&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;MAJOR TIP!!!&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>My friend and I were walking around a city somewhere on earth (can't be more specific...sorry) when one of us had to go to the bathroom (can't say if #1 or #2...sorry!). We just popped into a business (can't say what kind or what one...sorry) and used their toilet. This was awesome for us, as we don't like to soil ourselves...we've vowed to always go to the bathroom when we have to! I don't want to give any more information as I don't want to have the toilets shut down and be forced to wear diapers!

Another MAJOR TIP:<BR><BR>There is a fabulous restaurant in France, won't tell which city. Not only is the food fantastic but it is a fixe price at 10 euro for four courses. And they let you enter their spectacular wine cellar and choose your own bottle free! I can't tell you where this is, but isn't it a FANTASTIC tip??

I don't think it's a bad idea... the first thing I want is a shower - no way am I going to dump luggage and set out sightseeing or to a cafe without one. Usually I am lucky and can check it - cause it's around 11 till I get into the city and to the hotel. Being clean and fresh kind of revives me so I can go for awhile. If my room was NOT ready I think I'd ask if there was a room where i could at least shower and change. Once when I said that, they 'found' me a room. On the other hand, when I was 23 and on a tour, I waited for HOURS, passed out in the lobby of a London hotel.

Boy, the piling on mentality is really rife around here. Just trying to share a tip to add to your arsenal (as one intelligent poster put it), in case you ever need it. Major? Guess that depends on how relieved you were at the time. For us, it was just what the doctor ordered. We had been to this city many times, so felt no need to run out in the rain. I tried to use a little discretion at saying the name of the hotel, as they were very courteous to us. There were two hotels at this airport alone, so the tip is not the hotel, but the idea. Some of the sarcasm was pretty funny though.

We should start a new thred, <BR><BR>&quot;Hottest tip I will not share&quot;<BR>or <BR>&quot;Hottest tip that is a really not&quot;<BR>or <BR>&quot;Best ways to waste precious time on Vacation&quot;<BR>or<BR>&quot;I went on Vacation and snubbed my nose at the other posters that gave me advice before I left&quot;<BR><BR><BR>

typo city....<BR><BR>Should read my threads before posting next time<BR><BR>

&quot;just what the doctor ordered&quot;<BR><BR>Which doctor suggested you take a flu induced person to a spa and let him infect all the other guests?

xx<BR><BR>Get a reading lesson. Where did it say someone had the flu?

I think I figured this one out. <BR><BR>AJS lives in Washington DC. He probably works for the Government and is trained not to give all the facts, not matter what the situation. <BR><BR>

We must know which European airport this took place at so that we will fly into that airport on our next trip to Europe. No matter that it's not in the country we want to visit. Heck, our travel plans are flexible if it means we get to take a shower when we arrive.<BR><BR>It seems a little silly for ajs not to tell us which city it was, but as he or she said, if the airport you're flying to does not have this type of hotel and facilities connected to it, the tip does not apply.

SECURITY!!!

Dear ajs,<BR><BR>I think that's a great tip. We arrived at Shannon Airport early and exhausted at 5:45 AM - pitch black &amp; pouring rain.<BR><BR>Wished I'd thought of that one. I asked my husband to pull over into a parking lot so we could sleep - but he wouldn't!<BR><BR>P.S. Loved the Gee whiz dangling carrot e-mail address.<BR>

I read that the airport in Zurich has a shower room, we wanted to use it on our 4 hour layover, but fell asleep on our stacked luggage instead.

Another major tip: When arriving early in a European city, and it is raining, find a restaurant or cafe (any major restaurant or cafe will do) and order a cup of coffee and, maybe, some breakfast. This major tip can be combined with the tip concerning using the ATM at the airport to get currency. Combining these tips with a trip to the restroom will kill an hour or two.

I just thought of another GREAT TIP!

I just thought of yet another GREAT and MAJOR travel tip! Here it is: just as you are about to do something that you shouldn't do . . . Dont do it!! This works very well in foreign countries. It also works other places.<BR><BR>By the way . . . American Airlines used to give out buy-one-get-one free hotel passes good at Radisson Hotels (among others). I used these to book a room for the night prior to my arrival and at least half the time they would cancel the reservation when I didn't show up (&quot;Stupid Americans, thinking they arrive on the same day that they leave&quot;) EVEN WHEN I WOULD CALL THE FRONT DESK FROM THE US AND REMIND THEM THAT I WOULD BE ARRIVING THE FOLLOWING MORNING. <BR><BR>Wait, I just thought of another MAJOR travel tip: Order a large meal, order expensive, top-shelf liquor, order lots of expensive wine and then . . . when the waiter isn't looking . . . RUN! I can't tell you which restaurant this works in. But this is a great travel tip. Especially if it is 7:00am and you are red-eyed.<BR><BR>Sorry to have so much fun at your expense, ajs. It's just so comically suspicious that you've refused to tell where you plied your major travel tip.

It's OK, 'another ajs', I've got a thick hide and a wonderful life. Being able to laugh at ones'self is a valuable asset to make it through this mortal coil. Or should I say, a MAJOR asset?

From a website on the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel:<BR><BR>Health club - Oasis fitness and health club - 24hours mon-sun. Indoor heated swimming pool with relaxing jet stream, sauna, steam room, shower and exercise fitness room. Free for executive rooms,<BR>smart rooms, .... other guests Euro 12.50 per stay. EXTERNAL GUESTS EURO 17.00 PER VISIT.

you must admit, ajs, this thread is very entertaining! I'm glad you have a sense of humor!<BR><BR>Personally, I like to drop off the luggage and sit in a cafe watching the city come alive. Then go back and crash for a couple of hours, shower, etc and head back out again. But I can't tell you which city or what cafe!<BR><BR>

<BR><BR>And here I thought I was going to get the tip, the whole tip, and nothing but the tip.