4 In Thoughts & Observations

Business Travel – The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Business Travel. Most people have done it at least a few times in their life. Others are flat-out road warriors with enough points to comp a two week stint in Europe. My day-job falls in the in-between. While my main destination is Houston, but I’ve been known to hit the Four Corners and Salt Lake area as well. Seeing as how I just got back from good ‘ole Humid Central Houston, I figured today was a good day to rundown my view on the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good

* Room Service – Hands down, business or personal travel, I love having food brought to my room. I love it so much I barely flinch at the twenty-five percent room service fee they schlop on the bill. I have no idea why I like this service so much. Maybe for me it’s a luxury? I mean, having someone bring me food on a tray is awesome! Shoving said tray out the door and letting someone else worry about cleaning up is even better! Does anyone else like this perk, or am I just lazy?

* Quiet – I love, love, love my kiddos, but man…they’re LOUD. Even when they’re not yelling at each other they’re doing something at an exceptionally high volume. So, spiriting away to a room where I seldom even turn on the TV is luxury at its finest. Not to mention, I can surf, write, or read for hours without one single interruption.

* I’m Not Paying – Yes, I made this post specific to business travel so I could throw in this particular perk. See aforementioned Room Service bullet point.

The Bad

* Crappy sleep – I never sleep well the first one or two nights on the road. First off, there’s no bed like your own, not even if the hotel puts a thousand dollar mattress in the room. Then there are the noises outside the room, noises from other rooms, elevators dinging, and—this last time around—the strobe light fire detector.

* Hotel Coffee Makers – Don’t get me wrong, making a batch of hotel room swill is still the first thing I do, but me and my Keurig have a secret love affair going on, so it’s hard not to view the hotel variety as pond scum.

The Ugly

* The fluorescent light / hip-to-ceiling mirrors combo in the bathroom.

See, here’s the deal. I’m a forty-six year old woman. That means I have hot flashes. Lots of them. And when I get one while I’m getting ready (make-up and hair), I end up melting. When I melt, I turn into a demon…and then no one is happy. So, in an effort to keep all creatures in a tri-state area safe, I do my hair and make-up buck naked. Yes, you read that right, and I apologize for the visual it just gave you. But it’s the truth, and you know I’m always the first one to put that kind of crazy shit out there.

Back to the fluorescent light / hip-to-ceiling mirrors combo…nothing depresses me more than the joy of seeing my mid-forty year old flesh in the glorious glow of a commercial grade fluorescent bulb. Especially in the winter when I’ve got that delightful ghost-ish hue. This frightening display is made worse by the fact that they extend the mirrors at least down to hip level, ensuring all aspects to gravity and age are on full display.

Depressing.

What about you? When it comes to travel, be it personal or business related, what goes on your Good/Bad/Ugly list?

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4 Comments

  • Reply
    Dena
    April 3, 2014 at 1:36 pm

    Bad & Ugly: The uncertainty of just how clean that shower/tub or the bathroom in general is. I’ve heard too many horror stories of sheets not being changed so that always creeps me out.
    Good: I agree with the peace and quiet. And I love, love, love going to new places and just getting out and exploring. I’ll walk around if it looks relatively safe (usually I ask the counter staff). God forbid there is a beach nearby – I don’t care what time of the year it is, I’m sticking my toes in the sand and surf!!

    • Reply
      Rhenna
      April 3, 2014 at 3:32 pm

      It’s funny you say that about exploring. Some of my best book ideas come from just being outside my normal routine. It’s good to change things up!

  • Reply
    CJ Burright
    April 4, 2014 at 10:17 am

    Giggle, snort – funny post, Rhenna! And yeah…those mirrors. Pretty sure they came from Hell to torment us. I’ve never done room service before, but next time, I’m going for it!

  • Reply
    gretchen wing
    April 9, 2014 at 9:09 am

    Good: Knowing I don’t have to make my bed or clean my bathroom next day!
    Bad: What ARE those noises coming from the room next door? Never mind, I don’t want to know.
    Ugly: Wondering just how often, if ever, the bedspread gets cleaned…Never mind, I don’t want to know.

    🙂 Great post.

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