I should be looking at transport to England and the World Travel Market. After one day I feel I need a break. The night before the conference I got up at 3 am to check I had my conference entry ticket printed and on a lanyard and actually in the bag or jacket.
Three stops before the conference I could find it. I should have had it in the right hand pocket.
Or put it round my neck before leaving home. (Under my jacket. I once went home from a conference with my badge on. A complete stranger, probably drunk, keep addressing me by name. I couldn't remember where I'd met him. Then I realised he was reading my badge.)
I phoned home and sent everybody scurrying about searching the desk and doorway. The badge was not there. Reassuring for me. I knew it had to be somewhere . Yes, at the bottom of a pocket in my pull on suitcase.
By the time I arrive I have my badge on and appear well organised. Nobody knows. (Only you, because you have read my blog.)
I thought I was the only person stressed out in advance. I meet another journalist who tuts about being tired from having been up and getting little sleep the night before. Early start to arrive in time for press breakfast. He was staying in a nearby hotel. (Was this revelation an invitation to me. No. It took several hours for me to realise he was probably either alone, or with the mistress he jokingly mentioned, or the wife he jokingly mentioned.)
Staying in a nearby hotel can save travel time in the nmonring. I' have done that at previous shows. It only worked well for one night. For two or three, I ended up with too much heave accumulated stuff to carry home the last night. I had to give up the last night's event whilst I read through and threw away most of the literature.
I was delighted on the stand for the Relais hotels when I looking at the two heavy booklets and the lady on the stand happily volunteered to send them to me. In the olden days people wanted to give you brochures and not send them. I would often take hotel catalogues. But nowadays they have PR firms and marketing departments whose job is to send out catalogues. No problem. Wonderful.
The event is changing from four days to three. One of the reasons given is that the sales people conducting selling and buying at the show would prefer a three day event to four. Three longer days. That cuts down costs of travel to and from the show daily, the overnight hotel accommodation for foreign visitors and the hours away from the home office desk.
Has life got better, or better organised? Yes. Printing out the entry ticket in advance for this event and many others, cost and time printing in advance, but saves queuing on arrival. Great.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author speaker.
