I had an extremely ex-brat moment the other morning and the only person who lost out as a result really was me.

(I know I’m travelling so not technically an ex-pat but there is really no better word to describe my behaviour that morning than ex-brat).

I am not a princess, I’m more than used to doing lots of things for myself but apparently I’ve forgotten that it’s pretty normal to do your own washing and not just hand it over to someone who brings it back, clean, folded and dry 4 hours later. So when I arrived at my hostel in Phuket I was actually annoyed to discover that when they said “laundry service” what they really meant was a washing machine that you had to use yourself.

And I didn’t even consider it as a viable option for a second. I went off in a strop to find somewhere else where I wouldn’t have to deal with the great hardship of doing my own laundry!

I mean it’s absurd. I spent an hour walking around (in which time I could have done one load of laundry) but nowhere would do it as I wasn’t staying at their hostels.

When I went back to my hostel they even agreed they would take the laundry out of the machine after the first load (since I had two and waiting was part of my objection) but by then I was so annoyed by the situation I said no and walked away.

I was actually annoyed, about doing something that I’ve done at least multiple times a week, every week, for years.

And the only person who lost out by my inability to just accept the, actually pretty normal and not at all difficult, situation was me. I was the one who ended up still having half of my clothes (and pretty much my only ones for hot weather) that needed washing.

It’s a really petty example, and I’m still appalled with myself for how much I objected to it, but having not felt annoyed or angry for a while it did remind me that actually that’s what those emotions usually do to us. We get trapped in them and lose sight of what course of action would allow us to cut our losses and still come out at least having achieved what we set out to.

Hopefully next time, when probably a more important situation, I’ll remember and deal with it better.