Glasgow Business . 43
www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com
SECRETS OF THE
JETSETTERS
Three seasoned international travellers share their tips on making the most of your time away on business trips
Allison Gardner Head of Programming, Glasgow Film Theatre and Glasgow Film Festival
Y
our normal cinema-goer needs only to pop in the car for a brief journey to catch the latest on the big screen. Allison Gardner, however, oſten has
to travel further afield. As part of her job, she has to jet around the world to film festivals in cities ranging from Cannes to Toronto to discover new cinematic offerings that she can then bring back to Glasgow – to Glasgow Film Teatre and Glasgow Film Festival.
Jet lag For someone who has to spend ten hours a day in warm, dark cinemas around the world, jet lag is obviously a big issue. Allison explained: “I can’t be falling asleep during screenings. Te way I prevent this is to get myself on to the local time as soon as I get on the plane. Exercise is also very important. I make sure I choose a hotel with a swimming pool, if I can, and do 60 lengths aſter I check in, and make sure I don’t go to bed until at least 9pm.”
The value of a good book Given that Allison watches movies for a living,
when it comes to winding down, particularly while travelling, understandably she turns to a good book first. And unlike many who favour something light, she recommends going the other way and picking up something a bit more weighty. Allison said: “Te types of book I want to
read covers subjects like the fall of Stalingrad during the second World War. If the book is too light, I lose interest and driſt off to think about work. I need something that will hold my atention, so I can switch off from my day job. Downtime is very important. And reading a book is also a good tool for women travelling alone to say ‘don’t disturb me’.”
Soak up the vibe of your destination “I always research a good restaurant at my destination and book it for the night of my arrival,” Allison said. “It forces you to get out and soak up the atmosphere and immerse yourself in the culture, and it prevents you from going to bed too early, which is not good for jet lag. In fact, you should force yourself out every night, even if you are tired, if for nothing else to have a walk around and get a drink and a meal.” She also advises picking up a local
newspaper when you arrive to see what’s on,
adding: “You never know what weird but fun events are on while you’re there.”
Fresh thinking to stay healthy “When I get to a cinema at my destination, it’s film aſter film,” Allison said. “You don’t get a chance to get away and the food on offer isn’t usually the healthiest, so I always go to a supermarket when I arrive to stock up on healthy snacks such as fruit and nuts. Tey really get me through the day.”
Good relationships with accommodation providers Tere are cities that Allison returns to every year, with Cannes being one. Te problem is, even outside of film festival times, it’s an expensive city, and rates double when the red carpets start rolling out. To keep bills low, she returns to the same holiday apartment year aſter year, which is based a litle out of the centre. She makes a point of being a good tenant while there, caring for the property, to keep relations good with the owner. When it comes to Toronto, however, she books the same hotel in the centre, near all the participating cinemas, and which has good green policies. Tis is important to Glasgow Film Teatre as it tries, where possible, to be environmentally responsible.
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