What Do You Do When You First Arrive at a Travel Destination?

[zig]

The majority of us seem to have a similar routine, and I'm much the same.
Depending obviously on time of arrival it does vary bit.
If very late at night, or early hours of the morning I take photos of the room, shower, night cap, bed.
In hotels I generally don't unpack the full suitcase - maybe just some key items, toiletries and valuables into the safe. On a cruise I unpack fully as soon as I get access to my suite.
If I arrive earlier in the day I take photos of the room, valuables into the safe and then I head out for a walk to get my bearings. I always find a local supermarket, not just to get some supplies for the room, but I enjoy seeing the local produce, prices etc. I always try to book a hotel with a club lounge, so once back at the hotel I head there for a drink/ snack etc.

 

[MARTINE]

The majority of us seem to have a similar routine, and I'm much the same.
Depending obviously on time of arrival it does vary bit.
If very late at night, or early hours of the morning I take photos of the room, shower, night cap, bed.
In hotels I generally don't unpack the full suitcase - maybe just some key items, toiletries and valuables into the safe. On a cruise I unpack fully as soon as I get access to my suite.
If I arrive earlier in the day I take photos of the room, valuables into the safe and then I head out for a walk to get my bearings. I always find a local supermarket, not just to get some supplies for the room, but I enjoy seeing the local produce, prices etc. I always try to book a hotel with a club lounge, so once back at the hotel I head there for a drink/ snack etc.

Tx….fully on board with club lounge. They pay for themselves several times over between breakfast, ‘lunch’ and ‘dinner’ and often a source of good travel tips from fellow travellers one sees regularly…

 

[I love to travel]

Check out the Exec lounge then a walk.

 

[OZDUCK]

Once we check in, depending on the length of flight of course, we will shower and change of clothes. Then we head off for a quick reconnoitring walk and usually buy the local multi-modal transport ticket and pick up some paper maps. Often we will do a quick trip to a central area to get the 'lay of the land' and make sure we understand how things work in that city/country. Often that first little excursion will strongly influence how I feel about that destination. For example in Berlin we parked the car at the hotel and then caught the S Bahn to the Unter den Linden. As we walked out of the station I turned around there was the Brandenburg Gate at twilight just becoming illuminated by floodlights. It was a great experience and I have loved Berlin since.

 

[Lynnelanne]

Even before COVID I disinfect all the handles and remotes and take the nasty cushions that haven't had the covers changed off the beds. Then partially or fully unpack depending on how long we are there. Then normally venture out for food, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Find a convenience store and buy soft drink to replace the overpriced stuff in the mini bar.. Although we have stayed in places with Exec Lounges and I do like them, it depends where we are whether I will book it or not. I find it makes me lazy and less inclined to go out and enjoy the local food. The exec lounge at the Mandarin Oriental in KL is dangerous, you could just eat three meals a day there, and I mean full meals. I used to work in Hong Kong and was shocked at how many of my colleagues basically never left the hotel other than to work, they were in the exec lounge the rest of the time. I thought that was tragic.

 

[pauleg]

Turn off TV, move card from the bed, take out toiletries and any big items that have been suffocating in the suitcase, stick DND sign on the door, take photo of room number with phone, put valuables in safe, connect to wifi, use Google Maps to get bearings of immediate vicinity and start exploring.

Room photo is a good idea. I have done it sometimes but it is a good security and memory tip for each time - thanks!!

 

[MARTINE]

Even before COVID I disinfect all the handles and remotes and take the nasty cushions that haven't had the covers changed off the beds. Then partially or fully unpack depending on how long we are there. Then normally venture out for food, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Find a convenience store and buy soft drink to replace the overpriced stuff in the mini bar.. Although we have stayed in places with Exec Lounges and I do like them, it depends where we are whether I will book it or not. I find it makes me lazy and less inclined to go out and enjoy the local food. The exec lounge at the Mandarin Oriental in KL is dangerous, you could just eat three meals a day there, and I mean full meals. I used to work in Hong Kong and was shocked at how many of my colleagues basically never left the hotel other than to work, they were in the exec lounge the rest of the time. I thought that was tragic.

…pleased to see a fellow ‘clean-freak’ and I absolutely agree about those coughpy cushions and the ‘runber’ on the bed. Its good if the hotel has sealed blankets/pillow spares (as on aircraft) as I use those too. Not sure your HK colleagues will enjoy never leaving the hotel again (too much like quarantine!!)

 

[SYD]

If there’s minibar fridge, check that it’s not set to “Iceage” mode. I can’t stand the silence broken constantly in the middle of the night…

Note: don’t be tempted to turn them off or down enough to defrost - you can find your self walking through a puddle of 12 mths melted permafrost …..

 

[Hvr]

you can find your self walking through a puddle of 12 mths melted permafrost …..

Blame it on global warming .

