For the most part of the past 15 years, on the Wednesday before WrestleMania, I wake up earlier than usual to start my 16-hour trip across the world to kick off my WrestleMania week.

Now I have traveled a lot, and still do to this day, but WrestleMania week is the one I look forward to the most every year. I get to see a lot of people like me, fans who spend their hard-earned money and splash it all in a few days for the love of wrestling.

Unfortunately this year, I am staying put and will be watching from home during the stupid hours at night. At least, toilet breaks will be easier and getting something to drink will be quick. The last time I missed WrestleMania was in 2015. Santa Clara did not sound that exciting to me to be honest and I also had some other priorities, which like this year, prevented me from the pilgrimage. I guess I have to wait for next year for my 15th WrestleMania.

The previous 14 WrestleManias I attended, the first one being 18 in Toronto, were always busy and I never really got to enjoy it just as a fan. Running a website and attending a WrestleMania weekend in reality is a nightmare. I’ve been to all WrestleManias since 18 apart from 21, 23, and 31.

It’s the busiest time of the wrestling calendar year so there is a lot going on and at the same time, you want to be out there enjoying the sights and sounds of the city, having a good time with other wrestling fans who come from all over the world.

But running a website and actually being in the host city for WrestleMania is a lot of work, more than can you imagine. You often have to spend more hours than you want in your hotel room in front of your laptop doing the updates. Or when an event you are attending finishes, you have to rush back to write a report or any news rather than stay out late drinking and having fun. Unless, of course, you hate life even more and decide to write such reports (with a spelling mistake here and there) on your cell phone and post it while you’re still in the arena. Hey, guilty as charged.

Or, for example, when you decide to run a couple of buses to the WrestleMania stadium or host a Jim Ross show at the hotel…things get even messier then. Especially the bus. You always get those people who are late, or those who even when they pay, they don’t show up. You waste time trying to track a few people down while the other 45 or so fans are sitting patiently (or not) waiting for the bus to start its engine. Waiting for fans on the bus after WrestleMania is over is even worse. Some people take their sweet time rather than hustling to the parking lot to try and avoid some traffic. It takes almost two hours to get back to the hotel after a WrestleMania.

It’s stressful. But at the end of the day, totally worth it.

I have total respect for those who go to WrestleMania and keep their websites updated while in the city. We’re all “rivals” but in reality, we’re all fans doing what we love. Hopefully, one day, when this is all over, I get to go to a WrestleMania, at least once, and enjoy it as a fan without needing to rush to my room to get behind a keyboard!