World Travellers

Casey Phillips our expert of the day, writes:

I am always going on business trips for work. The one thing I cannot travel without is my trusty laptop. As much as I love my MacBook, it is always an annoyance having to put the laptop through security, carry it with me around the airport, and finally, get it, along with myself, onto the plane. Normally it is not a question for me; I always bring my laptop as a carry-on.

However, on my most recent business trip I decided that because I was not planning to do any computer work on the plane, there was no reason to carry it with me. I regrettably checked it in with the rest of my luggage. This was the worst mistake I could have made. For a seasoned business traveler, this may seem like a blunder only a novice would make. However, sometimes we all need a little reminding. I hope by relaying my story, I can save you from making the same mistake I did. A laptop is an extremely valuable portable device. Whether you are in the office or on the go, it can quickly provide you with access to important data, information, and software. However, it is for these same reasons that laptops are of great interest to thieves, and, consequently, highly vulnerable to theft.

Jawahn R Thompson our expert of the day, writes:

As with any area of specialization, there are business travelers who always seem to know what they are doing and those who constantly seem to be in a state of crisis. The business traveler who has been at it a while figures out some insider information that not many travelers know. These little travel secrets make the world of difference when traveling. And you can bet they are not going to share this information with just anyone because this is the kind of information that can change the nature of your business travel forever.

Your laptop is a crucial piece of equipment as you travel. In an airport emergency situation, your wireless laptop can be used to change reservations so you can avoid those long lines to get on the next flight out. You can reserve a rental car or snag one of the few remaining hotel rooms in town right from the comfort of a seat at the airport. Then the savvy business traveler can casually stroll to his or her designation as others around them panic because they knew how to leverage technology and the internet to bail themselves out of a crisis situation.