Amenity - Convenience or Distraction?

When it's time to book a rental, do you pay much attention to the listed amenities? Are those promised niceties really worth the price tag, and do they truly make the vacation any more memorable? Sometimes I wonder about amenitites. Are they actually a convenience or could they possibly be a distraction? Hold on to that thought for a moment.

Recently the Jer-Bear and I went away for a few days. We were yearning for an early sign of spring, so we hopped in the car and headed south to the Ozarks - but not before doing our homework. Our research guided us to the perfect condo with all our required amenities - a fridge large enough to hold a week's supply of beverages, a sofa long enough to stretch out a 6 1/2 body, and a flatscreen TV vast enough to view from two room away. This week was going to be a couch potato week - no rules, no requirements, and no meetings. Splendid!

So upon our arrival, the condo appeared to be perfect. Key word "appeared". The furnishings were plush, the decor was divine, and the long couch was stategically placed in front of a humongous TV. But just one tap on the TV remote, and we soon realize we are short an amenity. Say what?

Knock, knock! Charlie, the property manager soon shows up and before you can say "how much wood could a woodchuck chuck," he announces, "Houston, we have a problem!"

Are you kidding me?

"Hotspot," Charlie announces. "What you two need is a hotspot."

A "hotspot?" Jer and I give each other a quick side-eye. Isn't that a bit personal?

Well, it turns out a "hotspot" is what you need when you have no router to power your smart TV. Yep! Someone had taken the router! But thanks to Charlie, he created a "hotspot" on Jer's cellphone and within minutes we were watching TV. Whew! Mission accomplished!

The next morning, we both are awaken to the sound of dinging cellphones. We simultaneously grab our phones as a rude message is scrolling across the screen. "Your cellphone has exhausted its data usage limit." Welp! There goes another convenience!

So, what's a person to do? I gently grab Jer by the face, look squarely into his hazel eyes, and I say, " Honey - we have no TV. We have no cellphones. I can only think of one other thing to do..."

"Read books!"

Of course, we could have increased our cellphone usage, but what fun would that be? So after a week of no TV, no cellphone, but plenty of books, we came home a heck of a lot smarter and a whole bunch happier. The books were just what we needed! Sometimes it pays to unplug!

So, the next time you are deciding upon those amenities, give it another thought. Are they a convenience ... or are they a distraction? It's totally up to you!