Dubai with its luster did not attract me. Cairo with its grime did not deter me.

The last few weeks have been demanding in terms of travel where I had to tour the region on various assignments. Among these travels two destinations stood out and kept a lasting impression in my memory due to their contrast and the effect the created; Dubai and Cairo.

Dubai as all may know is the perhaps the busiest city with the most activity in construction, growth and attraction of people from all over the world. Clean organized streets, elegant shopping malls, restaurants satisfying every taste, tall glassy skyscrapers , and shiny people wearing brands and driving latest car models. This should be an ideal place for anyone seeking happiness and success, shouldn’t be? Well, possibly, but not for a few people, with me among them. Many are surprised at my reaction towards Dubai. This is where the action is; shouldn’t everyone seek their fortune there?

From a professional standpoint, Dubai does offer tremendous opportunity. However, what I personally did not find there is a hidden element of “belonging” or of a “community”, which I consider important. I cannot really place my hand on that element. It is something in the air, in the surroundings, and in the souls of people. I wish I can be more accurate in articulating that.

On the other hand …

Cairo is perhaps the largest city in the Middle East and one of the largest cities in the world in terms of population, number 14 to be exact with around 8million inhabitants (which many doubt as a modest estimation). Cairo is second to Mumbai in terms of density! Check the statistics on Wikipedia.

Cairo’s streets are crowded night and day. A simple and seemingly short route can take an unidentified period of time. I had a training to conduct just 20km outside Cairo. That used to take me an hour each way to reach. We never were able to start at time. Usually an hour or so after the designated time! People, no matter, how early the plan to head out would have an incident that prevent them from being on time. Buildings are old, most cars are falling apart, and places are not that fancy (compared to Dubai or other cities I’m used to).

Yet, I was not repelled and felt a sense of community and a “real” place! I sit at rather “public” café on 26th July street in Zamalek that is around 3 meters wide, with patrons rubbing shoulders while they drink their tea, hibiscus or draw smoke from their shisha (of course!) – I feel at place! You could be sitting with a building guard or a famous lawyer and not feel a difference. They all share the place and seem to enjoy their time despite their own issues. You can easily approach anyone and just talk about anything and sooner or later there will be a simple joke or laughter.

I am not saying that we need to avoid Dubai (or other similar cities), nor embrace Cairo (or other similar cities), but seek the place that we personally feel we blong to and can find our happiness there.

My question to myself is what creates that sense? What makes someone feel a belonging to a place or not?

The Best of … Jeddah

It’s been sometime since I added a post as I was in business travel. So, I feel it is appropriate to return to posts about travel with a series on “The Best of …” to share first-hand experience on cities I travel to. Starting with …
Jeddah
This is a wonderful city on the west coast of Saudi Arabia by the Red Sea. An active city since ancient time for being a port and a trade hub, it gained even more importance as a gateway to Mecca, the holy Islamic city.
There is a great amount of information in Wikipedia about Jeddah.
Vis Requirements
Saudi requires entry visas for ALL nationalities, except GCC nationals. The business visa requires the following:
1. An Invitation From a Saudi Party
a. An official invitation letter signed by the Chamber of Commerce
b. Commercial registration documents
2. Official documents from the local part
a. Company registration
b. Local Chamber of Commerce Certificate
c. Employment letter
Take all these documents to the local Saudi Consulate. The process to issue the visa if all is ok is 24 hours. Fees are around $55 for a single entry, and around $150 for multiple entry. It is tricky to get a multiple-entry and is dependent on the “strength” of the inviting party and the local regulations of the Saudi Consulate. In Jordan, I have been fortunate to usually receive 3-months multiple entry. Other places may grant up to 6-months.
Make sure to fill an entry card when arriving at the airport or you may have to go back all the way once you have reached the control window without one. You also have to fill another card on you exit.

