Travel Kit...Again

My business travel generally averages two overnights per week. We all make choices and I’ve made one professionally that says I travel to my clients most times. We’ve attempted strategies to lure them into Old Town so that we don’t travel as much. Doesn’t work too often and I don’t blame our clients for not taking the bait.

Our pitch is usually something like…”Get off campus…leave your corporate environment so that we can do strategy work unimpeded…devoid of distraction etc.” We book folks into the Morrison House which is a posh little boutique hotel within walking distance of good food and fun. That strategy works about once a month. Otherwise, I’m on a train-plane or in the car.Business travel will wear you down my friends and international business travel is even more demanding. I don’t mind being jet lagged when travelling internationally for fun…jet lagged and standing in front of a group while tethered to a PowerPoint deck is not so fun. I’ve mitigated the travel drag by taking two months off each year. Ten months of my gig is enough.

I can’t walk away from my shop for more than two weeks at a time but I do take eight weeks off every year. And…I don’t do much work when I’m off. Four of the eight weeks include LFG. I’m an entrepreneur-a small business owner so I understand risk. I’m prepared to risk revenue generation by walking away from the business for eight weeks a year. Fancy way of saying that I willingly give up the personal income for two months of frolic.

So, I travel to see my clients….do some work with them-tolerate some of the politics associated with consulting relationships and then I get to blow out of there. Travel kit selection is important if you want to make business travel a bit less painful.My choice….Orvis Battenkill luggage. I’ve had scores of travel bags over the years but these really do the trick. I used for years the Hartman Belting Leather garment bag and tennis bag. Incredibly sturdy stuff but tres heavy. I switched to the Orvis stuff years ago. I like the patina that it develops. It fades and gets appropriately knocked around with resultant patina….kinda like me.

I also have an Orvis rolling duffel not pictured here. I use it only when I have to check a bag. If I don’t have to wear suites, I can travel to Europe for five days with two carryon bags. The tennis bag and the back pack featured here accomplish that for me. I hate having to check luggage. I’ve had the Orvis tan leather portfolio-pouch for twenty years and it looks it. Ask me if I care!

The ultimate carryon... Orvis Tennis Bag.

The Orvis briefcase is my standard-everyday bag. Plenty of room for my laptop and documents. Also various pouches to accommodate things like Rolaids and Slim Jims.The backpack was my latest addition. Hold a bit more than the Orvis briefcase and is comfortable on one shoulder. I’ve NEVER actually worn it on both shoulders. Too granola for me…I’m not a Youth Hostel kind of a guy.

Ok gang. Time to finish my room service and the last sip of my Stoli. Back home tomorrow after lunch.

Onward.

ADG