 

[ayebee]

If there’s minibar fridge, check that it’s not set to “Iceage” mode. I can’t stand the silence broken constantly in the middle of the night…

Note: don’t be tempted to turn them off or down enough to defrost - you can find your self walking through a puddle of 12 mths melted permafrost …..

You reminded me of arriving in our "home away" apartment in Lisbon ... wanted some ice for a drink ...

 

[jgm]

My first move is to find the nearest ATM in the airport and withdraw cash from my Citibank Plus card. I still prefer cash for safety.

 

[Jacques Vert]

My first move is to find the nearest ATM in the airport and withdraw cash from my Citibank Plus card. I still prefer cash for safety.

Same, same. Not for safety but I have been caught in a couple of countries where visa/m'card etc. is not as widely accepted (e.g., Russia, regional Japan, Zambia).

 

[zoomaloid2000]

Make a cup of tea. I'm English, we can't help it

 

[Seat0B]

Another lovely idea for a thread @MARTINE.

I do a lot of things the same and a few extras. So here goes.

Arrive to hotel and unpack. We usually travel in the ski season, which involves lugging around quite a bit of gear as we don't like to use rentals. So I usually have a big bag with ski gear and other clothes, and an overnight bag that I can use later on for shorter trips I make. I especially love Japan with the KuroNeko and other baggage forwarding services for this reason - We try to ski first, and then send all our ski gear to the airport where it stays until we collect it on the way out back home. Technically they will only hold it for 2 weeks, but I have left mine there for 22 days without drama. Once that part is over, I just use the largish overnight bag. And when not travelling to ski, we often prefer to stay in a place for 5 days or so and do day trips in the local area to really get a sense of a place rather than staying a single night and then moving on.

If I remember, I try to take a photo of the room before I mess it all up. I also try to take a photo from the hotel window as I run a series of "view from my room" photos with family and friends. Some are amazing. Many are walls, airconditioners, carparks and garbage bins/skips. I also like to take a photo of the shower plumbing because this varies so much from country to country, and I find the levers, dials, hoses and taps fascinating. Who knew there were so many ways to plumb in a shower!

Ask Hotel reception staff/conceierge for any tips/advice/local hints. I have received some amazing advice this way eg a visit to the Tanah Abang Markets in Jakarta where we did not see a single other non-Indonesian person in a visit of over 4 hours duration, and where we were a tourist attraction in our own right in the amazing local food court - children openly staring, much to the embarrassment of their parents who were more discreetly staring

Next is to go out for the orientation walk/trip on public transport/coffee/snack/people watching/atmosphere soak up that so many others have mentions. Try to get a few useful drinks and snacks in case meals get a bit haphazard (as they tend to do when I travel with Mr Seat 0A).

I also love a supermarket trip. It's practical to stock up for snacks and drinks, but also very illuminating about local culture. For example, the massive massive deli and cheese sections in Germany and the Netherlands. The bakery section in France. The soy sauce aisle (yes a whole aisle) in Japan. The flavours of potato chips in Lao PDR and Jakarta. The date section in Dubai with at least 20 different types of dates, and the same for olives. Trying to guess what the product is and how you use it when you can't read the script of the language (although Google Translate is taking some of that fun away). The supermarket is one of my most favourite things to do.

I also really like to find a coffee shop and plonk for a bit to just watch the people go by. Found this very fascinating in Morocco, Japan, Europe. Especially if you can get away from the more regular tourist haunts to do this.

Oh this is making me nostalgic.

 

[MARTINE]

Another lovely idea for a thread @MARTINE.

I do a lot of things the same and a few extras. So here goes.

Arrive to hotel and unpack. We usually travel in the ski season, which involves lugging around quite a bit of gear as we don't like to use rentals. So I usually have a big bag with ski gear and other clothes, and an overnight bag that I can use later on for shorter trips I make. I especially love Japan with the KuroNeko and other baggage forwarding services for this reason - We try to ski first, and then send all our ski gear to the airport where it stays until we collect it on the way out back home. Technically they will only hold it for 2 weeks, but I have left mine there for 22 days without drama. Once that part is over, I just use the largish overnight bag. And when not travelling to ski, we often prefer to stay in a place for 5 days or so and do day trips in the local area to really get a sense of a place rather than staying a single night and then moving on.

If I remember, I try to take a photo of the room before I mess it all up. I also try to take a photo from the hotel window as I run a series of "view from my room" photos with family and friends. Some are amazing. Many are walls, airconditioners, carparks and garbage bins/skips. I also like to take a photo of the shower plumbing because this varies so much from country to country, and I find the levers, dials, hoses and taps fascinating. Who knew there were so many ways to plumb in a shower!

