For women going places

Concierge

10/22/08

I made my first trip to Asia this week. I thought it was very successful - although I don't recommend going to Hong Kong for a four day business trip that seems to be the way business travel is these days. Having never been to the country and not knowing a word of the language, I was a little anxious as to how I was going to get around. But, true to experiences in the past, the hotel concierge was a tremendous help. I always think of the concierge as my on-site assistant, but with the language barrier I was a little tentative. I am happy to report that the concierge at this hotel was great - in addition to taking care of the usual tasks, such as directing me on where to go for dinners and making reservations, even more valuable to me, as it turned out, was this concierge's practice of writing the addresses of the places I needed to go in the local Chinese language on a paper I could take with me. I just handed the piece of paper to the taxi driver, pointed to the address, and was delivered to my destination promptly without any hitches. My motto of 'make the concierge your best friend' held true again.


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SAFETY CONCERNS

10/1/08

Some key security tips that every traveler should use:

  • Check-in Checklist. In a hotel, don't let the desk clerk announce your room in a voice that can be heard by anyone but you. If you are signing a hotel charge to your room, do not leave the signed receipt on the table; give it directly back to the server. Keep yourself safe and keep unwanted visitors out - check to be sure there's no one else in your room every time you enter, check the phone to make sure it works, and use door bolts and chains. Fire safety: don't trust the map on the back of the door; do a dry run - drop your bags and find the closest exits, then relax. When you go out, leave a note in your room detailing where you went, what time you left and what you were wearing.
  • Identity Insurance: Do not allow your name, credit card number, home address or phone to be discussed or printed on any visible document, including luggage tags.
  • Put Your Best Foot Forward: Do you like to run as part of your work out routine while on the road? You don't have to run alone - contact a health club or running store and inquire about running clubs; and join one of them for your daily run.
  • What's in your Wallet: Minimize the number of credit cards you carry. Good rule: one for business and one for personal. If you are traveling internationally, alert your bank that you will be out of the country and to expect uncommon charges.

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