Business travel

Travel SOS solutions

Little mishaps can turn into big problems on the road. So, for short- and long-term solutions for business-travel glitches, read on…

PROBLEM: Liquids confiscated at the airport
QUICK FIX: Pick up some essentials via Duty Free… and then stick a note in your bag to remind you to put liquid containers of more than 100ml in the luggage hold on your next journey.
LONG-TERM SOLUTION: Invest in a travel pack of mini toiletries. Many brands do them, including luxury ones such as Elemis and L’Occitane. Or try www.just100ml.com, which specializes in airport-friendly toiletry packs – from single-use (£3.99) to bespoke ones (with single items such as shower gel or perfume costing around £1.50 each).

PROBLEM: Mobile phone battery has conked out in transit…
QUICK FIX: If only you’d splashed a fiver on a handy Emergency Phone Charger keyring, which bestows enough battery power for 30 to 50 minutes of talk time. £4.99 from www.gadgetshop.com
LONG-TERM SOLUTION: Sorry to say it, but prevention really is better than cure here. A good tip for maintaining the battery life of your mobile is to let it run completely dry before re-charging. If you travel with a laptop, always keep a USB Phone Charger to hand. Also £4.99 from www.gadgetshop.com

PROBLEM: Fined for excess luggage at the airport check-in desk
QUICK FIX: Pay up or flutter your falsies at the stern-looking attendant… Failing that, discard the offending heavy articles with abandon. Tip: prevent the contents of your suitcase tumbling out as you rummage to remove heavy items by packing using Travel Wardrobe Care’s chic and neat mesh packing cubes, shoe bags, wet bags and folding clothes palettes. From £5 at www.travelwardrobecare.com
LONG-TERM SOLUTION: Get peace of mind before you leave with the ingenious Balanzza Ergo digital luggage scale. This weighs luggage to within 0.1kg of accuracy, putting an end to nasty fines at the airport. £19.99 from www.balanzza.co.uk

PROBLEM: Laddered tights and not a shop in sight!
QUICK FIX: Clear nail polish is just the ticket for dealing with ladders. Simply dab a tiny amount around the outside of the hole, wait for it to dry (holding fabric away from the skin to prevent it sticking to you), and – bingo – the ladder is stopped in its tracks.
LONG-TERM SOLUTION: Charnos Run Resist tights or hold-ups (available in natural or black) are great for avoiding ladders altogether. And, at only £3.99 a pair, you can afford to stuff your glove compartment or office drawer full of ’em! From www.tightsplease.co.uk

PROBLEM: On business abroad, but don’t speak the lingo
QUICK FIX: Ask your hotel concierge to note down some key phrases. Prepared travellers will have popped to The Gadget Shop and snapped up the brilliant Trinvo Talking Translator (£34.99), which cross-translates over 750 commonly used phrases in over 12 languages. From www.gadgetshop.com
LONG-TERM SOLUTION: Results of a survey of over 200 bilingual business people by leading language software specialists Rosetta Stone found that three in four respondents had furthered their business prospects by speaking a second language. Rosetta Stone offers over 31 languages courses, from Irish to Mandarin Chinese. Software courses start from £169, from www.rosettastone.co.uk

PROBLEM: Spilled food down a favourite silk tie…
QUICK FIX: In all honesty, unless you have a clean white cloth and some isopropyl alcohol handy to dab on the stain, your best option is take the tie off and adopt a more casual look.
LONG-TERM SOLUTION: Three cheers for Brooks Brothers’ Stain Resistant Silk Tie, which allows lattés, wine and even salad oil to roll off unnoticed (presumably down your fully absorbent trousers…). A must-have for the messy business diner, from £49 at www.brooksbrothers.com

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Kegworth Whitehouse Hotel in East Midlands. Rate is based on single occupancy of a Twin or Double Room and include Breakfast, as well as free overnight parking and complimentary use of leisure facilities. £70

Call 0844 793 7300

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