by Leydy Jimenez, Associate Director, Country Information Coordinator for India

Vacationing with a friend (or 2) can either be great fun or the end of a beautiful friendship. The best way to be sure it’s the former is to have a heart-to-heart chat beforehand and be honest about your preferences and expectations.

Then you can negotiate if necessary and avoid conflict when it’s too late to do anything about it.

1.     Pick a destination you’ll both enjoy. If you love the beach and your friend is a culture vulture who hates the sun, you can still find a place with something to satisfy both of you—so long as you plan in advance and agree that you’ll each be free to go off on your own for at least part of each day. This can actually be a great thing, because, when you get together at the end of the day, you’ll be able to share your separate adventures over cocktails and dinner. But if you love solo exploration and your friend simply can’t be alone, it isn’t going to work. So do get it all out in the open in advance.

2.     Agree on your travel style and budget. If your friend loves nothing but the best and you’re pinching pennies, there could be trouble in paradise. Decide in advance on an accommodation that will be comfortable enough for your travel companion and not too pricey for you, and agree to one or two “splurge” meals or events. If you can’t do that, you probably shouldn’t be traveling together at all. [Read more →]

In my experience as a corporate flight attendant, I have had the good fortune of being a “fly on the wall” which gives me a chance to observe – in close proximity – employees traveling with their boss. Usually its the CEO of the company.  It’s fascinating to see what happens when employees make blunders that may seem insignificant at the time; but in reality those missteps may potentially hurt their standing or even stunt their advancement in the company.

The first thing you should NEVER do—so I guess that makes it 10 things—is never forget that your boss is watching and evaluating you AT ALL TIMES.

If you were chosen to go along on a business trip it’s because you’re supposed to be part of the solution— never part of the problem. And your boss wants to be sure that he or she can count on you to represent him/her appropriately when you’re not being watched. Therefore:

1.     Remember at all times that this is your boss. Don’t get so comfortable in the conversation that you start sharing your problems or inappropriate details of your personal life. Be personable of course, but never air your dirty laundry.

2.     Whether it’s meeting at the airport, meeting at a restaurant, or meeting in the hotel lobby, don’t be late— 10 minutes early couldn’t hurt. And don’t arrive looking stressed and/or disorganized. Have your documents handy and in one place. Have your luggage organized. Don’t look as if you rushed out the door at the last minute. If you look a mess, you will likely be considered a mess.

3.     Never be rude to staff—any staff, ever! Whether it’s an airline employee, a hotel porter, or a waiter in a restaurant. If you’re rude to these people, how will your boss know that you won’t be rude to a customer or someone who you didn’t realize is a client? Case in point, one evening on an executive filled flight from Teterboro to Los Angeles, there was a fresh new face among the regulars. I hadn’t seen this woman before, but I knew she had stars in her eyes and was doing her best to impress her superiors with her keen knowledge and witty repartee. Problem was, she was rude and dismissive to all the “staff,” the pilots, her driver, and of course me. She certainly wasn’t following anyone’s lead with her behavior, as all of the other passengers were friendly and a pleasure to have onboard. But it did stand out to everyone on the flight. Funny, I flew with those exact executives several more times but I never saw her again. [Read more →]

by Summer Jenkins, Director of Brand Development

These safety precautions are useful for everyone, but I think they’re particularly important to have in place if you’re going to be traveling alone.

I’ve traveled to all sorts of places by myself, so I’ve learned what to do/not to do and how to take care of myself. When I was in Dubai (even though it is considered very “Western”), for example, where some women are covered from head to toe, I found that I was uncomfortable, even inside my hotel, just wearing a short-sleeved dress. So I quickly learned to cover my arms—for my own comfort as well as that of the people whose country I was visiting. Here are 7 ways I’ve found to make myself feel safer—and therefore better able to enjoy myself—wherever I am in the world.

1. Be mindful of how open you are about your plans—particular departure and return dates. Especially if you use a social networking site such as Facebook, you can’t be sure of exactly who has access to your site or the information on it. You simply don’t want to advertise exactly when you’ll be away and your home will be vacant.
2. Be aware of the political situation and if there are any special events scheduled in the place you’ll be visiting. I remember being caught unaware in the midst of what seemed almost like a riot in Brussels during a World Cup celebration (even though Belgium had lost). Perhaps you’ll want to be there for a particular holiday—such as Bastille Day in Paris—but you might also want to take a pass. At least you should know what you’ll be getting yourself in for.
3. Give your itinerary to a few trusted friends and/or relatives before you leave and arrange for regular check-in times. You can do this via text message or e-mail, but it’s reassuring to know that if someone doesn’t hear from you at the appointed time, will be alerted to a potential problem. And it should go without saying that you need to remember to check in when you say you will! Have information in your wallet behind your id with contact information, allergies, doctor’s number in case there is an emergency and someone else is helping you. [Read more →]

by Summer Jenkins, Director of Brand Development
The internet is full of advice about traveling with children, but most of it concerns how to keep toddlers entertained on long flights or how to wrangle bulky car seats and strollers through the airport. At G3, we think it’s more important to make sure that families know what travel documentation is required for children under age 18.

Passports and Passport Cards
For all international travel, children are subject to the same passport rules as adults.  Even newborn babies must have their own passports to travel internationally.   Passport books are required for all international air travel, and passport cards can be used for land or sea travel to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean.  G3 also recommends that children have

This incredible video was shot by photography and film professor Cy Kuckenbaker on Nov 25, 2012. He used a Canon 7D with a EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 lens, shooting the planes with 1080p video at 24fps.