This is not a story about weekending in Wisconsin, spending two weeks at Disney World or backpacking around Europe. If you attended the Bianca Jagger School of Packing and require six pieces of Louis Vuitton each time you head out the door . . . turn the page.
This is a story about the world`s most sensible and experienced globetrotters: business travelers. Their jobs require impeccable business attire as well as a tastefully chic look at a moment`s notice.
They show up for a board meeting in London on Monday, then follow it up with a conference in Geneva on Thursday and are still bright-eyed in Chicago the next Monday a.m. They travel the New York-Chicago-L.A. route every couple of months, yet manage to sneak in a short weekend on the Costa del Sol or a few days in Fiji.
But never do they appear burdened by too much luggage, rumpled or harassed. Instead, the dozen-plus international business travelers we talked to have streamlined their travel style born of necessity. According to Linda Gotkowski of Rex Travel Inc. on La Salle Street: ”A business traveler can easily average 150,000 miles a year. One client even topped the 600,000-mile mark.” That kind of mileage may rack up points on frequent flier cards, but 11 hours of flying time takes its toll physically and mentally.
How do business travelers make it to those destinations with their cool intact? The most common denominator among them is a reliance on five travel items, many of which they named by brand, items they say have been proven sturdy, are small, packable and versatile. All are available in the Chicago area at major department stores and specialty travel and luggage shops.
The cart
The Kart-A-Bag Continental 500: ”It was recommended by a pilot,” says New York-based international banker Karen Mauch. Although she has tried several carts, she favors this one for its sturdiness (it`s made of high-impact plastic and aluminum) and compactness (”it has small wheels and weighs only 3 1/2 pounds”). ”I`ve dragged it down the Tube steps in London and onto the Metro in Paris–it`s really sturdy. It`s got a five-year warranty, but I`ve had it seven years already. It also folds up and comes with a carrying case so you can check it through with your luggage.”
Why a travel cart and not a porter? Porters are becoming rarer these days, say the travel veterans, and a cart makes breezing through airports with a briefcase, sometimes a purse and heavy carry-on suitcase a snap.
According to the manufacturer, Remin Inc. of Joliet, of the 11 carts in the company`s line, the Continental 500 is the big seller to members of the travel industry. A nylon or vinyl carrying case with a shoulder strap comes with the cart, which, when folded up, is about the size of a tennis racket.
The steamer
Travel-Lite Wrinkles Away Steamer by Franzus Co. Model WA-4: ”Even though I call and check, it seems there`s never hanging space available on the airlines these days. So I don`t go anywhere without the steamer,” says Chicagoan Sally Becker, who travels for business and pleasure. ”The steamer takes up so little space. And it works better than an iron. You never know when you`ll have a flat surface to work on. I`ve tried having things pressed by the hotel, but talent varies. And you can`t be assured things will come back on time.”
The steamer, the newest, smallest model–it`s only 8 ounces–in the Franzus line, works with tap water, has an adapter plug and comes with a soft- cloth travel bag. Becker, who has had her unit for several years, and others interviewed say the steamer works as well on silks and wools as it does on men`s suits.
The clock
Braun Quartz Travel Alarm Model AB 312 SL: ”It`s small enough to fit in your pocket and has an alarm that gradually increases in volume,” says Phil Parkinson, who`s had his Braun for ”five or six years.” An international banker for 26 years and now the owner of the Halsted Holidays Inc. travel agency, Parkinson says such an alarm clock is important ”when you have crazy travel schedules. If you`ve had a late-evening dinner and you try to catch an afternoon nap, you can`t count on a wake-up service.”
Of those interviewed, in fact, most carry a travel alarm despite wake-up services (which they don`t trust) and alarm clocks in the room (which they hate to fuss with setting, since they don`t know if it`s set correctly until it`s too late). The battery-run Braun has time zones delineated on the cover and a snooze alarm. A light, which illuminates the clock face, doubles as a small flashlight. Weighing only 2 ounces, the clock measures 2 1/2-by-3 1/4-by- 3/4 inches.
