Chasing Half a Thanksgiving Break in San Antonio

As a PhD student, free time feels like a rare luxury—so when Thanksgiving break rolled around, I grabbed two friends and hit the road for San Antonio! 🚗 This impromptu road trip was equal parts chaotic, cozy, and unforgettable—think random gas station kindness, unexpected Airbnb mishaps, and delicious nostalgia (hello, Haidilao!), all mixed with the charm of Texas’ most colorful city. Let me spill the tea on our wild 3-day adventure, complete with highs, lows, and why even the messy parts made it worth it. 🛣️ Road Trip Vibes: Why Driving Beats Planes/Trains/Buses Let’s start with the obvious: road tripping is a game-changer for PhDs who crave flexibility (and need to pee every hour, no judgment!). Unlike flights with strict schedules or buses with zero legroom, driving let us set our own pace—stop for snacks, stretch our legs, or detour for a random photo op whenever we wanted. The best part? Small, unexpected moments of kindness that felt straight out of a movie! 🥹 We pulled into a random Texas gas station halfway to Dallas, and as I was exiting the restroom, a friendly guy held the door open for me. I mumbled “thank you” (still half-asleep from the drive), and he smiled and said “you’re welcome”—simple, but it made my day. As PhDs buried in deadlines and stress, these tiny, genuine interactions feel like little gifts. No rush, no agendas—just pure Southern hospitality Driving through Texas also gave us front-row seats to the state’s stunning scenery: wide-open highways lined with cacti, golden fields glowing in the sun, and quirky roadside billboards (shoutout to the one advertising “world’s best pecan pie”!). It was a much-needed break from staring at lab screens and academic papers—sometimes you just need to blast Taylor Swift and watch the world go by. 🥘 Dallas Detour: Haidilao Nostalgia & Spicy Hu La Tang We hit the road Tuesday night, aiming to break up the drive with a stop in Dallas (my old stomping grounds! 🤠). By the time we rolled into the city, we were starving—so we made a beeline for Haidilao Hot Pot. Let me tell you: nothing hits harder than that familiar tomato broth after months of cafeteria food and takeout. 🥲 We loaded up on meat, veggies, and noodles, and ended the meal with armfuls of free snacks (those crispy beans and candies? Pure nostalgia). It felt like a hug from home, and we left stuffed and happy—worth the late-night drive. Wednesday morning, we ventured to a Dallas Chinese supermarket for hu la tang (spicy sesame paste soup)—a comfort food staple I’d been craving for weeks. Sipping that rich, spicy broth with tofu skin and vermicelli felt like a little slice of China in Texas. Full and energized, we hit the road again for the final stretch to San Antonio—excited for river walks, tacos, and (fingers crossed) no more PhD-related emails. 🏠 The Airbnb Disaster: We Accidentally Booked Someone’s Actual House! 😱 Let’s talk about the biggest plot twist of the trip: our Airbnb. We found a “cozy home” online, but when we arrived, we realized we’d booked someone’s lived-in house—not a rental. WOC, it was so weird! 🚨 Every room had personal items: kids’ toys scattered on the floor, half-empty coffee mugs on the counter, and even unlocked dark compartments (we didn’t dare open those!). The trash was overflowing, and it looked like the owners had packed up and left in a hurry—like they’d gotten our booking and bailed last minute. One of our friends had to stay back to deal with the host (total nightmare—they ghosted us for hours!), so the other two of us headed to River Walk to make the most of it. Lesson learned: Always read reviews and message the host before booking. We ended up cutting our losses and crashing on couches that night, but hey—storytime material, right? 🌊 San Antonio Highlights: River Walk, Lights, and (Bad) Tacos Despite the Airbnb fiasco, River Walk didn’t disappoint! 🌉 We wandered the tree-lined paths as the sun set, with twinkling lights reflecting on the water and mariachi music drifting from waterfront restaurants. It was exactly the relaxing vibe we needed—no deadlines, no lab work, just friends laughing and taking photos. We grabbed dinner at a random Tex-Mex spot along the river… and let’s be honest, it was terrible. 🥴 The tacos were dry, the guacamole tasted like plastic, and the margarita was watered down. But we made the best of it—laughing at how bad the food was and vowing to find better eats the next day (spoiler: we didn’t have time, but that’s okay). The real star? The San Fernando Cathedral light show! ✨ We grabbed spots on the steps, and as the sun went down, the cathedral’s facade lit up with vivid animations telling San Antonio’s history. The music was stirring, the visuals were stunning, and for 20 minutes, we forgot about the Airbnb mess, the bad tacos, and the stress of PhD life. It was pure magic—exactly what we needed to recharge. 🚨 The Downer: Our Advisor’s #US #Texas #San Antonio