Travel tip

Do not change your kids diaper in the seat of the plane. Take them to the restroom and be considerate of your fellow travelers. 

Charlotte, NC

Where I decide that if given a choice, I will not choose Embassy Suites.

The week leading up to this trip was quite frustrating. I broke out in hives (an allergic reaction to food junk) and in addition to being so very itchy, I couldn't figure out what to stay away from to make it better.

After 2 hours of acupuncture, I finally felt some reprieve and had a plan to eat only protein shakes and non processed foods.

When I got to Charlotte, my co-worker informed me that she forgot her laptop. Which makes sense. I can't eat, she can't work. We're a great pair.

The embassy suites was the closet to our work location which is why I chose it. The first room they put me in smelled so much like smoke I had to call the front desk and ask if this was a smoking room. Apparently it was not so I kindly asked if they had another room available (If not, I would suck it up) and thank goodness they did. But now I sit in my smell free room with an AC running non stop and not actually changing the temperature in the room.

What I forgot: wifi hotspot, water filter.

North Carolina Recap

On my flight to North Carolina I got to ride on a pretty newer plane, a Boeing 737-800, with LED lighting. Quite frankly, I'm just so incredibly happy any time I don't have to get on an MD-80. I did not notice before I got on the plane that my assigned seat was the first main cabin row. Which means no seat in front of you for storage. My boy-scout preparedness is not okay with having to stow all my stuff. I didn't want to continue getting up since I was the window seat so I got out what I thought I would need. Headphones, phone, water . . . . . . the hour we spent sitting on the tarmac gave me plenty of time to think about what else I wish I had gotten out. Gum. Chapstick. My laptop to watch a movie to kill some freakin time.

When I got to RDU airport, I picked up my car from National and I do like their just-pick-it-out-and-go set up. (No waiting on that hotel shuttle this time!) I picked out a cute little charcoal gray Toyota Corolla. I'm not sure of the year but I'm sure it's new and it was clean and smelled good so I was happy. I told myself that I would be prepared and would have my phone GPS pulled up BEFORE I drove anywhere so this time I didn't get lost. (Which I did the last time I came here and rented a car. A couple times.) I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn near the airport since I knew how to get to work from there and really, that's important. My room was spacious, everything worked and there was no mold in the shower. (Such high expectations.)

Monday night, I had the worst sinus pressure headache and quickly realized I had forgotten my first aid kit (seriously, how could I forget that!!) I took all of the sinus pills I had in my purse in an attempt to think straight and luckily it worked.  When I took out my contacts (since I was overdosing on decongestants) I discovered I had also forgot my glasses. (Ugh)

Wednesday night, I got back to the hotel just as a thunderstorm was rolling in. I sat in the restaurant/bar area and watched the sky turned black and opened up. Within minutes of ordering my dinner, the power went out. In the hotel. The whole hotel. No power in the whole hotel. They had a couple emergency lights but the majority of light came from what was coming in the windows. After about half an hour and two beers, I went back to my room to wait until the kitchen was open again. About 9 PM, room service knocked on my room door to bring me the food I had ordered earlier and woke me up. Which was really so very nice, both for bringing me dinner and for waking me up because I had NOT intended to be asleep! All in all, the power was out for 3 hours and even the next morning, there were roads closed from debris.

Thursday at lunch I ran into two co-workers (neither of whom are located in NC) which was fun and we went to dinner that night.

What I forgot to pack: first aid kit , socks and glasses

Monday in Maryland

The Hilton Washington DC/Rockville is very nice. The only thing I remember from the last time I stayed here was that my first room was in a high traffic area and I had to change rooms. Apparently I am a light sleeper because I could hear every noise outside of my room.  I hate to be that prima donna that needs a better room but they were very nice and moved me. So this time, when I heard the room number I knew it was not that same high traffic area from before.

Here is something I don't understand and this is not specific to Hilton. Why do hotels have doors that slam? Can't someone come up with a design like those kitchen drawers that close quietly? And if they exist, can we make it mandatory for hotels to use them? Slamming doors are so loud and rattle the walls of all the rooms nearby. And when I'm half asleep at 10:30, those slamming doors and rattling walls wake up this light sleeper. Another thing I think should be required is sound absorbing materials in the hallways. I am a loud person. I know this. I have been told this my whole life. If I am not making a conscious effort to not be loud, I could disturb everyone on the way the my room if I were speaking. I know people don't think about that as they walk down the hall but again . . . light sleeper.

Back to the Hilton. Cold and rainy means dining in the hotel restaurant. I wasn't super impressed with the food but today was the start of a new menu so maybe they will figure that out. The service was great though.

Sinus issues are waning but my voice has been affected. Someone actually told me today that they could barely hear me. Ha!

What I forgot to pack: Hairbrush

Off to Maryland

The last time I went to Maryland, it took 3 tries to get there due to bad weather. Original flight for Sunday afternoon was cancelled. Rebooked on a flight for Tuesday morning. Cancelled. Third flight on another airline from and to neighboring airports for Tuesday. Finally made it.

