Drop the bags, change your shoes, and get straight back out of that room. Marjorie on the arrival routine she has used in every city she has ever landed in — and the things travellers waste their trip on.
The very first thing I do is go up to the room, change my shoes depending on what I travelled in, wash my hands, and use the bathroom. Then I get right out of that room. I go downstairs and ask the concierge where the closest market is — where you can get water and snacks — and where the nearest coffee shop is. That is the first thing I do wherever I go.
What travellers waste their trip on
You are going to be there, so make yourself the life of the party. That's all that matters.
People waste so much time sitting seventeen hours in airports, or taking two and three transfers just to get somewhere. When the average airport meal costs around thirty dollars, another hundred-some dollars sitting in terminals could have gone toward a better flight and got you there faster.
The other thing people waste time on is worrying about who is going to be there.
You are going to be there, so make yourself the life of the party. That's all that matters.
Do this on your first day, anywhere
I always steer my clients toward getting on a little bus or taking a free walking tour when they first arrive. It is inexpensive if you need to conserve money on your first day, it gets you out walking, it helps you get the lay of the land, and it lets you get to know the security staff and the local people.
And if you ask hotel staff for directions to a coffee shop, come back and tell them it was great. Or even better, bring them back a cup.
The meal that changed how I saw a place
That would be Iceland. We ate shark meat inside caves, where they partner with local archaeology schools to dig out these special venues. Combining that food experience in the caves with the Blue Lagoon swim-up bar and doing the seven rituals completely changed how I saw the place.
The destination everyone underestimates
People underestimate Iceland. Go to Iceland. Now, don't go in January when it is thirty below — go in July, August or September. Go snowmobiling, ride ATVs, go cave hunting, visit the Blue Lagoons, and try all the food, including the shark meat and their famous hot dogs. It is an absolutely fabulous place.
Forty-eight hours in a city you will never go back to
Do all of it
- Try the local wine, try the coffee, try a meal.
- Talk to your Uber drivers and ask for their favourite local spots.
- Ask the concierge to arrange a personal driver for four hours to take you sightseeing.
When you spend good money to go on vacation, spend the extra bit for a personal driver, so you are not struggling with public transportation and can actually make meaningful memories.
Written by Marjorie Bolden
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