Safety When Traveling
Like any big city or new place you travel to, there are certain precautions you should always take to ensure personal safety. When traveling alone, I typically avoid dark streets, empty hallways in hotels and am very aware of my surroundings.
I always tell meeting attendees to remove their badges before leaving the hotel or convention center. Those badges help us address and recognize each other but we don't want complete strangers knowing our names.
If you're in a lobby lounge, keep your purse (for the ladies) or your laptop on your lap. If you put it next to you, you might forget it and when you return, it will most definately be gone.
If you're exploring the city and get lost, it's okay to ask a passerby for directions but it's always better to find a hotel to ask the doorman or go into a store. Of course, the police are always recognizable. One time when I was in San Francisco, I went exploring and got so lost that I wanted to cry. I went into a fire house and asked them for directions. Much to my surprise, they drove me in a firetruck back to my hotel. Of course the hotel wasn't thrilled that there was a fire truck in front of their property but when people saw me get out, they laughed!
I do have a great momento of that day. A picture of me with several fireman and they allowed me to wear one of their hats!
But I digress...
Because my meetings begin at 8:00 am today, I wanted to go running at 5:30 am but it was still dark. Fortunately the Adam's Mark Hotel is located on the DART system. A light rail system that funs on the street almost like a trolley. I figured if I stayed along that route, I would be relatively safe.
Dallas is a bustling city at 5:30 am. People are off to work, many of the deli's and breakfast shops (including Starbuck's) are opening. There was no lack of people. I even ran into a couple of the Pink Ladies from Mary Kay. How did I know that? The pink tees and sneakers (yes pink sneakers) were a dead give away.
It was a cool morning so my run was delightful and very relaxing. I hope that when you come out here for PACE, you take a few minutes each day to do something for yourself. You'll feel better and you'll be able to retain a lot more information when you attend the fabulous educational programs the committee has planned.
I always tell meeting attendees to remove their badges before leaving the hotel or convention center. Those badges help us address and recognize each other but we don't want complete strangers knowing our names.
If you're in a lobby lounge, keep your purse (for the ladies) or your laptop on your lap. If you put it next to you, you might forget it and when you return, it will most definately be gone.
If you're exploring the city and get lost, it's okay to ask a passerby for directions but it's always better to find a hotel to ask the doorman or go into a store. Of course, the police are always recognizable. One time when I was in San Francisco, I went exploring and got so lost that I wanted to cry. I went into a fire house and asked them for directions. Much to my surprise, they drove me in a firetruck back to my hotel. Of course the hotel wasn't thrilled that there was a fire truck in front of their property but when people saw me get out, they laughed!
I do have a great momento of that day. A picture of me with several fireman and they allowed me to wear one of their hats!
But I digress...
Because my meetings begin at 8:00 am today, I wanted to go running at 5:30 am but it was still dark. Fortunately the Adam's Mark Hotel is located on the DART system. A light rail system that funs on the street almost like a trolley. I figured if I stayed along that route, I would be relatively safe.
Dallas is a bustling city at 5:30 am. People are off to work, many of the deli's and breakfast shops (including Starbuck's) are opening. There was no lack of people. I even ran into a couple of the Pink Ladies from Mary Kay. How did I know that? The pink tees and sneakers (yes pink sneakers) were a dead give away.
It was a cool morning so my run was delightful and very relaxing. I hope that when you come out here for PACE, you take a few minutes each day to do something for yourself. You'll feel better and you'll be able to retain a lot more information when you attend the fabulous educational programs the committee has planned.
posted by Annette | 5:08 AM
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