Recently in travel Category
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It's nice to be home. I finished up a 3 day business trip in Cleveland, and reminded myself why I live in the south. It's cold there. Really cold, for me at least. I don't know how you Canucks and Madison folks deal with that. Also, they have a no-smoking rule for ANYTHING indoors, which means no cigar club. Boo! But, I also realized a few other things while traveling.
1. Travel Light: Yeah, everyone says that. But now with most airlines charging you for checking bags, it's more important that ever. So if you plan on doing any business traveling, spend the time and find a nice travel bag that you can put both work clothes and casual clothes in. Remember, Downy Wrinkle Release works WONDERS.
2. Research the hotel: They all have WiFi now, right? Yep, but not all for free. My hotel, which was a nice, expensive, downtown hotel, had a T-Mobile hot-spot in every room. Luckily, they're also my cellphone provider, so I already had a data plan with them. For others, not so much. Many hotels are looking towards paid WiFi, because (a) they don't have to maintain it, and (b) many business travelers bring their own, in the form of mobile broadband cards.
3. Reseach the area: It was cold, so I didn't do much. However, I did find a decent Italian place, and I would have gone to a baseball game if it weren't freezing. That being said, hotel rooms are boring. And so is the hotel lounge. So find something, ANYTHING, to do.
4. Research your companions: Simple, but often overlooked. If at all possible, find out who the other people there will be. Many times, some more experienced co-workers may recognize a name or two. It could be a client that needs special attention, or someone from another office who likes to drink and go to strip clubs. Either way, finding out what your fellow travelers are into could either find a person to pay attention to, a partner in crime, or a list of the people to stay away from.
1. Travel Light: Yeah, everyone says that. But now with most airlines charging you for checking bags, it's more important that ever. So if you plan on doing any business traveling, spend the time and find a nice travel bag that you can put both work clothes and casual clothes in. Remember, Downy Wrinkle Release works WONDERS.
2. Research the hotel: They all have WiFi now, right? Yep, but not all for free. My hotel, which was a nice, expensive, downtown hotel, had a T-Mobile hot-spot in every room. Luckily, they're also my cellphone provider, so I already had a data plan with them. For others, not so much. Many hotels are looking towards paid WiFi, because (a) they don't have to maintain it, and (b) many business travelers bring their own, in the form of mobile broadband cards.
3. Reseach the area: It was cold, so I didn't do much. However, I did find a decent Italian place, and I would have gone to a baseball game if it weren't freezing. That being said, hotel rooms are boring. And so is the hotel lounge. So find something, ANYTHING, to do.
4. Research your companions: Simple, but often overlooked. If at all possible, find out who the other people there will be. Many times, some more experienced co-workers may recognize a name or two. It could be a client that needs special attention, or someone from another office who likes to drink and go to strip clubs. Either way, finding out what your fellow travelers are into could either find a person to pay attention to, a partner in crime, or a list of the people to stay away from.
