Full disclosure, the event in this post doesn’t actually cause embarrassment but is in a contributing factor to embarrassing moments, including the the first post in the series.That’s why its a #0.
The Cardinal Rule of International Travel is, that when crossing many time zones, no matter how tired you are, you cannot go to sleep until your normal bedtime in your home timezone. Doing so makes it easier for your body to adjust to the new time zone.
So, if you normally are in bed at 10, stay awake until ten, even if you’re like me and cannot sleep on planes and you’ve been up for close to 36 hours. Even if you’re super-tired, go do something. Go explore the neighborhood around your hotel and plot out adventures for your first full day in a new place. Go find a breakfast place so you don’t have to think about it in the morning. (Bonus tip: try to eat breakfast [or lunch] at the same place the entire trip, Locals will get friendlier once they’re seen you a few times). Just do not think “I’m a bit warn out from travel, let me got straight to my hotel room and watch Netflix for a bit.” Because you will fall asleep at 7 and wake up a 3 a.m. and spend 4 hours or so playing Civ 6 as Babylon until places start opening up and you can get something to eat and get in a situation where this happens. Hypothetically speaking.