A Backpacker Catapulted 'Up in the Air'

Where have I been?  I've been up in the air for the past couple of years.

With a heap of gritty and sometimes scary backpacker experiences under my belt, I entered the corporate world in late 2008 ready for an entirely new type of experience.  Within a week of starting work for a big 4 accounting firm in San Francisco, I was off to Scottsdale, AZ for some good 'ole fashioned corporate training.  Without going into detail, it was at that moment when I knew the days of sketchy $3 hotels and dodgy meals were about to end.  A bitter-sweet turning point.

Having made it clear to my colleagues that I could withstand the road-warrior lifestyle during my internship a year earlier, I received a phone call while in Scottsdale that my first assignment would take place in Kuala Lumpur...  Back to Malaysia!  This was probably the most uplifting thing I could have heard as I transitioned from backpacking to the real world.  Just before Malaysia, my motivation was confirmed as our team gathered in Napa for a 'get back in touch' sort of gathering and more team-specific training.

Two years later, I've flown approximately 200,000 miles, spent around 150 nights in business hotels, and worked in Japan, Canada, South Korea, Mexico, and Peru, not to mention nearly half the states in the US!  Britt and I currently live in Paris, France as my firm has coordinated a four month exchange for me, more on that later.

The type of travel I've experienced has completely changed, as expected.  My primary travel resource changed from Lonely Planet books to www.flyertalk.com, an online business traveler community.  Now, I would like to share some key reflections:

1.  Bigger, more luxurious hotel rooms/suites, are not necessarily more satisfying than budget guest houses.

While I've had some uncomfortable moments in questionable hotels while backpacking, the vast majority of backpacking nights were spent in communal guest houses or, at times, hostels.  These usually include enough comfort to be comfortable, but not to waste a vacation in the room; also, unfettered access to kitchens is a bonus.  Additionally, guest houses designed for backpackers are teeming with other travelers and advice on the local and surrounding areas.  These hotels put you in the position to interact with others.

In contrast, I have now stayed in some of the largest suites in some of the most luxurious properties around the world.  These upgrades were all given for free thanks to elite status with both Starwood and Hyatt.  Brittany and I were once given a huge suite in Anchorage called "The Pacific Rim Suite."  This was, at the time, the largest suite I had ever stayed in.  It would have been great if traveling with 100 friends and hosting a cocktail party, but instead the large empty space gave us a hollow feeling.  The two of us had no use for it.  I'll never forget the huge viewing window between the master bed and over-sized shower room, kind of kinky, kind of creepy.  At this type of hotel you are paying for complete privacy, which I understand if you are a really private person and making good use of the viewing window.

2.  It is ALWAYS worth it to ask for a flight, rental car, hotel upgrade

For air travel, the gate agent has the most control over your seat.  If they like you, they can click a button and upgrade you to first class.  If they dislike you, they can pull you off a plane, superseding any supervisor, TSA agent, or real police officer.  It is generally not as helpful to ask the desk agent when you check in for your flight, or the purser (head flight attendant) while in flight.  You never know when the gate agent pay have an available seat in first class and need a pleasant passenger to use it.

For car rental and hotels, call in your request ahead of time and ask customer service to just add a note, even if success is unlikely.  When I rent cars, I always call ahead and ask if I can be upgraded from an intermediate car to a Cadillac CTS, should one be available.  Renting the intermediate car class is also a key to success.  It often doesn't cost much more than a subcompact, but it is that magic category allowing for upgrades.  Full-size is sometimes the same price and works even better.  For hotels, I always make sure to add a note if my anniversary, birthday, whatever event is near the travel date.

3.  I'll never stop backpacking

Even though they often cross paths, business travel and backpacking are distinctly different.  There's no way I could satisfy backpacking travel goals while on a business trip.  Also, I plan personal trips in locations that I don't expect to travel for work.  This works out well because I don't end up double-backing to the same places and business travel locations are typically more costly, so why spend my own money in places like London, Hong Kong, or New York?

More to come.