BFTP: Guarding against the arbitrary when traveling

A weekend Blue Skunk "feature" will be a revision of an old post. I'm calling this BFTP: Blast from the Past. Original post June 21, 2007.

Someone once wrote that "you can't guard against the arbitrary." He or she must have been talking about travel. Stuff just happens over which one has no control. 

But knock wood, I’ve been pretty lucky in my travels about getting where I need to go by the time I need to be there. I’ve been doing about 10-20 speaking/workshop/consulting engagements a year for the past ten years, and I’ve always shown up on time*. Did I say, knock wood?

Some of this is dumb luck, but I’d like to think a little of it is good planning as well. As many of you head for ALA and NECC, here are a a few hard earned travel tips to get you where you need to be – on time.

1. Never book the last flight out in the day. If a flight is cancelled, you have a fall back position. I always try to get to overseas destinations a full day before I need to be there. Helps with the jet lag too.

2. Book a direct flight whenever possible. As much as I complain about Northworst Airlines*, I'm awfully glad to be living near Minneapolis, a major airline hub. Every connection is another chance for something to go wrong. Oh, keep your  airline customer support number on speed dial. A call is usually faster than standing in a re-booking line.

3. Know a couple airports within driving distance of your destination. I’ve had a flight cancelled to Syracuse, NY, but was able to get into Rochester and then drive to Syracuse. DC is really nice in this regard with Dulles, Regan, Baltimore and even Philadelphia are all within a reasonable drive. A late night 4-5 hour drive is better than not getting there at all. And I am more fun to watch when I've had no sleep.

4. Don’t check bags. Yeah, if you’re gone for more than a week or are combining business and recreation – hiking boots and dress shoes – you may need to check a bag, but generally a rolly and a computer bag should do it. Even the LWW has figured out how to pack wisely using a carry-on only. And she always looks lovely and stylish. It is just a whole lot easier to re-book if you don't have a bag that needs to found and re-routed. Oh, your luggage always arrives with you this way as well.

5. Get to the airport early. ‘Nuf said.

6. Learn the damn security procedures. Yes, you still have to take off your shoes, remove your computer from its bag and put liquids in quart baggie that also has to be scanned separately. This liquid business I believe is a scam perpetrated by the personal grooming business. Those big bottles of shampoo, hand lotion, and other mysterious substances people seem to need go into the trash by the hundreds each day and of course need to be replaced at the destination. And, never, never, never get in any security queue that has a woman (or man) wearing thigh high, lace up boots ahead of you. Or people traveling with children in strollers. And don't argue with security personnel. You'll not win.

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7. Once you get to the destination airport, your are only 98% there. Know where you will be staying and speaking. Bring printed maps. Bring printed driving directions. Bring your GPS. I'd never rely only one of these navigational tools, but it's hard to miss with all three working for you.

8. Never rely on a hotel wake-up call. I once worked as the 11PM to 7AM desk clerk in a motel. I know how reliable I was. In fact it was where I learned to sleep sitting upright.  I carry a cheap travel alarm. Cheap because I tend to leave them in the hotel room now and then.

*9. Double check and triple check the date of the event. Since I wrote this original post, I completely blew one speaking event. The date for my workshops change from the original date to one day earlier. I forgot to change that information on my calendar. It's a lesson you only need to learn once.

10. Come prepared. I have nifty set of items that I think every speaker should carry with him/her as well.

• One's own computer.
• One's lides on a flash drive or downloadable from Dropbox.
• Cell phone with your sponsor's phone number in it.
• The nifty litte cable that lets you recharge your phone from the computer's USB port. 
• Small powered speakers.
• A small travel powerstrip.
• A good remote for advancing slides. 
• A retractable ethernet cable.
• Computer lock.
• Foreign plug adaptor kit if speaking overseas.
• A small zippered bag of computer accessories like a power supply, video out dongle, and ethernet dongle if you travel with a Mac. Check it twice before you leave the house. 

It's not that I don't trust event organizers, but messages get crossed about equipment needs sometimes.

Consider adding one more item to your emergency speaking equipment kit - a RGB cable. In the last couple of schools I've worked, I needed to use a ceiling mounted LCD projector where the RGB cable was so tightly bound to the teacher computer, I couldn't get it to reach my laptop. A separate cable from wall plate to laptop (male to male usually) looks like it will be a necessity in the future. Hey, it beats lugging your own projector which I did for many years.

Your travel tips for guarding agains the arbitrary?

Comments

[Hugh]

I like your writing style, Mr. "Blue Skunk Blog". Although you seem a little OVERLY sarcastic,you do have a sense of humor that I not only can appreciate but (in a mild way) relate to. Without going into details I am myself quite a 'traveler of the world', shall I say, and (as such) concur with a lot of the 'wisdom' you present in your blog above.

I believe that for the average family going on vacation once a year or so, they do not need to be as prepared as your blog indicates. On the other hand, for someone who does travel frequently, you have some GEMS written above that folks should REALLY pay attention to, IF they want to save some heartache on a travel trip or two (book a direct flight whenever possible, know a couple airports within driving distance of your destination,computer lock-just for example!)

Anyway, anyone as experienced as you in travel and travelingwill most likely have A LOT to write about from the following link, as well as the link itself having some 'value' to the readers of a blog- such as yours:

"Just Added-Former Travel Agent Reveals Secrets"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PGCAaNYZEc

Yup, you read the title correctly. The travel agent was apparently FIRED, is ticked about it-and is out to 'get revenge'.

[You mean that sort of stuff really happens- in today's economy? Disgruntled employees and the like?]

Hmm. "never would have guessed!"

Oh, come save us-Mr. Walton, tell us it 'aint so!

Regards!