Fun Business Adventures! A Paradox?

Most people separate travel into two categories: business and pleasure. There's a concept floating around in the general bubble of the public consciousness that the two ideas are impossible to reconcile, as incompatible as oil and water. But for the folks at Entrepreneur Travel Club (ETC), the two are more like lost siblings, waiting to be reunited so they can stir up all sorts of unexpected shenanigans!

The benefits of traveling

We all know that travel can sometimes be a pain in the neck. It's pricey, involves waiting in long lines, and continually offers the possibility of being crammed in a seat on the plane that happens to be next to the only person on board who feels like talking. For the whole trip.

However, the fact is that most of us drastically exaggerate the “inconveniences” of travel, and forget that traveling is, in fact, a system. Once you adapt accordingly to that system (i.e., bringing solid ear buds), you become master of it.

Helen Keller is credited with stating that “life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” With travel comes the glowing promise of such adventures, bringing with it new friends, fresh experiences, a deeper appreciation for your home and the general interconnectedness of humanity, and tons of fun stories.

Enhance the travel experience: mix business with pleasure

This is considered a big no-no, isn't it? Well, forget about it. We say make like a tropical beach drink and mix away. Actually, business trips are a great doorway into potential vacation spots; you have an excuse to visit a place you might not normally think of going yourself (a corporate event in Taipei? Sign us up). Once you get there, here are some tips on how to enhance the fun and relaxation:

• Plan on staying an extra day: Transitioning from business to pleasure just involves booking one more day at your hotel. You can use this free day to meet up with a LinkedIn connect, see a friend, or tour the culture of the area at your leisure.
• Be a foodie: Once the meeting is out and the suit comes off, you now have permission to eat like no one's watching. Schedule a time to sample the local cuisine. Make the effort to go out of your comfort zone by trying something you've never had before—even if it's fried bug on a stick (think of the respect you'll gain in your social circles, though).
• Fly like it's...well, your job: Prepare yourself for that long flight ahead by bringing plenty of survival supplies, like lip balm (for that dry plane air), a massively fluffy neck pillow, and plenty of entertainment (cards, books, etc.).

We all know it's important to work hard, but making time for fun business adventures can be just as important. So on your next business trip, go equipped with a sense of wonder and expectation. It may open whole new worlds for you.

Sources: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/9-wonderful-benefits-traveling.html, http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/9-ways-to-make-business-travel-a-blast.html, http://sociallysorted.com.au/adventure-business-travel/

The first ETC adventure:

http://www.startsolid.com/pages/entrepreneur-travel-club-summer-2016-alaska-cruise