Room Confusion

Lately, I've been staying at the same hotel. I've been there five times in September and twice already in October. I keep getting the same room or a room thats down the same corridor. I immediately take a left after I get out of the elevator and then I hook an immediate right. My room is the first room on the right. It's automatic now.

The last time I stayed at this hotel, I was given a different room on a different floor, but I still thought that I was in the old room. I'd get off the elevator, hook a left and then a right, put my key into the cardreader and stare befuddled when the little light on the door lock flashed red instead of the usual green. I'd run my card through the cardreader a couple more times, irritation and confusion radiating from me, and then I had the 'a-ha!' moment. Oh, riiiight, this is not my room! Sheepishly, I'd go back the way I came and go to the right room.

It's important to me to develop a routine. I love to see new cities but I know I'm missing cool sight-seeing opportunities. For instance, when I'm in Vegas, I like to get up, run over to Starbuck's for some java, then on over to Terrible Mike's for breakfast (dude, you cannot beat $4.30 breakfasts - scrambled eggs, ham, hashbrowns, and toast). In Paris, I liked to walk over to Starbucks and then meander slowly back to the hotel. I also didn't mind walking over to the Jardins de Tuileries (well, I didn't really walk over there - I took the Metro because it's a bit of a haul). There is a huge fountain that people gather around, dragging over a lawn chair and reading or talking. It's a spectacular garden. I have similar routines in Seattle and San Francisco.

Mostly, my routines revolve around the obtaining of some coffee. In San Fran, there is a cafe about five blocks from the hotel that has excellent takeaway food. And the walk is always incredibly refreshing - the air is often cool and humid, usually there is a brisk wind blowing down those steep, skyscraped hills.

I kind of miss flying domestically, honestly. I love Edinburgh, it's truly a lovely city, and honestly I haven't hit Amsterdam yet, Brussels, Geneva or any Italian city. But there's nothing like San Fran, or Vegas, or Seattle, or San Diego. And it's so much easier to keep in touch with my family. I don't feel jetlagged. So, yes, so far I prefer American cities. And American coffee.