What I learned from my vacation

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Alibi Ike

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Because it's really not a good vacation if I don't learn something!
I had one week to spend. It's the same with many of my guests. One week of vacation is ALL they have. No redo later on in the year if it wasn't 'perfect'. (Perfect meaning different things to different people.) No second opportunity to go somewhere else and have a better time.
So, what I learned from that is it was the people I encountered who had the biggest impact on how my vacation was going. Not the price of the gas, not the bumpiness of the plane, not the endless driving here and there. And, it was the comfort of the rooms I booked that helped me rest and be ready for the next day.
It was the friendly park rangers (even tho they were unsure if they would be working in the coming weeks), the helpful clerks at the car rental, the people in the elevators, the breakfast waitresses, the manager at Taco Bell who gave me the wrong drink and came right to my table with the correct drink and apologized for the mistake. It was the housekeeping staff that took pride in the rooms and made sure they were tidied every day.
THIS is what I have to provide here for my guests. A pleasant encounter, a comfortable room, a fun environment and great food. Because, like me, a LOT of people only get one vacation/year, if they even get that. And I CAN influence it being the best (or the worst) vacation they have. (Influence only. I can't help overall grumpy attitude!)
 
Kindness not only makes the coffee. Kindness says good morning.
AMEN TO THAT! YOU GOT IT, NAILED IT 100%!
Glad ot hear it too, confirms what we are always on about. Treat people like people, with kindness, they fight enough dragons out there on a daily basis!
 
Can I quote you on my blog?.
You gonna use my real name?
wink_smile.gif
Or just say, 'An innkeeping friend...'?
 
Kindness not only makes the coffee. Kindness says good morning.
AMEN TO THAT! YOU GOT IT, NAILED IT 100%!
Glad ot hear it too, confirms what we are always on about. Treat people like people, with kindness, they fight enough dragons out there on a daily basis!.
I didn't want to comment on the innkeeping quotes thread (it seems to be the only 'clean' thread out there!) but I said 'Good Morning!' everyday to the gal making the breakfast at the hotel buffet and she was shocked the first day I said it.
 
Firstly it sounds like you had a good vaca, so congrats! I love your point...there are not many places you can go and even get a smile and a "hello" any more, in any service vector. So we should remember that we provide a LOT in the way of good old-fashioned hospitality and be proud of it!
teeth_smile.gif
 
I found as a traveler over the last week in the UK that if I was nice to other people, I got the same response back and then some. People will reflect your mood, generally speaking.
We had the most surly restaurant owner at one place that we stopped in and that was the only bad experience. It was like he was doing you a favor to allow you to dine there. I was basically off the Internet for 98% of our trip so I didn't look for reviews of places because we generally are "go with the flow" travelers. Just checked the reviews on TA this morning and there it was many times over...our exact experience!
I don't worry about the cost of things when we go to a place because there's nothing that you can do about it really except make different choices - dine in cheaper places, book a cheaper hotel, walk or take buses rather than take taxis...that kind of thing.
You can ruin a whole travel experience by focusing on the negatives.
 
Firstly it sounds like you had a good vaca, so congrats! I love your point...there are not many places you can go and even get a smile and a "hello" any more, in any service vector. So we should remember that we provide a LOT in the way of good old-fashioned hospitality and be proud of it!
teeth_smile.gif
.
All around a good trip. Except my ankles swelled up on the flight out and they haven't gone down. Anyone got a solution for that?
 
Firstly it sounds like you had a good vaca, so congrats! I love your point...there are not many places you can go and even get a smile and a "hello" any more, in any service vector. So we should remember that we provide a LOT in the way of good old-fashioned hospitality and be proud of it!
teeth_smile.gif
.
All around a good trip. Except my ankles swelled up on the flight out and they haven't gone down. Anyone got a solution for that?
.
Alibi Ike said:
All around a good trip. Except my ankles swelled up on the flight out and they haven't gone down. Anyone got a solution for that?
About three days sitting on your backside with your feel propped up so they are higher than your hips. In a hot bath helps.
With a box of chocolates, a book of your choice, and a large bottle of wine.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Oh, I slay myself.
 
