Off Topic » Travel advice for the forgetful

I've noticed more and more motels have USB ports on desks, the base of desk lamps and radios.

BUT how are we supposed to remember that tip if we can't remember to pack the USB-C cable?

Checking the TV for a USB port is a good tip.
You can usually buy a cheap USB cable at a gas station.

For many years I was a network field engineer and used to bringing 20+ lbs of tools & equipment with me everywhere. Often the best recourse against forgetting things is packing multiples. A USB-C to USB-C cable isn't going to do much good without a charging brick no matter where you go, since even though powered USB-B sockets are becoming more ubiquitous in travel situations (at least in the US), USB-C is still the new kid and you're usually on your own to convert.

USB-B to USB-C cables are handy but note they're limited in power delivery to 2A @ 5V, or 10W. USB-C can be rated to up to 5A with voltages from 5-20V, or up to 100W. Also note both USB-B and USB-C may or in many cases may not include data. Unfortunately there's no requirement on labelling or testing certification, so you're stuck trusting the cable manufacturers. The main way cabling mfgs cut costs is by providing lower-quality wire, too, and as a benefit (to them) is that quality is almost impossible to measure just by looking at or handling the cable aside from simple thickness (which they're aware of, and will use thicker casings to compensate).

For USB cables I use and almost exclusively recommend Anker Powerline products. For ≤ 20W applications (phones & tablets) I recommend their PowerPort II Nano USB-C AC adapters. Extremely small, powerful, and inexpensive. I have multiple in my computer backpack at any time, plus additional in my car and luggage. I included a pic of one below.

Speaking of forgetting & USB-C... as mentioned earlier there's no labelling on USB cables, but there can be significant differences in how they perform. I use a Brady labeler & vinyl labels to mark one end of all my USB & Thunderbolt 3/4 cabling so I know what they're rated to handle (red for power handling, blue for data throughput, black for type of cable in case of multiple cable types using the same connector). In the attached photo, from top to bottom: Anker USB-C to USB-C, Anker USB-C to Lightning, CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 3 (backwards compatible with USB-C).