Join us as we pull back the curtain on the travel industry, revealing the significance of trust-building and the rewards of attending Virtuoso Travel Week. Ever met someone who looks nothing like how you pictured them? That's what makes face-to-face meetings during these events so fascinating – familiar voices finally match faces. Guest Ashish Sanghrajka, a dear friend and travel enthusiast, shares his valuable insights into these networking opportunities, demystifying the ways we use emails and personal interactions to foster long-lasting relationships with both clients and suppliers.
Ever been caught between packing too much and too little for your travels? We've got you covered. Ashish and Robin spill the secrets on how to pack light, from the magic of one carry-on bag and a backpack to the power of rubber bands and Velcro wrap cords. Never again leave behind that crucial prescription medication or, heaven forbid, your passport. But travel is more than just packing and trust-building; it's an intricate art of planning, timing, and experiencing. We wrap up with a look into the meticulous world of luxury adventure planning with Cline & Co Travel Consulting, known for crafting un-Googleable experiences. Buckle up, this episode is packed with useful insights to transform your travel game.
Thanks for joining us on today’s episode of The Intrepid Traveler podcast! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please rate and review our show to help us reach even more aspiring travelers. Don’t forget to check out our website, visit us on Facebook, Instagram or follow us on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on our latest epic travel adventures!
Use the following links when planning your own travel!
TRAVEL INSURED INTERNATIONAL
MEDJET
VIRTUOSO
PROJECT EXPEDITION
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Have you ever wondered how the pros put
together epic tailor-made traveladventures?
Welcome to the IntrepidTraveler Podcast.
I'm your host, robin Klein, andI'm going to explain to you
just how that is done during myconversation with today's guest.
When it comes to luxuryadventure and expedition travel,
the possibilities are endless.
(00:29):
In each episode, you'll hearfrom an expert in his or her
field about how theseexperiences, and more, are
created.
This episode of the IntrepidTraveler is brought to you by
Klein Co Travel Consultingaluxury adventure and expedition
travel planning companyspecializing in un-Googleable
experiences.
(00:49):
You can find us on the web atKleinandcoattravelcom.
On Instagram, at Klein CoTravel, we have a private
Facebook group you are welcometo join.
You can find us on LinkedIn orcatch the video version on
YouTube.
With that said, let's welcometoday's guest.
So Ashish and I have decidedwe're having so much fun doing
(01:11):
these episodes together thatwe're going to do it somewhat
regularly, and I hope thatyou'll enjoy listening to them
as much as we enjoy recordingthem.
We'll have one of these aboutonce a month, and the subject
matter will be what not to worryabout in travel.
Enjoy, okay, we are recordingand we are live from Las Vegas
(01:35):
and we are in person today and Iam Robin Klein.
My podcast is the IntrepidTraveler, and my friend here is
I'm Ashish Senghachika.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
My podcast is a state of sustainable voice.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Okay so we've never done this in person before, but
this is a lot of fun because weobviously have a lot of fun when
we're together, and now we'renot limited by the Miles between
us and separate screens and allthat.
So so anyway, the reason we arehere in Las Vegas, we're
worried.
Why don't we each give ourversion of why we're here?
Because we're here for Kind ofthe same and different reasons
(02:09):
all at the same time.
So okay, first off, what isvirtuoso travel week.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's chaos.
Okay, it's nine days of chaosand this I've been doing this us
2006, 2007 sorry.
Yeah so I'm used to this chaos,but it is nine days I'm
supposed to have a voice untilFriday.
My voice is already gone.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So okay, other than chaos, but why, like?
What's the purpose of it, foryou, for your company?
Why do you come here every yearand have been doing it for that
many years?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
You know, we work hard all year to earn people's
trust and and to we deal, and wedeal in trust.
Right, we talk about dealing intravel.
We deal in trust, yeah, and andthis is here to reinforce our
trust to To ask for ways that wecan make that trust that bonds
stronger.
Mm-hmm, it's also, this is aplace we come in, just to you
know, there's lifelong friendsthat we've made absolutely
(02:58):
people that I have made Friendswith since 2006 seven, some of
them before and thoserelationships are still intact.
Yeah, still there.
