Travel 101: Etiquette

 Traveling is fun, but keep in mind while you are trying to get to your destination so are thousands of others.  Planning and being mindful of others can make all the difference between a stressful trip and a pleasant trip.

Going Through Security

• Be Ready.  It doesn't matter if you travel weekly or this is your first trip, make sure you are up-to-date with the latest TSA guidelines (they do change).  
• If you know you're going to have to put your, laptop, toiletry bag, etc in a bin to go through xray, try to pack everything in the same zipper or compartment before you leave home. Keeping everything in easy-to-reach access is key to keeping the line moving.
• Make sure you have your boarding pass and ID ready to go.  I once saw a lady open her suitcase at the TSA ID check because she packed her purse and wallet in her carry-on. Don't be her.
• Once you get through security, grab your bags and bins and move over to the nearby benches so you don’t hold up the line.  Don't be the person holding up the line, getting stink-eye from the rest of us.

Carry-on Allowance

• Airline guideline change a LOT!  Before you pack, check the airline website for size and weight allowances.  Investing in a luggage scale can save you lots in excess fees. Also, there are slightly different size requirements for international carriers vs. U.S.A. carriers, so make sure your bag works for each country/continent you’re traveling in.
• Make sure you can lift your bag. I see this a lot.  If you can't lift it over your head either start hitting the gym or check it.  Even checked bags you should still be able to carry because you never know when you are going to encounter a broken airport escalator and elevator at the same time.  True story.
• Only put your large bag in the overhead. Put your purse or briefcase under the seat in front of you, until you know for sure there will be room. Also, don’t put your jacket in a bin unless it’s going on top of or in front of your bag.
• Don’t make it your plan to gate check.  This is a pet peeve of mine.  If you bring a normal sized carry-on that you are happy to bring on the plane but has to be gate-checked due to space, that is one thing. But please don’t bring an oversized bag that you know will not fit in an overhead bin simply to try to save a few dollars.   If you think you are bringing too much stuff, 1) you probably are and 2) you should probably check your bag. If you don’t want to pay the fee, bring less stuff. Don’t slow everyone else down because you’re trying to save $30.

On the plane

• Put your bag in the bin as close to your seat as possible. If you are sitting in row 25, and there is no room over 25 and there is room over 23, that’s one thing. But if you’re sitting in row 25 and you put your bag over row 10 because you don't want to carry it down the aisle then you're being rude to the people in row 10.
• Put your suitcase on the correct side of the airplane, facing the correct way. The flight attendants aren't telling you this for fun, roll aboard bags really do fit better a certain way.
• Armrests.  I always let the middle seat have the armrests.  Those seats tend to have less room so give the armrest to the middle seat.
• Respect the crew.  If they tell you to power off your electronics, then power off your electronic.  Don't try to dim the screen and hide it under your leg.  Also, the crew is responsible for the transport and safety of over a hundred people on your plane. You are not special and they are not your personal assistants.
• Be mindful of reclining. This can be a controversial topic.  My rule of thumb is reclining is ok, except during food service.
• Please, please don’t wear heavy fragrances, use any fragrant products, or eat any really fragrant food while on the plane.

Once you arrive

• Stay seated.  It takes a while to connect the jetbridge and open the door, so there is no need to immediately jump up, block the aisle, just to stand there for 10-20 minutes.  We all want to get off the plane and you know what?  We will, but we can't all squeeze through the portal at one time so wait until its your rows turn.  The airport isn't going anywhere.  If there is someone who has a tight connection, it is polite to let them go first or pass you in the jetbridge if necessary. Think of how you would like to be treated in that situation!
• Clear the path.  When you get off the plane and you realize you need to readjust your carryon, personal item, and coat, please do not stop in the middle of the jetbridge.  Wait until you are out of the gate, step aside and readjust your items.

Did I miss anything? What is your favorite etiquette tip?

10 Best Gifts for Your Traveler - Under $50

Luggage Tag - A great way to help your traveler find their black roll aboard bag in a sea of black roll aboard bags.  I love the pink, but they have green too.

Lucha Libre Luggage Tag - $12

Perfume/Cologne Atomizer - I have several of these. They make great stocking stuffers for anyone who carries a suitcase, gym bag, baby bag, anyone who wears perfume or cologne.

