Business travelling can be tiring, especially for those that travel frequently on business.

It is therefore even more important to plan your corporate travel, to save you valuable time and make your travel as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. These business travel tips will help you.

Travelling with a well prepared business itinerary can save you lot of time and like every business man or women know... time is money.

A key part of your travel preparation is to complete a business template with all the information you'll need in one place. Even though it will take you little bit of time to compile, it will save you valuable time when on the road and make sure you don't forget anything you need for your journey.

What The Business Itinerary Template Should Look Like

It can look anyway you like, but it should include at least the following information:

·       Dates of travel, check-in times, flight times, flight numbers, itinerary, and costs.

·       The name and location of your departing and arriving airport

·       Airport terminal number

·       Transportation to and from your airports

·       The name, address and telephone number for your hotel

·       Your hotel reservation number

·       Transportation from the airport to your hotel

·       Names and contact numbers for your business contacts

·       Names and contact numbers for all travel partners

·       Your business agenda during your business trip

·       Time and location for all meetings, whom you are meeting with and the meeting agenda

·       Time and location for all events and whom you are entertaining or being entertained by

·       Suggested daily budget and local currency exchange rate

·       All other relevant information for your trip, as applicable

o   Train times, station, platform, etc

o   Taxi pickup times, account details or how much if you have to pay cash

o   Hire car information, pickup and drop off times, location, reservation number, etc.

o   Important local information, like weather, local etiquette, dress code, tipping advice, etc.

Your completed business template should be included in a travel pack that you always take with you on your business trip. You should send a copy of your business itinerary to those who will need it.

There are a couple of things you should take care of as soon as you are back from your business trip.

First, make sure you keep good track of your records and invoices throughout your trip and claim Business Travel Expenses as soon as possible.

Second, most companies require a business trip report. Your company may have a standard template, but if not, make one.

Essential Business Documents

Keep these documents in your travel pack.

·       Flight tickets and boarding pass if checking in on-line

·       Passport, driver’s license, international vaccination health certificate (if applicable)

·       Train tickets, car rental vouchers, etc.
 
        Business Travel Insurance Policy· 

·       Photocopy of all your travel documents

·       Hard copy of your travel itinerary and meeting agenda

·       Photocopy of the travel itinerary for the family

·       Map of the area

·       Business cards

·       Working documents

·       Travel money and company credit card

·       Other cards as applicable, i.e. air miles card, business lounges access cards, etc.

Top Travel Tips 

CNEW YORK (AP) — Passengers beware: More airline fees are on their way.

Another airline is promising to change the way we fly by offering cheap base fares but then adding on a bevy of additional fees. Passengers flying Frontier Airlines will now have to pay extra to place carry-on bags in the overhead bin or for advance seat assignments.
The move comes as the Denver-based airline tries to transform itself into a fee-dependent airline, similar to Spirit Airlines or Allegiant Air — the only other U.S. carriers to charge such fees. Frontier already charges $1.99 for soda and bottled water on its flights, a fee it added on July 1.
Frontier says that in exchange for these new fees, it is lowering its base fare by an average of 12 percent. The new charges apply to tickets purchased on or after Monday.

There is no indication that larger carriers like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines or United Airlines are considering such fees.

Frontier's fee for using the overhead bin ranges from $20 for frequent fliers who book online to $50 for those who fail to pay before getting to the gate. Most will pay $25 if they check-in online; $35 if they check-in at the airport. Frontier previously only charged a fee for carry-on bags to people who booked the cheapest tickets through third-party sites like Expedia and Orbitz. Monday's change applies to everybody except those booking the most expensive fares.

Personal items fitting under the seat remains free.

That's in addition to the $15 to $25 fliers will pay for their first checked bag.

Additionally, seat assignments — even for the dreaded middle seat — now cost an extra $3 for those who buy while booking online; $8 at check-in. If passengers don't pay extra, Frontier will assign them whatever seats are left over.

Frontier is also following the model of other airlines in charging extra for seats with more legroom or just those closer to the front of the plane.

For "select" seats, which are just in the front half of the plane, Frontier will charge an extra $5 to $15 per flight, depending on when they are purchased. "Stretch" seats with an extra 5 to 7 inches of legroom — including those in the exit row — will cost $15 to $50 per flight segment, depending on the distance flown. Connecting passengers would have to pay each fee twice.

