Would you rather sit beside a "larger" person on a flight or a crying baby?

Would You Rather Wednesday!

Luckily for us neither of these situations have happened to us. I love a window seat so that I can sleep during a flight. And boy do I sleep. I slept nine out of the eleven hours last summer. Yes, I know I am lucky. Okay back to the point. I usually get the window seat, and Richard takes the middle. He generously realizes he will be up anyways watching movies, so he might as well let me enjoy a good rest if I can.

If anything he ends up beside the strangers. He hasn't had too bad of luck though so far. Sure a middle aged man may have almost fallen asleep on his shoulder, but it could be worse. Richard gets restless, so he is beginning to prefer an aisle seat. We either compromise: I get window one way and he gets aisle another or when it is a longer flight we have even sat separately once. Nothing is worse than being uncomfortable, squished by a stranger, or listening to crying for hours on end while being stuck in an already tight space.

We are not completely insensitive, we get it people have to travel with their little ones sometimes. Sure there are "bigger boned" people out there. But lets not pretend that when you see a baby or "larger" person walking towards that empty seat beside you, that your heart sinks a little and you all of a sudden are dreading the long flight even more.

Our choice(s):

If I had to choose, I would choose the crying baby. Why? Because I am betting on them being quiet for at least some of the flight.

If Richard had to choose, he would also choose a baby as well. Who knows, maybe the flight attendant warms a bottle for the little loud speaker a puts a drop of bourbon in. Night, Night little one. Finally I can get back to binge watching a series during the flight!

Photo: @conciergecouple

Picture this: Rila Monastery

Today we are fortunate enough to have a guest post from bloggers, 

Roel & Eugenie of 

www.takeusanywhere.com

Check out all Roel & Eugenie's inspirational thoughts and pics at: 

Website - www.takeusanywhere.com

Facebook - www.facebook.com/takeusanywhere

Instagram - www.instagram.com/takeusanywhere
Twitter - www.twitter.com/takeusanywhere

About Roel & Eugenie...

Waiting for the ferry to Isla Ometepe, Nicaragua
Photo: @takeusanywhere

We’re Roel and Eugénie. We met each other in 1988 while studying in Groningen, a small student city in the north of the Netherlands where we still work and live. Eugénie is a health care worker, Roel is a freelance writer. We got married on one of our travels, in 2004 in Sri Lanka. The people at the 4-star resort we’d booked a marriage package at were a little surprised to see two disheveled looking backpackers walking through their gate. A week after we’d left the country the devastating Christmas day tsunami hit the hotel.

We regret we didn’t travel more when we were younger, but we’ve been making up for lost (travel) time in the past 20 years. Despite full time jobs we’ve managed to visit 70+ countries thus far. When we really started traveling to faraway destinations in 1996, contact with home was by phone and later e-mail. When blogging platforms popped up on the internet we started using these to share our travel adventures in Dutch to keep family and friends informed. Many other people found our stories there too. In January 2016 we took it to the next level: our own  travel blog. Now we’re dreaming about traveling full time, but are trying to figure out how.

Rila Monastery
Photo: @takeusanywhere

In our opinion the most amazing sight in Bulgaria is without a doubt the Rila monastery. Tucked away in the southwestern Rila Mountains this beautiful monastery is the most important cultural, architectural and historical monument in the country. You’ll recognize it from the backside of the 1 lev banknote.

The monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, the full official name of Rila Monastery, was founded in the tenth century and has been a functioning monastery ever since. Most people get here on a day tour from Sofia (which is 2,5 hours each way) causing it to be rather crowded in the middle of the day. We overnighted in a basic hotel just behind the monastery, which was ideal to experience the monastery in peace at the end of the day and early in the morning.

The superb Nativity of the Virgin Church in the center of the courtyard is the absolute highlight of the monastery. The black, red and white striped church with its three golden domes is adorned by splendidly vivid frescoes on its outside walls. Surrounding the courtyard the outside walls consist of four levels of balconies with monastic cells, storerooms, refectory and kitchen, as well as two small museums and a post office.

But as the saying goes: a picture tells more than a thousand words……

Rila Monastery

Photo: @takeusanywhere

Rila Monastery

Photo: @takeusanywhere

Would You Rather an Amazing Bedroom or Bathroom at Your Next Hotel?

Now showers and bathtubs. Hotels are doing some amazing things with showers these days. They can be all glass, have multiple shower heads, marble floors, and so much more. Same with bathtubs, Jacuzzi tubs run in all shapes and sizes and with multiple jets and speeds they are like having a hot tub in your room. In the summer nothing beats a cool shower with numerous streams of water hitting your body. In the winter when I am frozen to my toes, nothing beats a warm bubbling Jacuzzi tub in the privacy of my own room where I can light candles, play music, and enjoy a drink.

Our choice:

A great bathroom…We have seen some ridiculous bathrooms during our travels. We have been blessed to stay at hotels or villas with bathrooms that have blown our minds and made our stay that much more memorable. Although a great bed with a view are close behind, the bathroom has become a make or break for us.

We have seen bathrooms designed in unique ways and with great amenities that we just don’t have in our home. They can design hotel bathrooms with creativity and luxuries that the average income home could never include. Sometimes the climate helps out, allowing hotels to build outdoor showers and more.

Our favourite hotel bathroom would be at Ubud Padi Villas. The bathroom had two main areas. The first area was inside, with double sinks, ambient lighting, and storage shelves made of bamboo. If you continued to walk, a step down would lead you to the outdoor portion of the bathroom. There was an outdoor Jacuzzi tub, outdoor shower, and outdoor toilet. Let me reassure you that this did not an out-house feel. There were flowers and simple décor to finish off the space. Palms reached over the walls from the outside gardens and soft rocks, gentle enough to walk on covered the grounds. It was a perfect mixture of nature, luxury, and function.

Ubud Padi Villas, Bali
Photo: @conciergecouple

Ubud Padi Villas, Bali
Photo: @conciergecouple

Hotel bathroom runner ups:

- Hotel ICON : modern and luxurious with a built in television above the tub in prime location in Hong Kong

- Grand Fiesta Americana Puerto Vallarta: if you are lucky enough to get upgraded to the penthouse or governors suite, not only do you get 2 bathrooms but the main ensuite has 2 closets inside!

Grand Fiesta Americana, Puerto Vallarta
Photo: @conciergecouple

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Please note: I have over the years grown to love a good robe. Nothing beats slipping into a soft robe after a shower or bath and wandering around your room as you get ready for the day ahead or evening out. This may play into my love of bathrooms.