Silver Atomizer - $12

Noise Canceling Headphones - Or as I like to call them, loud-flight-sanity-savers!

Skullcandy Fix Headpones - $31

Adapter/Converter Combo - Packing light mean consolidating as much as possible.  This little gadget is my best friend when I travel overseas.

Travel Smart TS253AD Adapter Converter - $30

Portable Charger/Battery - Charge any USB device?  Juice up your nearly dead smartphone?  Yes please!

iGO Charge Anywhere - $40

Gadget Car Charger - Two outlets and a USB port, perfect for the road tripper....And how cute is the coffee cup shape!

Gadget Car Charger - $50

Personalized Leather Jewelry Case - Tangled free jewelry in a  feminine, yet sturdy case.

Leather Travel Jewelry Case - $40

36 Hours - 150 Weekends in the U.S.A. and Canada (by NY Times) - The ultimate layover travel guide.  This is on my list!

36 Hours - 150 Weekends in the U.S.A. & Canada - $40

Deluxe Travel Kit - This 8-piece ready to fill travel kit in a slim, sleek bag will get through TSA and won't take much space in their suitcase.

Sephora Deluxe Travel Kit - $36

Leather Passport Holder - Important documents have never looked so cute.  I love this one by Brookstone... They come in a lot of different colors and have an extra pocket.

Brookstone Passport Holder - $31

Travel Tips For Women

Some tips I've picked up from others and some tips I've had to learn the hard way.

Packing

•  Luggage tag - Clearly label your luggage with your name and address.  If possible use your work address or a PO Box instead of your home address.  You should also have a luggage tag that is unique so you can identify find your black suitcase among the other hundreds of black suitcases.  I have 3 tags on my bag, 1 that tells my airline status, 1 for my address, and this one for uniqueness 

• Makeup Kit - I have duplicate makeup kits, one for home and one that never leaves my suitcase.  The contents of both makeup bags are identical and its one less thing I have to remember.

• Power Cords - Like my makeup kit, I have doubles of all my power cords that never leave my suitcase.  I even have a second cord for my laptop that stays in my laptop bag.  If I'm working from home I simply take my laptop out and plug it into the cord I keep at home.

Hotel

• Room Keys - Always get 2 keys for your hotel room.  There is no reason to announce to the entire lobby that you are staying alone.

• Check-in - When you check in, ask that they just point to your room number instead of announcing it to everyone in listening distance.  Most hotels do this, but I learned this tip from the couple of hotels that didn't.  Nothing like the hotel clerk saying loudly in a crowded lobby "Here you go Ms. Smith, here is your one key, you are in room 316"

• Rewards Club - Even if you don't travel weekly, you should still sign up for your favorite hotel rewards.  The points do add up, but its really the perks that I like, late check-out, guaranteed room reservations, snacks, etc...

Fun on the Road

• Postcard - A tradition I started with my family when I travel is, no matter where I go, I always send a postcard home and it has to be postmarked from the place I'm visiting.  Usually the first I do when I get off the plane is hit the gift shop and buy a postcard then mail it from the hotel (they  can meter it).

• Explore - Don't be one of those travelers that only sees the hotel lobby and client sites.  Go out and explore the town.  Even small towns have something to see.  Ask the hotel clerk/concierge what to see.  Most of my travel is in the US, so my personal tour guide is 1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz

Packing for a Conference

One corporate event I look forward to is my company's annual conference.  However I dread packing for it.

I should be used to packing for business trips, after all I do it every week, however going to the annual conference requires a different packing list.  Along with day sessions and training (in chilly conference rooms), I now have to think about what to wear for dinners, receptions, a team outing, and a wine social somewhere in there.

