A brewing concern
The traveller in Australia today has a broad range of accommodation options. Everything from swags to 5-star resorts, and they all have their place. I don’t think we should ever pigeon hole ourselves to one style of anything because the others are all there for a reason. It’s a bit like fishing rods: you can’t catch a marlin on a whiting rod … well, I can’t anyway. Come to think of it, I’m not actually sure if I can catch a marlin on a marlin rod.
My point is, there are different times that we do different things that draw us to different types of accommodation as we travel. We could be out bush for a couple of weeks relaxing when the overwhelming urge to do the washing strikes us – it’s times like those when we are attracted to holiday parks with the luxury of a laundry. If we are heading to a wedding or a conference for work on the Gold Coast, a resort is a nice option to spoil ourselves, soak up the lush features and pretend we’re someone we’re not.
There’s an option in the middle of all of those though that I struggle with. Don’t get me wrong, when I have to make a mile from Cairns to Melbourne between jobs and I’m not towing anything with a bed or carrying a swag I’ll use them, but the same thing pops up nearly every time and I’m not sure if it’s just me or I’m missing something here.
It’s the standard roadside motel, the one with the big ‘vacancy’ or ‘no vacancy’ sign out the front to tell the weary traveller whether to pull in or whether to keep on truckin’. They have everything you need for that stop on the run: a bed, a shower, a toilet, a TV and some gear to make a brew in the morning before pedalling it down the road again and right there, my friends, is where I find my motel problem. It’s the brew-making gear. Now, I was brought up to understand the difference between wants and needs and I’m here to tell you that I’m a bloke who needs coffee in the morning. It’s like my Aerostart, so anything that gets between me and it, I have an issue with.
I’ll get to the point. Has anyone else ever had the frustration of trying to fill the kettle they give you under the spout in the bathroom vanity in a motel room? Oh my goodness, I just broke out in a sweat typing it. I had one of those Tupperware toys with the square pegs and the round holes when I was a kid and I know what fits and what won’t. I reckon I’d have more chance fitting that kettle up the backside of the motel owner sometimes and, just quietly, a lot of personal satisfaction. Anyway, if you find a solution, let me know. In the meantime, I’ll just keep stopping up the road a little way and boiling the billy.
See you on the road for a brew.
