I travel a bit for work, and so a part of this blog is going to be dedicated to those travels. To start this off, I thought I’d cover a little of how I like to travel rather than little notes about where. So when I fly I like to be unencumbered with my bags. So I almost always check my bags. Then when I see people running up and down the isles trying to get their gargantuan bags crammed into little cubby holes I can laugh at them… Of course, this means I have to wait for my bag to come out on the carousel but that’s a small price to pay for such humor. The humor I provide is in the form of frequent bathroom breaks (too much caffeine). So don’t get me wrong, they can laugh at me too… Given the bathroom breaks, I always sit on the isle (and therefore provide more humor to those around me as I get bashed on the elbow by the cart).
Next, I always overpack. Probably why I want to check my bags. But I always bring at minimum one or two extra outfits. In the IT field you never know when that 2 day job is actually 5. I also bring my own shaving supplies, shampoo, etc. I never think the hotel will have any of this. Even the greatest chains get their Six Sigma efforts off and end up with a crappy hotel here and there.
Next, I always bring two or three batteries and a drive that I use to back up to. Backing up days worth of information when you’re on the road is better than staying extra when that hard drive that’s been crashing around on planes finally dies on you after about 100 flights (and it will if it hasn’t).
Next, always book your flights with your credit card. Most cards (like my Amex) will allow you to cancel 30 days after the purchase and with IT you are typically making plans 1 to 2 weeks in advance.
Finally, I only get a car when I have to. I’d rather not. Especially in cities like San Francisco where you’re packed in like sardines.
Anyway, that’s how I roll. How do you roll?