Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/187632
•pg_13-27__BMT_pg3-58 9/25/13 1:07 AM Page 14 lunch, dinner and cocktails. What makes us lose our food discipline when we get away from the comfort of our own kitchen? Healthy food choices and travel are not synonymous, so I've developed some personal techniques to combat the battle of the bulge. If I'm attending a multi-day conference, I usually look at the schedule of events beforehand and decide which social gathering I will attend. It's my way of keeping an eye on my diet and alcohol consumption. For those conferences where I must attend every event, I typically avoid alcohol. For conferences with hearty food choices, I try, if possible to pick the healthiest meal or order a special meal if allowed. I hate skipping breakfast, so I pack protein bars for those occasions where I need to cut down on a few calories, but still need to eat. Many of the coffee houses sell fruit cups or bananas so that takes care of my breakfast. I also seek hotels with gyms. While I can't spend two hours working out when traveling, even 30 to 60 minutes is good. For places without gyms, I've been known to do exercises in my room because conference schedules often do not permit enough time for a full workout. Weather and distance permitting, I try to jog or walk places as much as possible as opposed to taking a cab. And finally, I avoid fast food like the plague. I don't eat fast food at home, so it's easy for me to avoid junk food on the road. For those long plane rides, and to save money, I bring my own food. The calories from one fast food meal can easily surpass 1,500 calories. When you combine that with sitting for five hours on a plane it's easy to pack on the pounds. Traveling this much leads to 14 long periods of isolation and loneliness for many, and I am no exception. While its great to meet new people, or renew old acquaintances at the various functions, it's not the same as having family and friends around. I don't have an easy answer for the loneliness except to stay busy. I'm an avid reader with an iPAD full of books. I also use the time to catch up on work or professional development. International travel brings a different set of problems starting with simple communication. My cell phone, once I signup for the international plan does work in certain foreign countries, but the cost of using that service could easily leave me with a five-figure phone bill when I get home. Depending on locale, I might get an international phone or look for places with wifi to stay in touch with my home or office. As technology improves staying in touch has gotten easier. I actually like overseas travel. I replace the loneliness and isolation with exploring new cultures. Because we all work in travel, tourism and hospitality, we are either invited guests of the destination or traveling with co-workers and other industry professionals. That benefit makes it easy to arrange dinners or excursions away from the hotel. Another way I cope with loneliness and isolation is by taking lots of pictures and sharing them on social media with family and friends. It's a great conversation piece and keeps me connected. Facebook and Instagram are my favorites. Many of my friends travel internationally and offer lots of advice on where to shop, eat or visit. My trip to Trinidad and Tobago coincides with the country's Emancipation Celebration. It's the annual celebration commemorating the abolition of slavery in 1839. I was in Trinidad and Tobago seven years ago, but had no social media platform to share my experiences, so I'm looking forward to the interaction with friends back home. I've probably read every article about packing for travel. It's easy if it's a short two or three day business trip. One suite, a couple of different shirts and ties to give me a different look, and one change of casual clothes and I'm good to go. I typically skip workouts on short trips. I use them as off days to give my body a break. All of my toiletries are usually pre-pack in TSA approved containers and replenished as soon as I get back from a trip. I read somewhere that clothes wrinkle when rubbing against other clothes. So when I pack, I use the plastic wrapping that comes with dry cleaning to prevent wrinkle. It seems to work and beats carrying a steamer or breaking out the ironing board. For long trips, such as my ten-day jaunt to Miami, then Trinidad and Tobago I have to get a little more creative in how I pack and still keep it to one suitcase. They are both business trips combined with a little down time for exploration, so I have a need for professional and casual attire. For these trips, I typically pack two suits and maybe a sports coat that allows me to mix and match to maximize my wardrobe. But one problem I have that many of you might not is shoes. Depending on the maker, I wear a size 14 or 15. Try packing a couple of pairs of size 15s, plus sneakers in one standard suitcase. Dress shoes are notoriously stiff, so I wear one pair on the plane. The others I pack and stuff with socks, undergarments and even ties to save space. B M & T ••• September/October 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com Getting proper rest actually starts before you leave home. Those of us who live on the west coast are more often than not, traveling east for a business trip. That means dealing with a three-hour time zone change and very early morning flights, the 5 or 6am variety. I've often jumped off the plane and headed straight to a function or meeting before checking into my hotel room. That means sitting on a fivehour flight wearing a suit. I usually fold my tie and place it in my suit pocket or briefcase. As soon as the plane lands, I rush to the nearest restroom, splash some water on my face and put on my tie. Air travel, as we all know, can be frustrating. Flight delays and cancellations go with the territory. When a flight cancellation occurs, not only do I follow the crowd to the ticket counter for re-booking, I always have the airlines 800 number stored in my cell phone along with the record locator number. I've rebooked most flights on the phone saving the counter ticket agent time and saving me lots of aggravation. I try to fly the same one or two carriers to every destination. It allows me to rack up frequent flyer miles and curry favor with ticketing agents, whether on the phone or in person, when forced to deal with flight cancellations. I've found myself sitting in first class on rebooked flights because of my loyalty.