Road Warrior Resources
relevant resources
time-saving tools and technologies
In today’s world, traveling can be
tough. Airport security is tight,
prices are steep and navigating
a foreign city can be a real pain.
The speaking profession requires a
great deal of time spent traveling,
so we asked a handful of road warriors to
share their secrets for hassle-free
travel to make life on the road
(or in the air) a little less bumpy.
In the Air
3Read the latest airline news at
Upgrade: Travel Better (
www.upgrade-travelbetter.com), a blog that offers tips
on finding discounted first class fares,
advice for traveling and rants and raves
for your entertainment.
BEST PRACTICES
3 don’t leave the house without one-sheets and extra copies of
your book(s).
3 If possible, don’t pack anything you can’t carry on.
3 bring an empty water bottle with you to the airport so you can fill
up at the fountain after going through security.
3 call your credit card company ahead of time if you’re traveling
somewhere you don’t usually go.
3 keep your doctors’ contact information and medical prescription
numbers in your phone in case of an emergency.
3 use your passport Id instead of driver’s license in case you lose
the license and are unable to rent a car at the other end.
3 carry two credit cards—one in a safe in your hotel room and the
other in your wallet.
3 email your materials to the closest office max, staples or office
depot and have them delivered to the site.
3 wear something that’s suitable for speaking.
3 keep a clean copy of your materials on hand that can be copied in
case more people attend your session.
3 always leave plenty of time to catch your plane. when you’re
early, you can relax and return phone calls or catch up on reading.
On Land
3Get a GPS navigation system when traveling in unfamiliar territory. Some of the popular brands include Garmin,
Tom Tom, Magellan and HP. Be
sure to keep a map on board
for backup, because you never
know when technology will fail.
3Tote a lightweight, portable
scanner like the IRIscan (www.
irislink.com) for items such as
business cards, receipts and
papers. This gadget will save
you if you misplace a business
contact’s card or accidentally
trash an important paper.
3Swap your bulky luggage
for lightweight yet spacious
bags from Züca (www.zuca.
com). The Züca Pro comes in two colors and offers enough room for three-to four-day trips, and you can even
sit on it while waiting in a crowded
terminal.
3Say “good-bye” to your outdated
cell phone and “hello” to a Smartphone.
Switch to a Blackberry (www.black- berry.com) or iPhone ( www.apple.com)
so you can use Google applications
while on the go to track down a taxi,
check airport delays and take advantage
of free travel applications.
Find out at SeatGuru ( www.seatguru.
com) where you can view detailed
seating maps, in-flight amenities and
compare airlines.
3Snag a Clear® card (www.flyclear.
com) so you’ll never get stuck in air-
port security lines again. Members
are pre-screened and provided
with a high-tech card which
allows them access to desig-
nated airport security fast lanes
nationwide. One year member-
ship is $199.
3Visit Travelzoo ( www.travelzoo.
com) and subscribe to Travelzoo Top
20®, one of the best lists of travel deals
for the week you’ll find on the Web.
3Use ITA Software ( www.itasoft-ware.com) to check prices. Founded
by a group of computer scientists, ITA
is used by travel agents to book air-fare and it will show you the rate you
should expect to pay.
3Does your flight include a meal?
Is your seat close to the lavatory? Do
you need a seat with extra leg room?
Everywhere
3Invest in a quality cam-
corder to capture great things
as they happen in photo and
video. Find familiar brands like
Sony, Panasonic and Canon at
Best Buy ( www.bestbuy.com).
3Set up an account at
Upromise ( www.Upromise.com)
and earn college savings for your-
self or your children when you
shop online. Upromise is part-
nered with hundreds of leading
companies including Avis, Best
Buy, eBay, Expedia and Wal-Mart.
3Carry an iPod in case of
inevitable delays—whether
waiting for a taxi, wondering aimlessly
through an airport or driving to and from
your next speaking engagement. The
new iPod touch ( www.apple.com) allows
you to connect to the Internet so you can
surf the Web, get directions, check the
weather, follow your stocks and listen to
your favorite music.
Contributors: Robert Bradford, CSP; Terri
Langhans, CSP; Ed Rigsbee, CSP; Terry Brock,
CSP; David Greenberg, CSP; Patti Wood, CSP;
Kathryn Hustson; and Laurie Brown.
