My talk at Mary Ryan’s in Brisbane marked the end of my promotional duties for Vroom by the Sea. I’m a free man again so Sally, Daisy and me have popped over to Fiji for five days.
We’re in the Outrigger Resort on the Coral Coast. I booked it through Expedia and upgraded to a deluxe ocean view room. Along with an ocean view, it comes with champagne and canapes delivered to your room every afternoon. The champers isn’t for me, you understand, it’s for Sally. She has worked very hard this year and deserves at least a few days of pampering.
As readers of my books you’ll appreciate that this whole resort thing is new to me. I’m not comfortable with porters carrying my bag for me – I always expect an exorbitant demand for baksheesh to follow. And my natural instinct is to deliberately sit on a sun lounge that someone has gotten up at dawn to claim with towel.
Worse, I have unrealistically high standards as to what I should be getting for my money. I figure if I’m paying ten times what I normally pay for a room it should be ten times better. (Considering some of the dives I’ve stayed in, I don’t think that’s too much of an ask.)
And when it’s not, I feel a disproportional level of indignation.
Like when we arrived here. First we were put in a resort view room. (Sans the champers and canapes.) Then a lousy room at the back of the resort near the main highway and the resort’s generator. It wasn’t until I asked to see the manager that we were given a room that was in keeping with what I’d expected. (That’s the view from our room above. I’m sure you’ll agree that it is of the ocean and of a deluxe standard.)
The thing is, if I was backpacking, paying a couple of bucks for a roof over my head, I would have accepted pretty much whatever they’d given me. And, believe me, I’ve stayed in some shockers. (Yes, I’m talking about you Borneo Homestay in Banjarmasin)
Is it just me? Or do all long-term budget travellers suffer the same affliction of expecting too much when they go upmarket?
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When I was back in Australia for a quick holiday to attend a friend’s wedding this past August, the bride treated us to a night’s stay at the Westin Melbourne. Truly flash place and I loved the bathroom and the size of the place, but I still can’t imagine spending that much money on a regular basis. Felt like there should be far more to it.