Firstly it sounds like you had a good vaca, so congrats! I love your point...there are not many places you can go and even get a smile and a "hello" any more, in any service vector. So we should remember that we provide a LOT in the way of good old-fashioned hospitality and be proud of it!
teeth_smile.gif
.
All around a good trip. Except my ankles swelled up on the flight out and they haven't gone down. Anyone got a solution for that?
.
Stay active but put your feet up when you can when sitting. Watch sodium in all it's forms and drink plenty of water. Probably what you do anyway....
 
Firstly it sounds like you had a good vaca, so congrats! I love your point...there are not many places you can go and even get a smile and a "hello" any more, in any service vector. So we should remember that we provide a LOT in the way of good old-fashioned hospitality and be proud of it!
teeth_smile.gif
.
All around a good trip. Except my ankles swelled up on the flight out and they haven't gone down. Anyone got a solution for that?
.
If you have a drug store nearby they often sell the lightweight compression stockings (knee-high). Going about your normal walking in those should take it down quickly. Elevate them when (if!) you sit down too, and drink tons of water to get yourself back in balance.
 
You can ruin a whole travel experience by focusing on the negatives.
As well as your life!!! YOUR attitude affects your life! It is nice when others (like us) can make a difference, make their experience so nice they forget any negatives that happen. I just recently commented on 2 couples that were here for a few days. They traveled here by train, the train broke down and they sat in no-mans-land for 3 hours. Their 1st night here there was a horrific storm, and we were without power most of the night. One lady left her purse at an area restaurant (luckily it was still intact) and they got lost going to a tour barely made it but was treated bad by the guide because they were tardy. Each time they were all smiles, laughing and having a good time... Basically they said 'life's too short to dwell'
 
We CAN make a difference with how we interact with them. Make their experience the best you can make it... this does not mean you have to slober all over them, just be kind when you do make contact. I believe Proud Texan touched on this very subject in a recent post.
 
You can ruin a whole travel experience by focusing on the negatives.
As well as your life!!! YOUR attitude affects your life! It is nice when others (like us) can make a difference, make their experience so nice they forget any negatives that happen. I just recently commented on 2 couples that were here for a few days. They traveled here by train, the train broke down and they sat in no-mans-land for 3 hours. Their 1st night here there was a horrific storm, and we were without power most of the night. One lady left her purse at an area restaurant (luckily it was still intact) and they got lost going to a tour barely made it but was treated bad by the guide because they were tardy. Each time they were all smiles, laughing and having a good time... Basically they said 'life's too short to dwell'.
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
 
You can ruin a whole travel experience by focusing on the negatives.
As well as your life!!! YOUR attitude affects your life! It is nice when others (like us) can make a difference, make their experience so nice they forget any negatives that happen. I just recently commented on 2 couples that were here for a few days. They traveled here by train, the train broke down and they sat in no-mans-land for 3 hours. Their 1st night here there was a horrific storm, and we were without power most of the night. One lady left her purse at an area restaurant (luckily it was still intact) and they got lost going to a tour barely made it but was treated bad by the guide because they were tardy. Each time they were all smiles, laughing and having a good time... Basically they said 'life's too short to dwell'.
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
.
Samster said:
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
Good luck with that! They are A PART of our life. My negative influences gave birth to me, so I suppose I will love them as much and best as I can. I can only work on me.
 
You can ruin a whole travel experience by focusing on the negatives.
As well as your life!!! YOUR attitude affects your life! It is nice when others (like us) can make a difference, make their experience so nice they forget any negatives that happen. I just recently commented on 2 couples that were here for a few days. They traveled here by train, the train broke down and they sat in no-mans-land for 3 hours. Their 1st night here there was a horrific storm, and we were without power most of the night. One lady left her purse at an area restaurant (luckily it was still intact) and they got lost going to a tour barely made it but was treated bad by the guide because they were tardy. Each time they were all smiles, laughing and having a good time... Basically they said 'life's too short to dwell'.
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
.
Samster said:
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
Good luck with that! They are A PART of our life. My negative influences gave birth to me, so I suppose I will love them as much and best as I can. I can only work on me.
.
JB, I am a work in progress, and the work is slow.
regular_smile.gif
But I do believe that we have choices when it comes to surrounding ourselves with people that tend to be more positive. Unfortunately, I no longer have either of my parents, warts and all.
 
