December 25, 2008

Hotel Rituals...

All the travelling around and staying in different hotels lately got me to thinking about the habits we crew form after getting familiar with some of our layover destinations.

Some crew have their favourite shopping spots, others a particular coffee shop, or a jogging route close by to the hotel with nice scenery. I suppose it's a little bit of normalcy in our otherwise random travelling lives.

I have different little routines for each hotel. It all depends on their location, and what is close by.

For example, in Brisbane I like to go for a jog (or walk, depending on how disciplined I feel that day) through the Roma Street Parklands.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v691/traytable/roma.jpg

It's really pretty and has a botanic garden section where there's some quite cool flowers, and occasionally lizards and other creatures as well. Of course, this is when I manage not to get sucked into the Queen St Mall. I usually head there to get lunch, or on longer layovers grocery supplies from the supermarket. I like to trawl the usual stores where I get good clothes and then of course the standard Gloria Jean's iced chocolate =)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v691/traytable/choc-1.jpg

Sydney I like to go for a walk around the hotel, or get on the train and go to Bondi
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v691/traytable/bondi.jpg
or walk into the city. There's always something to do, even if it's just to watch people at Circular Quay and get a coffee sitting on the lawn at the passenger terminal,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v691/traytable/sydpaxter.jpg
looking at the Opera House and watching ferries go by. If the timing is right, I try to catch up with Vanishing Point, another ex-FA who I got to know a few years ago at an open call for one of the Middle Eastern airlines. We always have a fun time out.

Aside from the different locations, most crew have routines which they follow no matter which hotel they're staying in. Mine includes:

* bringing my own Body Shop shower/bath gel (strawberry at the moment)
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* setting up my iPod and mini travel speakers for some "choons"- relaxation style and Enya-type for going to sleep, chillout/house for sitting around reading, or upbeat for getting ready just before pickup.

* throwing aside all the useless scatter cushions/pillows/bed runners that hotels seem to love putting on beds, and hunting up the best pillow (these are usally not on the bed but the spare ones on the shelf in top of the closet!)

* layout out my uniform items and makeups in the bathroom ready for the next day, means I can get ready quicker

* put good book, eye shades and phone on charge next to bed
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Yes sometimes we're strange in our habits and a bit obssessive but it helps to cope with the nomadic lifestyle that comes with the work we've chosen!

I get to rest my feet for just one day, luckily not working on the actual day of Christmas so plan o relax at home with the family and have a nice lunch.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v691/traytable/SL372490.jpg
Merry Christmas all, hope you have a safe and fun time whatever you may be doing!

10 comments:

  1. Mine would be :

    - Display the DND sign AS SOON AS I enter the room.

    - Call room service straight away for an iron + board if not provided, because they tend to take their time to deliver such item to crew. I had a bad experience just before pick up and my uniform being a scruffy pile of crap until I managed to trace the board and iron (manilla I think it was).

    - recharge iPhone, connect computer and check emails.

    - Usually have my big ass headphones with me. I have yet to invest in some travel speakers. That will be my next buy !

    - Use all of the towels available, no matter what the sign for a better environment says.

    - If not used, collect those shampoo, soaps and conditioners.

    - Close the curtains

    - Order a club sandwich

    - CNN in the background first, then Discovery Channel. I love the Superstructure program they have... or even Mythbusters.

    - Usually chill out at the bar for a beer when we check-in at unholy hours of the night (thinking SIN-MEL trip, especially Melbourne).

    - Put everything in safe except Credit card and hotel keycard.

    - Set my alarm 40 minutes prior to wake-up call because I love looooooong showers. Yes I know not the most environment friendly...

    - have the bathroom light on so that the room isn't totally dark. Just in case we have to leave the room quickly (fire alarms tend to go off for no apparent reasons).

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  2. Lol I'm loving this post!
    In Brisbane I go for a run along the river cos thats where our hotel is. I did get lost once, but I've worked out my route!
    In Perth, its normally a boozy lunch with the crew and then stumbling to Woolworths in the mall to buy some supplies!

    Apart from that my hotel routines are:
    -check the wardrobes, bathroom and behind the curtains for boogie men
    -like Airboy, use ALL of the towels available
    - Mess up both the beds in the room! (if they're two beds) & remove cushions and bed runners (who knows when it was washed last!!)
    - Iron my uniform immediately so I can go have a drink and not worry about ironing when I'm intoxicated
    - write my pick up time on a piece of paper on the bedside table, especially on a multi day trip when I have different pick ups everyday!
    - lastly,browse the room service menu!

    Merry Christmas Tray!

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  3. I should have done this in my 20s.

    Merry Christmas, TT! :)

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  4. You guys are pros...make me look like an amateur...I just wing it everytime and wish that next time I WOULD have a routine!

    Love this post....and once again bringing back so many memories.

    Oh one funny thing I have to add, a girl I used to fly with back in Oz, was such a germaphobe she used to put the remote control in a sandwich baggie (she believed there to be studies done on the amount of fecal matter on such things) and alcohol wiped down the phone....

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  5. Lol guys... I also must fess up to using more than my fair share of hotel towels, except in Brisbane where they seem to be onto us and only gice us one towel. Asking for more has proven to take too long as I think they ae discouraging us :P

    I write my pickups on the room key folder as well as at least one fellow crew person's room, I have a torch on my bedside table (lol I sound like a nerd) and always put my valuables in one spot so I can grab them half asleep if need be.

    Wow we could get a whole big post happening about our finny hotel quirks!

    Merry Christmas everyone xox

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  6. The remote control in a sandwish bag - what I heard was not that it was due to fecal matter, but something much worse, goes hand in hand with the adult movies in the hotels!

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  7. Mel, I heard that too, and yes, very common in those icky motels that one finds in rural Australia (and other parts of the world) and sadly, also in the higher-end hotels.

    I also NEVER use hotel room glasses and make sure if I've forgotten a plastic spoon that I wash the teaspoons under the hot water tap for a few minutes

    (If you haven't seen the YouTube video then I won't ruin your hotel bubble)

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  8. Jesus! You've got me paranoid about hotel rooms now. I've never worried about cups, spoons etc. and I don't want to know anything about the YouTube vid.
    It basically takes me two minutes to make a hotel room my own.
    Don't disturb sign up. Re-stock minibar with my own booze. Suits in closet, all other clothes dumped in a big pile on the floor (easy to select from, every pillow in the room goes on the bed, then - a quick drink or two then hit the hotel bar for a talent search.

    A torch on the bedise table! You are either a nerd or are worried about where that remote control has been!
    L

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  9. L, all I'll say is, when you walk past the cart with the mini shampoos and towels on it, do you ever see fresh glasses/cups??? Where do they come from then???? :P

    The torch is from all the stories I've heard from crew about being stuck in the dark when the fire alarm goes off, and sadly, one acount I heard from Mumbai where the girl said she was glad she listened to her trainers because it saved her life!

    ReplyDelete

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