Random Trivial Irks on Business Trips

Is he really going to do it? That is, Porwest. Is he really going to waste valuable noise.cash space writing a random trivial irks post about things that bother him when he is traveling for business?

Sure. Why not? I mean, maybe you will find some of these little irks entertaining to some extent?

Gosh, I never thought Porwest could be so petty, you're probably going to think.

But hey, we all can be about certain things from time to time. These are some random things that bother me that probably shouldn't when I am on the road tooling across the nation trying to make a living.+

Busy, big gas stations

Don't get me wrong. I think the concept of these behemoth little grocery stores with pumps in front can be useful, and certainly the concept works from a business perspective since they have become quite popular, and even seem to just get bigger and bigger.

These are the QuickTrips of the world and the KwikTrips if you happen to be in Wisconsin.

My complaint? They are simply too busy and too crowded and it makes me not want to go in there. 99.9% of the time all I need is to use the bathroom, pump some gas and maybe get a bottle of water and lottery ticket.

Casey's in the Midwest is always a good stopping ground when I am traveling. But they aren't everywhere. Any small, basic gas stop is good enough for me when I am on the road.

Being off the main highway

Okay, this one is a bit of an ironic one for me. Because actually, I prefer the rural routes over the main highways almost all the time. It is usually way more scenic, and you get to drive through some towns sometimes that are interesting.

The problem then? Long stretches of open terrain without a decent stop at all.

What I mean is that sometimes you've got to go. You know what I mean. You've got to relieve yourself, and while getting gas can be easy enough, I don't know how many times I've had my eyes in pools having to go, only to get the gas pumping, walk inside, and discover they don't have a public restroom.

Ugh!

Luckily I do essentially the same routes on my business trips, so after a while you know when to hit a rural route prepared for the "long road ahead." Still, you can't always plan everything and sometimes the bladder strikes when it wants to and you can only hold it so long.

Granted, being a guy has its advantages in being able to "take care of business" in less than ideal situations. But it is still less than ideal.

Hotel TVs

My God already. Why in the world do the televisions have to be so damned difficult to operate? Even in the same hotels I stay in every single time! I can't tell you how many times I have not been able to get a TV to work properly, and there is nothing more annoying to me than to have to call down to the front desk to have the clerk come up and set it straight for me.

Hotels with windows that do not open

This is an irksome thing to me for a couple of reasons. One, hotels just have a smell to them. I really don't know what the comes from. The carpets? The nature of many people staying in them? They just have a smell that I don't like and I usually will spritz a room with Glade or something anyway.

But I also do not like the temperature controls. They never work right. It's either too hot or too cold. There is never a happy in between. And so, being able to open the window helps me to regulate things a little better, and I like being able to get a little bit of fresh air.

I do have a naughty reason too. Shhh. Don't tell the front desk. But I vape, and I like to be able to blow the vape out the window since a lot of the time the smoke alarms are way too sensitive.

Hey, don't chastise me here. Vaping is NOT smoking, and if you really want to get right down to it I am helping to make the musty room smell better with my blueberry cheesecake vape.

Rickety computer chairs

I only bring this one up since I still usually have work to do once I get into the hotel room. Plus, I do spend a considerable amount of time on sites like this and other social media. So, I want to have at least a comfortable chair to work in. Especially since my back is not great, and driving all day does enough to put me into a bit of a stiff quagmire.

Can I just have a seat that is able to be adjusted and not tilted forward permanently?

Slow Internet

Almost every single hotel you stay in will offer free "high-speed Internet access." But that's a bit of a misnomer since many hotels I have stayed in have had terrible Internet speed. And that's not a good thing when again, I have work to do and need the Internet to do some of that, and when I spend the bulk of my "down time" ON the Internet.

There have been times when I have to Hot Spot from my cell phone, which is not entirely convenient either for a variety of reasons. In a pinch it is fine. But if you are offering high-speed Internet, why not just make sure it is actually high-speed Internet?

Toilet plungers

Twice, at least, I have encountered a clogged toilet. And no, it is not because I am leaving larger than usual "deposits." It's something about the toilet paper, which is usually one grade above sandpaper when you visit a hotel.

I have largely been able to avoid an embarrassing call to the front desk since I have resorted to multiple flushes anymore. But should I really have to do that?

Just give me a damn toilet plunger. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. They sell them at The Dollar Tree for a buck and a quarter for crying out loud.

Is anyone really going to steal a toilet plunger anyway?

Besides, most hotels will make note of what is in the room, and if you drag it out with you, it will wind up on your final bill. Just put a toilet plunger in every room and if someone decides they really need to take it with them, just charge them $10 for the damned thing.

In conclusion

Granted, most of the irks for me happen in hotel rooms. I am quite picky about them, which is odd considering I do not ever choose to stay in elaborate hotels. For me it mostly comes down to Super 8, Baymont Inn, La Quinta, and Americinn.

I am a diamond level Wyndham member, and these are all Wyndham hotels, and so that just makes sense.

I just need a decent workspace, a coffee pot of some sort, windows that open, a refrigerator and a microwave. Basic amenities, really.

Speaking of coffee, who has the best coffee? Americinn, hands down. And when I stay at one of those I always make it a point to ask the front desk for extra packets which I store in my bag and always keep a lot of coffee on hand.

I really like my coffee in the morning.

Lead image courtesy of Pixabay, user JoshuaWoroniecki. Road Highway Journey - Free photo on Pixabay