Here is the general schedule of the conference:
Saturday: Travel Day
Sunday: Training Sessions/Informal Reception
Monday: Sessions/Awards Dinner
Tuesday: Sessions/Dinner/Group Activity
Wednesday: Sessions/Travel Day

One thing that is good, is even though some of these sound like they will be dressy events, my company is relaxed, generally business casual is the most dressed up you need to be.  I plan to

Packing List:

• White slacks (Sessions & Sunday Reception)
• Jeans (Travel Days & Group Activity)
• Tan skirt or slacks (Sessions)
• Charcoal slacks  (Sessions)
• Silk button down shirt (Sessions)
• Printed silk top (Sessions & Sunday Reception)
• Cowl neck blouse (Sessions)
• Short-sleeve top  this and/or this (Sessions & Group Activity)
• Neutral color cardigan (Sessions & Travel Days)
• Crochet Dress (Awards Dinner) 
• Tan Pumps (Sessions & Dinners)
• Black Pumps (Sessions & Dinners)
• Flats or Flat Sandals (Travel Days & Group Activity)
• Coordinated jewelry 

I always end up packing one more outfit than I actually need and this list would get me at least one more day.  Some think this is over packing, but I've had heels snap, spills, and tears, so I like to have a Plan B.  I will bring items that I always travel with such as workout clothes, workout shoes, and all the rest. 

Boarding Zone

Boarding Zone 1 by carryonstyle featuring summer tops

Dorothy Perkins cotton dress, $69
Monki summer top, €30
Damsel in a Dress jacket, £104
Vera Wang Lavender Label leather flat, $175
Carvela stiletto pumps, £75
Shoulder bag, 60 AUD
Cotton scarve, £50

Client Meeting: This bold dress can be a little too bold for meeting with the clients, the colors and stripes are beautiful but may be a little over powering for meetings, especially for a first client meeting.  I would pair it with a black blazer and a pair of sleek black pumps.

As for accessories, because the dress has a lot going on, I would keep those to a minimum. For jewelry I would wear simple earrings and a bracelet, but for a tote, I love this bag to carry my laptop or iPad.

For the hair, I would wear it half up and half down, with some light waves.

Flight Home: For the flight home, comfort is key, so when I get to the airport I'm going to try to get as comfortable as possible without a complete wardrobe change.  I love cardigans because they pack easily and provide a bit of warmth on the cold flight.

This cream and coral scarf is a staple for me, it coordinates with a lot of outfits, has a kick of color.

While I love heels as much as the next woman, I will slip into some flats as I'm making my way though TSA.  These beige little flats are perfect for travel. They pack easily, are neutral in color, and comfy! 

For the hair, I would probably take my hair all the way down, so I can be a little more comfortable as I make my way home.

Dining While Traveling

A little while ago I read a CNN article about women business travelers not liking solo dining.  The basic feeling is that most women don’t feel comfortable or may feel they look like an unwanted spinster if they dine alone.  To me that seems crazy because if a woman feels comfortable enough to travel on her own, then why would dining alone be outside her comfort zone?

Me?  I LOVE eating new foods, so eating alone doesn't bother me.  Don’t get me wrong I love dining with others, but the thought of dining alone doesn’t keep me in the hotel room while I’m traveling.

Eat Alone

One of the things I really like about traveling is eating locally.  Usually I’m gone for a week at a time, so I try to eat at a nice restaurant at least once per trip.  If I’m not sure where to eat, I will ask the concierge for a recommendation and a reservation for me.  Other times I will search through Yelp for a customer rated recommendation.  If I’m reading a really good book, I might take it with me, if not I will just sit on my own, enjoy my dinner, think over my day, and plot to take over the world.

On the days where I have more work to do in the evening, I will usually find a restaurant close to the hotel and eat there.  Depending on how much time I have, I might eat at the restaurant bar area (quicker service) or get a table. 

Facebook/Linked-In/Corporate Contacts

Is there a Facebook friend that lives or is from the same area you will be in?  Reach out to them to make an introduction for you.  I have made several new friends by having dinner with friends-of-friends from Facebook.  Usually they know THE best local place to go and you always have at least one mutual interest…. your mutual friend.

Use Linked-In and Corporate contacts to broaden your network circle and develop more business contacts.  Maybe you are going to Chicago and you’ve talked with some of the Chicago team on a conference call.  Reach out and see if they are interested in a dinner one night.  Strengthening relationships across teams is never a bad idea.

Invite for a Bite

I discovered InviteForABite.com through the CNN article I mentioned and of course signed up!  Invite for Bite is a website for women-only (this is not a dating site), who are traveling for business or pleasure and do not wish to dine alone.  You simply search for a dinner invite in the area you will be traveling and meet with other women travelers.  Don't be afraid to be adventurous and create a new invite for others to find. 