You can ruin a whole travel experience by focusing on the negatives.
As well as your life!!! YOUR attitude affects your life! It is nice when others (like us) can make a difference, make their experience so nice they forget any negatives that happen. I just recently commented on 2 couples that were here for a few days. They traveled here by train, the train broke down and they sat in no-mans-land for 3 hours. Their 1st night here there was a horrific storm, and we were without power most of the night. One lady left her purse at an area restaurant (luckily it was still intact) and they got lost going to a tour barely made it but was treated bad by the guide because they were tardy. Each time they were all smiles, laughing and having a good time... Basically they said 'life's too short to dwell'.
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
.
Samster said:
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
Good luck with that! They are A PART of our life. My negative influences gave birth to me, so I suppose I will love them as much and best as I can. I can only work on me.
.
JB, I am a work in progress, and the work is slow.
regular_smile.gif
But I do believe that we have choices when it comes to surrounding ourselves with people that tend to be more positive. Unfortunately, I no longer have either of my parents, warts and all.
.
Samster said:
JB, I am a work in progress, and the work is slow.
regular_smile.gif
But I do believe that we have choices when it comes to surrounding ourselves with people that tend to be more positive. Unfortunately, I no longer have either of my parents, warts and all.
That is why I mentioned this, we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Some of the most negative people can influence our lives in a positive way. Sometimes even if it makes us look inward and fight harder! (Using some of my own life as an example as I type this.) We all have our moments, some more than others.
 
You can ruin a whole travel experience by focusing on the negatives.
As well as your life!!! YOUR attitude affects your life! It is nice when others (like us) can make a difference, make their experience so nice they forget any negatives that happen. I just recently commented on 2 couples that were here for a few days. They traveled here by train, the train broke down and they sat in no-mans-land for 3 hours. Their 1st night here there was a horrific storm, and we were without power most of the night. One lady left her purse at an area restaurant (luckily it was still intact) and they got lost going to a tour barely made it but was treated bad by the guide because they were tardy. Each time they were all smiles, laughing and having a good time... Basically they said 'life's too short to dwell'.
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
.
Samster said:
Yep, you said it, CH! I am trying to eliminate the negative influences in my life.
We stopped on our 90 minute drive home from the airport last evening for dinner (or was it a midnight snack for us? haha...) It's a pretty good Mexican restaurant about 50 minutes from here. I apologized to our server for my dh who was on his mobile with work & I just picked something for him to eat. (Travel day after him being gone a week, part of which was for business and he was checking in.) Then, our server apologized to me for his hair color! I am not kidding. Seems like he lost a bet when his soccer team lost a match and he has to have bright red hair for a week. I told him it looked fine....a lot of people had brightly colored hair in the country that we had just visited. He had a good laugh.
I wondered if some diners had actually said something negative to this guy about his hair?
Good luck with that! They are A PART of our life. My negative influences gave birth to me, so I suppose I will love them as much and best as I can. I can only work on me.
.
JB, I am a work in progress, and the work is slow.
regular_smile.gif
But I do believe that we have choices when it comes to surrounding ourselves with people that tend to be more positive. Unfortunately, I no longer have either of my parents, warts and all.
.
Samster said:
JB, I am a work in progress, and the work is slow.
regular_smile.gif
But I do believe that we have choices when it comes to surrounding ourselves with people that tend to be more positive. Unfortunately, I no longer have either of my parents, warts and all.
That is why I mentioned this, we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Some of the most negative people can influence our lives in a positive way. Sometimes even if it makes us look inward and fight harder! (Using some of my own life as an example as I type this.) We all have our moments, some more than others.
.
regular_smile.gif
Good thoughts to remember....
 
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