First thing you do when you arrive somewhere new?

[kpc]

This is one of the regular questions from The Independent's My Life In Travel feature. Most people respond with anodyne answers such as check out the room/pool/minibar/unpack/shower. Not David Haye:

"Take a dump. My ritual is that I walk through the door, go directly to the toilet and unload. I don't know what it is, it's something about a new hotel".

So what do you do first thing?

[woofmarkthedog]

Usually..

"We" unpack

I then take in some local air

IN....OUT.....Ahhhhh

http://www.rotten.com/library/sex/masturbation/inventions/sex-dolls/NW414-1.JPG

W**F

[Ladymuck]

*roars with laughter knowing really shouldn't*

Oh I don't believe you Willy-Woof...actually, on relection...

You are gross though...

...erm is your...erm...*coughs*..."companion" an especially rupture-proof model...I mean given your genetic make up...

http://www.healthydoggy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/dog-teeth.jpg

[woofmarkthedog]

No.....

She's a temperamental cow

Always going down on me, so boring

Though a few hard "pumps" usually sorts her out

W**F

[womanofdulwich]

my partner always checks the toilet to see if has been cleaned!!!

[PeckhamRose]

I do, too. I check the loo and then look for the electric socket to plug the laptop into.

I am so technoreliant.

Maybe I'll look at the view 2nd or 3rd.

[giggirl]

One of the questions I'm fond of asking people is "what is the first news story that you remember as a child?". My first was the Aberfan disaster, the first to penetrate my little girl world; quickly followed by some spectacular hotel fire tragedies. As a little girl watching TV I found those images very scary. To this day, before I enter a hotel room I have always clocked the fire escape route before I even get into the room. No exceptions. It'm on auto pilot.

[kpc]

Normally I would drop my bag in my room and go for a walk round to orientate myself to the locality. Or if my arrival is late, a nightcap at the hotel bar.

Today I have gone straight to the minibar for an ice cold Peroni - it's been a hot day and I need refreshment. And today I know my neighbourhood.

Strangely, on arrival reception asked if housekeeping should come to my room to help with any items of baggage that may need inflating.

[Waldo]

I always find out where the nearest convenience stores are and their opening times. This also applies to moving house! As for the hotel room I too usually fiddle about with where the sockets are, back in the day it was essential to know if I could plug in my dial-up modem and what the local PAYG ISP was. Lame.

As for news stories, I think the first one I remember was the Gulf War starting. I broke my arm and was took to the local A&E by a very annoyed father, the nurse joked they had their first casualty of war as the TV in the waiting room blurted out details of our scud missiles. I think it was the first time my attention was ever pushed in the direction of news, as at 6 O'Clock time I was usually playing (hence the broken arm).

[????]

Curtains open and view

[legalbeagle]

I have, quite literally, no sense of direction. So the first thing I do when I arrive somewhere new it try to work out where the hell I am.

I often fail.

[brum]

If I stay in a hotel I normally check the fire exit route. I just can't help myself.

[reetpetite]

Check the bed linen!

[kpc]

Good point - there have been a couple of occasions when I didn't want to know what lay beneath. Or before.

[katie1997]

Princess and the Pea style, I have to lie on the bed first....and then I have to assess the pillow situation.

[mazza7103]

i immediately plug in my phone. boring but true.

the first news story i remember was the kings cross station fire. i didnt go on the tube for years after that.

[ratty]

Bed, View, Shant!

[KidKruger]

Find a cafe/bar nearby on some street corner and spend a few hours sitting and watching everyone and everything go by, you may strike up some conversations with locals or other people passing through and this will inform your stay.

[Keef]

See if the wife fancies a bunk up, if not, go and check out the bar.

[Loz]

Turn on the TV and see what stations there are. Sad, really.

[Moos]

Er, put my bag down.

[sophiesofa]

Check to see if there's free shampoo, slippers and if they've folded the end of the toilet roll.

[Jah Lush]

Dump the bags and check out the local bars.

[jumpinjackflash]

womanofdulwich Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> my partner always checks the toilet to see if has

> been cleaned!!!

ditto!

[Belle]

check out free stuff (toiletries etc) and read the Book to check out what services th ey offer (don't know why as basically all the same - but did get a surprise when staying in a hotel in New York on honeymoon, their room service menu included 'pleasure boxes' which were like bento boxes but with sex toys instead of Japanese food).