I posted an IFAB invite while I was in Dallas, Texas and someone actually responded!  It was great fun making a new friend.  We tried a new restaurant and realized we had a lot in common, work, family, kids, and of course meeting new people.  I look forward to more IFAB dinners and hope to see my new friend again.

There are many alternatives to dining while on the road and while its always safer in numbers, sometimes you need to strike out on your own to expand your comfort zone.

Traveling Credit Woes

I travel a lot and just when I think I am a Pro, something happens that makes me re-evaluate what I carry. In this case it was my credit card!

I was recently out to dinner on a business trip, when I went to pay for my meal with my trusty credit card. The waitress comes back with a sympathetic expression on her face and whispers, "your card was declined".  I was embarrassed because I thought I had checked it before I left to make sure my last payment went through, but maybe I had forgotten.  So I gave her my debit card (I know you're not supposed to do that).  She came back a few minutes later that the debit card too was declined.  Now I wasn't embarrassed I was worried!!  One card declined is an “oops”, two cards declined means something is wrong.

Luckily I had the cash to cover the bill, but still two cards.... denied... not good.

I contacted the bank and found that because I've been traveling in and out of the country so much and some of the spending had been erratic (I shopped a LOT in several countries) they thought my card had been stolen and put a fraud block on it so they could verify some of the purchases.  I then learned they DID try to contact me on a couple of occasions, but since I generally don't answer the phone if I don't recognize the number (will henceforth drop this habit) AND when I didn't respond they blocked my credit card.

Well then why was my debit card blocked too?  Well it turns out many many YEARS ago when someone stole my debit card and wiped out my checking account, it took me a bit to get everything back in order and I checked an option somewhere on a form that said something like "if one card is under suspicion for fraud them block access to both" or something like that.  My reasoning was, since I carry I sometimes carry my debit and credit card in the same wallet then it’s entirely possible for someone to get access to both cards and its easier to just block them both in cases like this.  (BTW both cards are issued by the exact same bank, not sure if this option is available in all areas).  It is a great idea until something like this bites me on the butt.

The moral of the story is that 1) Carry enough cash just in case something happens to your cards 2) Fraud protection is a good idea 3) Have a card on hand from a different bank, but don't carry it in the same place as your main card.

App Review: TripIT

TripIt - http://www.tripit.com/
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Travel day can be hectic enough, with the packing, getting out the door, remember if you turned off the coffee pot and oh yeah keeping track of all those airline, hotel, car, train confirmation numbers and departure times.


TripIt has made it so much easier to keep track of all your travel information.


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Airport Pod Hotels

I recently got excited about an article in Seattle Times about Pod Hotels coming to certain U.S. airports.  I've been reading about pod hotels around the world for a while, but never thought I would get to experience it here in the States.

For those of you unfamiliar with pod hotels, they are small little rooms that can be rented (usually) by the hour.  They usually have a sofa/daybed which are perfect for taking a nap in the middle of a long layover.  Sometime they provide a small work area where you can quietly work and/or a TV.  I have been waiting for something like this to come to the U.S..

I think these are perfect for a few reasons namely a place to rest and relax while you're stuck at an airport for a long layover.  You could either nap or just get away from the hustle of the airport.  Its also a great way to conduct business while on the road.  I don't know about you, but there have been times where I needed to jump on a conference call and talk about background noise, between the speaker announcements and general conversations, its nearly impossible to contribute to a conference call.

This is also perfect for families if they need to change their kids clothes or just let them nap without chaos all around.  The only thing I can think of that they would not be good for families is that pod hotels are, by design, very small so if you are traveling with a lot of kids, I don't know how much peace and quiet you'll get in a tiny room, but its worth a shot.

From my Googling, I found pod hotels at the following airports:

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport - Concourse B @ Gate B15
• Philadelphia International Airport - Terminal A-B Link
• Dallas-Ft. Worth Terminal D **Open at end of 2012

I personally can't wait to try out one of these pod hotels.  Have you ever or would you ever use an airport pod hotel?

