How I Domesticate My Hotel Room

Travel

I don't want to come back from dinner and still have to arrive. So I take 13 minutes of my arrival time and work on the room.

13 minutes

A hotel room becomes my room.

I arrive.

Before settling in, I check that everything is there and then do the most annoying thing immediately:

I open the suitcase.

After that, domestication can start:

I take my cosmetics into the bathroom (I enjoy handling my cosmetic bottles).
I prepare the slippers waiting by the entrance (they are leather babouche slippers from Morocco).
I put my nightstand pouch beside the bed.
I add my silk pillowcase and untuck the bed (I don’t particularly enjoy this part).
I find my gently scented candle, diary and pen and put them on my nightstand.
I prepare the loose-leaf black tea in the tea area for the morning (I always bring my beautiful Assam black tea).

With my cosmetics properly exhibited in the bathroom, the bathroom becomes my own private gallery.

And within only 13 minutes, I know where my things live.

A room waits for me

Then I usually have to leave for dinner with my group.

In Scotland or Ireland, I never forget to close the blackout curtains. Summer daylight continues extremely late there.

I always leave at least one beautiful lamp on before I leave for dinner.

I usually return from dinner quite late…

But when I do, I’m not walking back into a hotel room containing my closed suitcase.

I walk into my room.

The lamp is on.

Shoes off.

Slippers are already there.

Bed prepared.

Diary waiting.

It feels like the room waits for me.And welcomes me.

Udomačiti

In Slovenian, we have a lovely expression: udomačiti. And then I realised English has the word too: domesticate.

That is what I do with my hotel room.

⚜️ Travel is made of small rituals like these.

I have spent more than two decades on the road, leading, observing and learning about the world, its cultures and the people I lead. I love writing, and so I started writing my weekly ECT Letters.

You can join the Letters below.

Alja

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