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Travel Tips

Traveling to Russia
Editor’s note: Global business, and subsequently, global business travel, continues to expand rapidly. In response, CWT Traveler will provide to readers each month in 2008 insights and tips on traveling from North America to other countries around the world. This month’s installment focuses on Russia.

In business:
- Visitors should be punctual, but should not be surprised if their Russian counterparts are not on time. It is not uncommon for them to be 15-20 minutes late, so allow plenty of time for each appointment to start late and run a bit longer than originally scheduled.
- Scheduling an appointment can be difficult. Be patient and persistent and once the appointment is scheduled, avoid cancellations.
- In business negotiations, it is said that Russians are great “sitters.” Traditionally, compromise is seen as a sign of weakness. They would much rather out-sit the other negotiator and gain more concessions from the other side.
- Business dress is conservative. Russians generally prefer European styles more than American.
Good to know:
- Moscow and Saint Petersburg are both in the westernmost time zone, three hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (G.M.T.+3), or eight hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (E.S.T. +8).
- In Russia, some common American gestures may be taken to be obscene or vulgar so visitors may want to be careful not to use the “okay” sign with the thumb and forefinger or any fist-shaking gestures. Whistling is also not taken as a sign of approval in concert halls and means the person does not like the performance.
Source: “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Best selling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries,” by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway. Published by Adams Media of Avon, Massachusetts.

Fighting the flu on the fly
Airports across North America are providing travelers yet another service in their terminals and concourses—flu shots. The UIC Medical Center at O'Hare International Airport set up kiosks out on the concourses, near the restaurants, shops and gates offering “flu shots on the fly,” which turned out to be a big hit with travelers.

This year, service is spreading to dozens of airports across North America and airport participation has doubled from a year ago. Travelers are finding getting a flu shot between flights as convenient as getting their shoes shined.

USA Today has compiled a helpful chart listing participating airports offering flu shots: Airports offering flu shots.

Source: USA Today

Battling jet lag
The term “jet lag” refers to the symptoms a person experiences when traveling across time zones. Common temporary symptoms include interrupted sleep, irritability, disorientation, lack of motivation, headaches, loss of appetite, swollen limbs, dehydration, gastrointestinal problems, and decreased performance.

Jet lag can impact business travelers; in fact, several companies prohibit their employees from signing contracts or negotiating for the first 24 hours after a flight.

While jet lag may be inevitable, even for the most seasoned traveler, there are ways to alleviate the symptoms:
- Accept the fact that jet lag will play a role in the trip, and plan accordingly. According to Chris Colwell, a professor in psychiatry at UCLA Medical School, “Be self-aware and recognize that you will not be at your best for a number of days following a long trip. You may find cognitive processes like memory impacted.”
- Stay hydrated on the airplane by drinking lots of water. Water is a better option than coffee, tea, or fruit juices.
- Stretch often on the plane, walk up and down the aisle, and stand occasionally. All of these activities can help reduce discomfort.
- Avoid alcoholic beverages on the plane.
- If a nap is necessary after arriving in the new time zone, limit the sleep time to 30 or 40 minutes. A long nap may confuse the biological clock.
- Exercise. Experts say that physical activity can result in an increase in sleep length. For best results, try to exercise a few hours before bedtime or immediately after waking.
- Eat light meals at regular times in a new time zone. It may take the digestive system a couple days to adjust.
- If possible, avoid eating on the plane and have a meal upon landing.
Jet lag affects everyone differently. The right approach to overcoming it is finding the right tricks and tips that work best for each individual.

Sources: Forbes Traveler, msnbc.com, cdc.gov

CWT Traveler

Travel Tips

Traveling to Russia

Fighting the flu on the fly

Battling jet lag