click through the gallery above to see what we came up with.

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