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Hungry While You Sleep…and farewell

Posted by admin at Monday ~ January 01, 2008 to Uncategorized
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Hungry While You Sleep…and farewell

Luxury hotels are increasingly offering sleep menus. No, this is not being fed through the ears while you sleep, it is offers of services and amenities to help sleep come about easier.

Sleep menus often include:

Massages
Yoga
Aromatherapy, such as baths or candles
Scented (usually lavender) eye pillows
Nightcaps
Soothing music
Herbal teas

Even the most sacred of sleep-inducers is available…teddy bears. Though, knowing that the bears sleep around with every Tom, Dick and Jane, may induce a long wakeful string of imaginative pictures while you cuddle it, instead of sleep.

This is my final business travel blog. I am fusing my two blogs - Business Travel and Green Business - to create an exciting new blog. Green Travel Blog will look at the new trend and real need for sustainable travel. Check it out on http://www.phoenixarrien.com/greentravelblog/  

Thanks for being with me on the Business Travel BLog and see you at Green Travel!

BUYING LUGGAGE

Posted by admin at Thursday ~ January 01, 2008 to Uncategorized
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Getting yourself the right luggage is essential, especially if you are taking lots of business trips. Here is how to choose the right luggage for you.

1. Frame

The frame affects a bag in three ways: shape, strength and  weight.

Most people want something that keeps it shape, is very strong, but is also lightweight. Traditionally frames have been made of aluminium or wood, which are strong but heavy. Luckily today’s luggage can come with moulded plastic or fibreglass frames, making it much lighter to carry.

2. Construction

Look at the quality of the seams and the joints, as this is where the wear and tear will show. Look for reinforced strips along the seams, and lock stitching, which means if one stitch on the seam comes loose, the one next to it will not. Also look for reinforced joints where the seams meet, it is best if these are covered with something hard wearing like leather or metal.

3. Material

The material  the luggage is made from will be a compromise between how strong and protective it is, compared to how heavy the it is.

Most modern luggage is made from nylon, which is tough and lightweight. Ballistic nylon is the best quality, but can be expensive, and Cordura nylon is cheaper but not as protective. Leather is also popular and a classic “look” for luggage, but it is expensive to get the best quality, harder wearing leather, called top or full grain.

You can get luggage made out of modern ABS plastics, these shell-like cases, popular with manufactures like Samsonite, are very tough, and quite lightweight, but are very bulky.

FINDING SOLUTIONS: Guest Blogger: Victor Cox

Posted by admin at Sunday ~ January 01, 2008 to Uncategorized
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Thanks to Victor for his great story about finding solutions to cancelled flights. What an inspiration!

Going to Las Vegas for a Bachelor Party, I also booked a PalmDesert vacation for my wife who would not be left out of going somewhere.

After a fun Vegas Bachelor Party I was waiting for my 10:30am flight to PalmDesert to join my wife. And left waiting…and waiting until told that the scheduled plane had mechanical problems.

I grabbed my laptop and mapped the drive from Vegas to PalmDesert then announced to the other waiting passengers that I was going to drive to PalmDesert and wanted to know if anyone would like to join me. Immediately most of the passengers volunteered for the carpool to PalmDesert and we were on our way to rent some vans.

We appointed drivers who were familiar with the drive, gathered our belongings, and the 20-24 passengers from the cancelled flight headed west.

Overall, it took us six and a half hours to get to Palm Desert, due to the scorching 120+ degree heat, the Mosley-Vargas Fight that weekend, and (what I guessed was normal) Sunday evening traffic from Vegas to Los Angeles.

However we all enjoyed the ride, company, and were thankful that we were able to overcome the circumstances to get to our destination. It was an amazing experience of working together and trusting others to achieve the same goal.

Everyone chipped in to help with this adventure and there was a real camaraderie that was formed throughout the trip, much more so than on a plane ride with little interaction. We all really made a connection and I am sure this was a very memorable trip for the 20-24 people as well and it only cost 20 dollars per person for the van rental (the plane ticket was 185 dollars, which was refunded).

Still to this day I have contacts from that trip and chalk it up as one of my most memorable travel experiences.

Victor Cox, CEO of www.NeverCheckIt.com

THE BOWEL REPORT

Posted by admin at Thursday ~ January 01, 2008 to Uncategorized
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THE BOWEL REPORT

Sit with any group of travelers and their favourite subject will soon surface: the state of one’s bowels in developing countries.

