Vacationer of the Week: Eric Hope

You probably wouldn’t know it at first glance, but Eric Hope has probably seen more of the world than some of us will see in our lifetime. Why? Because he clocks thousands of miles in a month trotting around the globe as a flight attendant for a major U.S. airline, where he gets to occasionally fulfilling his childhood dream to be an immersive culture connoisseur, too. He relishes his travel experiences abroad which are completely different from his childhood, growing up in a small town in Southern Missouri. 

So, we wanted to feature Eric as our Vacationer of the Week for the reasons listed above as well as to understand how his palpable passion for travel started. In addition to revealing his unique travel style, he also tells us the must-see places to go in his current hometown of Washington, DC, including the best place to get 360-degree views of the city – and it’s not the Washington Monument.

And after more than two decades in the airline biz, Eric gives us the real scoop about his in-flight pet peeves with passengers, celebrity encounters, a tip to avoid jetlag, and provides details on a disgusting habit that passengers should never do. 

Vacationer Magazine: At what age did you receive your first passport? What was your first trip?

Eric Hope: I applied for my first passport at the age of 19 in preparation for my junior year abroad in college.  My first trip (outside the continental U.S.) was a long one — an entire year abroad with a summer semester in Madrid, Spain; fall and winter in Sheffield, England; then a spring term in Budapest, Hungary.  For Christmas, that year my parents offered to fly me home for the holidays. I asked for a Eurail pass instead and spent Christmas in Rome!

What trip or travel experience sparked your passion for travel? 

I think that experience of living abroad for a year sparked my passion for exploring other cultures.  After college, I joined the Peace Corps and was stationed in Thailand.  When I returned to the U.S., I wanted to do something “different” that involved travel and tourism. My airline job seemed to naturally fall in my lap.  I’ve learned that I don’t do well with “routine”, so this career is a perfect fit for a cultural vagabond.

What inspires you to travel?

Candidly, I felt rather alienated from the machismo culture in which I grew up (an experience I know many readers share) and as a young child I dreamt of visiting far-off lands.  In the late 1970s, the Peace Corps advertised on television, and I can still remember the ads’ tagline, “The toughest job you’ll ever love.” I made it my ambition to join the Peace Corps before I was 10!  Perhaps my desire to travel to — and live for some time — in faraway lands germinated in reaction to the mundaneness of small-town Missouri.  As an adult, however, I’ve grown to believe I’m a citizen of the world and find slipping into new cultures exhilarating.  I now have favorite neighborhoods around Europe that act as extensions to my daily routine.

Please tell us how you identify yourself on the LGBTQIA spectrum. Tell us if how you identify influences the way your travel. If so, how?

I identify as gay.  I don’t know that my identification has outwardly influenced my travel style but having the experience of being the “other” within the mainstream American culture in which I grew up has given me an affinity for digging beneath the surfaces of foreign cultures to see what makes them unique.

Is there a travel destination that most queer travelers would think isn’t safe to visit, but you’ve visited and enjoyed it? If so, where? What made it a memorable experience?

Honestly, I prefer to travel to cities and countries where I know as a part of the LGBTQ community I will at a minimum not be legislated against.  Several years ago, my husband and I had a safari planned to an African country when we discovered (via a travel agent friend) that the government was engaged in criminalizing gay people.  We were assured that as Western (i.e. “rich”, white) tourists we wouldn’t be included, but just the knowledge that we would have to police our behavior made us decide to cancel the trip.  While I imagine some members of the LGBTQ community might find our outlook shortsighted, we prefer to visit places where we can be our authentic selves.

You’ve been in the travel industry for a while with a major U.S. airline. How long have you been a flight attendant?

Just hit 26 years, which at my airline gives me the seniority to pretty much choose where I want to go.  This summer I am on a Switzerland kick and have been flying to Zurich every week.

What would you say are some common myths about flight attendants that are not true?

One question I am inevitably asked at cocktail parties is if I have paramours around the country or the world.  The question makes most of us cringe, as we spend a lot of our layovers sleeping off jetlag!  In my 20s I was perhaps more “adventurous” where romance was concerned, but most of us “senior mamas and papas” as we are known in the business are more interested in getting as much sleep as we can.

The second topic that comes up is inevitably how glamorous the career is (at least in some people’s eyes).  While spending part of every week overseas does have a cachet, the cold reality is that glamour has gone by the wayside as plane travel has become almost a utility.  Don’t get me wrong, being a flight attendant is still a great career choice and I am an airline lifer, but the days of champagne and caviar are long behind us, at least where the U.S. marketplace is concerned. The one upside to this dynamic is that the democratization of the skies has brought ticket prices down to a level that is much more affordable for many Americans.

What are a few pet peeves you have about passengers?

My number one pet peeve is people who won’t take off their headphones when I’m talking to them.  I’ll get to a row, look down and say “hello” to everyone and ask for drink orders and inevitably one passenger will look at me and say “what, I didn’t hear you?”  I usually mime removing the headphones or earbuds and must repeat myself two or three times.  It gets aggravating really quickly.

My second major pet peeve occurs during boarding when I watch passengers open overhead bins that I have just closed, especially when the bin just in front, behind, or across the aisle from them is wide open and empty.  

