I’m off to Sydney today. I don’t travel much anymore but the thing I’m most nervous about (in addition to the airplane seatbelt fitting comfortably around my belly) is my ability to sleep (at all) with a strange pillow.

For the last year or so, whenever I’ve travelled I’ve taken my own pillow. Which is fine when you are visiting family or friends. But, lugging an old thin pillow to a posh hotel is… well… just a bit naff.

I don’t quite know when I became this anal pillow-particular person. I was certainly more flexible about pillow height and softness for most of my childhood, 20s and 30s. It’s really only been in recent years that I’ve struggled with strange pillows. In fact, I’ve often found myself sleeping in hotels with my head on a folded towel if the pillows on offer are overstuffed or too high.

I like a thin soft pillow you see. And even then it’s hard to find EXACTLY what I want need. I have two comfortable pillows – one just a tad higher / thicker than the other. Both are old and stained and need to be retired to the farm to join my first childhood dog, but as I’m yet to find a replacement I’m stuck with them. I’ve visited places with pillow ‘menus’ and tried buying what I need (for someone who sleeps on their stomach or half-sprawled on their side) but when I get them home I find they’re too high.

Source: zamkovyi.com

I’m about to spend two nights (ie. two sleeps) in Sydney for a book bloggers’ forum. But I”m travelling on the cheap. I bought the cheapest airfares possible – though did cough-up $27.50+GST to sit in an exit row both ways for extra leg room – so I’m travelling light, with only my satchel (handbag) and a tiny backpack. No space for a pillow.

I’ll put in a request once I arrive at my hotel for a flat thin soft pillow… but if past experience is anything to go by, what I’ll get will be nothing like my old faithful faves. I’m just hoping I’m either: 1. tired enough to sleep anyway; or 2. inebriated enough to sleep anyway. 🙂

Just between us though, I have to confess that what worries me the most about this is when the hell did I become someone who was so anal about their pillows? It feels like an old-person thing. Next thing you know I’ll be saying I can’t travel cos I can’t sleep in any bed other than my own. Or similar?!* Gah!

Are you pillow-particular?
What sort of pillow do you prefer?

I’m joining the LaughLink gang again today (though yet to work out how to link properly!).

* PS. Not gonna happen cos I seriously need a new mattress!