Passengers who buy more-expensive, fully-refundable "Classic Plus" fares will get stretch seats for free as well as one checked bag and one free carry-on bag. Similar benefits will be given for free to elite members of Frontier's frequent flier program.

In December, a struggling Frontier was purchased by Indigo Partners LLC, a private equity firm that has revamped several near-bankrupt airlines by changing their business model. One of its latest turnarounds was Spirit, based in Miramar, Fla. Just last week, Frontier named Barry L. Biffle as its new president. Biffle had spent nearly nine year working as chief marking officer of Spirit.

"Frontier is merely copying Spirit, reflecting its investment by Indigo," said Henry Harteveldt, an airline analyst. "I'm not surprised that the airline is doing this."
Huff Post Travel 4/28/14

Are you putting off a vacation because you don’t think you can afford it? 

Prioritize what is important to you.  Are memories more important than sitting on the couch watching TV?  Get some exercise while you vacation.  Go on a vacation that fancies your passion whether it is photography, food, history, etc.

Planning is important not only on where you want to go, but how you will pay for the trip.

Here are some ways to cut your budget and save for a vacation.

1.       Join a cheaper gym

2.       Check your health insurance to see if you go to your gym 12 times a month, they will reimburse you $20 per month.

3.       Cut your cable channels back.  We sit in front of the TV too much anyway.

4.       Make your own coffee instead of buying it at the local coffee shop.

5.       Buy fewer clothes.  Most of us have too much stuff anyway

6.       Eat at home more often.

7.       If you are over 55, take the Senior Driving Class and your insurance bill goes down.

8.       If you have teenagers, make sure they keep their grades up, (insurance goes down when grades are up)

9.       Shop for good house and car insurance that may be less expensive than what you have now.

10.     Make payments over the phone or on-line.  It saves on stamps and checks.

11.     Buy a used car instead of a new one.   Also buy one that has good gas mileage.

12.     Sell stuff on Craig’s List that you don’t use.
 
13.     Cut coupons.  There are lots of deals online for groceries, tickets, and restaurants.

14.     Go to a $2.00 movie theater instead of the $10.00 theater.

15.     Combine trips such as grocery shopping, banking, and buying gas.

16.     Check your cell phone plan.  Will you get good phone service on another plan that is less expensive?  Do you need the number of minutes your plan provides?  Do you need a land line and a cell phone?  Plans are becoming more flexible with fewer contracts.

17.     Are you paying too much interest on credit cards?  Call your credit card company and see if they will lower your rate.  Also pay off as much on your credit cards as possible.

I was happy to volunteer to help with the finale of a challenge for middle and high school girls to create mobile phone apps.  Eleven Minnesota teams competed in the global challenge. Technovation puts a purpose behind programming. The 2014 program theme challenged young women to develop an app to solve a real problem in their community. 

The global Technovation entrepreneurial program coaches young women, through an intensive 3-month, 50-hour curriculum.  Teams of young women work together to imagine, design, and develop mobile apps, then pitch their “startup” businesses to investors.  Girls can create an app that addresses a teen issue, women’s issue or create an app for a non-profit. 

I could really use the app designed to reduce stress.  As you can see from the picture, I was trying to let off a little steam after helping set up for the event.  It was fun to work with my daughter on the event.

Hard work and skills will only get you so far. The most successful people also find joy in working life. It's not as difficult as it may seem. Here are the top habits for people who are happy at work.

By Lisa Evans Fast Company  4-9-2014

Study, work hard, and you will be successful.

This was the mantra repeated by educators throughout my youth. None of them added "be happy" to the success equation.

But a growing body of research in positive psychology and neuroscience is demonstrating that happiness is the secret ingredient to success. It turns out, our brains are more engaged, creative, productive, and resilient when in a positive state.

Jim Donovan, consultant, speaker and proclaimed "happiness expert" offers workplace advice to employers and employees on how to make their work lives more fulfilling. His latest book Happy @ Work comes on the heels of a Gallup poll that reported employee disengagement in the U.S. as high as 70%.

