San Marino to Seattle: Or How I Learned to Hate Traveling with Chatty Tourists
Nicole Benedettini's grand vacation epiphany begins with 5,000 miles of familial impatience from San Marino (the country, to clear confusion) to Seattle. Her dream of soaking up the Museum of Pop Culture's exquisite electric guitar displays got stomped by a family eager to finish faster than a Michael Bay movie. Flash forward to March 2025 in Valencia, Spain, where Nicole bravely birthed the '50/50 Rule': half vacation with company, half wandering solo. Featuring cultured detours to the Church of San Nicolás, Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero, and Hemisfèric shows — all sans rush, plus tactical avoidance of chatty tourists. Everyone walked away refreshed, if a bit shocked that planning alone time required actual communication.
Share the Story
The 50/50 Rule: because being trapped with family at a guitar exhibit is the emotional equivalent of the world's slowest car crash.
Turns out family vacations peak when you schedule timeout like a toddler — who knew solo museum trips could save sanity and friendships simultaneously?
One woman’s '50/50 Rule' saves vacations worldwide from morphing into hostage situations starring impatient relatives and their fatal need to rush.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 10/16/2025 | Author: Nicole Benedettini
More Articles in Weird News
Spaghetti Dust & Kewpie Shaming Your In-Laws Under $25
Starbucks Bears Trigger Midnight Camps, Adulting Optional
London Family Moves Into In-Laws, Nook Becomes Luxury Suite
Married Couple Solves Vacation Drama By Pretending to Date Strangers
Michelin-Starred Maize Mafia: Grasshoppers, Duck Fat & Fake Masa Drama
