I’m not convinced about the value of blogs. As Groucho Marx once said, I don’t want to be a member of any club that would have me as a member. Nevertheless, one thing about blogs that I do like is that they give me something to do when I’m wide awake at 4am in a hotel room in New York.

I don’t know if anyone has seen the movie Groundhog Day but I’m having a bit of a Ground Hog moment myself. A few years ago I stayed in a hotel in Miami where you needed a postgrad degree to operate the lights. I also had a spot of bother accessing my email because my wonderful ISP had upgraded things “for my added security and convenience.” But the problem was that they had emailed me a new password and I couldn’t access it remotely because I didn’t have the new password to access the email containing the new password. Brilliant.

Well not only have they done it again but I’m staying at another hotel where you need a degree in theoretical physics to work out how light travels from the control panel to the lights on the other side of the room. Furthermore, I can’t work the phone. When I checked in they kindly told me to “dial 0 if you have any problems…and have a nice day.” I would, but obviously the phone isn’t working so I can’t call them to ask how it works. And then there’s the hotel mini-bar.

A mini-bar used to be just a small fridge. Not much could go wrong. If you were feeling thirsty you opened it, had a look around, and maybe drank something. Not anymore. Now the mini-bar is a momument to high technology and high stupidity. The fridge is fully wired and so security conscious that I’m afraid to open it. If you think I’m kidding I have apparently already been charged for something I haven’t done. There is a (very small) sign on the fridge that says: ” Please note that any items removed from the mini-bar and snack tray for longer than 20-seconds will automatically post to you room account…thank you and have a nice stay!”

I’m a bit speachless about this to be honest. What the fridge seemed to be saying to me was: “We don’t trust you so we’ve used technology to ensure that you don’t walk off with anything without paying for it you scumbag…thank you and have a nice stay!” Doesn’t exactly enhance the user experience does it? I opened the fridge, grabbed a diet coke, had second thoughts and went for the juice, changed my mind again, went for the nuts and…you probably get the picture.

I have one other jet-lag induced thought to share with you. Why do airlines weigh bags but not people? I’m in the land of the 24-hour donut shop where some people just rip open the mini-bar and snack tray regardless. So why do airlines weigh your bags and impose strict limits and excess weight for bags but allow people of all weights to pay the same? Given that oil will eventually hit $200+ a barrel, why Can’t I pay for a plane ticket based on the combined weight of myself and my luggage?

Like I say, I’m jet lagged and have nothing much else to think about…