I mean I don't have family thatI get along with that long.
Come on.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Well, you get to choose your friends.
Yes you know, okay, well, good,no, I like that.
That's.
That's very true and for me.
So just to be clear.
So a few issues on what we callthe supplier or partner side of
things.
So I Come to his company veryoften when I have a client with
a request that that fits likethe client profile, fits what
(03:30):
his company does that profilescrazy, by the way.
They big five does do an amazingjob at finding those out of the
box which, you know, I kind oflike that term.
I got to come up this littlebox difference.
No, there is no box.
I'm a box and you're reallygood at that.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I mean, your company is really good at it.
You're finding clients thatactually don't even ask about a
box, they just see.
They see things that you can'tfind, they just want to do.
You're really good at findingthat stuff because you do that.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
So yeah, so that's kind of my my forte, I would say
so that's why and one of thereasons we get along so well.
Yeah, that's right, that'sright, um, anyway.
So the reason that I am here isto meet with these supplier
partners, such as Ashish andmany, many others.
I think there's like 5000people here this way Actually
goes to a six.
Yeah it's just a 6000 and Idon't know exactly what the
(04:17):
split is between travel advisorsand between Suppliers partners
and there's more other.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
So it's a great opportunity for us to actually
meet with people in person thatwe might not get to know
Otherwise.
Like a lot of times, it's alittle bit like the old days,
you know, when you used to talkto people on the phone and you
know, you would kind of imaginewhat they look like and stuff.
Well, now it's, you know it'sthe other side of the email.
That's right, you know.
You know you don't even knowsometimes, unless they put a
(04:47):
picture you know in their emailsignature what they might look
like.
Um, but you sort of developthese relationships over email.
It's really interesting.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And then it's like you get here and it's as if you
already know yeah, yeahabsolutely.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Or, you know, over the last few years we all sort
of know each other from one.
You know this angle up fromzoom boxes.
And then you know, you see,this whole person is like oh man
, I thought you were really talland you're not.
Or I thought you were reallyshort, you're not, you know.
So You're not what I picturedyou to be.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I literally had somebody my first few years ago.
You're a lot younger than Ithought you'd be.
I'm like, don't let the grayhair fool you.
I'm pretty old, you're right.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
That's funny, that's funny, so anyway.
So it's really wonderful for meto meet people and talk to
people and, you know, get to.
We get our little speed dating.
You know eight minutes together, and but you know it's.
It's enough to Give you a goodpicture.
And for those that we don'talready know, we're introduced
(05:43):
to so many that I didn't knowabout before.
Yesterday we were atGlobetrotting, which is, you
know, the speed dating in agroup, though, so your group
moves from booth to booth andyou get an introduction to
certain places and we get to becreative with that.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
And that's not just the table.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
You said you were saying putting a face to it.
I mean, we had a guide fromPeru here and oh, you were the
one that was with my clients.
Oh, you're the one that, oh,exactly, exactly, that was a
face there.
It's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, no, and we've talked about it before this
industry is all aboutrelationships.
That's right, and so this is anevent that really helps us form
stronger bonds in thoserelationships, and so so, yeah,
so it's a lot of fun, it ischaos and it is exhausting as
well.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
It is Well.
So I have a routine in theoffice Every time I come back
from Globetrot from this week,from Travel Week, and I get to
the office on Monday.
I'm a huge Lord of the Ringsfan, so my golem voice comes out
.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
I leave saying.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I'm ready for Travel Week and I come back saying my
precious it's great.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
So that's what we're doing here.
That's why we're here.
We had actually hoped we'd havea few people that might stop by
and say hi, but you know we'reup early and we're both early
birds.
Given all of that, what are wenot worrying about here?
And you want to go first.
You want me to go first.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I think for me look, I've been doing these meetings
since 2007.
And for me, it's just takingeach moment in.
You know, I remember my firstweeks when I was here, my first
years when I was here, andpeople would dread coming here.
Oh, this is just that thisweekend big, it's going to be so
tough.
I don't, I'm not going to gothis year, I'm not going to go
that year, or they would bringan army of five people all
(07:32):
taking turns.
I actually look forward to it.
