Some Places Feel Fake. But Are They?
The other day I was chatting with someone who casually mentioned they’ve never owned a jacket.
Not because they couldn’t afford one—just because they’ve never needed one.
And suddenly I was down a rabbit hole of thoughts about weather, culture, and how wildly different our “normal” can be. Like, serving tea to guests with a specific rhythm and ritual. Or how being a “good host” means completely different things depending on where you are in the world.
It’s those little details that stick with me.
Something else that’s been on my mind lately is how strongly people feel about certain places.
Take Dubai, for example. A bunch of people I know have said they’d never visit it because it’s a “fake city full of fake people.”
And honestly, that kind of blew my mind.
Like… what does that even mean?
What qualifies a city as fake? Are there official “real cities” somewhere? What’s the criteria—cracked sidewalks and pigeons with attitude?
To me, every place—everywhere—has a story. And I’m just here to listen.
What I’ve come to realize is: travel is all about perspective.
You might love or hate a place depending on what you expected from it.
If you’re chasing nightlife, nature might bore you. If you’re looking for stillness, a loud city might feel overwhelming. But that doesn’t make one place better or worse. Just… different.
Personally, I don’t travel with a checklist.
I just ask myself one thing:
Do I want to relax or explore?
That one question helps me set the tone—and the rest, I leave open.
The people, the smells, the awkward moments, the mismatched socks at airport security… all part of the story.
And when you travel with curiosity instead of expectations, it gets easier to see things through someone else’s eyes.
Even if you’ve never worn a jacket.