A curly-haired girl’s troubles with hotels

I once saw a man, a curly-haired man, almost miss his flight because he had to check in at the last minute a suitcase filled with his hair products. I stared, laugh, and ran to my seat for I was not going to miss my flight because of someone’s vanity.  I am the type of person that is at the airport two hours before the fight. I like to be calm, cool and collected. Travel is anxiety-provoking enough without one having to bring on more anxieties.  Now with all that said, I have done some silly things on travel because of my hair.

For instance, I once blew a circuit breaker in my rented apartment in Rome, because I forgot to use the converter for my flat iron.  I also once briefly set off a hotel fire alarm due to smoke from my flat iron. I have clogged up the hotel sink with my hair. I have accidentally dyed my pillows with purple and red when I have fallen asleep with my hair wet after I had been to the beauty salon the day before my trip.  For that matter, the same has occurred with towels. Here is a question, why, oh why, the hotels insist on giving you white towels and bedsheets?

My hair that is naturally curly gives me lots of trouble at hotels. As I have noted at times, I try to straighten it and that creates a bit of chaos.  Then when I let my curly hair be curly I come across some other challenges.  I will share a hair/fashion secret with you. Many curly-haired women use lotion to smooth their hair over.   It moisturizes the hair in a way that many super expensive hair products do not. Sadly, when we stay at hotels, the lotion bottles are tiny. Even if I need a drop, I still need a large drop, that practically empties out many small hotel bottles. The same goes for the conditioners. I need more than a tiny dollop. I need a huge dollop of conditioner. I have long curly hair. Who do they think is using their hotel: women with short straight hair. Sure they exist, but so do the curly long-haired girls.  This reminds me of how many restaurants no longer bring enough ketchup. Instead the waitress usually brings two teaspoons worth. That drives me crazy. I hate having to ask for more ketchup. While I do ask for more ketchup, I never ask for more hair conditioner-which I assume that I could. Hotels are making a killing with all their fees these days, I think they should just give you enough hair conditioner to help you feel human and not like a wet matted dog.

I suppose I could just pack a small bag for my hair products but I hate checking luggage. I prefer being able to have freedom to run on and off a plane than carrying things that the hotel should just provide me with.  I recently  drove cross-country staying at random hotels each day. Even in South Dakota, I paid $160 a night for a room. Not to pick on South Dakota, but that is a bit pricey for a hotel in the middle of nowhere and on top of which I received the tiniest bottle of hair conditioner.

It is time for a curly-girl travel revolution!  It is time that they recognize that there are different hair types out there. And while I am at it, they should also provide flat irons as well as hair dryers. Just saying: Hair diversity! It’s real 😉