Do you drive a car? A truck? As the licensed operator of a motorized vehicle you have a certain set of expectations. You expect to sit down in your vehicle, attach your seat belt, turn the key and turn on the motor. You then expect to put the vehicle in gear and drive away.

We all know that once every few years your driving expectations are not met. You insert the key and that weird dead battery grinding noise ensues. Or you drive away and feel the ka-thump that can only be from a flat tire.

If you’re going to drive, soon or later you’re going to be disappointed.

It’s the same way with travel. It amazes me that every day, all over the world, thousands upon hundreds of thousands of people board airplanes and arrive safe, sound and on schedule in the destination of their choice. Actually, it’s millions of people but I just can’t wrap my head around that volume.

In the United States alone almost 2 million people fly every single day. Isn’t that mind boggling?

So when a complication occurs during travel you have to know sooner or later it was bound to happen, just like a dead battery or a flat tire.

As you know I travel many multiple times every year. It’s nothing for me to go on a dozen or more trips annually and the fact that hardly any of those trips are interrupted by any sort of complication is nothing short of a miracle.

Even more impressive, after 13 years in business as The Joy of Travel we’ve had an amazing lack of complications happen to our customers.

Twice in 13 years we’ve had transfer arrangements fall through in Cancun for our customers. Never in any other destination.

Never in 13 years have our customers been bumped from their resort/hotels.

Twice in 13 years we’ve had customers become ill by something they ate or drank.

Three times in 13 years we’ve had flight cancellations that cost our customers a day of their vacation.

Do you get my point? If you’re going to travel, expect that at some point during your travel experiences you’re going to face unexpected challenges, even though it happens very infrequently.

Weather is the biggest cause of complications. It can’t be helped, and no amount of throwing a fit at the counter is going to change a thing. Travel insurance typically includes trip interruption coverage so you might as well relax and wait for the weather to clear.

Mechanical issues are probably the next biggest issue and boy oh boy I am totally willing to be delayed and have the issues fixed properly than leave the ground in something held together with baling wire and duct tape.

Travel is just like driving a car, 99.999% of the time it’s a piece of cake. One time in a million it’s more like mud pie, but you smile and make the best of it, don’t you?

Don’t let fear of travel complications keep you from attaining those bucket list travel goals. Odds are good you’ll have one or less travel complication in your entire lifetime.

Joy Gawf-Crutchfield owns and operates The Joy of Travel

What are the odds?