On Tue, Jul 16, 2013 at 1:47 PM, Ted Lemon <Ted.Lemon@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On Jul 16, 2013, at 11:37 AM, Adrian Farrel <adrian@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:Try it sometime, then get back to us. :)
> I venture that "starve" is never a real outcome, but "go to a supermarket" or
> "bring food in your luggage" are alternatives that need some planning and are a
> small inconvenience.
[MB] Exactly. This was the same sort of response that we had when we raised these concerns after the meeting in Dublin (and later in Maastricht). Many countries limit the food that you can bring in your luggage. And, in the case of Dublin (and Maastricht on Sunday) there were no markets to go to in order to buy food. Yes, I can subsist on the pumpkin seeds and raisins that I carry in my pocket and backpack but to do so for 36-48 hours is really unpleasant and isn't healthy for me personally who needs more fresh foods to feel well. [/MB]
I rented a car in Orlando, which just about doubled the cost of my stay. This is a pretty strong negative for a venue. And I suspect that "needs some kind of nonstandard food" is not quite as small a minority as you imagine it is. Particularly when "nonstandard"=="what is served in the hotel restaurant," which, in large hotels, tends to actually be a very constrained, unhealthy diet even for those who can eat it. I was feeling so crappy after several days of the hotel food at the most recent venue we shared together that I had to flee the meeting and search Dublin for some probiotics and roughage. I am happy for you that you don't have this problem.
[MB] I did the same in Orlando and will do so in cases where we may end up in the boondocks or tiny cities in Europe again, but my company covers that cost and not everyone has the financial support that I do when I go to meetings. [/MB]