Airports
There are two terminals in Jeddah:

1. Jeddah Saudia (SV) Terminal
This is dedicated to Saudi Airlines (SV) flights and closer to the city. It has a smaller duty free shop. It has many rent-a-car outlets that are open 24 hours.

2. Jeddah North Terminal
This is further north around 20 minutes from the first one, and serves all “other” airlines. The duty free is much larger. Beware that rent-a-car is limited in number and working hours (7AM-12AM). This may cause inconvenience if arriving late or departing early. You need to arrange with an agency prior to travel.
I recommend using SV if possible when traveling to and from Jeddah due to the distance from downtown.
I would avoid buying from the duty free as it is much cheaper to buy from the city where you have more selection and better bargaining power.
Business Atmosphere

Places to stay
Many of the known 5-star hotel chains exit in Jeddah. The ones that I personally (and subjectively) recommend are:

The Hilton
This is among the newest, grandest and more prominent hotels in Jeddah directly overseeing the sea at the northern corniche. The entrance and the foyer are just majestic. Prestigious functions are usually held in the attached conference center. You need to book early to ensure availability. Rates are high, but corporate rates may go down as low as SR550 ($140). Downside is it is far from most business and government locations, you need to have your own car, or be subject to the pricy limos and taxis (if available!). Level of service is not consistent due to its size and the many “high-status” other guests that reside in. I used to say there a lot, but not anymore.

The Intercontinental
This is among the oldest 5-star hotels in Jeddah. It is right by the sea but closer to the downtown. The building is not as grandiose as The Hilton. The interior is quite “tacky” with green wall panels and mirrors! Reminds me Vegas for some reason! But the rooms are renovated and very accommodating. Go for a superior room with beach facing. Rooms are equipped with a 39’ LCD TV and touch-screen phones. Restaurants of the hotel are quite nice, especially the Fish Market (sea food) and Spears (all the meats in the world!). Rates can go as low as SR420 ($110) for a standard room with corporate rate agreements. The location of the hotel is more convenient for shopping malls, downtown, business locations and government agencies.

To be continued ..

Tips for the Frequent Traveler

Frequent travelers have brought preparation of travel to an art form or even a second nature to them. However, it always helps to share thoughts and tips for travel. Here is one way to organize thoughts for travel (most relevant to travel by air).

Before Travel ::: Research and Visa
If you have the freedom, request the travel agent to try different routes. Sometimes, you can realize substantial savings with a slight adjustment of airlines.
If you are traveling to popular tourist destination place for business, try to look for packages rather than an airline ticket and a reservation. Note, that you can loose a bit of flexibility or choice of hotel. For example I did Amman/Beirut for JD199 ($300) with a 2-night stay in a 5-star hotel. The ticket alone was JD150.
For first time destinations, do the basic research on the country: visa requirements, currency restrictions, admittance of tobacco/alcohol, safety tips… etc. Some good sources of info:
http://www.state.gov/travelandbusiness/
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/ctry/reportpage-en.asp
Ensure the validity of your passport. Most countries require at least 6-months, others may require up to 12-months validity.
Observe visa requirements and plan well ahead of time. A schengen visa may take up to 14 days (www.eurovisa.info/). Be prepared to show supporting documents of your current job, bank accounts, or an invitation letter from a party in the destination country for business travel purposes.
In urgent cases where you have to attend a short-notice meeting, do not hesitate to clearly explain and document the urgent need for your travel to the Ambassador / Council / Commercial Attaché. In many cases they can accommodate you and expedite the process. An associate of mine managed to get a visit visa to Poland in 4 days as opposed to the official 2 weeks, just because he made a good case of it (and he listened to me: )

