The whereisjohnwilson.com Summer Tour was off this weekend, but I have an interesting and quick tip to pass along.

“You should worry if there are free ear plugs left by the hotel on your pillow.”

A friend of mine is staying (as we speak) in a moderately nice hotel in the north east. When he entered the fancily decorated room he noticed Oreo cookies and ear plugs on his pillow case. I would typically expect to see an Andes mint or even a peppermint.

He probably should have known right then and there to turn around, and walk quietly back to the reception desk. Instead he went to free dinner (it was National Fried Chicken Day).

When he came back he discovered the reason for the “free” ear plugs. There was a bar just out his window blasting horrible country music. Now I’m a Kenny Rodgers fan just like you, but having Hank Williams rock me to sleep on the front end of a five day business trip is not my idea of fun. Between The Dixie Chicks and the crazy cowboy-hat wearin’, mini-van drivin’ drunks breaking bottles in the parking lot, the Oreos are probably not going to make the difference.

Moral of the story: If an otherwise nice hotel leaves you free anything out of the ordinary (earplugs, water-buckets, bug spray) it’s probably a good idea to switch rooms or switch hotels.

Yee Haw!