- Cindy

Adventures in Immigration Land

This week I have had a travel lesson reinforced.....always, and I mean ALWAYS carry food with you.  And not just any kind of food.  Food that you can just unwrap and eat, because lets face it, you never expect to get stuck at immigration.

I haven't been out of the US since 2009 and all those trips were personal vacations, this was my very first business trip in another country.  Ok so it was Canada, but still its not the US.

I should have known it wasn't going to be a normal day, when what should have been a 19 minute flight from Baltimore to Philly was preceded by a 30 minute sit on the tarmac.  Despite the 30 minute delay we managed to land in Philly about 5 minutes late, which wasn't too bad, it would give me 25 minutes to get to my next gate.  However, when we got to the gate in Philly we couldn't get to our gate because there was a truck parked right in front and they couldn't find the guy with the keys!  Seriously!?!

Finally, 15 minutes later they were finally able to get the truck moved (I think they towed it), we were allowed off the plane.  10 minutes to get to my next gate and if I missed it, I would have to wait another 6 hours for another one, so I started running.  While I was running from A14 to B16 three things occurred to me.

Timberland Earthkeepers

     1) I was SO GLAD I decided to gate check my bag to my final destination at Baltimore, because I would not have been able to run with a laptop bag, purse, and a roll-aboard bag

     2)  I was glad I decided to wear my warmer winter boots instead of my usual high heels. I knew it was going to be cold in Halifax and it was easier to run in these :)

    3) I need to do more cardio.  I don't know if it was because I was running in winter boots and a down-filled parka or I just haven't been exercising like I used to, but I got winded!!

I managed to get to gate B3 when I heard my name on the announcement asking me to please go to B16...I was trying!!  Did they not see the maniac running through the terminals in a parka?  I finally made it to my gate, sweaty, out of breath, and  absolutely the last one on the plane, but I'd made it on my last connection everything else would be perfect. I would get land around noon, grab lunch, check in to my hotel and congratulate myself on making all my connections.  Right?

Well you know that little customs form you have to fill out where you have to declare, fruits, veggies, and what your purpose is for visiting the country?  Well I marked business, because well that is what I was going to do.  Apparently that little check mark sets off all kinds of flags. Next thing I know I find myself sitting in the immigration area answering all kinds of questions like, Who do you work for?  What do you do?  Why are you here?  Where are you going?  over and over and over again.


Finally they said before they can release me, I will have to give them some paperwork proving that I am there for the reasons I say I am (like I would make up teaching a class in identity management).  I think no problem, I'll just log on to my laptop and print out the SOW...oopps I forgot my Verizon wireless wifi won't work in Canada.  No problem I'll just use my phone email to look it up....ooops that is Verizon too and the data connection won't work....No problem I'll just call my team lead, voice mail....Boss, voice mail....Canada point of contact, voice mail....OMG Doesn't anyone pick up the phone anymore?  What could have been able to be fixed in a matter of minutes ended up taking 2 hours.  By this time I was starving and when I'm that hungry I can get  irritable, but I was trying to stay calm, because I figured one place you don't want to be irritable is immigration.

I kept calling people, kept getting lots of voice mail.  I even called the client site and of course the guy that handles all the contract paperwork was out that day.  By this time as I was digging around in my purse hoping that some sort of paperwork would magically appear that would clear me of all this.  Paperwork didn't appear but a Kashi Go Lean bar did!  It was probably the best food I had ever tasted! Finally I was able to get a hold of my team lead, who thought the whole situation was hilarious and sent over the necessary paperwork.  I sailed through immigration, picked up my car and headed to my hotel.

P.S.  My bag didn't make it on the flight at Philly but it showed up at my hotel around 10 pm that night.  <sigh>

Staying Fit on the Road

When you have a busy work schedule that requires lots of overnight travel, working fitness into the mix is always a challenge. The simplest way to ensure your workouts don't skip a beat, commit to a 30-minute cross training routine made up of 4-6 of your favorite strength and cardio moves that you can do right in your hotel room-no equipment required! Try this routine:

20 push-ups
20 jumping jacks
20 squats-tap the floor with your hands!
20 side planks each side
20 mountain climbers

Keep doing these sets until 30-minutes is up and you should be sweaty Betty! Allow a 2-5 minute cooldown by walking in place and stretching your calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, glutes, and sides.

-Suzan