The overthinker’s scorecards
Some travel experiences are exactly what you expected. Others turn into stories you’ll still be telling years later. Somehow, mine tend to be the second kind.
These are some of the experiences that refused to stay ordinary: a camel ride that had me convinced I’d be launched into the Sahara sand, a rental car that became an administrative thriller, a cave that taught me exactly where my limits were, and a hat that proved no match for the North Atlantic.
The Overthinker’s Scorecards are my honest, slightly self-deprecating reviews of the travel experiences that made me hesitate beforehand, laugh in hindsight, or discover that Future Alexandra had some very definite opinions about repeating them.
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The Overthinker’s Scorecard: haggling in the Marrakech souks
Haggling in Marrakech sounded far more intimidating than it turned out to be. If the thought of bargaining in the souks makes you nervous, here’s what I learned as an overthinking first-timer.
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The Overthinker’s Scorecard: needing medical care in rural Indonesia
Getting sick in rural Indonesia wasn’t part of the plan. After developing a high fever and severe sore throat in Sumatra, I visited a small local clinic. What I found inside completely overturned my assumptions about healthcare in remote places.
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The Overthinker’s Scorecard: crossing the suspension bridges of Bukit Lawang
Before arriving in Bukit Lawang, I was convinced the suspension bridges would be one of the scariest parts of my trip. Four bridges, one motorbike encounter and plenty of wobbling later, here’s how they scored on the Overthinker’s Scorecard.
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The Overthinker’s Scorecard: street food in Thailand
I was convinced street food in Thailand would test my stomach. Instead, it became one of the highlights of my trip. Here’s my honest Overthinker’s Scorecard on food stalls, overthinking and why following the locals turned out to be the best strategy.
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The Overthinker’s Scorecard: renting a car abroad
Collecting our rental car in Sardinia should have taken minutes. Instead it turned into a queue, a cancelled booking, a Marc-versus-Marcus identity crisis and an unexpectedly useful insurance policy.
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The Overthinker’s Scorecard: Reynisfjara, Iceland
Reynisfjara is one of Iceland’s most spectacular black sand beaches—and one of its most dangerous. Here’s my Overthinker’s Scorecard, featuring horizontal rain, flashing warning lights, a hat with dreams of reaching the Atlantic and the sensible decision not to chase it.
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The Overthinker’s Scorecard: camel rides in the Moroccan Sahara
The Moroccan Sahara delivered unforgettable views. The camel delivered several unexpected sideways steps. My brain supplied the unnecessary disaster movie. Here’s my honest Overthinker’s Scorecard on one of Morocco’s most iconic experiences.