All this unhappiness comes with a high price tag to businesses, costing more than $550 billion a year in lost productivity. In his book, Donovan identifies 60 simple steps individuals can take to improve their happiness and get back on the path to success. Here are six of the top things happy workers do:

Change the word “problem” to “challenge.” “Problems tend to be things we try to avoid, while challenges are things we step up to fix,” writes Donovan. Making this minor change in vocabulary can have a big impact on how you deal with a situation. A challenge can be interpreted as an opportunity to showcase your talents or learn a new skill.

Mix up your daily routine.Many of us get stuck in the daily rut; driving the same route to work, eating the same breakfast, starting the day by filtering through emails. Changing up our routine stimulates the brain, enhancing creativity and happiness. “By changing your everyday patterns and habitual processes, you will be creating new neural connections in your brain.

Simply changing your route to and from work will expose you to new visual and auditory stimuli, [for example],” writes Donovan. This explains why extraordinary thinkers such as Steve Jobs and Steven Spielberg were known to on long walks to stimulate breakthrough ideas.

Start the day with the big questions.Asking yourself a series of empowering questions such as “what am I looking forward to today?”, “what am I grateful for today?” first thing in the morning can have you starting the day with purpose and get your brain into a positive state.

Arrive at work early.Nothing can damper a mood faster than getting stuck in rush hour traffic. Leaving home even 20 minutes earlier can have you arriving at the office in a less frazzled state, giving you some extra time to ease into the day ahead, and grab that first cup of coffee in peace.

Have an office playlist. Music is a feel-good tool. If you’ve ever heard a song that immediately transports you to a past event, you know the power of music. Music can improve how you feel at work or in any given situation. Donovan recommends developing a feel-good playlist and notes even Olympic medalist Michael Phelps was seen bopping to his iPod moments before breaking the world record for winning the most Olympic medals.

Avoid energy zappers.You know who they are; those people who go on for hours about their personal problems, the latest international disaster or the traffic jam on the freeway. These individuals appear obsessed with finding something wrong in every situation.

When possible, attempt to surround yourself with winners; those who are positive and uplifting and just seem to radiate happiness.

There are so many benefits to letting someone else take on all the details that come with having The Perfect Trip. See why more and more travelers choose to Go Guided — and why they never go back.

Go Tour Managers/Tour Experts!
This highly skilled professional, tour manager, is a key player on your tour.  You’ll know you’re in good hands. With their rich travel backgrounds, as well as their useful information about language, currency, and all things local, you can relax and enjoy the ride. 

Go Culture!
Become a part of the culture. Staying overnight in an Irish castle like Old-World royalty…feeling the cool waters of the Great Barrier Reef envelop you as you snorkel in its turquoise paradise…or rolling dough with an Italian chef to make the perfect pizza. It’s not just about all the iconic spots that will make for the best photos, it’s about diving into another world that makes for the best memories. Experiences are created around locals, which might never happen when you don’t have the resources to plan around a faraway destination.

Go Product Team!
Product experts scope out the best of worldwide destinations. They go, take it all in, and find the moments they love best. Those are the moments they create for you. Those experiences and sights comprise each itinerary and make each one extra-special. Best of all, you don’t have to plan a thing. You just need to choose which itinerary best suits you.

Go Social!
Meet a cast of characters: your fellow travelers, tour manager, driver, local guides and more. The social aspect of guided travel is one of the best parts! Many travelers on tours have forged lasting friendships. However, you have enough off time to do what you want on your own. 

Go Worry-Free!
Your peace of mind is most important. Transportation from airports to hotels and between destinations. People are available 24/7 to help with any emergency. Several meals are included and you don’t need to worry about where you are going to eat.

Go Economical!
Tour experts get group rates for hotels, admissions, meals, and transportation.  Stay at five star hotels for the price of three star hotels.  Be assured that you will be staying in top notch hotels.

