An IKEA opened up in Kansas City last fall, but any time the weather was nice enough to go, we had something going on that weekend. It we had time, it was either bad weather or we were exhausted. The stars aligned this weekend, though, so Saturday morning we drove the 4 hours.
I didn’t have anything to buy, I just am looking for inspiration for the new CDC (if we build it). This first trip had to be just me, because there is no human on the planet that can spend as much time there as me. Next trip you all can come along. (You can read books in the library vignette like Lloyd did when he got bored.)
Here’s the adventure part. After the first run-through if the store (1 1/2 hours), we were tired and decided to nap at the hotel. We Pricelined one and got *shudder* an Extended Stay America. We went into the room and it was NOT clean. We did the bed bug check and in a dresser drawer I found a very dead, very suspicious bug. Lloyd did his magic and got us transferred to a different Extended Stay America, and after that bed bug check, we did not agree on our findings. After ‘resting’, it was back to IKEA for round two (1 1/2 hours), then to a gas station for dinner so we could get sandwiches and a giant beer for me, so I could get drunk and sleep. We kept our belongings in the refrigerator, slept fitfully with all the lights on and bagged up our pj’s in the morning so I could burn them wash them at home.
Funny story: This room had a pull-out sofa. A pull-out sofa that did NOT fit the space.
Back to IKEA in the morning for one last walk-through (1 1/2 hours), then home again. Next trip? I’m sleeping in the car.
Brad says
Maybe there’s a market for giant, bug-proof bags that you can wrap your luggage in while staying at a motel. Maybe there could also be a person-sized sleeping bag thing that you could zip yourself into at night. You could sleep on the bed, but be comfortable in the knowledge that no bugs will get through your bug bag.
Lloyd says
Overheard while sitting in my chair reading: “They’re just giving away tape measures. You should take one.”
Gretchen says
What is the procedure for a bed bug check? I feel like I am supposed to know the protocol for that.
Lauren says
Let me look for a video that is helpful. Basically you look around the seams of the mattress and box springs -- looking for bugs, blood spots or things that look like cigarette ashes (those are the cast-off skins of molted bugs). You also look in the drawers of the side tables and everywhere else in the whole room. ARRGGGHHH!!! I’ll never stay in a hotel again!
This one is short, and he gives a bit of bad advice: Don’t put your luggage on the luggage rack. I put ours on the bathroom counter until we’re done looking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-YaIK54XVE