I would classify myself as an abnormal business traveler.  Now that I’ve changed job functions here at Open Text again, I have to explain myself to a who new group of coworkers.  The fact that I’m realizing every time I justify my actions to a new person… I’m weird.

So what are the rule of travel that I obey?

1. If flying through or from Chicago O’Hare, book a room at the airport Hilton.  They have a 4pm cancellation policy, and you’ll generally know by then if you’re getting home or not.  Finding a hotel in Chicago when there’s bad weather is not easy.
2. Always pack an extra change of clothes.  There’s nothing worse than waking up early to potentially catch a rebooked flight and having nothing to wear but stinky old clothes. 
3. Always rent a car through National Car Rental.  They let you pick whatever car you want in the lot, and they’re all open to sit in and test out.  Getting "random intermediate class" car assigned to you, only to walk out to the parking lot and find that you don’t fit in it because you’re 6′5", then trudge back into the airport to wait in line only to be told that they don’t have anything else… well that is not fun.  Almost worse is having a colleague rent a car that is too small and being wedged in the passenger seat.
4. Never fly on a redeye.  This is getting increasingly more difficult to accommodate, but man do I ever try.  I would rather fly on four segments zigzagging halfway across the continent than take a direct overnight flight anywhere.  The primary issue: I’m 6′5". The headrests are about 5′10".  The math just doesn’t work out for a flight where you’re expected to sleep.
5. Avoid wherever possible flying on a Canadair Regional Jet.  I’ve written of my disdain for the CRJ in the past, and I do work religiously to avoid traveling on these planes still.
6. Never book a flight with only center seat availability.  Really, it’s not going to end well for me or any of the people sitting next to me.  I generally use travelocity.ca to choose the exact flight I want, taking into account both the aircraft and seating availability, and then call our corporate travel agent to book the flight.
7. Don’t get ripped off.  This translates more realistically to "I’m a cheapskate even when it’s not my money".  I do far more work than the travel agent to find the cheapest flight, adjusting days and even airports in many cases to find what I consider to be a reasonable flight.
8. Don’t pay for the basics.  This means, for me, that I expect to be able to park my car, use the Internet, and use a luggage cart without having to dispense any additional fees (including tips).  Ironically, it’s the expensive hotels that always ask for more money for stuff like this.  I avoid them.
9. Be adventurous.  If you’re in a new city, get out and take in the local culture.  Get a car if it makes sense, do some random driving, and use sites like tripadvisor.com to find great local restaurants.
10. Whatever happens, make the best of it.  For me, blogging remains my outlet and I try to write entertaining stories of woe when I get waylaid.  While I hate to admit it, I don’t really get too upset with my bad luck any more.  It makes for fun conversation, and once  the travel insurance on my credit card kicks in I just give up and try to enjoy my extended stay wherever I happen to be.