Traveling Professional
![picresized_1267582936_ohare snow[1293x222].jpg](http://www.womenontheirway.com/jane-air/picresized_1267582936_ohare%20snow%5B1293x222%5D.jpg)
Even the most seasoned, professional travelers get snared by one of the most uncontrollable circumstances out there - weather. Mother Nature is the great equalizer, regardless of business or personal travel plans. I, along with thousands of other travelers, was caught in the domino effect of snowstorms in the Mid-Atlantic States and across most of the US that shut down many of the country's major airports.
Along with the family in line behind me trying to escape the cold for Winter Break (ironic), I recently found myself snowbound in Chicago, trying to figure out how to buy a seat on any flight out of O'Hare before it shut down. For one brief, crazy moment I considered renting a car and driving south. One look at the car rental counter lines filled with like-minded travelers, coupled with a mental image of driving solo in hazardous conditions made me cross that idea from the list.
After trying unsuccessfully to move the time of my business meeting and buy a seat on one of the last flights out of O'Hare, I put on my traveling professional hat and made quick work of a to-do list:
1. Rescheduled meetings and conference calls;
1. Booked 2 more nights at Chicago's Wyndham Hotel, where I had stayed for my non-stranded part of the trip;
2. Looked for airlines who would give me refundable tickets so I could be prepared to get out once the snow stopped;
3. Made sure the Wyndham's in-room Internet access was still working;
4. Stocked up on provisions to wait out the snowstorm.
Armed with a week's supply of fresh fruit and bottled water that I stored in the mini-bar, I was prepared to wait out the storm reviewing material and working on emails and documents on my laptop. Between frequent visits to the hotel gym, I found myself getting work done without the usual amount of meetings or phone calls to pull me off task. With one eye on the weather news, I was more than ready to get back on schedule after what amounted to a 36-hour delay in my travel plans.
Since I always strive to take lessons from everything life throws my way, here's what I learned. In the end, it didn't matter how many frequent flyer points I owned or what airline's platinum, club-level membership card I had in my wallet. I was so grateful for a high-speed Internet connection and a gym. Even though I arrived one day late for a conference and my client meetings had to be rescheduled, it all worked out. And the final, cold reminder: no one controls Mother Nature!
