Photo: We arrived early before a conference in South Africa and were able to go cage diving with great white sharks in Shark Alley!

Jennifer’s Path was quoted in “Transit Tomorrow” magazine! As a gastrointestinal pathologist, I travel often for work. I have visited to South Africa, Germany, Italy, and numerous cities in the US for conferences and laboratory visits and inspections. Read the full articles which includes my tips, as well as valuable advice from CEOs and travel professionals, here.

My Quote:

Explore Destinations During Downtime

In my current position as a gastrointestinal pathologist, I often travel for work to manage labs and attend conferences. Luckily, there are often conferences in interesting destinations, such as Cape Town, South Africa, and Florence, Italy. If you are in medicine or another profession that has meetings and conferences in various locations, choose a topic that interests you and is in a great location. Joining international societies for your specialty is a great way to stay in the loop.

Even if you don’t get to choose the location, keep an open mind and a curious spirit, and you can find hidden gems anywhere!

I always try to arrive at a destination a few days early or stay a few days after the work portion of my trip is done. This allows me to explore these destinations without taking a separate trip, and the company foots the bill for my plane ticket and for the hotel nights during my work duties.

Before leaving home, I thoroughly research the destination and select a hotel that is close to my work site but is also in a walkable area of the city. This allows me to slip out while on break or during a lecture that does not apply to me and get a taste of the city. If I have a couple of hours, a “Big Red Bus” tour is a great way to get an overview of the location and decide whether I’d like to come back.

If my time is limited, I will at least find time in the evening to explore the destination and sample the local cuisine. One of the best ways to learn about a place is through your stomach!

The key for me is to learn about a place beforehand and figure out what aspects interest me. I can then often make time to squeeze in a few hours of leisure.

Jennifer Do
Travel Agent, Travel Blogger, and Travel Writer, Jennifer’s Path