There are so many wonderful things about retirement travel versus business travel. I go to interesting places now and actually get to see them. I can sleep in ,be unprepared and saunter . I never see the inside of a conference center and I don’t have to listen to some sincere insincere corporate type talking about stuff they really don’t care much about lol 

However , there is a downside 

Laundry 

I miss the days of throwing my laundry into a plastic bag calling the front desk and having it all done and pressed and folded as if by magic 

Of course we fixed income retirees cant afford hotel laundry.! 16.00 a shirt ! 9 dollars for underwear! 4.50 for a pair of socks! It’s robbery and those days when I didn’t pay for it it seemed so reasonable lol. Hence, when I travel I’ve become the King of the Laundromat!  

it doesn’t matter where you are in the world or what language they speak go to google and enter “Laundromats near me “ and if by magic they appear 

You know you really meet the most interesting people in the laundromat …just like the bus station or bowling alley 

The Bubble Wash in Auckland is no exception. As always I arrive very early. No battle for the extra large washers. I always use the extra large washers. You can throw in a weeks worth and don’t need to sort anything 

So I arrived at the Bubble Wash at 6:30 am.  

I managed to get through the  throng of homeless folks waiting for the free clinic to open next door. I felt like I was in San Francisco 

Inside I was all alone and the extra large machine was all mine.

I got the machine started and was drinking my coffee from the subway next door when a gentleman came in 

He was normally dressed and very pleasant. He got change from the machine and some soap but he seemed confused as to how the machines worked. Being the laundromat (laundromats are the same everywhere) expert I explained where you put the money and the detergent and how you choose the cycles He had a backpack with him that I assumed he had his dirty clothes in. I asked him if it was mostly whites or colors. “Colors” he said.

He then took off his shoes…bright red sneakers and put them in the machine and closed the door. He never said a word except that his friends complained about his having smelly feet. He then set down barefoot and read his paper for 32 minutes . 

When the cycle was over I was prepared to help him figure out the dryer but he just smiled smelled his clean but very wet shoes and said “that’s better” put the wet shoes on and strolled out of the Laundromat.

To be honest I doubt I would have met someone like him at either the bus station or the bowling alley