Business Travel Tips 2

January 23, 2010 | Article Posted By - John Jones, London

Many years ago, I had to visit Curacao in the Dutch Antilles. I left the details of my stay to my PA to arrange. Val was always an excellent travel planner and I rarely checked her arrangements. Curacao was the last stop on an extended month long business trip and leaving the States late in the evening I arrived at my hotel on the Island well past mid-night.

If I wasn't quite so tied I might have realised this was not a standard business hotel when I checked in; given a key to a 'hut' - complete with a sand floor was not normal, the loud music from what I assumed was the beach was another clue.

My meeting was at 9.30, so I ventured to the main part of the hotel at about 7.00 in search of breakfast. I was wearing the basics of the "uniform" of business travel, a light weight dark suit, plain white shirt.... tie and suit jacket yet to be affixed to my person. As I entered the breakfast room I quickly noted I was over dressed. All the other diners, yes all the other diners were completely naked. All eyes seemed for a moment to be on me, what was this clothed weirdo doing here? I quickly chose a bowl of fruit from the large assortment of offerings and sat at table in the corner. Soon the other diners returned to the business of breakfasting and forgetting about the inappropriately dressed guy.

Pretty soon the restaurant filled with breakfasters, all in a state of complete undress and all well past their sell by dates, not a one, youthful twenty something blond.

All would have been ok but for a large lady in I guess her late 50s strolling in. I wish to put this delicately, her top parts were huge and hung almost half way to her navel, and let us just say her lady part was of the most un-kept variety..... for me, not conducive to quite morning meditation of the day ahead. By this time all the tables were occupied by small groups of highly animated nudists. The large lady scoured the room and set upon a bee line for my table, she motioned to ask if she could sit, I rose slightly smiled and gestured but of course.  It is difficult to know in such circumstances where to focus one's gaze; I studiously tried to avoid directly gazing at her large breasts resting on the table, either side of her bowl of cereal.

My table guests struck up conversation, once again something I desperately try to avoid, conversations with strangers.  She asked if I was holidaying alone, explaining that indeed she was and how difficult it can sometimes be as a lady to eat by oneself; I couldn't help but wonder that someone who had no difficulty sitting nakedly in front of me should have any qualms about eating alone.  Eventually Hilda, for by that time we had exchanged introductory pleasantries, asked why I had chosen the burden of clothes, I mumbled something about business, wrong hotel but more I am English.  Hilda readily accepted that it was my state of Englishness that was the thing that prevented me from sitting at the breakfast table, Naked.

It seems that Val, my PA had asked my colleague in Curacao for a hotel recommendation and he had thought that I might enjoy the vistas of this small hotel!

Top tip:  Always check when on business that you haven't inadvertently been booked into a naturist hotel, most especially one that caters primarily for those of advanced years.

Tags : Business Travel | Travel Tips

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