Generally, most aggravations can be avoided by simple courtesy and the understanding that the crew – we are people, too.  We realize that we are the public face of the corporation, but we generally have no say in how things are run, what meals are served (or not served!) and certainly no control of delays. A little understanding onboard will pay you back with plenty of graciousness from your crew.

As a flight attendant, name one insider tip you can share with air travelers.

Never walk barefoot into the lavatory!  You might think I’m joking, but I see people do this every day and it literally makes me shudder.

More seriously, drink water.  I know you’ve heard this before, but it is the one thing you can do to help battle jetlag.  

What’s one of the most memorable moments you’ve had as a flight attendant? Any close encounters with celebrities you were excited to see?

My particular base location tends to see politicians which are ironically more my speed than the movie or television stars (I’m a bit of a news junkie).  I remember having David Axlerod onboard halfway through Obama’s first term and was hoping he’d give me the scoop on Obama’s decision to seek a second term (he was tight-lipped).  

During the last election campaign, I had Dana Bash, Anderson Cooper, and Jake Tapper all together on one flight headed for a debate.  Madeline Albright was a class act (she always had her assistant sit with her up front).  Of course, I’ve had plenty of politicians onboard whose politics I disagree with and have had to learn to bite my tongue and smile.

How would you describe your travel style in three words?

Artsy. Boutique. Cocktails.

Since my travel inklings lay more towards urban areas, I really enjoy finding out-of-the-way cafes and museums down small side streets off the beaten track.  In my younger days, I did the whole hosteling circuit with shared facilities down the hall.  As an adult with a bit more disposable income, I do appreciate nice sheets that I don’t have to haul with me from dorm to dorm.  I try to avoid large chain properties whenever possible and instead book in at smaller hotels with a boutique flair.  

What are three things LGBTQ+ travelers should do when visiting your current hometown, Washington, DC?

1. Want to get a great view of the city without standing in line at the Washington Monument? Head on over to the tower of the Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue.  Completed in 1899 before the city’s height limit was enacted, the bell tower is the highest point downtown with a 360-degree view and rarely a wait for the elevator.  Visit the National Park Service’s website for more information

2. The Phillips Collection is my favorite art museum in the city and is well worth a visit if you are a modern and contemporary art aficionado.  The original mansion is a lovely setting for art and is located adjacent to the Dupont and Logan Circle neighborhoods where many of the city’s LGBTQ establishments are located.

3. Slightly off the beaten track for tourists (though busy with locals) is the Union Market district in Northeast DC.  The neighborhood has long served as the city’s wholesale market, and you’ll see plenty of distributors of all types plying their wares.  Union Market, a food hall with a vast collection of small-scale purveyors, serves as the focal point of the neighborhood, but in recent years a bevy of small boutiques and eateries, and drinking establishments have taken over the storefronts.  It is a great place to grab some food, window shop and people watch.

What are your top three favorite travel destinations to visit? Why?

My hands-down favorite is Amsterdam – I even dream of retiring there. It is the perfect walkable (or bikeable if you’re brave) city with laid-back friendly people. One can be hedonistic or high-cultured – on the same day — and no one blinks an eye.  

A close second would be Venice.  I realize this is a bit of a cliché, but the city really is magical, especially at night as the majority of the tourists return to the chain hotels on the mainland.  If you stay in one of the small hotels in Venice proper, the city becomes yours during your after-dinner stroll.  Just know that you’ll be hauling your luggage up and down over bridges!

I also really enjoy cruising – not so much for the destinations but for the carefree vibe that encourages me to relax.  Celebrity has been my preferred line over the years, and we’ve visited most of the islands of the Caribbean along with Iceland and Ireland to boot.  Nowadays my husband and I are branching out to try other vendors and regions and have a Rhine River Christmas Market Cruise with Viking and a Trans-Atlantic crossing with Virgin Voyages next year to look forward to in the coming months.

What three places are still on your bucket list to visit? Why?

Tibet has been on my travel radar for ages, and I had a trip to China planned for the summer of 2020 that included Tibet.  Of course that went by the wayside!  

While I have been to Narita city (adjacent to Narita airport, Tokyo’s main international gateway), I have never been to downtown Tokyo.  Tokyo is on my list as well.

Finally, the Galapagos islands are also high up on the list of must-sees.

I think the first two items appeal to me because their cultures are so different from ours.  Everything from the written language to the smells in the street is completely foreign to me and a marked departure even from experiencing Western Europe.

While I am more of a city person at heart, I do enjoy trips that encompass the natural world.  Just as Tokyo represents a radically different cultural experience, the remoteness of the Galapagos Islands creates a truly unique natural experience that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

What’s one thing you never forget to pack in your suitcase?

I always have an extra day’s worth of socks and underwear – you never know when your flight home might be canceled.

You’re going on a road trip. What singer or band is always on your playlist?

This drives my husband crazy, but I actually prefer podcasts over music when I travel.  I save up episodes of the Savage Love sex and relationship podcasts to binge for long trips.  The Slate Political Gabfest is another all-time favorite for the road. 

To appease my spouse, we’ll alternate talk with albums by The Bleachers, Pink, and Imagine Dragons.