Road Warrior provides travel tips from those who know best: busy executives and other globetrotters. See previous columns
Roland Smith
Center for Creative Leadership
Roland Smith is vice president and managing director of Asia-Pacific operations for the nonprofit Center for Creative Leadership.
The American, who’s based in Singapore, spoke to the Journal about the importance of a good razor, service-oriented vacations and the etiquette of seat-back reclining.
How often do you travel?
About half of my time right now.
Where do you travel most often?
We have three main offices [in Asia]: Shanghai, Delhi and Singapore. I usually travel between those offices but also to places like Sri Lanka, Africa, Indonesia and Australia.
Favorite airline?
It depends. Some people ask me, why aren’t you flying on one airline group? Frankly, my answer is about time. I try to fly direct. There are some travelers who are loyal to their carrier. I’m more loyal to schedules.
Favorite airport?
[Singapore’s] Changi airport is one of the best in the world for the ease of travel. The best business-class lounge is in Doha at the Qatar [Airways] lounge. There is a videogame lounge for kids, a nursery and an infirmary. The food is great, and they even have massage chairs.
Favorite hotel?
The one that has the best connectivity. I know that sounds kind of lame but if a hotel is lacking in connectivity, it’s problematic. In China, I like the Shangri-La hotels. Staying at The Broadmoor in Colorado is a treat. They have one of the best lap pools—it’s half covered, half not, so you can swim whether it’s sunny or snowing.
Travel essentials?
A good razor. Most hotel razors you ask for, even at the best hotels, were made for shaving something besides the face. I tend to leave razors all over the world, so I usually pack two in different places.
Travel tips?
Getting in early if you can allows you to relax. You’re able to have an early dinner, get some work done and actually get some rest.
Tips to avoid jet lag?
Try to sleep as much as you can unaided. And make sure you eat decent food. Avoid anything that’s fried. I make sure I have some comfort food—a PowerBar or some nuts, things I know are go-to snacks.
How do you stay in shape on the road?
Maximizing free time in the morning is the most critical. If you plan to swim or walk at the end of the day, something always comes up. So it’s important to get up early. I pack a swimsuit and goggles. Even though sometimes I don’t use those, it reminds me I need to go do something.
Favorite city?
I enjoy having an urban experience but I also like to get out somewhere a couple of hours away, to a mountain area or a beach or river. In Colombo [Sri Lanka], I was just as excited about visiting the tea plantations as I was staying in Colombo.
Favorite restaurant?
[A lot of clients] think I want Western food. I was in India once and some colleagues took me to a Mexican restaurant. I don’t want to go to a Mexican restaurant in India—I want you to take me to a place where I can sample northern, eastern, western and southern Indian cuisine and help me understand the differences.
Which Asian city has the best food?
Singapore. It has the most eclectic choices. If you want Chinese food or specific sub-regions of Chinese food, you can get that. If you want Indian food, you can get that. You can find anything here. I was downtown recently and found Australian food.
Places left on the bucket list?
Borneo and white-water rafting on the upper Yangtze River in China. I also want to explore Indonesia’s temple ruins in the highlands. And I like fly-fishing, so the north island of New Zealand is appealing.
Best travel experience?
I have four children and we often combine vacation with a service trip. We went to Belize after a big hurricane. We snorkeled and enjoyed the reef, but we also took supplies to schools that were decimated.
Worst travel experience?
I have low expectations about travel—I believe my flights will be canceled and I think there’s a high probability I’ll lose my luggage. I’m a very optimistic person but by lowering expectations, I don’t have too many bad experiences.
Usually it’s when people violate the seat-back zone. I always try to be respectful of that space and not lean my chair back on flights without much legroom. My worst experiences are when I’m holding the chair in front of me up with my knees.
What’s changed the most with business travel?
Security. I used to be a just-in-time flyer. I’d finish my meeting and get to the airport right before the plane took off. That’s not feasible anymore.
–Edited from an interview by Alyssa Abkowitz
The Etiquette of Seat-Back Reclining
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