Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Summer Travel Camp



Last week, I took my youngest to her first 5 day camp.  The house was filled with excitement as we prepared her for the trip and her time away.  We checked the list and checked it again to make sure she had everything she would need for camp.  That got me thinking, what “travel industry topics” could be taught in summer camp?

- Appropriate packing skills.  No, you don’t need 14 pairs of shoes for 5 days!  Kids get to wear one pair of shoes and pack on pair; sandals and tennis shoes.  Imagine how much room would be left in the overhead bins if we were all rationed to one pair of shoes in our luggage!  If it’s not on the packing list, you don’t need it! 
- Kids are told to bring a good disposition.  I would LOVE to remind people a few people of that each time I travel.  Having a good attitude gets you further in both life and relationships. 
- Friends CAN be made around an evening campfire with s’mores and mosquitoes.  It takes adults much longer to trust someone enough to call them a friend.  We have words like acquaintances and colleague. 
- Arts and crafts during the day.  This is one I would fail at miserably because I have NO artistic talents.  However, imagine the fun we would have creating the perfect hotel room or the airplane seat that one actually can sit in for more than 2 hours! 
- Anyone can sing.  We all know that not everyone can sing well, but kids don’t care.  They belt out the songs and have fun just singing! 
- Rec time is cherished.  Get out and enjoy the great outdoors, even if that means a walk around the block of your high rise in downtown big city, USA.  Taking in fresh air revitalizes you and helps you to get through the day. 
- The ride home is all about the memories.  In the car coming home, parents hear about their time away, what they learned and all the friends they made.  Most of us shake the dirt from our shoes, board a plane and never look at the impact our trip made to anyone, including ourselves.

We left the campground the other day with the kids singing, “Go make a difference.  We can make a difference!  Go make a difference in the world!”  I think they are right, each day, each trip, each event, we can make a difference.  So, however you do it, make a difference and keep going!

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Battery light



I was running around this morning to find all my cords because my batteries were low.  My phone was down to 8%, my tablet at 2%, my blue tooth was red and my office headset was beeping at me.  Then I thought, what if we all had our own battery light. 

Would we have an LCD monitor on our foreheads that told us when we needed to be rejuvenated?  Who would monitor that and how long would the battery last?  If I completed a great workout at the gym, would it make my battery light go up because I did something good for me or down because of the energy I exerted in the workout?  Would an hour long snuggle on the couch with my kids or husband make my light soar to green?!

Personally speaking, I do NOT want to know my expiration date!!  However, maybe it would be good if there was a service that reminded us to recharge our own batteries.  To step away from the madness in our lives and simply live.  Sure, there are times my body tells me slow down and sometimes I even listen!  Interestingly opposite to the technology platforms I was needing to charge this morning, when I feel my battery light getting low…instead of plugging in, I unplug!  I might sit, walk, run, dance, sing, read, cook, clean, laugh, cry, eat, drink, any number of things.  Isn’t it interesting that none of the things on this list have a cord or a battery light.  

My internal power source is family, friends, laughter and fun.  Would be great if my devices would charge each time I laugh.  That would force me to remember what is really important in life...with that, I keep going.  

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Being "In the Club"

Most people want to be a part of something.  Maybe its a team, a group, a movement, a family or even part of event.  In travel, everyone wants "in the club!" 

It might be an airline club where drinks, food and internet access are flowing like water.  The benefits of a hotel concierge club where breakfast is free and bountiful and evening snacks and beverages are  perfectly tempting.  How about a car program that allows you to choose your rental from almost anything on the lot or a "special line" that helps you clear customs and security more swiftly?

Some people earn access to these clubs, some people are given access to these clubs based on their company relationships and some people pay for these services on their own or on a per usage basis (i.e. day passes, increase in room rate to include the services, etc.) 


I travel often enough to be able to take advantage of these clubs from time to time and its a double edge sword.  They save my company money on things like breakfasts, drinks, bottled waters, and time.  However, do "day-passes" or "buy-up programs" take away from the person who shelled out money for annual passes or earned it?  I believe they do.  I believe airlines and hotel have to be able to manage the sale of these items more effectively so their die hard club users, the person who relies on those services, can have access when they need them. 

Everyone wants to be "in the club" but a service that was once a respite for the road-weary traveler is now a commodity for sale to anyone willing to pay for it.  It's become an ancillary revenue stream and top level customers are paying the price. 

In the club or out of the club, the important fact is that we keep going. 

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

The Perfect Partner



I think back to when I was dating.  I was looking for the perfect partner.  Someone who would know me better than I knew myself.  They would know what I wanted and when I wanted it.  More importantly, they would know what I need and when I needed it.  Someone who knew when I needed to laugh.  Someone who knew when I needed to talk.  Someone who nudged me to make the right decisions and incorporate them into those decisions. 

Then reality set in, there isn’t a perfect partner, although, I still stand by the line that I married the perfect man for me, thanks Brian! 

Take a look at the notes above.  That’s what we want in travel.  The perfect “partner.”  Someone who anticipates what I want and what I need.  (Coffee or Diet Dew immediately after take-off!)  They know me better than I know myself.  They have everything I want when I need it.  (Hotel has arranged my room to accommodate all the electronics I travel with!)  People say that travel, even business travel, is personal.  Hold on to your socks because travel suppliers are trying to meet the expectations of the travelers and it will get even more “personal” and let’s be honest, is that all bad?  Time will tell.  Until then, I will keep moving things around in my hotel rooms by myself…and, keep going.