I travel a lot, and I think I do it pretty wisely. However, I'm not so experienced that I can't learn new tricks. My latest new trick, after two nights in Austin, Texas? Online motel reviews.Checked into my Super8 Downtown Austin digs on Thursday night, dog-tired and hoping for a good night's kip. The room seemed nice enough, especially for the price. King bed, iron, ironing board, big tv, hairdryer (not that I have anything to use it on!), fridge and microwave. Average, about $60 per night. The motel is walking distance from the state capitol, too....and has free breakfast. Trouble was, I was not the only one using the room at the time.
Didn't really notice the trouble I was having getting to sleep until about midnight when I realized I was scratching a growing collection of little bumps around my ankles, elbows and neck. Eventually I was able to ignore it enough to fall into a fitful sleep.
Not sure what I thought WAS going on, but bedbugs hadn't even occured to me, until last night's repeat performance by the voracious little buggers. At about 1am I fired up the laptop and googled motel reviews for my place and the first one I found mentioned....bedbugs! If only I'd done this before I booked. You can be sure I will from now on.
Fortunately, experienced globetrotter that I am, my luggage had been off the floor the entire time...AND I pack everything in 2 gallon ziploc bags. Keeps the stuff inside compacted and, as I have now gratefully discovered, the stuff outside...outside!
Signed out of the Super8 at 7am, two days earlier than booked, having locked down a new room at a well-reviewed, and cheaper, Motel 6. The Super8 desk clerk didn't even ask why I was leaving early. According to the unsettling review I read last night, management at this establishment has been told of the bedbugs before and has refused to accept any responsibility. I'm guessing early checkouts here are not uncommon. Banking now on good night's pre-marathon sleep...now that I'm all alone.
Race report tomorrow.
Gotta run!
5 comments:
Yikes!
I hate bugs - I went on a long bike ride once - came home to find a cockroach in my shoe ~)
Good luck on your race : 0
That's just gross. As you train for marathons, that's just one thing that you don't think you have to prepare yourself for....sneakers (check), salt tablets (check), GUs (check), ....canister of RAID (what????)
Well, maybe you will find your feel going faster than before...
Don't they always say a bad last training run ensures a good marathon? Perhaps a bad motel experience ensures ... ensures ... well, something good:!:!
Enjoy every mile, Michael!
Yick!
My friends got bedbugs because of a neighboring apartment. They are VERY PESKY, and have a tendency to take a VERY long time to get rid of. You should probably leave your suitcase outside of your house, and run all of your laundry through a laundromat that is not in your home. You might also want to file a complaint with the county that the motel is in. Pretty sure it has to be against the law for them to be aware of this problem and yet ignore it.
Whew--hope it doesn't mess up your training regimen!
I am itchy just reading that.
good luck in your race. If you get tired just imagine you are being chased by giant Bed Bugs ....
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