Book Your Flights Early

If you thought the normal New Years was busy enough, the Chinese New Year is the largest human migration of the year with over three billion travellers returning home or joining in on the party. Don’t expect to show up to the train station, airport or bus station to purchase a ticket on the spot as millions of Chinese are way ahead of you, camping out for days waiting for an available method of transport. If you’ve had dealings with Chinese business folk before, you would know that it’s incredibly rude to show up late, therefore make it your mission to avoid getting stuck by booking all flights and transfers far in advance.

Organise Your Hotel In Advance

Much like the chaos at found at transportation centres, hotels are likely to be on the same level of crazy. Especially in the major cities, travellers from all around the world will snatch up those hotel rooms fast. Be prepared and reserve a spot at least six months ahead.

Be Patient in the Crowds

Travelling around any kind of holiday is stressful for everyone, but with the influx of voyagers congregated in the one area, the Chinese New Year is one of the more intense to navigate. Remember to be patient when walking through crowded areas, and if possible, leave to reach your destination earlier than normal to ensure you arrive on time.

There Will Be Limited Business Hours

If meeting with other clients, be mindful that their opening hours will vary during this period. As this is the time when Chinese people make the journey back to their families, some restaurants, shops and offices will be closed.

Reserve Your Client Dinner ASAP

There are always going to be people who cannot be bothered preparing a meal on Chinese New Year so the next best option is to head out on the town to grab a bite to eat. Research places to take your like www.corporatetraveller.com.au/
Have you ever travelled for business over the Chinese New Year? What are your survival tips?

Written by Keryn Thomson

Lonely Planet

If you’ve never been to the country you’re flying to, then immerse yourself in the Lonely Planet app. For no cost whatsoever you will receive a comprehensive guide to your destination of choice including useful tips for finding hidden gems, the best ways to get around, handy maps to help you get around the streets and an online/offline translator. While this app may be free, you may have to pay to download some of the maps, however it’s worth is once you realise their level of detail is second to none. For more corporate travel tips, we found that FCm Travel Solutions had some great ideas, be sure to check them out at www.au.fcm.travel

Yelp

Are you in charge of organising client dinners? If so, Yelp may be your new best friend. The last thing you want when attending a new restaurant is figuring out (sooner rather than later) that your new find barely passed their health and safety review. The bigwigs you’re dining with, won’t be too impressed either. Yelp will give you detailed customer reviews of local food establishments, making your choice for where to dine so much easier.

Keynote

More often than not, your workload doesn’t suddenly disappear when you leave for a business trip. If you need to make last minute changes to your PowerPoint presentation, keynote allows you to import files to edit or start a brand new set of slides from scratch with preloaded templates.

Planets Vs Zombies

Ok, so you can’t be productive all the time. There’s nothing more satisfying than tuning out to a mindless game, especially one that include zombies. In this game of strategy, players defend their lawn from creepy undead attacks by flinging needles, peas and whatever projectiles you have at your arsenal.
Do you travel regularly for business? What keeps you entertained during your downtime at the airport? Tell us in the comments below.

Walking in DC

Image source Capitol Hill: geetarchurchy

You’ll hear that the District is a walking city. Despite its expansiveness, what you will hear will be true. Washington is by no means cheap to live in, and a lot of young pros are heading into poorer neighborhoods, and the resulting gentrification is at once causing tension between classes and creating some pretty cool areas. Some of these you might want to visit, and some are far, but when you hear that DC is for walking, they talking mostly about the Mall and Capitol Hill, where you will find all the free Smithsonian-run museums and monuments.

The DC Metro

Image source: elisfanclub

If walking is only partly your thing, and if you plan on heading a bit further out, like for example to the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, or if you want to visit the other state, Maryland, the Metro is a great option. It’s clean, efficient, and affordable. Prices change according to the time of day and the distance traveled, but it’s still the best way to get around, and also to get out to Dulles.

5 color-coded lines will take you where you want to go.  It’s always nice to know you’re nearby a metro stop, and you’ll find that DC’s are convenient. So if you’re at Ford Theatre to see where Lincoln was shot, you know you’re just a hop aboard a metro to get to the expensive bistros in Dupont Circle.

DC’s Circular Bus

This is the bus that tourists will love most, because it only costs a buck, it runs between major attractions, and the schedule is fixed and simple to negotiate. Union Station, itself a historical landmark and now where Amtrak is based out of, is connected to the Navy Yard. Georgetown and its attractive campus is connected to Union Station. There’s a line that runs through McPherson Square and connects you with the zoo. And from Capitol Hill you’re taken through Anacostia to the Skyland Shopping Center. Basically, everywhere you want to get to you can get to on the Circular Bus.

Bicycle in DC

Image source: woneffe

For this author, bicycling is hands-down the best way around. Just as many cities are experiencing a surge in bicycle-savvy residents, so is the District. DC in this consideration is far beyond many American cities; here you’ll find dedicated lanes and traffic lights, plenty of bike parking, and there’s even the country’s first bicycle-sharing program. It’ll cost you 7 bucks for the day to rent from a terminal, and with it you can make the city smaller.

There’s the regular bus, there are taxis and you could rent a car, but the above-mentioned methods of transportation in Washington DC are far better options for anyone who wants to make the most of their time. Furthermore, if you have tips on where to drink and eat or if you have any pictures about Chicago you can share them by adding them to the United Sharing Adventure map here. But when you’re booking your DC accommodation be sure the joint is near a Metro station, a bike terminal, a circular bus stop or that it’s in a place apt for walking.

