Early Flights, Mediocre Hotel Stays, and the Eternal Quest for Decent Airport Coffee
Hotel life: a special kind of boring that’s only made worse by the sleep-deprived haze of work trips. Also, is it just me or does anyone else struggle to fall asleep in hotels? Seriously, what’s up with that? One minute you’re checking into your room with every intention to go out and see the city, the next, you’re realizing work trips have turned you into the pickiest eater on the planet, and you’re left staring at the ceiling wondering if this is really what living the dream looks like. Shoutout to Hilton Hotels for being the BEST hotel chain for work trips—with the exception of EAST in Miami. That place is on another level. Honestly, even better than some of the stunning hotels I vaguely remember from my 2012 trip to China.
And let’s talk about those early, pre-sunrise flights. WHY do I keep booking these? Why do I willingly choose to greet the TSA precheck at 5 AM, where the agents’ daily pep talk seems to include reminding me, “Starting May 2025, you’re gonna need more than that driver’s license.” Or worse, the passive-aggressive, “Tired? Your flight’s boarding soon.” Gracias por nada, man, just clear me so I can run-walk in semi-panic to my gate, por favor. And yes, before you say it—I’ve got Global Entry, so my shoes stay firmly on, thank you very much. Honestly, the best $100 I’ve ever spent—worth every penny for those extra seconds of dignity.
Then there’s the airport coffee hunt—cue the tragic violin. If you’re flying out of SAT, buckle up because your chances of finding a decent cafecito are as bleak as finding a unicorn in the TSA line. Meanwhile, back at decent Austin airport, my travel ritual of Ladybird tacos + a banana + that vegan protein smoothie (you are v missed, bby) haunts me like an ex I’m not over.
So why do I do it? Why do I keep willingly scheduling flights at hours when even Hedwig is like, “Nah, I’m good”? Maybe it’s the thrill of the hustle or the promise of a “productive” day. Maybe I’m just loca. Either way, I’ll see you at the airport, eyes half open, clutching my sad, subpar coffee.
Cheers to the grind—and the never-ending search for airport caffeine that doesn’t taste like regret.
Aniwei, thank you for reading me!
Besiss 😘
Génesis 🔥❤️🔥
😅