Traveler’s diarrhoea is the most common health issue affecting those of us going to certain places.

Ways to decrease the chance of getting it are:

Drink clean water. Always drink from sealed bottles or carbonated water. If boiling water yourself make sure it boils for over three minutes.

If it looks doubtful then don’t eat it. Anything that smells bad, looks off or has been sitting on a table or bench for a while is suspect.

If you do get diarrhoea:

Drink plenty of clean fluids. Some people take diarrhoea medication along with them or rehydrating fluid. If diarrhoea continues for more than 48 hours or you are unable to drink, or are passing blood - SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION.

A RITZY 15,000 PAGES

Posted by admin at Monday ~ January 01, 2008 to Uncategorized
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Even after all these years, I am still wrapping my head around the WWW. It especially amazes me when I hear of websites such as the upmarket Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company that has redesigned its web site to include 15,000 pages of new information, complete with streamlined navigation tools and interactive design features. But someone had to write those 15,000 pages! Perhaps they had an army of furiously scribbling scribes?

They get 16 million hits a year so it has been worth adding a few more pages including shots of their hotels and Chinese and Japanese sites. Their hotels are pretty good as well… www.ritzcarlton.com

“TRAVEL BROADENS THE MIND BUT LOOSENS THE BOWELS”

Posted by admin at Thursday ~ December 12, 2007 to Uncategorized
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Firstly, a little pat on the back for your correspondent who made number nine in the Top 100 Blogs for Business Travelers in Travelhacker who’s who list.

Now to important things such as bowel movements. Traveler’s Diarrhoea is a common illness for many and in some places, it is inevitable. It can be as much from a change of diet then contaminated food or water.

TRY AND AVOID:

- Make sure that meat eaten is well cooked and avoid seafood and salads that could be washed in contaminated water
- Apply strict hygiene especially after using the bathroom and before you eat food. Never use communal, towels
-  Avoid ice in drinks and make sure the water has come from sealed bottles

IF YOU GET IT:

- Get rest and drink lots of fluid especially in hot climates.
- Take rehydration mixtures if needed. 
- Avoid alcohol at all costs
- If it doesn’t improve then antibiotics may have to be taken. Seek medical advice for this and if the condition worsens.

(This information is to be administered alongside sound medical advice)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Posted by admin at Tuesday ~ December 12, 2007 to Uncategorized
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There are available publications that give you useful facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty.

In the US, such Background Notes are updated and revised by the Office of Electronic Information and Publications of the Bureau of Public Affairs as they are received from the Department’s regional bureaus and are added to the database of the Department of State’s website.

Visit www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn

SWAT! PREVENTING MALARIA

Posted by admin at Friday ~ December 12, 2007 to Uncategorized
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If you are visiting a country that carries a risk of Malaria and you require Malaria tablets, allow lots of time before you depart to start the medication. Time schedules vary with different types of medication, so it is important to see your Travel Health Advisor when you are planning your trip.

Even while taking Malaria tablets, it is still a good idea to take along mosquito repellent, and it is a good idea now to use it at home. It is a concern how many insect borne diseases are spreading into previously insect-borne disease-free countries.

A CRASH COURSE IN MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR BUSINESS TRIP: PART THREE

Posted by admin at Tuesday ~ December 12, 2007 to Uncategorized
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Research and understand:

-  Business dress for men and women including meetings, functions and social occasions
-  Conversation topics – what to bring up and what to avoid
-  Compliments:  what to say and what to avoid
- How to say goodbye and depart

There you are. It’s enough to keep you busy before each trip. Hope you enjoyed the crash course in Business Travel.

A CRASH COURSE IN MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR BUSINESS TRIP: PART TWO

Posted by admin at Monday ~ December 12, 2007 to Uncategorized
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Research:

- Typical vacation times so you don’t get caught out with state or religious holidays
-  Signals that indicate the beginning or end of an appointment
-  Gift Giving; what to give and what to avoid
-  Using titles, first names and surnames
- How to greet strangers and introduce yourself
- Gender rules
- Gestures, sayings and actions (such as eye contact) to emphasize or avoid.
-  Dinner table seating etiquette
-  Mealtime etiquette
- What place alcohol and toasting has in that culture

Next posting: conversation and departing

 

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