Packing ::: Essentials

• Passport + Tickets (I know it is too obvious, nevertheless!)
• Money (local currency and/or $US)
• Credit cards
• Emergency numbers to call
• Frequent Flyer / Hote
• l Privilage / Calling Cards [thanks Lana!]
• Mobile phone charger Personal Care Items
• Toothpaste + brush
• Shaving set + cream (I recommend the gel in clear plastic tubes over pressurized cans
• Your favorite shampoo and conditioner (do not trust the quality of the hotel supplies, except for the Four Seasons, they have L’occitane brand which is fabulous!)
• Hair brush + gel / wax / cream
• Deodorant (important for hotter countries in summer times! Think Riyadh orDubai in July!)
• Safety pins

Clothes

• A business suit or more depending on the number of meetings. It is a good impression to show a different attire with the same people. You still can do that with a change of shirts and/or ties.
• 1 dress shirt per day of travel
• 1-2 ties per shirt in case you have a number of meetings in the same day
• Belts ensure that you take belts that match your shoes’ colors
• Socks, shoes and express sponge for shoe care (http://www.kiwicare.com)
• Under garments (I leave the style and number to your own judgment)
• Casual clothes for going out at night and “unwinding”
• Gym shorts and shoes if your trip is longer than a few days and you need to remain in shape.

Miscellaneous

• Universal power adopter / Mobile phone charger
• Digital camera, not only for tourist purposes, but also can be important in documenting important notes on whiteboards.
• Multivitamins – Important to supplement the diet in travel which may not be always healthy.
• Power bar or snack bar – For quick on the go energy boost. Avoid chocolates and sugary items.

Business-Related

• Business cards (try and keep some in your wallet and jackets when needed on the spot)
  Writing note pad
• USB
• General purpose felt-tip pen to make notes on items
• A highlight pen
• Safety scissors
• Post-it notes
• Scotch tape

Other Sources:
http://www.freetraveltips.com/Packing/
Note: I'll try to make this a live document and updating as I get more ideas, so I highly welcome others' experiences.

Warsaw, here I come!

So, this is my first posting. There is a lot that I want to share with all of you, but I have just started and I believe there will be other times to sort of structure my thoughts. I mean after all I’m a strategy consultant, right? : )I’m preparing for an interesting trip tomorrow by midnight. I’m leaving Amman to Warsaw. Interesting, eh? I’m part of a working meeting attended by a number of people around the world to plan the launch of an “Executive Program”.
The Program is aimed at supporting executives at various regions better understand how to benefit from global trends in Information Technologies (IT) and not be driven by the hype or pressures from large vendors (you know who!). Coincidently, the Program is organized by one of “them” global IT vendor, however, I have full confidence that they are organizing that out of genuine desire to show leaders the way. There are no hidden agendas. The whole material is about strategic planning, IT Governance, global trends, opportunities identification, and business case preparation. There are no discussions of deep technological issues or promotion of any specific technology. I am proud to be an active part of the team who prepared the material that will be given to many executives around the world!
This is my first time to Warsaw, and I truly do not know what to expect. I’m having visions of European style city, older buildings, red roof tops, museums, musicians in the streets, and techno night clubs! Some of my concerns are language, food and missing my gym training (lame!)
I have done some basic research on the city and this is some of the finds:
“Many people still have an image of Warsaw as a dull concrete jungle, a wasteland of Soviet-era housing with little appeal. The city does undoubtedly have its fair share of problems and whole swathes of its suburbs are indeed dominated by the less-than-imaginative creations of communist-era architects. But there is far more to one of Europe’s most underrated cities, with a string of things to see, an impressive cultural scene and an increasingly lively nightlife. Warsaw is a real survivor – the city’s current day existence is impressive in itself.”
Taken from http://www.explore-warsaw.com/ They have a good list of key attractions as well that I plan on visiting some as long as my time permits *sigh* http://www.explore-warsaw.com/352/Key_Attractions.htmlI actually prefer not to do extensive research on places I’m traveling to in order to keep some space for surprises. Life is better enjoyed spontaneously with a taste of adventure!
I’ll share more with you once I’m back and hopefully with lots of pictures. I consider myself an acceptable photographer and will illustrate more about my photography in the near future. Wish me luck!