L'Audace, L'Audace, Toujours L'Audace!

I was just talking with a fellow attendee at a workshop about business travel.  Yes, loads of women managers and execs at his large company travel.  "They only travel in packs," he says.  Not one of them travels solo - unlike us Road Warrioresses.  Company conferences, training, even sales calls on customers - everything is done as a team.  Same flight, same hotel, same car or shuttle.  And heaven help one if dinner is not scheduled en masse.  They'll order room service before they'll venture into a hotel coffee shop alone.

Lousy way to travel if you ask me.  Yes, I've done it for corporate quarterly sales meetings and such.  It's nice to have company at dinner, develop coworker relationships.  It can be rather comfy, or a severe trial of overload and no privacy.  Yes, I always managed to strike out on my own somewhere along the schedule of events.

But practically all of my travels from the moment I set off to college barely days after I turned 18 (not even a week after my birthday!) have been solo.  And while I have needed or wanted room service on occasion, it becomes very dreary very fast.  Waits can be long, food often arrives cold, the menu is very limited to start with.  And the costs are frightful - one dinner can consume an entire per diem allowance.  Neither riding with the herd some 16 hours a day nor hiding in my hotel room are much fun.

Remember George C. Scott as Patton?  "L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace," was General George's advice, as memorably quoted by Actor George.  Where's your audacity?  Guts, gumption, or simple - and elementary - modicum of confidence?  Criminy, you hardly need much brains, talent, hutzpah, experience, or anything else to walk into a restaurant, sit down, order something, and eat it.  You've been eating something or other since the day you were born.

Most larger hotels have more than one restaurant.  Pick the snack bar or coffee shop rather than the exclusive and formal restaurant.  Who knows?  You might strike up an interesting conversation with a fellow traveler, even make connections for a better job!  It's easy.  It's a lot more fun.  And you will get better food selected from a wider variety of options.

Surprise!  You'll probably find out you are not the only person dining alone.  You might even run into me.  Even though I really am quite shy, we'll strike up an interesting conversation.

Oh, by the way.  This guy clued me in on something, if you're ambitious.  Those women hit the glass ceiling because they can't - or won't - travel solo.  Top executives don't travel in packs.  They only have a peon trailing behind if anyone at all accompanies them.

May your road rise to meet you - and may you meet it with audacity!
Ann

What to Know Before You Go

When I got the phone call at 3:35 a.m. informing me I was going overseas on the possibility of a job, I headed to the library to read up on Bali.  That’s where I thought the caller said I was going.  Bwa-ha-ha!  Joke was on me.  I was headed to Balikpapan (BTW, nothing in those pics existed when I lived there).  Instant freak-out at the Indonesian consulate in Singapore when I obtained my visa.  The Jungles of Borneo?

I went.  Still glad I did!  Very, v-e-r-y strange life, however.

It pays to do some research (I eventually got to Bali, and good thing I’d done my homework).  Wherever you’re going, get some data in a hurry.  It’s incredibly easy to learn a lot in a few hours these days.  Hurray for the internet!

So what do you most urgently need to know?  Where to spend your research time most fruitfully (especially if you have to leave in the morning!)?

        *  Visa types and requirements: every country has a website with visa details.  Get your info straight from the authorities or reputable visa agents.  Beware some “agents” which have not updated their website in three years.

        *  Climate/weather: what clothing and supplies will you need to pack?

        *  Safety issues: better to be safe than sorry.  Check US Department of State advisory bulletins, and google city, country, crime rate.  Of course, you practice personal safety and security measures at all times everywhere!

        *  Cost estimates: kayak.com, hotels.com, cost of living index sites, even craigslist can give you quick ideas as to price ranges on hotels, housing, food, sales taxes or VAT, and more.

        *  Courtesies and culture: avoid making a complete idiot of yourself.  E.g. in Indonesia, do not “wave bye-bye,” especially to a child.  They freak out since that motion is identical to their non-verbal signal for “come here.”  No bare shoulders, no shorts or mini-skirts, no first name basis introductions, or similar cultural taboos could cost you a great deal of unnecessary trouble, complications, or plain old embarrassment.  This is something you can intensely study for years and still not get it all right.  At least make a stab at some of the more overt behaviors which can generate major misunderstandings.

        *  Business culture and attire: suits or dresses or skirt/slacks with blazer?  How to present a business card?  “Get to know you” before you get down to business?  If you work, run your own biz, whatever, this one’s the deal killer.  Find books on international business etiquette or do some internet research on city/country + business attire, business etiquette.  When in doubt, ask what the proper procedure and form is, explaining you’d like to adhere to their customs but don’t know them all “yet.”