So it was not surprising that on this trip, the flight was delayed by an hour which caused me to my interview for Global Entry. But hey, I made it out on my first flight.

I was able to have my interview with Global Entry when I finally arrived and I have to say, those CBP agents are so nice. The process was simple and quick. Very impressed.

Also, my checked bag was free. So maybe Citi has figured out their stuff. Or it could be a fluke. Only time will tell.

North Carolina - Day 2

Well the convience of the Embassy Suites wasn't so convient today. I usually choose to stay here because it's close to work and they have a shuttle that will take you to and from. Then I don't have to get a car and get lost trying to figure out which way is North.

Haven't been impressed with the shuttle this trip. (Remember standing in the freezing rain yesterday?) They supposedly leave on the half hour. I asked at 40 after where the shuttle was and the front desk guy said he won't be back until 9. Um, what happened to the 8:30 run? He asked if I would like him to call me a cab. The words seemed nice but the attitude seemed irritated. Maybe it's because I'm sick. Maybe because I didn't get any sleep last night. 

After work, I called the hotel a total of 4 times over the course of 15 minutes. The first 3 times, it rang and rang and no one answered. Finally on the fourth try, I got a person and told them I was at this building and hey, can come one come get me. She put me in hold for a while to I guess confirm that someone could come to this building. She did ask if the driver dropped me here this morning. Well yes, which is why I assumed I could get picked up as well . . . 

Man Embassy Suites, you are wearing me out. Next time, rental car. 

I have to say the restaurant (yes a restaurant in a hotel) was very redeeming today. The staff was friendly and pleasant. The food . . . Oh my. Well the soup anyway. The soup of the day was something called three pepper chicken soup and quite frankly the name does it no justice. If they hadn't brought me a sample, I would have turned my nose up at it. Of course seeing and smelling made all the difference. It was creamy and slightly tomatoey at the same time with diced bell peppers and chicken. So very good in fact, that while the shrimp and grits weren't exactly to my liking, I didn't even care. Because I had eaten that amazing soup. I want to say that I remember thinking the shrimp and grits weren't worth it but I don't know where that was. Guess that's why I'm writing about my travels, to remember this stuff. Well, this and the drunk guy that thrown off the plane. 

North Carolina - Day 1

Well the trip started off ok with the exception of my medicine head. I previously signed up for the Citi Advantage card to get the benefits of group 1 boarding and a free checked bag when I travel. This was the first trip since I had it and I was curious to see how well it worked.

It didn't. I checked in on the American app and used the kiosk to check my bag when I got to the airport. The little computer told me I had to pay $25 so I thought well maybe they recognize a Citi Advantage card so I used it. But I got a reciept. So I guess I'll need to call them because I have a suspicious feeling it's not a reimbursement kind of thing.

The agent had to ask me for my boarding pass and my ID because, like I said, medicine head. I even left my phone in my pocket at security. I felt like such a rookie. 

Then was the flight. It was fine but I hate MD-80's. I had a seat that's classified as main cabin extra. Yes there was extra room for knees but side to side is absolutely no different and the under seat area was weird. The bars weren't aligned with the seat. Plus this new rolling laptop bag I have seemed cumbersome. But it fit so it guess I can't complain. The guy sitting next to me had on a short sleeve button shirt and his sleeve kept touching me. I was falling asleep and that little tickle from his sleeve jerked me wide awake. I did notice that there was a DC port under my seat so if you happen to be flying with a car charger . . . 

At baggage claim, another woman picked up my bag and took what I felt like was a long time to determine it wasn't hers. I finally said yeah, that's mine. Seriously, there are names on them. It's not rocket science. 

Oh man, the weather. At RDU airport, you wait outside on the curb for the hotel shuttles to come. When it's 32 and raining, this isn't the best system. My hotel's shuttle was pulling away as I walked up and I just knew that wasn't a good sign. It took about 25 minutes freezing in a much too lightweight jacket for the next one to come along but man was I glad he did. 

When I was cheking in at the Embassy Suites, the rep attempted to confirm my choice of a smoking room. Uh, hold up. "You actually have those?" Then I realized I needed to tell her no. Under no circumstance would I be in a smoking room. Like my week long sinus infection hasn't been enough fun, let's go ahead and make it worse. She asked if I booked it and I said yes but not really. I put in the request in some system and then I don't know what happens. (I did go back and confirm it was for a king, non-smoking room). She said my company does this a lot. Really? I've never had that happen. She was probably just getting to pass the buck. So she moved me to another room which was not a king so I guess I'll have to limit the amount of rolling around I do in my sleep. 

I do like the Embassy Suites. I come often enough that it feels familiar when I return. I especially like the convience of the hotel being so close to work. The separate living room and bar area are really nice and spacious. The only small negative is the age if this facility. The tiles on the bathroom floor are cracked and the shower needs new fixtures. But it's not near as bad as some of the other hotels I've stayed at. More to come as this is only day 1