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Hotel Sleeping
February 28, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Every so often, a news show or article will site a new study and expound upon the necessity of adequate sleep. On average, adults need 8 full hours of sleep a night and any less than that on a regular can be detrimental. But who has time for that? Especially when you're traveling and have early morning meetings, conferences, and business dinners.
So even if you can't get a full 8 hours, what can you do to get the most rest while on the road? One way is to stay away from bright electronics like the television before going to sleep. Instead, consider taking some time to jot down some take-aways from that day and plans for the next. Once you put down the pad of paper, put it out of your head until the morning. This gives you some time to wind down and also can quiet your mind so you are not still planning while trying to get to sleep.
Also, if you lounge on the bed reading documents and eating take-out in the evening, it can then be difficult to delineate between that and the time to go to sleep. Extended Stay Hotels has suites, so make use of the other areas of the room for things like working and eating.
Get a full night's sleep when you can, but if you can't, these tips can help you fall asleep faster and get more rest out of the hours before morning.
Pet Travel
February 27, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
There's a recent NBC article that discusses the options of leaving a pet behind at a kennel or a sitter vs. taking a pet with you by car or by plane. There are some good points to consider such as the stress on the animal being taken out of familiar settings and also good tips and information, including how airport security measures may affect plane travel with pets.
More families are traveling with pets, especially since hotels like Extended Stay Hotels are pet friendly. And if you decide to travel with your pet, there are some great resources online, such as this one that lets you find pet parks by state, travel guides by city with pet friendly destinations and activities, and information on pet sitters across the country in case you want to do some signtseeing on your own.
Laptop Wireless Internet
February 22, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
While traveling, you may not always be able to get an Internet signal, unless you're sporting a card like the Sprint Rev A. This mobile broadband gives access is a number of areas, without searching for a local wireless connection. And if you use this, you're in luck because it just got faster. Check out the Novatel Merlin EX720 that is now on sale for anyone on the Sprint network.
Flight Plan
February 20, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
No one wants to be late, especially for a vital meeting. Now you can quickly track to see if flights are leaving airports on time to give you a better idea of when you might arrive. The Federal Aviation Administration has a map that shows dots for the airports. Green is on-time and anything else is, well, not. In a glance you can see if any airports are closed or if there are delays. Remember, this is an average. The dot could be bright green and your particular plane could be late or the other way around. But still, it is a useful tool found on a recent article in The Consumerist.
Trip Trends
February 16, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Do you want to know what the latest travel trends are? Whether you need to plan for business purposes or just want to be ahead of the curve, take a peak at the Travel Industry Association's latest list of statistics in all types of travel or an article MSN did last month on the big trends of 2007. Will business travel be king or will more people be taking off on adventure travel vacations?
Travel Weather
February 15, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Did you know that Weather.com has a special section for Business Travelers? Now, as the snow falls, you can see what airports are open and if travel will be difficult. This is a great tool to be prepared and have a better trip. It might even come in handy when trying to figure out what to pack.
Travel Music
February 14, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
As a business traveler, you venture through weather that could make even the postal deliverers quiver. So you know the importance of having gear that will stand up to anything. And if you like music, there seems to be the perfect gadget for you. Engadget announced today that Apple has released the waterproof iPod Shuffle. Whether you are just caught out in the rain or want to swim some laps at the hotel pool, this could be the solution. All your music will be in one place and you don’t have to worry about anything happening to it. It sounds like a good idea. What do you think?
Eco-Friendly Business Travel
February 13, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
You've probably heard what you can do at home to help the environment, but if you want to be environmentally friendly when you travel, it may be less clear what you can do. It's hard to find a recycling bin and you can't control when the restaurant you visit runs its dishwasher. You may know that going by plane is a lot more harmful than going by train, but you still need a fast way to get to the afternoon meeting. If you want to help even when you’re traveling, there are lots of small things you can do and still get to the conference on time.
Minimizing carbon footprints can be very effective. Even BP is suggesting we find ways to cut back on carbon output. At a recent business travel show in London a product was announced that can actually track the carbon output of your trip. If you don't want to get a fancy gadget to tell you that, you can visit sites such as Terra Pass can calculate the carbon emissions of your plane flight and then can offset them by planting trees for just a few dollars.
Small things like reusing your hotel towels and taking public transportation instead of a taxi can make a big difference. And for more ways to be eco-friendly while traveling, visit GreenBiz, which has a great list of ideas and resources. It is definitely possible to be an environmentally responsible business traveler.
Vineyard Hotel
February 12, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Looking for something to do for Valentine's Day? Well whether you're looking to celebrate that day or extend the romance to the weekend after, a romantic excursion may be in order. Why not take a trip to a nearby vineyard? There is probably one closer than you think. Even if there might not be picturesque grapes on the vine this time of year, the wine tasting room will be cozy. And look for Extended Stay Hotels nearby, with suites instead of rooms so you have more room to relax. For winery information and place to visit in your area, visit the Official Vineyard website.
Travel Contacts
February 11, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Chicago Tribune recently had an article with contact information for places to call for the most up-to-date travel security measures. These are good contacts to keep in mind for frequent travelers. It has both national and international contacts. This is also a great place to get the phone numbers for all the major airlines in one place.
