I’ve said it a few times in this blog and I’ll say it again, ‘it’s the little things in life.’ An encouraging wave from a passing truck driver as you stand in the rain with your thumb out, someone giving you a hand warmer to help keep you warm as you pitch your tent on a mountain pass, a kind tourist information office that lets you stash your giant bag while you spend a few hours sightseeing even though they aren’t supposed to, it’s the little things. Especially little things like toilet paper in a public bathroom. Those of you who have done some traveling know what I mean. The more you think about those ‘little things’ the more you realize how not so little they are and how they can make or break your day.
Want to know what I remember about Nagano, Japan? (It doesn’t matter if you answered ‘no’ I’m still going to tell you.) It wasn’t the giant and very solemn Zenkou Temple (Zenkouji). It wasn’t the great feel of the city and how laid back things appeared. It wasn’t even the Olympic landmarks overrun by parking lots. It was something completely normal and common.
Hotel Nikko was the name of the place where I stayed. It was a small hotel off a side road located a short ways from Nagano station. It was the cheapest in town and from the outside it looked like it.
Inside was a mix of mid 80’s and 90’s décor, nothing you would expect from a modern day business hotel. In-room internet, high speed LAN, not here. There was wi-fi in the lobby. That meant if you wanted to get online you’d have to lug your computer down the elevator and sit in a slightly draft lobby restaurant.
The rooms, well, they were old school. As I entered mine I felt like I was an athlete in the winter Olympics. Low ceilings, cramped bathroom unit, and sparse Spartan-like furniture. My window had an industrious web-spinning spider in one corner and the air-conditioner didn’t seem to work right.
Does it sounds like I’m about to say my hotel sucked? Well, you’re wrong. I would recommend Hotel Nikko in Nagano , Japan in a heartbeat. Why? It was the little things that turned my whole experience upside down.
The internet? Yeah, I had to make my down the elevator and sit in a lobby restaurant but the front staff made sure I was comfortable, had everything I needed, and offered to turn all the lights on if I needed them. The next morning as I was doing some last minute surfing one of the staff bought me a cup of coffee, for free, in front of all the other customers who had paid for their breakfast. That brought a smile to my face.
My room? The water was hot and the pressure high. That industrious spider was located in the corner of a window that offered a fantastic view of the city. I didn’t need an air conditioner because I just left the window open. My furniture might have been sparse but the bed was something to die for, soft down comforter and a mattress that didn’t stop giving. I had my best night of sleep in weeks there.
Yes, I visited the famous Olympic city Nagano and the only strong memory I have is of my hotel. Strange, isn’t it? Then again think back to some of your strongest memories. Is it because of the big things that happened or the little?
Next stop Matsumoto…I think.
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