| If you're a road warrior, these travel tips | | | | idea to carry electronic documents in case |
| will help reduce the stress ofyour journeys. | | | | you runout of the stack you shipped from the |
| | | | office. |
| 1. Choose your Travel Modality Wisely | | | | |
| | | | 6. Find Hotels that Cater to Business |
| Planes, trains or automobiles: what's the | | | | Travelers |
| choice to be? While airtravel is clearly the | | | | |
| only way to go for long journeys, shorter | | | | Hotels that cater to business travelers will |
| trips ofa couple of hundred miles might be | | | | have Internet capabilitiesand offer access to |
| faster via train, bus or auto. | | | | business machines such as faxes |
| | | | andphotocopiers. |
| When making your decision, consider time | | | | |
| spent traveling to andfrom airports, plus | | | | 7. Remember Adaptors and Converters |
| time spent lining up for check in, security | | | | |
| anddeparture. Also consider the effects | | | | If you're traveling to a foreign country, |
| inclement weather can have onyour travel | | | | remember that you mightneed special voltage |
| choice. It's no fun hearing the announcement | | | | adaptors for electricity. You might also |
| that yourplane can't land due to poor | | | | needplug adapters to accommodate both |
| visibility and you'll be returning to | | | | electrical plugs and telephonejacks. A good |
| yourdeparture airport. | | | | travel store will be able to help you decide |
| | | | what'sneeded. |
| 2. Consider Alternative Airports | | | | |
| | | | 8. Use Calling Cards |
| If you're flying, consider alternative | | | | |
| airports that are outside the cityyou're | | | | When you're staying at a hotel, the phone |
| going to visit. As a rule, these airports | | | | bill can be a majorexpense. The cost of |
| have fewer flights, lessoverbooking and less | | | | calling your family, checking your voice |
| delays than their larger counterparts. | | | | mailand checking your email is best handled |
| | | | by using a telephone callingcard or a |
| 3. Obtain an International Drivers License | | | | corporate credit card. |
| | | | |
| If traveling outside your own country, an | | | | 9. Check your Cellular Service |
| international driver'slicense will be more | | | | |
| readily recognized than your locally | | | | Cellular phone companies regularly offer new |
| issueddriver's license. The cost is not | | | | rates. Check to be sureyou're getting the |
| prohibitive and in most regions, thelicenses | | | | best deal -- some now include long |
| are easily obtained by showing your local | | | | distancecharges in the monthly fee. If your |
| driver's license. | | | | business travel will take you tosmall, |
| | | | out-of-the way towns, your digital phone |
| Inquire at your local Automobile Association. | | | | might not work. Youwill need an analog or |
| | | | dual digital/anlog phone for such trips. |
| 4. Get Your Maps Before You Leave Home | | | | |
| | | | 10. Protect Yourself Against Theft |
| Travel is less stressful if you know how to | | | | |
| get around. Beforeleaving home, obtain maps | | | | Before leaving home, make copies of your |
| of your destination city. One approach isto | | | | travel documents |
| visit web sites such as City Search ( print | | | | |
| out maps. Place your printed maps in plastic | | | | (passport, airline tickets, travel insurance, |
| folders forprotection against the elements. | | | | credit cards and itinerary). |
| Trying to read a road map whilestanding on a | | | | |
| rainy street corner has its obvious | | | | Take copies with you and leave a copy with a |
| disadvantages. | | | | contact at home. Takespecial precautions for |
| | | | your electronics. See what your local |
| 5. Carry Electronic Documents Rather than | | | | travelstore has to offer in terms of |
| Hard Copy | | | | protective luggage. You can purchaselaptop |
| | | | cases that disguise the fact that they're |
| Rather than carry heavy stacks of brochures | | | | used for laptops, orlaptop cases that look |
| or sales letters, takeelectronic documents on | | | | old and battered. And of course, you |
| diskettes and have them printed at a | | | | alreadyknow how fast and savvy a pickpocket |
| localprinting service. Similarly, if you are | | | | can be. Avoid carryingimportant documents in |
| working a booth in a tradeshow, it's a good | | | | your purse or hip pocket. |