To learn about some popular guided tours, call 612-559-6545 or fill out your contact info at: www.petersontravelpros.com

On our last day in Costa Rica the taxi picked us up at 4:00 AM.  We got to the airport at 4:30.  When we got there we stood in line for about 15 to pay for our airport tax of $29 each.  (everyone pays this).  We could have prepaid the tax for $3.00 extra at the hotel in San Jose, but they were out of forms.  After we filled out the form, we got in line to check in.  My line was long as I had a soccer team in front of me that had several large boxes to check in.  After check in, I had to go into another line to check my passport.  After that, there was one more line to get through security.  The line went fast.  They didn’t check for liquids at this point.  However, right before you boarded the plane, they checked your suitcase for liquids.  The airport is not huge, so it wasn’t too far to the gate.  When they called our zone we walked outside to get onto a bus that took us to our plane.  More than one bus was filled to get people to it.  Everyone boarded orderly and the plane left on time.  I didn’t get home until 12:30 AM.  I had arranged for the Super Shuttle to take me home.  The ride is $35 and well worth it.  I was lucky to be the first dropped off.  I was glad to be home and very happy that I had made many good friends along the way. I was also glad that I didn't have to use any of the Imodium that the travel clinic recommend I take with me.

Marcella Vernon runs a small homestay in San Jose.  Her house is fenced in and has an intercom to ring when visitors come. When we arrived, she met us at the gate and showed us her large front yard with peacocks.  She has a beautiful two story home decorated in traditional Costa Rican motif including a brightly painted cart. She houses individuals as well as groups; some people stay with her and others with people in the neighborhood.  She also books tours.  Dinner is available for $10 each.   We still had fruit left over from the market, so we passed on dinner.  Later that evening, she took us to the market across the street.  It was comparable to any grocery store in the US.  She bought a few things to pack for breakfast for our trip to the airport.  She also arranged for a taxi to pick us up at 4:00 AM the next morning and told us it would be 15,000 colones (about $28.00 US).  We had to consolidate our bags so we only had the 2 carry ons.  We went to sleep at 9:00 PM so that we could be up at 3:30 AM.  Homestay is a good option if you are not interested in a pool.  It is a good way to get immersed into the culture and to learn a little Spanish.  I highly recommend it. If you want more information about Marcella's Homestay, please contact me at [email protected].

After we checked in at our hotel in Dominical, we asked if there was a way we could get a taxi to drive to a waterfall.  We arranged for one to pick us up at 2:30.  The taxi was prompt and he took us about 5 miles to the waterfalls. It was in a very desolate place, with no sign, but fortunately, there was another taxi there.  We asked the taxi driver to show us exactly where it was.  He took it down a very unkept path, where I stumbled and fell.  Luckily it was a soft fall with no injuries.  It is a good thing that it was a short walk.

It wasn't much of a falls, so we took pictures and left.  The driver dropped us off at the beach.  There were a lot more vendors right on the beach than there were at Manual Antonio.  Dominical is a lot smaller than Manual Antonio and there wasn't much business; however, the prices were about the same. 

After shopping, we soaked up the sun on the white sand beach. We found a couple of empty chairs with an umbrella. There were a fair number of people on the beach; many of them were surfers and much younger than us.  Again, the waves were big, yet gentle.  We didn’t stay too long as we wanted to get back to the hotel before dark.  As we walked down the wobbly road, we passed several restaurants.  They were all small and very rustic looking. I noticed a dog hanging around the tables at one of them.  After passing about five restaurants, we decided to eat at our hotel. 

It was probably about a mile to our hotel.  When we got there, we enjoyed a walk around the grounds.  There were several beautiful flowers.  We cleaned up and got ready for dinner.  Our coconut shrimp was delicious. 

When we got back into the room, we saw a gecko on the wall.  We asked housekeeping to get it out, but they said there was nothing they could do and that they won’t hurt us.  We went to the pool and talked till about 11:00.  By that time we were really tired and tried to forget about the gecko.  I slept with a hat on and a sheet over my mouth.  I woke up about 6:00 and Jan was already up.  I don’t think she slept much.  I was still tired and slept for another hour.  We ate and walked around the grounds more. 

We were being picked up at 11:20 for our ride back to San Jose.  The driver was on time.  He already had two other people in the van.  I asked them where they stayed, and they said "High up the hill; so high the van couldn’t get us."  A jeep had to bring them down to meet the van.  They had toucans and macaws on their property. 

I was happy to be on my way back to San Jose.  Unfortunately, we didn’t take a ride straight to San Jose. We had to pick up someone in Jaco, so we went the long way around.  We were the last ones to be dropped off and didn’t get back to our place until 5:00.  Graciously, our driver dropped us off at the house where we were staying.  More tomorrow about our homestay with Marcella Bell.