Maybe I'm a glutton forpunishment, but I look forward
to it Because, as you saidearlier, you're putting a face
to everything you have dealt inover email, by messaging by
WhatsApp, and at one point I wasgetting all three
simultaneously and for the sameperson.
Then you get here and you'rehugging each other because
you've been through somethingchaotic or you've been through
(07:54):
something, and it's as if you'vemet, known that person for 25
years, as if you, you, you'reliterally.
You don't see the madness ofthem for a year or two years,
but you see them again.
You pick up every letter.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yes, absolutely yeah, yeah.
So it's like not getting toostressed over the meetings and
things like that.
I mean, what's going totranspire is going to transpire.
You've got to be prepared, butat the same time, it's not it's
not life threatening.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
No, and the flip side of that's also true, which is,
you know, in trouble things canhappen once in a while right
Things can go wrong here andthere, and if they do, it's rare
.
But when you're in thesemeetings you may run into the
person that maybe you let down.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
It doesn't happen.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
often it's rare, and I've talked to other companies
who they'll, they'll skirt themeeting and whatnot.
Right, I will.
And again, it's only happened ahandful of times in 20 years.
But I'll go up to that personand just say, look, I'm coming
to you face to face.
I messed up, I apologize, butour friendship is worth more
than this and our and therelationship that we have forced
(08:53):
is worth more than one failure.
Right, right, when you're readyto forgive me, then we can go
through.
And it works every time becauseit's genuine, yeah, you know,
so it's not stressing about thatas well.
It's so, that's just it.
It's taking in each momentBecause you never know, yeah,
what that moment's gonna change.
Yeah, even if we, the sameperson every you know, five
years in a row, it's a differentmoment.
(09:14):
Right, it's not, it's not thesame moment.
They're all great meetings,mm-hmm, but there's a new
discussion.
Somebody has had a child or agrandchild, or gotten married,
or the kids have gotten married,or there's something else
that's happened in their life,and and it's now.
There's a new discussion.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Hmm, interesting.
Yeah, well, you know, and I'vethought about this before, but,
you know, coming listening tothat and being on the other side
of that sometimes, you know, Idon't like to use these meetings
as the like okay, we got it, Igot a beef, and there's you.
You know that I've had somethings happen with that.
I do want to, you know, have aconversation about, but I'm
(09:50):
looking at more like I'm gonnaget to meet this person face to
face.
We're gonna talk about whateverand then, you know, toward the
end of the conversation, I'mgonna say, hey, after this week,
can we pick up and talk aboutblah, blah, blah and you know
that just kind of it, ratherthan sitting down at the table
and being like I never got mycommission from blah, blah, blah
(10:11):
and you know that, becausethat's just wrong.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Yeah, yeah, over eight minutes right.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Long time, it really is I mean it doesn't sound like
that long when you're doing thewhole speed dating thing, but,
it's an eternity.
Yeah, it's well, especially foryou, because it's like
Groundhog Day.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Oh, my god.
Well, we have the same thingover and over, say.
You said that it used to bethat way.
I, my first show.
Tell you a quick story.
My first year I had a hotelyour in front of me and a hotel
your behind me.
Mm-hmm hotel your in front ofme was was from Peru, was
amazing.
Mm-hmm hotel You're behind mewas from Argentina.
She was new as well and was justgetting flustered and stressed
(10:49):
and whatnot, and she keptpushing, pushing, pushing,
they'll tell you in front of me,pulls her aside.
So what are you doing?
Can I see your presentation?
She showed she's talking aboutthe new bathrooms in her hotel.
Oh, and the one.
Okay, you have X number ofminutes and you want to talk
about a bathroom, a number ofthings one would do in a
bathroom.
It's not one we really want totalk about and why would you
(11:11):
bring it up here?
Right, and the view that you'retalking about?
Nobody cares.
Yeah, it's just relax and justbe you.
Yeah, we became friends.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna tell you from Argentina, I'll
tell you we became friendsbecause we just relax, and I
think that was and that's like amentoring moment.
Yeah, yeah you just relax andjust roll with it yeah.
Yeah, that's good, that's good,I like it.
So my thing not to worry aboutand this week in particular, or
in travel in general, isUnderpacking.
