This year MVP summit 2015 was my first visit to US and as well as to Redmond Campus. I enjoyed the Aidan Finn post http://www.aidanfinn.com/?p=13909 before leaving for Seattle.
So please read that article before this especially if you are from MEA MVP region.
The life at Bellevue is different from the area we belong. Here in Pakistan cities awake whole night. Usually traditional street level food dabahs (stalls) open the whole night. But at Bellevue whole cities goes to home at 5 and all restaurant closed at maximum at 9 pm. So when you reach Seattle, you must purchase some biscuits and snacks.
In US, most of electronic devices will be available at Best buy. At Best Buy things are with excellent quality but expensive and there is no cheap version of thing are available. You should coming from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, please search and take travelling adapter for your laptop or mobile. Electric switches are different there. If you have to missed that one, then you have to go at Best Buy, usually hotel shuttle drop you at door but they did not wait for you and have to come back on foot which is certainly walk for more than 30 minutes.
You must have pair of comfortable shoes. There are a lot of walk. Most of MVP were in casual The don’t take three piece suit with you, Redmond is min city, much more than town, office, training centers. The area is so beautiful that most of the time you like to walk on foot. And most of the time people wear the Joggers.
Most of the MVP, took car on rental or take Taxi. Not everybody afford it, so wait for bus at Seattle airport, it is cheapest way to reach hotels at Bellevue. And you easily cover this area in 2.5 dollars which is quite economical then 60 to 100 dollar taxi. You can save this amount.
Time management is important, the last bus took you back from Microsoft campus to hotels left at 5:30, and you must reach building 33 before it. So focus on time.
Halal food, is really problem if you are Muslim. In all events at Hotel Hyatt, halal food was easily available. At one corner you certainly found small table with banner with halal written on it. You request there and they will delivered it to you.
If you are muslim, hindi, tamil, Turkish or arab. You can find many Arabic and Indian Pakistani food at building 92 at common mix. I took vegetables and tandoori Churgaha, taste was not good but Biryani there was too spicy.
Then you have good camera. And your personal card as well as company cards, there a lot of people. And every one is itself world in himself, writer, blogger, technology experts. There are a lot of activity there where you can took pictures.
And more interestingly you have a lot taste of Coffee, you did not found tea easily.