I have been very fortunate this year on avoiding heavy rain on most of my trips when traveling on vacation. I book trips as far as one year in advance (like my trip to the World Cup in Brazil and the UAE) and I almost never think about the weather conditions.
Fast forward to today and it’s raining super hard in Geneva, Switzerland. If you’ve been following my Western European mileage run vacation, this was my second time in Geneva. I had just checked the weather report on my computer shortly before my NCE-GVA flight and I knew it was going to rain, but the hourly report said it would rain in the evening around 8pm. Well, it rained when I arrived at 3pm and it was raining cats and dogs. I know weather is unpredictable, but the hourlies are usually on point.
So what did I do all day after checking into the hotel? Absolutely nothing. I had plans to walk around town to explore parts I had never seen before, but the rain absolutely ruined it. Yes, I could have gone out with an umbrella, but that’s not me. I’m from Southern California and used to the sun being out 330 days out of the year. Rain is almost unheard of where I’m from!
Well, everything happens for a reason and I spent all night following the #ChicagoSeminars on Twitter.
Here’s a list of things I do when I am occupied in my hotel room:
1. Catch up on work, empty your inbox, and reply to e-mails. We all know how those inbox numbers can reach triple digits. Why wait until you get back from vacation to tackle your inbox?
2. Catch up on Social Media. Yes, I know social media is a huge timewaster, but it can be quite addicting. Tell your friends that you’ve made it alive and perhaps share some of your memories (like the rain).
3. Re-pack your carry-on. Remember to roll your clothes (yes, even your dirty ones) to maximize space. Heather Poole shows you how to do it.
4. Organize your documents. Throw away unwanted receipts and other junk that might be taking up space in your luggage.
5. Pay bills. Sometimes you might forget to make a payment when you’re on a long extended vacation (which is why I don’t like being in a city for more than 3 days).
6. Organize your currency and wallet. I know how it can be travelling with all kinds of different bank notes and coins. I use a plastic bag to separate my dollars, euros, francs, etc. I also know how your wallet can grow pretty big with unwanted papers and cards. It’s about time to start organizing your wallet.
7. Watch TV. Catch up on world news and current events.
8. Order room service or from a food delivery service. I’ve thought about this a lot and it really isn’t that much more expensive than eating out at a nice restaurant. Room service prices pretty much reflect having dinner at a fine dining restaurant. Yes, you will have to pay a small delivery fee, tax, and an automatic gratuity. In the end, it will come out to the same price as dining at a fine dining establishment, except you can dine in your underwear.
What do you do when it’s raining heavily when you’re on vacation?
I still go outside and see the sights. My wife and I went to SF during christmas break. Rained every day we were there. Didn’t stop us from seeing everything with an umbrella. We actually really enjoyed SF, even though it was raining the entire time we were there.
Being in Socal doesn’t excuse you from being a wussy. You won’t melt in the rain.
I don’t let the rain keep me inside. I visit museums, find quirky inside places or shops to visit, sit in a cafe and enjoy a cup of espresso and watch people run around in the rain…. or simply run around in the rain myself. Heck, seven inches of snow in Paris didn’t slow me down, why should a little rain? Embrace it!