        *  Something special: take some time to treat yourself to a popular local food, museum, sight – something unique which interests or intrigues you.  Who in their right mind goes to London without taking in at least one play?  Somewhere in your research, even quick-study, you’re bound to come across something, so cram it into your schedule somehow.  This is the feature which makes all travel worthwhile.  All the rest is necessary, but this is the item which matters.

 

May your road rise to meet you - with very few bumps!

Ann

LUG-Lugging It All Along

When my old wheeled computer bag died, I promised you a review of new wheeled computer cases/attaches.  Newest addition to my luggage collection comes from LUG, a quirky-but-trendy collection of colorful luggage, totes and bags.

It doesn’t take long to assess bag basics, although durability tests might take years (as with my DayMakers handbag).

So here’s the Good, Bad and Ugly – what I like or not about using this particular wheeled computer bag I got.  (Note that it was a gift, so I don’t have model name or number.  No, this was not sent to me by the company for product review purposes.)

Like: that it holds a lot!  Laptop, accessories, files and legal pads, more.  An ingenious side-entrance pocket is perfect for CD/DVDs in their jewel boxes.  Since I have an expensive set of brain entrainment CDs which cannot be downloaded (or play on my ’puter), the whole set and portable CD player fit into that pocket.  There’s a water bottle holder on the other side.

Dislike: vertical design means digging deeply, and stuff gets lost in the bottom.  The office supplies pocket has pen loops and pockets, but is a bit too tight for a real collection of doodads: paper clips and clamps, earbuds, phone recharger, Post-It Note pads, and that wild assortment of itty-bitty stuff in need of organization and accessibility.  The old wheelies did better on that score.  Zipper pulls have no holes to accommodate luggage locks, and there always comes a time when you need to zip up more securely.

Open for Debate: the extendable handle seems a bit flexible, which could be a worry.  Too early to say.

On the whole, it’s working for me at the moment.  For daily commuter use, it’s a cute, stylish, functional office on wheels.  For the really long haul, I just don’t know.

May your road rise to meet you – and your wheelies rise to the occasion!

Ann

Oh-Bummer, Bummer Care

California has just released its Obamacare health insurance plans: four levels.  Silver is the second-cheapest, $321/month, plus $2000 deductible, plus $45 copay per doctor’s visit.

You can get a full year of health insurance other places for less than one month’s of California’s low-budget plan.  Local insurance in Panama runs about $100/month.  Uruguay reportedly has plans cheaper than that.  Mexico runs under $500 a year!  All-inclusive, no copays.

You can obtain international traveler’s insurance, which includes coverage in the US, for about $300/month.  And it’s better than California’s cheapskate coverage.

So now a reader reports to an expat newsletter that she received a letter from her state’s senator, Sen. Nelson, stating that all US taxpayers, including non-residents and expats, are required to obtain health insurance or pay the tax for being uninsured.  Despite the fact that US insurance policies are worthless in foreign countries!

Errant nonsense!  US Congress has totally run off the rails here.  If you are reasonably healthy, your total medical bills for a year can run less than a month's premium for the far superior insurance plans available in many countries.

What a bummer!  Worse, not even Senators and Representatives have read their own healthcare bill.  According to that, non-resident US citizens are supposedly exempt from US Obamacare requirements.

Be careful!  Study the law, and study the regulations.  Or find a Legal-Eagle expert to sort out this mess.  Alas (or thank goodness?!), I am not an attorney.  I do my homework, do the best I can finding sources, but it seems even the law as enacted might not be the final word.

 

May your road rise to meet you!

Ann

Hotel Security Is a Major Concern for the Road Warrioress

In Taipei, I stayed in a newly renovated hotel – until I learned renovations were due to a major hotel fire in which a number of guests were killed.  The sprinkler system did not look particularly trustworthy, and the smoke detector had no little light, which had me concerned that it might not work or even be hooked up!  In Houston, some man followed me to my room.  Fortunately, with key already in hand, I was able to slip in and, throwing my full body weight against the door, slammed it on my stalker's hand.

For the solo woman traveler, it pays handsomely to pay attention!  Your security is your first responsibility to yourself.  And all too often, you cannot wait to be bailed out.  Here are some tips for your safety in hotels:

1.   Never open your door!  First, check through your peephole (if you’re tall enough to see through it – they are often set to man- or tall-person-height).  If you are not expecting anyone, call the front desk or housekeeping to ensure they really have sent [name] with more towels or whatever.  Verify Name – ask who’s there!

2.   Beware posting your breakfast menu on your doorknob before retiring.  It can alert Bad Guys to a lone traveler unless you disguise that fact by ordering two cups with a pot of coffee, or two juices, or something.