With temperatures on the island can soar up to the mid 80s in high season, and sit in the comfortable low 60s during the winter months. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year, this means you can enjoy everything Ibiza has to offer at any time and there are plenty of cheap holidays about in the low season too for those who’d prefer to save their hard earned cash.

If you’re holidaying in Ibiza with kids, you’re bound to be spending a lot of time around the pool and at the beach. For the older ones and more adventurous parents, try out some of the water sports that are available on nearly every beach such as kayaking, windsurfing and Banana boating. When they’ve bored themselves of this though, there are plenty of day trip options from boat trips to the Aguamar Water Park.

If you’re looking for something a bit more educational, San Marca has its own set of underground caves complete with a tour. Ibiza is also known as being a haven for the artistic, so is packed full of galleries and shops where you can peruse the as yet unknown talent of the island.

It wouldn’t be a holiday without good food, and Ibiza has it in abundance. Many of the favourite local dishes have that typical Spanish flavour with the added bonus of locally sourced meat, fish and seafood. As on the mainland, tapas is popular, but for something more unique to the island, try Arroz de Matanzas Pork with rice.

Of course, if you do want to hit the clubs, Ibiza Town and San Antonio are the best places for this. Home to a number of ‘superclubs’ such as Pacha, Privilege and Amnesia, the island draws big name DJs, bands and acts from around the world.

Historical Attractions

The beautifully preserved Gamla Stan, or Old Town, should be your first stop on your trip to Stockholm. There, you’ll find enchanting edifices, some of which date back to the medieval ages, when the very first settlements were established in Stockholm. There, you’ll find religious structures such as the 13^th-century Stockholm Cathedral and the 14^th-century Riddarholmen Church, as well as one of the largest castles in all of Europe, The Royal Palace, which contains over 600 rooms. Other historical attractions worth checking out are The Stadshuset (City Hall) and Skansen, a living-history museum where you can watch traditional bakers, glass blowers, and potters at work.

Natural Beauty

Without question, summer is the best time to visit Stockholm, as you’ll be able to catch a ferry to the Stockholm Archipelago and get lost in the islands’ natural beauty. Kayak the waters of Blidö or cycle around Ålö Island. Visit the national park at Roslagen to spot white-tailed eagles and seals, or head to maritime island of Sandhamn to go windsurfing for the day. The island of Vaxholm houses an enchanting fortress, while the town of Gustavsberg on Värmdö contains some interesting glass exhibits and porcelain factories. Don’t have time to head far from downtown Stockholm? Enjoy the fresh air and the views at Djurgården.

Museums and Galleries

Stockholm is home to scores of interesting museums and galleries that will help you get better acquainted with its history and culture. Sweden’s largest art collection is found at the Nationalmuseet (National Museum), while the Moderna Museet houses an intriguing collection of contemporary art. Learn about Swedish and Scandinavian cultural history at the Nordic Heritage Museum, or visit the world’s only intact 17^th-century ship, the Vasa, to learn more about the history of this sunken warship and the artifacts found inside. The Nobel Museum houses material on the Nobel Prize, including rare videotaped footage of speeches given by the honorees.

Food

Of course, no trip abroad would be complete without sampling the local fare. As a cosmopolitan city, you’ll find plenty of international restaurants, from Turkish and Middle Eastern to Greek and French cuisine. But to get a true taste of the local fare, look for Scandinavian-inspired restaurants and dishes. You’ll see pickled herring and Swedish meatballs on the menu of most traditional restaurants, as well as elk, reindeer, veal, and ox meat. Start your day with some Swedish pancakes, and leave time in your schedule for a fika break to fit in your daily coffee and pastry.

Can’t wait to discover Stockholm’s sights and attractions? Sell your old electronics back to musicMagpie to earn some extra spending cash for your trip.

There’s a lot going on in Vienna during the spring. As you would expect of a city which has such a tremendous musical heritage, fans of new sounds as well as old still flock to Austria each March for the Sound:frame Festival, which features some of Europe’s most exciting and innovative audio-visual performers. If you prefer your entertainment to be a little more traditional in character, there’s the Vienna Spring Festival and the Vienna Fair each May; the Fair is a fantastic place to pick up gifts to take home for family and friends. Sports fans will hope to see the Vienna marathon, which takes place near Easter each year and often attracts some big names.

A fall break in Vienna is also packed with things to do and see, whatever your specific interests. The Viennale Film Festival, which is held in late October, is where to head if you’re a fan of intriguing and thought-provoking cinema. But if your attention is more often caught by what the stars are wearing than the parts they’re playing, maybe you should visit the city in September, when Vienna Fashion Week is in full swing. If ever there was a time when Vienna truly does look at its best, this festival of outrageous designs and fantastic garments must surely be that time!

Wherever you decide to stay in the Austrian capital, and whenever in the year you decide to go, your only regret is likely to be that you didn’t stay longer – there’s simply too much to choose from! Even at these quieter times of the year, it’s a good idea to make your reservations a month or so in advance of your visit – though this is only half the time you’d need in midsummer. The fact that Vienna has retained its aura of romance and class for so many centuries is no accident: this is one of Europe’s great cities, and you will never forget a stay here.