I could be talking about a Thai prison, but Im not.
This is Mobile World Congress, arguably the biggest event in the smartphone calendar.
This is my first time covering the event.
I usually make a point to avoid trade shows, simply because theyre always a bit miserable.
Before I set out, I wanted to ensure I wasnt going in blind.
I reached out to friends who were veterans of the event and asked for essential survival advice.
Im going to share it with you here, because its actually really solid.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
17,000 steps.
Thats how far I walked today.
Thats just over 10 kilometers, or 6.2 miles.
I’ve walked 10KM today, because MWC is fucking massive.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
The most frequently repeated nugget of counsel from my journalistic peers was to wear comfortable shoes.
Thats because the venue for MWC venue is massive.
Walking from one end of the conference to the other takes at least 20 minutes.
It makes the London Excel look a bit like a quaint church function room.
As one fellow hack warned me, dont be thinking of breaking in some new Brogues.
I took his advice and showed up in my most tatty but comfortable pair of white trainers.
If I wear a pair of clean Converse shoes and an ironed button-down, Im dressing up.
Not that I ever do, mind you.
Bring food
Eating at MWC isnt easy.
you could easily spend the best part of an hour waiting to buy a horrendously overpriced sandwich.
I dont know how long I spent in line at the Salesforce Garden (really).
?I’d like to be ?
?under the sea ?
?in a Salesforce’s garden?
?in the shade.
?pic.twitter.com/VAbMyOaabv
Its therefore essential to bring your own snacks.
Anything with the carbs is a good shout.
Youll need the sugar to get through the hours of briefings and endless walking.
I brought a few cereal bars.
When I finally got out, I headed straight for McDonalds.
Theres something about a hot meal after a day of near-starvation to make you feel almost human.
Even if it is… yknow.
Dont drink too much.
Youll regret it later.
Speaking of queues, expect lengthy waits to do your afternoon constitutional.
Thats to be expected with an event that attracts 100,000 people, but its still fairly unpleasant.
The place where the queue for the toilets is actually longer than a Peter Jackson film.
People are gross.
Hand sanitizer is a great way to kill the bacteria lingering on your mitts after youve had a hands-on.
And wipes can help you remove smudges and fingerprint marks from devices youre photographing.
Be wary of pickpockets
Barcelona has a reputation for being a den of pickpockets.
Its, Im sad to say, a reputation thats entirely deserved.
In 2009, TripAdvisor users rated the city the worst in the world for pickpocketing.
This represented a 19 percent rise of the previous year.
Things seemingly get worse during MWC.
you could guess why.
For the citys criminals, the attendees of MWC must present a tempting target.
MWC attendees, be vigilant of people who bump into you here.
Shen Ye (@shen)February 24, 2019
So, youve got to be vigilant.
Avoid Las Ramblas like the plague.
Dont flash your valuables about.
The local police encourage MWC attendees to refrain from wearing their conference badges while outside of the venue.
Its pretty good advice.
You should take it.
Therefore, dont pack your schedule minute-to-minute.
Leave comfortable gaps between briefings and meetings.
One fellow journalist suggested I leave gaps of thirty minutes between appointments.
That, if anything, was a bit conservative.
I cant stress how easy it is to become lost in the labyrinth of La Fira.
I’m so lost.
Give yourself that time.
Have fun
Finally, enjoy yourself.
I know how lucky I am to be here.
I cant wait to share with you, the reader, what I see.
Clickhereto see TNWs latest coverage from Mobile World Congress.
