The term nightstop or layover certainly brings back many happy memories for me.
'Delsy diners' were unheard of.
Order of the day, regardless of time of the day was a crew room party 15 mins after arrival at the hotel. Although attendance was not compulsory, the entire crew 11 C/C 2/3 pilots generally showed.
Seating was at a premium. 3 people on each bed, three on the chairs and the rest distributed equally between floor and furniture.
Once a few drinks had been consumed, the camaraderie and humour shared between so many people in such a relatively small space still brings a smile to my face.
Gradually, in various states of inebriation, people would retire to their own rooms to sleep it off. The party animals would continue until the booze, sleep depravation or a combination of both finally got the better of them.
As the cigarrette smoke gradually cleared, the advantage of holding the crew party in
my room became clear. Any hostie interested in a bit of jiggery pokery, or too drunk to leave under own steam would still be there. Modesty aside, being a young, straight and good looking steward (well I was) my success rate in the drunken exchange of bodily fluids dept was exemplary.
Alas, it seems those days are gone. Marrying one of the above curtailed my enjoyment of such activities somewhat! but offered alternative life experiences, including kids, that I would not exchange.
Don't know why I've posted this. Just started and kept going. This thread brought back happy memories of happy days. In my day, in my airline, crews stuck together to eat, take trips out and party. The odd miserable prat like FW apart, our flight deck were generally an integral part of the crew activities and shared our sense of fun and good humour. They never had to dig their hands any deeper into their pockets than the rest of us. They weren't expected to and why should they?
We mostly live our lives according to our means don't we?