Travel Destination

Steps  arrival at your travel destination

Congratulations on a smooth landing and a safe journey. Now, as the plane taxis down the runway toward the terminal, it’s time to start thinking about your arrival checklist, gathering your belongings and making your way toward the hotel.  Reaching your travel destination safely is just part of a successful transition from home base to your remote business travel location.  In this post, we will discuss many of the steps and helpful tips that you should follow upon arriving at your destination.

Once the “Fasten Seat Belts” sign goes off and you are cleared to exit the aircraft, you should take your first of many personal belongings inventories.  Take the time to ensure you have all of your electronics, you have your travel documents close at hand and grab your carry-on before leaving the airplane.

Upon entering the terminal you will notice that this is a very busy area, with people headed in all kinds of directions. At this point it is best to just follow the signs toward the baggage claim area, unless of course you did not check any luggage.

Baggage claim / Luggage Tags

Baggage claim may be a considerable distance from the terminal and may likely be on another floor.  Fortunately, the route to baggage claim is clearly marked and should follow the signs to get there.  You should also consider getting to baggage claim as quickly as you can.  The other passengers will be headed that way and the area will get crowded quickly.  Once you have arrived in the baggage claim area, gather any carts you may need and position yourself close to the carousel.   Keep in mind that you do not want to be too close to the start of the carousel, give yourself enough space and time to identify your luggage and remove them safely.

If you have followed our tips in the Travel Preparation section, you will have clearly marked your luggage to make them easily identifiable.  In fact, there are many steps that you should take to prepare your luggage for business travel.  Take some time to review our Travel Preparation sections or download our Travel Preparation checklists.  Placing brightly colored luggage tags or ribbons on your luggage will help you to quickly identify your bags.  Today, more than ever, many types of luggage look identical.  Personalizing your baggage may not only be helpful, but necessary.  In addition, you should check the luggage tag to further insure the bags are yours.  And now that you have gathered all of your gear, it is time to move toward your method of transportation.

Obtaining Business Travel Transportation

Traditionally you would now be heading to the rental car counter, but we live in a new world today and your options are many.  Some options you have are the typical rental car, a hotel or airport shuttle or perhaps a taxi, but most recently you can use companies called Uber or Lyft.

Of course, you will have predetermined your mode of transportation, but it is always beneficial to know your options, should the unexpected happen.

Observe on your trip to hotel / Plan your exit

As you drive from the airport to the hotel, be observant.  Take note of landmarks and pay particular attention to things such as toll booths or road construction which may impact your travel plans. You will also want to note the time requirements for the trip from the airport to the hotel. so that you can more accurately plan your return trip.

Should you be taking a taxi or Uber, you may want to ask the driver for recommendations regarding restaurants or entertainment. Be careful not to give any personal information for security purposes.

How to deal with Jet lag

If you are traveling from one time zone to another, it is possible that you will experience “jet lag”.  The term jet lag simply means that your body’s internal clock does not match the time zone.  For example, when traveling from the east coast of the United States to the west coast there will be a three hour time change.  You will in fact gain three hours of time and this can effect your internal clock dramatically.  If your typical bed time is 9 pm, you may begin to feel drowsy at 6 pm in the new time zone.  Some other possible symptoms are:

• Fatigue – Daytime drowsiness, lack of energy
• Disturbed sleep — Insomnia, trouble sleeping or waking early
• Difficulty concentrating or functioning as normal
• Moodiness
• Generally no feeling well

We will  go into greater detail regarding methods for dealing with jet lag in a later post, but for now, here are a few tips:

• Arrive at your destination early enough to adjust.
• Adjust yourself in advance of the trip.
• Sleep on the plane, if possible
• Stay hydrated and exercise often helps
• Consider a sleep aid, such as melatonin.

 Make sure your clocks are correct

Take the time to make sure that all of your time keeping devices are accurate to the new time zone.  Most smart phones will automatically change the time upon checking in with a cell tower near your destination.  But of course, you will need to change your watch manually.

Check your surrounding / Check the weather

I’m sure the pilot has updated you on the local weather conditions, but it never hurts to step outside and get a feel for you new surroundings.  Make any adjustments to your clothing that might be necessary due to the weather.

Charge electronics

When travelling, take every opportunity to charge your electronics.