The Top 10 Travel Tips Every Tech Executive Learns the Hard Way

I thought we’d have a bit of fun in this newsletter. I’ve done nearly 20,000 miles in January 2026 ALONE, and while sitting on a 3 hour train yesterday (one of my shorter trips!) listening to a group of 2nd year geography students talk enough garbage to sink a battleship - I thought I’d regale you all with my top tips and some stories of my scrapes over the years!

Business travel isn’t glamorous.
It’s survival.

Here are ten lessons I’ve learned the hard way, so you don’t have to.

1. Your Calendar Is Lying to You

I once found myself in Hawaii while my client was in New Zealand.
They were 23 hours ahead of me.

Which means they were technically one hour behind, but also an entire day ahead.
I felt like a time traveller who’d misread the manual.

It completely broke my brain.

Top tip:
Triple-check time zones. Use World Clock on your phone. Then message your contact and confirm again. Never complain about the time difference. Always turn it into a joke or small talk about the weather (I’m British, it’s what we do).

2. Never Trust a Client’s WiFi

I once trusted a client’s HQ WiFi to run a video call, from one developing country to another.

Absolute disaster.

The irony? My hotel WiFi was far better than their “secure guest network”. I have never apologised so much during, and after, a call in my life.

Top tip:
Hotspots are your friend. Power your laptop off solid 5G if you need to. Chain coffee shops are fine in a pinch, just sit at the back, out of the noise. Be open about it. You’re busy, right? Turn it into a joke.

3. Assume Your Bag Will Go Missing

I’ve lost bags six or seven times at this point. I’ve stopped counting.

I don’t pack everything in my carry-on, but I do always build in time to recover. I never land somewhere and head straight into a client meeting.

I always have an acclimatisation buffer.

Top tip:
Use the buffer religiously.
Morning flight? First meeting late afternoon.
Night arrival? No meetings until mid-morning.
This discipline alone has saved me from a thousand scrapes.

4. Don’t Work While Travelling

I never work while travelling. Ever.

Travelling drains you. If you’re prepping on the plane, you’re already late. The work won’t be your best, and you’ll regret it.

Top tip:
Know how you are productive. Don’t pretend planes, trains, and airports are deep-work environments. Rest, reset, and prepare mentally instead.

5. Over-Pack (Intelligently)

I always over-pack. I can’t help it.

But I also rarely get stuck.

Top tip:
Buy proper multi-adaptors and put one in every bag you own. That’s the cheat code. You’ll thank me later.

6. Jet Lag Is Negotiation, Not War

I once beat a 10-hour shift from Hawaii and settled into client rhythm by day two.

The trick isn’t brute force. It’s discipline.

Top tip:
First rule: fast. Airplane food is garbage, even in business class.
Second rule: eat with the sun. Only eat when it’s daylight where you are. Never eat in darkness.
Long travel day? One or two light meals max, and only in daylight. Trust me, it works.

7. Cars Are Thinking Rooms

I never pull my phone out in a car.

Partly because I get car sick unless I look out of the window. So I turned a weakness into a strength.

Top tip:
Enjoy the ride. Watch the world go by. Let your mind wander. Some of my best thinking has happened staring out of a taxi window.

8. Dress for Your Audience, Not Yourself

I once wandered the township of Khayelitsha in Cape Town wearing a three-piece suit.

At one point, I watched a female SIM seller punch a customer clean in the face.
People assumed I was some visiting foreign politician.

It helped. Accidentally.

But usually, it’s the wrong move.

These days, if I wear a suit into most telco HQs, I look like the CEO. Everyone else is in jeans, trainers, and polos. I’m still not perfect at this.

Top tip:
Ask your champion about dress code in advance. Then stick to it.

9. Food Is Not Your Friend (Yet)

Save the food adventures for after the meetings.

I’ve drunk roadside masala tea strained through an old pair of tights in Mumbai. I’ve eaten unforgettable spring rolls in Vietnam.

But never before the pitch.

Top tip:
Stay safe until the work is done. Even if you have the constitution of an ox. Nothing kills a trip faster than being sick while you’re supposed to be with the client.

10. Buffer Time Is Leadership

I always build in contingency time.

Yes, it means being away longer than I’d like. But it avoids overwork, mishaps, and chaos.

That hour you’re early, doing “not much”?
Pure gold.

Top tip:
Plan for things to go wrong. Give yourself more time. Never be late. And never look rushed.

Final Thought

Business travel isn’t about squeezing more into the trip.

It’s about removing friction so you can show up calm, present, and sharp.

The best exec travellers aren’t glamorous.
They’re prepared.

I’d LOVE to hear from you - what’s YOUR top tips for travel? And also, what are your FAIL STORIES - let’s have them! Message me or comment below!