3.   Check room security when checking in.  Is there a good deadbolt lock with a long throw (part that goes into the door jamb)?  Smoke detectors?  Sprinkler system?  Annunciator system for emergencies?  Is your door hidden from traffic through the hall?  That’s not a good thing as Bad Guys are out of both camera range and sight of people walking through hallways.

4.   Never prop your door open, even if you are expecting housekeeping or room service.  Either shower before you call, or hold off on the shower until they’re finished.

5.   If there’s an adjoining room, ensure there’s a deadbolt lock and safety chain or security bar YOU lock from your side!

6.   Poolside or patio room?  Be especially careful about security for those sliding glass doors!  In fact, poolside rooms are often noisy, so why pay any premium rate for an insecure room with less privacy?

May your road rise to meet you – and may your road be safe!

Ann

Room Disservice Is a Major Gripe for the Road Warrioress

The last time I experienced excellent room service was when I lived in the “Back of Beyond” – Balikpapan, in the jungles of Borneo.  I’d fill out my card before I went to bed and hang it on my doorknob, ordering breakfast for 6:15 a.m. delivery.  No later than 6:16, room service knocked.  And the eggs were hot, the toast was hot, the coffee was hot, and the orange juice refreshingly frigid.

I’ve pretty much abandoned room service ever since.  The price is atrocious, taxes and gratuities ferocious, and heaven help you if you do not tip the delivery person.  Burger buns are doughy puddles, eggs unrecognizable, and the temperature of everything on the plate is stone cold.

No, I loved my dual-voltage travel hot pot – until it died.  I could always manage to slip in instant noodles or soups, coffee and tea.  Nothing to brag about, only to stave off starvation in wee hours.  And unfortunately, better quality than room service indigestibles.

Now I rely on things on like packets of Ritz Big Cheese or granola bars.  I always hope for an in-room coffeemaker, and at least Stateside, am rarely disappointed.

For long-haul travelers, weird arrival times, crazy meeting schedules, and assorted headaches can make room service urgently needed.  For the Road Warrioress, many hate (even fear) eating alone in a hotel restaurant, thus prefer room service.  But I never count on it anymore.  All too often, you’re better off if you’re self-sufficient.  Or head for McDonald’s.  They seem to land on every street corner around the world, and you can get there faster than room service can find you on the 35^th floor in Building D.

When you check in, how long does it take you to walk from the front desk to find your room?  Count on room service to take at least that long - once they finish preparing your order, fixing your tray, and finding a spare room service waiter.

TIP:  Ask which is the best Chinese, Thai or pizza restaurant that delivers to the hotel.  Have the front desk call in your order while you check in since they have name and number.  Somehow restaurant delivery will find your room faster than room service ever could, and arrive with hot, delicious food minutes after you arrive! 

Got any Room Service Gems?  Dish, dish!  Share the good news!  Got any horror stories?  Share them, too.  Forewarned is forearmed – with Ritz crackers.

May your road rise to meet you!

Ann

While I’ve Been Grounded. . .

So, I’ve been on assignment recently, and “grounded” of late.  If I can’t roam the world for the moment, I can do it vicariously!  I’ve been reading my favorite type of non-fiction, travelogues.

The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost by Rachel Friedman (NY: Bantam, 2011) is, alas, a Coming of Age story.  Yes, Rachel roams Ireland, Australia, and South America – mostly in the company of an Australian friend.  We end up knowing all about Rachel and Carly, snippets about their backpacker adventures, and little about the countries they roam.  As a coming-of-age story about turning 21 – 22, it’s fun and fascinating.  As a real travelogue, a real feel for these countries is a wee bit sparse.

Rita Golden Gelman, writer of children’s books turned Road Warrioress, presents a far more interesting tale of her travels.  Suddenly faced with divorce in middle age, she flees first to Mexico, then onward around the world.  Tales of a Female Nomad (NY: Three Rivers Press, 2001) is much more than a Coming of Middle Age story, however.

A true Perpetual Traveler, she often has no home at all.  Sometimes she couch surfs or finds homestays with people she meets on the road.  Others, she rents temporary accommodations, albeit for longer stays. 

But Rita gives you a more satisfying insight into countries, cultures, and the humans living within them.

Don’t expect the same from Rita Golden Gelman’s sequel, Female Nomad and Friends, however (NY: Three Rivers Press, 2010).  Here she shares brief tales written by other Road Warrioresses, along with a few recipes picked up around the world.  The recipes are really juicy.  Some of the tales are more about World Improvers out to save the world than about countries and cultures as they are.

Got any good airplane-reading or while-grounded reading to share?

May your road rise to meet you!

Ann