I travel a lot, and it comes in waves. Over the last few weeks I’ve been to Monte Carlo, Dubai, Taipei, Amsterdam, and a number of US Domestic locations. There are a number of rules I’ve learned, both from my own mistakes and others that apply to those who are traveling on business.

1. Not checking the weather: Particularly when you travel to other continents it is easy to forget that just because it is hot or cold where you are it isn’t necessarily there. Showing up in the middle of a blizzard with cloths more suited to a tropical trip can be incredibly embarrassing and, in some cases, life threatening. There are a number of good weather sites to use to check the weather, make sure you use them and pack accordingly. It is always good to have a portable umbrella because rain can hit even very warm climates and do ugly things to your laptop and packed clothing.

2. Not having local contact numbers for emergencies. On several trips where I was supposed to be met by someone local they never showed up. Especially in places like Tokyo where navigation even by locals is a major problem not knowing who to call to get help can leave you stranded for hours at an airport or lost with a cab driver who doesn’t speak English in a foreign location. I’m a big believer that you take a portable GPS system particularly if you are traveling in strange country as it can help you find your way to the hotel and a good night’s sleep is vastly better then a night trying to find where you need to be. Find out what you need to do if you have a health problem, particularly if you have an HMO there may be a process that will need to be followed and, if you are hurt, you don’t want to have to research that process after the injury. As a side note, make sure you get up and move around during long flights, I’ve lost one friend because of a blood clot that formed in his leg during a flight which killed him.

3. Checking your bags and your laptop. This is a double whammy. Bags get lost and there is nothing worse then arriving at a location for a big meeting only to find out the clothes you intended to wear are on an around the world trip on their own. Also, laptops should never be put into checked baggage, they don’t like rapid temperature or pressure changes and baggage is often not handled gently. I’ve seen a lot of folks who checked their laptops either arriver without them (there is baggage theft) or arrive with laptop parts or a broken screen. Learn to pack light, use a carry on, and if you have to check your bag don’t check the laptop.

4. Not prepping or not having a “travel kit”. Power and phone connections are not the same in every geography and fining you can’t plug in your cell phone or laptop to charge it when you arrive can result in a painful quest to find parts that may not be sold anywhere near your hotel. Make sure you have a kit of things that go with you to cover power and networking (I really like the cables that retract) and having a third party power supply (like the iGO) is really handy if you want to work on the plane on your way. Find out ahead of time what you will need to connect and whether your cell phone will even work where you are going and what the charges are. I know a lot of folks who use VOIP when they travel or purchase a local pre-paid phone to save on communications charges which can run upwards of $3 a minute in some areas for international roaming. Find out what you’ll need ahead of time and get it before you go or plan to get it when you arrive. Even if your phone should work where you are going it may not without electronic approval from your carrier call them before you go to confirm and get a local number to call if it doesn’t work when you arrive. If you use an ATM card, make sure it also will work where you are going. Some banks, to avoid theft, block use in certain geographies. Suggest you put a spare charged cell battery in your kit as well.

5. Not understanding the local threats. Boy there has never been a time where it has been more important for a US traveler to be aware of local threats. Everything from health issues (like Bird Flu) which exists is some areas today to criminals that attack travelers you should check on local exposures before you go and be alert when you arrive. For instance in Europe there evidently are 3 person teams working the trains, the first one grabs your laptop, the second one knocks you down if you try to follow, and if you do make it out of the train after the guy who has your bag, the third sticks a knife in your belly. When you arrive you will be tired and an easy mark, a friend of mine went to the travel desk for help having missed her flight and while she was chatting someone took her bags including her laptop. All ATMs are not safe and some will provide your information to those that will clean out your account, suggest you use bank ATMs rather then the little portable units in stores or hotels. Be aware that people will target you particularly if you look tired and lost and be careful, it is always best to have someone meet you and to ask the question before you go about the exposures you are likely to face.


Products to help keep you safe, working, and dry:

MiGo Professional, this is a USB Flash drive that gives you what looks like your own desktop on a guest PC. It is secure and removes your tracks when you leave the guest machine (guest machines are notorious for having key loggers or other tracking programs which can compromise your information).

Route1 is an alternative to the MiGo and provides a direct pipe to your own PC (which has to be running while you are traveling). The advantage is you are actually working on your own PC; the disadvantage is if your PC at home crashes or you forgot to leave it on you are kind of stuck. Same security promise as you operate in a secure window protecting you from most known threats that might exist on a guest PC.

Swiss Travel Products Power adopter: From the folks who do the Swiss Army knives a universal plug in a small package. Around $15

Verbatim Travel Kit: Package of retractable cables for USB, Networking, and Modem along with a very small USB hub and mouse. Around $15

Targus DEFCON 1 Ultra Notebook Security System. Both will lock a notebook to a desk and will set off an alarm if someone grabs your notebook bag and tries to make a run for it. Around $60

Totes Pocket Umbrella very small when closed. Best I’ve found that is portable. Around $22

iGo Universal Power Supply, works on planes, in cars, and has accessories to power your other gadgets. I’ve found this incredibly handy over the years, make sure you get one that matches your laptop’s requirements. Between $80 and $120 depending on power.