Should one end the day or indeed a whole trip with the top highlight?
Pros for saving the best for last:
- Having something to really looking forward to during the entire trip
- Possibly deepens appreciation of that highlight
Cons:
- Things constantly go wrong on trips, so there is always a possibility of missing a highlight
- May not have the chance to go a 2nd time, if desired
There is something to be said for building up to a crescendo. Do you want to eat the absolute best paella in Spain on day 1 and be slightly disappointed in all other paellas on the trip, or alternatively, build up the appreciation over time by saving that unsurpassed paella for last?
Some 20 years ago, I visited Paris which is of course full of world-class attractions. I spaced out the must-visits (Louvre, Eiffel Tower, d’Orsay etc.) over a few days. On the last day, I went to the famed Sainte-Chapelle only to find it closed for some official function. I was philosophical about it – one can’t see everything anyway – be grateful for all the sights seen already.
In hindsight, it would have been better to “front load” the trip and leave a day or so free at the end in case something was missed. I could have been extra tired or the weather could be bad on a given day. In developing countries, occasionally the electricity would be out for an entire day! And sometimes I liked a place so much that I wanted to see it again and that free day would be perfect for the revisit.
Last year, I finally got a chance to go to Paris again and I made sure to reserve a month in advance to visit the Sainte-Chapelle. Even though I have visited countless churches already, this one still blew me away. The light flooding the place was stunning.
On the other hand, on a recent trip to Bangkok, my first meal there was at a Pad Thai specialist. Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu only had 3 main dishes: Pad Thai with pork loin, Pad Thai with shrimp and Pad Thai with crispy skin roasted pork. The server-recommended pork loin version was by far the best Pad Thai I’ve ever had. I was so impressed that after I finished eating and was already fairly full, I ordered the crispy pork one as well. It was very good but not quite as good as the previous dish. Lest you accuse me of being a pure glutton, I’ll defend myself as only a semi-glutton as I was on my feet for 5 hours in 40C temperature sightseeing my way through central Bangkok. I think I needed/deserved some extra calories.
For the next 3 days in Bangkok, I ate at many interesting places with superb food, including at a couple of other Michelin Bib Gourmands recommendations. However, none rose to the height of that first meal and so they fell short of “full” enjoyment as I involuntarily compared my meals. I did eventually decide to go back to that Pad Thai place on the last day but a 6-hour flight departure shift laid waste to that plan. Aside: I have never had so much trouble with flights as I had with that one particular transit. One outright cancellation, 2 schedule changes of greater than 12 hours, 2 changes of > 12 hours which resulted in 3 rebookings, all on different airlines. How I wished I had a travel agent for that day.
Recommendation: In a perfect world, sure, save the best for last but with the uncertainties of travel, prioritize the must see/do/eat to ensure that one doesn’t miss it.
