Basic Preparations for International Business Travel

Traveling abroad for business can be beneficial, productive and exciting for your company. It can produce new business and networking opportunities, but it can also be hard on you. Especially if you are a business-travel novice.


Stay Connected
One of your most important considerations, especially for international business travel, is staying connected— to your office, to your contacts overseas and to anyone in the States who you rely on to conduct business. Start by managing your technology to preserve your ability to communicate en route: put your laptop, tablet, digital camera and anything else electronic in your carry-on luggage, rather than in your checked luggage. To make sure you have access to smartphone technology while traveling abroad, your best bet will be Internet-based solutions, which depend on data instead of cell technology. Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VOIP) applications like Skype let you make free calls to other users of these apps and very inexpensive calls to land lines and mobile phones— anywhere in the world. For text messaging, use free services like Google Voice.

Send Things Ahead
Sending materials ahead of time if you’ll be presenting at a conference may be a necessity or simply a convenience. Either way, one of the most important steps in the shipping process is international address verification. The last thing you want to worry about is undelivered mail.

Take Care of You
Jetlag is a common problem for business travelers. Drink plenty of water in the days before your trip, and cut back on alcohol and caffeine. If you’re going to a destination that requires more than 12 hours of air travel, stopping in a city en route for a night or a few hours or arriving early at your destination can help to break up your trip and allow your body to adjust to the time differences. Try to sleep and eat according to your new time zone, not the one you’re coming from.

Protection
To protect your data, files and presentation materials while traveling, Microsoft recommends these precautions:

• Don’t carry your laptop in a designated computer bag— it’s a dead giveaway that you’re carrying a laptop. Instead, consider a suitcase or a padded briefcase.
• Create strong passwords with capital letters, numbers and symbols. Don’t carry them anywhere near your laptop.
• Encrypt your files.
• Use a screen guard to make it difficult or impossible for anyone to see what you’re looking at on your computer.

Acclimate
Familiarize yourself of common cultural practices through books and videos before your trip. Take note of idioms (whether or not you speak the language of the country) and customs. You can even pass the time on the plane by reading up on the culture of your destination. If you can do this, you and the people you meet will all feel much more relaxed.

Scotland Holiday Guide

As a holiday destination there are fewer places which offer greater contrasts than Scotland.
Although just a couple of hours flying time from much of Europe and a simple train journey from much of the UK, this ancient kingdom contains the last wilderness to be found in the British Isles. It's a land of mists, myths and legends, yet this nation of fable and fantasy gave the world some of its most hard-headed, pragmatic and stunningly brilliant people - soldiers and scientists, explorers and engineers, poets and politicians.

It's home to exciting cities, too. There's the Victorian industrial virility of Glasgow and the River Clyde; Aberdeen - the 'Granite City'; Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands and, of course, Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, surrounded by its seven hills and presided over by its formidable castle.

Yet this same small land is home, in the far north, to the unpeopled and desolate beauty of Cape Wrath and the highest cliffs in the UK which plunge 900ft down into the wild and unfettered North Atlantic. Just down the western coast, though, the residue of the Gulf Stream waters lap sandy beaches in sheltered coves which, on a hot day of summer, could be anywhere in the Mediterranean.

Scotland is a land that can take a lifetime to discover and yet is ideal for both weekend-breaks and longer stay holidays. Its towns and cities make excellent bases from which to venture out and explore some of the most dramatic landscapes in the UK.

There's Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis and the Great Glen which runs from Inverness on the east coast to Fort William on the west coast. Part of the Glen is the long, narrow, very deep and always mysterious Loch Ness which still draws thousands of people every year hoping to catch a glimpse of the monster said to live somewhere down in the dark waters.

Scotland has a rich history with an army of ancient and strikingly beautiful castles, many of them built in seemingly impossible locations high on cliffs or overlooking lochs and rivers, a reminder of the country's volatile, violent and bloody past.

Today, though, the welcome extended to visitors from 'outside the borders' is a warm one and the Scots are known as some of the friendliest and most hospitable people in the world.

Tour a distillery and see how Scotch whisky is made - it's Scotland's second greatest export after its people! Try haggis; experience the raw passion of a football derby match in Glasgow or Edinburgh on a Saturday afternoon; go skiing at Aviemore; travel the beautiful West Highland Line from Glasgow to Fort William and on to Mallaig; see the salmon leaping and the golden eagle hunting.

Whenever you go and however long you get to spend there, Scotland is easily accessed with direct flights from all over Europe and the UK, too.

There's no better place to begin your discovery of Scotland than in the historic capital city. Hop into an Edinburgh airport taxi, get a good night's sleep in your chosen hotel and dream of exploring this amazing country.

London City Break Guide

London is a beautiful and busy city, perfect for a weekend break or a longer stay. There is plenty to see and do for all kinds of people, from singles to families. For those with an interest in history there are a number of museums to visit, many of which are free to enter. The Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum and the Natural History Museum are just a few that are world famous and have fascinating exhibits from throughout history and from all around the world. Likewise Kew Gardens, or to give it its full title, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is an interesting place to visit and explore. It`s not just about plants as it has many interactive activities for adults and children, including a tree-top walk and art exhibitions.

Of course, London is also well known for its shops. Most high-street clothes shops have their largest main branches in the city. There are many designer shops as well, but also the smaller, quirky boutique and vintage shops where you can find one-of-a-kind items, not just of clothing but just about anything from music to collectibles. Take a walk down Oxford Street for the larger stores or wander around Camden Town for the more unusual shops. And, of course, there is the world-famous market that takes place on Portobello Road, which is also the world`s largest antique market.

But what many people visit London for is its theatre. London`s theatrical shows are also world famous and have great variety. There are so many types of stage shows in the capital, from famous musicals and plays to the less well-known acts at smaller venues. A visit to London is not complete without at least one trip to the theatre.

There are also many old favorites that have been running for years, such as The Phantom of the Opera and new shows that crop up every year. There are shows based on films that have been turned into musicals, such as Legally Blonde and Ghost and shows that have been created using the music of pop and rock groups, such as Mamma Mia! and We Will Rock You. Theatre in London has become something everyone can enjoy (and afford), with shows for children which they will love, such as The Lion King or Matilda.

Traveling to London is easy, it can be reached by coach, train or plane and accommodation in the city ranges from the reasonably priced to the extravagant. With so much choice, many people find themselves returning to London again and again.

Information and tickets for any show people might be interested in can be found easily, either online or at the boxoffice and there is a range of ticket prices available.