Ask Hotel reception staff/conceierge for any tips/advice/local hints. I have received some amazing advice this way eg a visit to the Tanah Abang Markets in Jakarta where we did not see a single other non-Indonesian person in a visit of over 4 hours duration, and where we were a tourist attraction in our own right in the amazing local food court - children openly staring, much to the embarrassment of their parents who were more discreetly staring

Next is to go out for the orientation walk/trip on public transport/coffee/snack/people watching/atmosphere soak up that so many others have mentions. Try to get a few useful drinks and snacks in case meals get a bit haphazard (as they tend to do when I travel with Mr Seat 0A).

I also love a supermarket trip. It's practical to stock up for snacks and drinks, but also very illuminating about local culture. For example, the massive massive deli and cheese sections in Germany and the Netherlands. The bakery section in France. The soy sauce aisle (yes a whole aisle) in Japan. The flavours of potato chips in Lao PDR and Jakarta. The date section in Dubai with at least 20 different types of dates, and the same for olives. Trying to guess what the product is and how you use it when you can't read the script of the language (although Google Translate is taking some of that fun away). The supermarket is one of my most favourite things to do.

I also really like to find a coffee shop and plonk for a bit to just watch the people go by. Found this very fascinating in Morocco, Japan, Europe. Especially if you can get away from the more regular tourist haunts to do this.

Oh this is making me nostalgic.

@Seat0B

Nostalgia … yes…Memories do sustain us…
I really have hit the wall today in Melb lockdown….no real reason..
time to do my ’pretend I am in hotel room’ ritual
…Look at my snap fish photo volumes from Tuscany, pretend I’ve walked in Lucca all day and happily exhausted, spray some Italian bergamot/orange scent and lie on top of bed to rest/read for a few hours until ‘walk to piazza for late dinner‘……likely husband will wake me snoring w book on my face…

 

[chelzmalee]

Unpack somewhat, flop on the bed for a few minutes, then go for a walk and find food. I am ALWAYS hungry when I arrive at a destination.

 

[I love to travel]

Another lovely idea for a thread @MARTINE.

I do a lot of things the same and a few extras. So here goes.

Arrive to hotel and unpack. We usually travel in the ski season, which involves lugging around quite a bit of gear as we don't like to use rentals. So I usually have a big bag with ski gear and other clothes, and an overnight bag that I can use later on for shorter trips I make. I especially love Japan with the KuroNeko and other baggage forwarding services for this reason - We try to ski first, and then send all our ski gear to the airport where it stays until we collect it on the way out back home. Technically they will only hold it for 2 weeks, but I have left mine there for 22 days without drama. Once that part is over, I just use the largish overnight bag. And when not travelling to ski, we often prefer to stay in a place for 5 days or so and do day trips in the local area to really get a sense of a place rather than staying a single night and then moving on.

If I remember, I try to take a photo of the room before I mess it all up. I also try to take a photo from the hotel window as I run a series of "view from my room" photos with family and friends. Some are amazing. Many are walls, airconditioners, carparks and garbage bins/skips. I also like to take a photo of the shower plumbing because this varies so much from country to country, and I find the levers, dials, hoses and taps fascinating. Who knew there were so many ways to plumb in a shower!

Ask Hotel reception staff/conceierge for any tips/advice/local hints. I have received some amazing advice this way eg a visit to the Tanah Abang Markets in Jakarta where we did not see a single other non-Indonesian person in a visit of over 4 hours duration, and where we were a tourist attraction in our own right in the amazing local food court - children openly staring, much to the embarrassment of their parents who were more discreetly staring

Next is to go out for the orientation walk/trip on public transport/coffee/snack/people watching/atmosphere soak up that so many others have mentions. Try to get a few useful drinks and snacks in case meals get a bit haphazard (as they tend to do when I travel with Mr Seat 0A).

I also love a supermarket trip. It's practical to stock up for snacks and drinks, but also very illuminating about local culture. For example, the massive massive deli and cheese sections in Germany and the Netherlands. The bakery section in France. The soy sauce aisle (yes a whole aisle) in Japan. The flavours of potato chips in Lao PDR and Jakarta. The date section in Dubai with at least 20 different types of dates, and the same for olives. Trying to guess what the product is and how you use it when you can't read the script of the language (although Google Translate is taking some of that fun away). The supermarket is one of my most favourite things to do.

I also really like to find a coffee shop and plonk for a bit to just watch the people go by. Found this very fascinating in Morocco, Japan, Europe. Especially if you can get away from the more regular tourist haunts to do this.

Oh this is making me nostalgic.

That makes me depressed

 

[Magoo]

I'm with Zoomaloid - I want a cup of tea - then a walk to a supermarket for supplies.

 

[andye]

Make a cup of tea. I'm English, we can't help it

Last couple of UK trips I went to the LHR Plaza Premium arrivals lounge for the same reason

 

[SuePa]

I'm curious as to why people take photos of their rooms? I'm obviously missing something.