Security devices
Lite-A-Life smoke detector and Portabolt door lock: ”Since you never know when the batteries in the hotel smoke alarm were changed–or if they are even in there,” says a Chicago design consultant, ”it`s nice to have a back- up system” like Lite-A-Life. Extra security, especially for women traveling alone, is the reason Portabolt is popular.
Both units, says Sandy Wexler of Chicago`s Savvy Traveller, ”are small and easy to use.” The Lite-A-Life hangs on the hotel room door. When smoke is detected, the alarm goes off and a light goes on. The light is used to help you see through smoke. Wexler favors the Portabolt over a burglar alarm because, ”with an alarm, the break-in has to actually occur; this can prevent a break-in.” The metal-plastic Portabolt locks the door shut while you are inside the room, then releases easily for quick exits.
The converter-adapter
The Franzus Deluxe FR-1650 converter-adapter set: ”Some converters work on hair dryers but don`t work on lower-wattage contact lens cleaning units. And some don`t come with adapters,” Mauch says. ”But the Franzus unit is a complete set”–and is the brand and unit favored by many people interviewed. The converter can be used with low-watt appliances (up to 50 watts) or high-watt items (50 to 1,650 watts) to convert the voltages. Four adapter plugs
–to adapt the plug-prongs on your appliance to the outlets in different countries–and a circuit-breaker are packed in a case, which features a guide to voltages and plug styles around the world.
Other travel tips
Besides these tried-and-true items, many business travelers came up with other essentials for travel survival:
— Evian atomizer. Several women say it`s crucial because airplanes and hotel rooms are so dry.
— Flexible wax earplugs. ”They`re comfortable because they mold to your ear. Then you don`t lose sleep in hotel rooms that can be noisy,” says Lucy Salenger, former director of the Illinois Film Office and now a partner in The Odeon Group, a film development and production organization.
— Airline guide. Ron Schmidt, of I.B. Diffusion, a major U.S. sweater manufacturer, travels regularly throughout the Far East. He relies on the guide to help him cope with last-minute changes ”without having to wait on the telephone or at an airline office.”
— Headphone cassette player. ”On 18-hour flights, I work for at least six hours,” says Schmidt, ”and a Walkman allows me to listen to business tapes.” The radio/cassette player also takes care of chatty neighbors, crying babies and long airport waits, the travelers say.
— Mini-dictation machines. Bob Sedivec, vice president of Chicago`s International Travel and Training Courses Inc., says, ”I use it not only as a journal but also to record sounds of the cities visited.” And business information and expenses and . . .
— Small appliances. Business travelers who regularly visit one country will purchase small appliances made there–a hair dryer, shaver, etc.–to avoid the issue of a converter and plug adapter.
— Pocket calculator. It can help a traveler cope with daily currency changes, Parkinson says. ”I also take 10 minutes to write the conversion for 10, 100 and 1,000 U.S. dollars on a small piece of paper that I carry in my wallet.”
— Insect repellent. The small tube is essential, especially for those traveling in semi-tropical and tropical climes. ”You never know where you`ll end up when flights are diverted,” says one veteran.
— Hangers. Because many hotels don`t have removable hangers, journalist Lisa Anderson packs a wooden pants-skirt hanger and small inflatable plastic hangers so clothes can be steamed in the bathroom.
— Soap and fresheners. Powdered Woolite, in packets, says one traveler, fabric softener sheets for keeping the suitcase fresh, says another. Many of those interviewed, though, rely heavily on top-notch hotel services. Says Parkinson: ”When traveling for business I stay in an entirely different type of hotel. When I`m traveling for pleasure, I stay in the quaint places.”
— Nail polish remover. Take the pads that come in packets, says Anderson, not the liquid that comes in a bulky, spillable bottle.
— Photos. I take ”a photo of my husband and children,” says Salenger,
”and I always buy fresh flowers the minute I arrive.”
— Collapsible, lightweight bag. Anderson uses it for short overnight or day trips away from the hotel.
— Washcloth and a plastic bag to store it in. European hotels often don`t have them.
— Immersion heater for coffee or tea. A salvation when hotels charge $10 for room service coffee or the kitchen is closed. The small coffee-making units may be valuable, says Mauch, ”if you do a lot of domestic travel. Usually you have to catch early flights and be out of your hotel even before room service begins.” —
