Sorry to hear about your experience on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). The DLR can be a nasty and forbidding place outside of rush hour. If your company can pay for it, you could perhaps make all your journeys by taxi. Also, if your company is willing to stump up £250/night for a hotel, claim that any certain “expensive” hotel within walking distance of your conference centre is the only one available. Believe me, I’ve tried the cheap option to London, and, from a comfort standpoint, it’s not worth it.
Sounds like from your itinerary that your weekend in London is the same as my “last weekend in the UK ever” (OK, maybe not ever, but for a long long time). I’d offer to be on the list of “people to call” but I’m afraid I’m going to be tearing my hair out deciding what to pack, what to leave behind, and what to give away to charity shops.
Have a safe journey, Anthracite! You’ll love the weather in Madrid. Also, you’ll find driving in Spain little different from driving in the US, especially on the autovias (freeways). And everything there is so inexpensive! See, we’re all jealous.
Hi Una!
Perhaps you need to be reminded that fear is normal and self protective? That doesn’t mean you should give in to it, just acknowledge it and continue on. Most “brave” people are only brave on the outside. I don’t think you are so different. After all, the kind of travel you are talking about IS intimidating and there are many things that can go wrong. Only a fool would blithly pack up without a second thought. But balance it with the reality that most everything we worry about never happens!
[brief hijack] Thanks for the comment about India, oldscratch - makes me took forward even more to my own upcoming trip there. [/brief hijack]
You have a loaded travel schedule for sure, Anthracite, and reason to feel some anxiety about basic travel matters… but may I suggest that at least some of your unease might be related to having to be “on your toes” with a bunch of folks you haven’t met, in countries where the business customs are not what you’re used to? Moreover, your schedule leaves you no time to get acclimated to one place before you move on to the next. While I have not had the sort of schedule you will have on this trip, I can empathize completely with the fear of fouling up in front of professional colleagues.
As others have mentioned, making sure you have as much under control as you can before you leave helps immensely. I’ve also found some useful tips for traveling & business at Journeywoman, an online magazine for women who travel. There are lots on companies online that also produce specific reports on business etiquette in various countries, but as these tend to be a bit expensive, a book like “Do’s and Taboos Around the World for Women in Business” can be really helpful, too.
BTW, if you are concerned about carrying lots of cash, why not see if there are ATMs near the places that you’ll be staying? That way you can just take out as much money as you need in the appropriate currency, and get a better exchange rate besides… no hassles with exchanging traveler’s checks, or worrying about losing them. This tactic worked out just fine for me on a recent trip to France. MasterCard/Cirrus ATM locatorVISA/Plus ATM locator
To combat those feelings of loneliness while you’re away, I would urge you to add some phone calls home to your schedule - you get to hear familiar and comforting voices, plus your friends and family get to know that you’re safe as you arrive at every destination. If you have any books that are like old friends, bring those along too so that you can lose yourself in them for a little while. While I was doing field work for my thesis, I was 10,000+ miles away from home for up to 3 months at a stretch, and the phone calls and books were real lifelines for me.
Best wishes to you for a successful trip - I’m sure you’ll knock their socks off.
Got my itinerary today…they pretty much got every flight, hotel, and car reservation I needed. And the plane tickets are only $8400! Woo! First class in the US, Business Class for all non-US legs. Not bad, I guess. Good thing I’m not paying for them.
Tomorrow I “pull the trigger” and buy the tickets, unless something comes up overnight.
I think all of us are afraid of the unknown. That’s human nature. But there is a saying, “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Don’t let your fear hold you back from living your life or doing the things you want/need to do.
When I really am afraid of something, I tell myself that I will use that fear energy to my advantage; I will use it to empower myself.
A constructive way to do this is what they call creative visualization. Visualize yourself getting on the plane, doing all the things you need to do. See where you are, what you will wear, how you will speak. Many write this off as silly but it can really help you “see” yourself succeed.
Before you lie down to sleep, take a few moments to picture yourself meeting the challenges and succeeding. Anticipate problems and “see” yourself overcoming them. It really does help. Also, as other posters have said, if they trust you to represent them, there is a very GOOD reason for this. They obviously trust and believe in you. YOU should too!
Tveblen – I really have to echo what she said (and suck up to a NEW moderator!). Have at least one carry on bag with all your basic essentials so that if something happens to the rest of your luggage you have the basics. I always put in money, toiletries, and one change of clothes. It’s another way to give yourself added confidence!
Be strong, love, and know that you have many, MANY sending good, strong and positive energy to you!
[sub]between you and me, that trip sounds hellacious[/sub]
But that was my shy avatar talking. The rest of us think it sounds cool, if intimidating.
The only way, I’m guessing, to get over the apprehension would be to do it until you get sick and bored of it. You oughta be REAL sick of it by the time you get home, but it doesn’t sound like you’ll have a chance to get bored.
Here’s a thought, and one I can’t recommend from personal experience but a lot of people say it works well: you can try to have a good time. After all, you LIKE power plants!
I hope it’s a safe trip, mom… I’m sure you’ll be fine.
[/brief hijack]