(11:39):
Like people think that theyhave to bring everything.
You know, no disrespect.
I mean like if you really likea super clothes horse and you
just got to have those, you knowThree suitcases full of I'm not
sure what, okay.
But and there are a lot ofoutfit changes this week there's
a lot of different events.
So you know, we have ourdaytime events and then you
(12:00):
usually have some sort of maybea Cocktail event or something,
and then you'll have a dinnerand then there's a gala at the
end and all of that.
Now I Managed to come.
Now I am skipping out two daysearly, so oh, oh I don't think
you can say that on there I know.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
I know where you're from.
Okay, yeah exactly um.
All right you know.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Okay, so I I came with one carry on and my
backpack, so basically one of myoffices in my backpack and I
have like I have something likesix or eight dresses with me, I
have three pairs of shoes andyou know just kind of the usual
stuff that I need stuff to workout it.
I mean I just put it all in thecarry on.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Do you use tiles?
Do you use tiles with me?
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I usually do.
I didn't this time, althoughsometimes I use rubber bands.
I'll roll things and all therubber bands around them, and
that's what I did like with allmy workout clothes.
Oh, that's a really good idea.
You can also do that with yourshoes, like a lot of people use
shoe bags.
But you can even use Like thosesort of Velcro wrap cords or
like little bungee cords, and itjust compresses everything.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
You learn something's new every time stuff things in
your shoes.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
You know small things put in your shoes.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Is there something new every time?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I'm impressed.
Okay, I'm waiting for what I'mgonna learn from you today, all
right, so anyway.
So, yeah, we've established andI mean, I have to say I love to
go, I love to travel, I hate topack, I really hate to pack.
So my thing not to worry aboutis you can buy, you know, almost
anything.
(13:46):
When you get there that youneed, will it be yours and
exactly?
Will it match the outputexactly and all of that?
Probably not, but you know,again, it's not life-threatening
.
The two things you absolutelyhave to have and cannot forget
are your medications, yourprescription medications and
your passport.
(14:06):
Other than that like you canpretty much manage.
I mean people do it when theirluggage gets lost.
They don't have any choice.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Exactly.
I mean it's easier to pack forguys.
I mean that.
I'll say I mean it is.
I know, whenever I see some ofthe, some of the people that
come here and they're talkingabout like 13 pairs of shoes and
whatnot, and holy cow, I findmyself I've got three or four
pairs of shoes in my even that'stoo many.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
I don't never take four pairs of shoes anywhere.
Yeah, but it's exactly right.
I mean, you've got.
This is probably the only weekwhere all color code went up,
but you're right.
You know what?
I stopped wearing ties.
I used to come here with a fulltie and everything.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I said no, no more, I'm not doing it.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
That's not me.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah Well, I think in general, the world is getting
more casual too, but you knowyou still want to look
professional and you know youlook at my breaks this morning,
thank you.
So you know, packing light tome is like the best thing you
can do for yourself when youtravel, whether it's for
meetings or whether it is for,you know, a leisure trip.
(15:12):
Honestly, like nobody reallycares if you have a different
pair of shoes on every day.
I mean you want to.
Your feet are on this kind ofsituation.
We are walking a ton, so youwant to make sure that you're
wearing something that issensible, sensible shoes.
If you've seen some of theheels here.
That's crazy.
I can, I mean I would break myneck.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I mean because you're averaging what 2021, 25,000
steps a day.
I can and I've seen some ofthese.
You know the.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
You've noticed them more than me.
I don't really look at thoseheels.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
No, I only only reason I notice them is because
I see these heels like it's noteven this.
It's like this You're justastounded and you're just
looking, going how are you?
And they're owning it yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
They're owning it.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I, god, love them, I give them credit.
I mean they're owning it.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
So you know, but it's still onthose things, it's really
important to you and you needthe 13 pairs of shoes.
And then the reason with 13 isthe number we're talking about
is that in my own group so I'm Ihave a host agency and we have
a host agency and we have aWhatsApp going with the whole
group and I think there's 40 ofus here or something in that
group, and somehow we got onthis.
(16:17):
You know WhatsApp, you knowabout who was packing what.
And somebody said you know theyhad 13 pairs of shoes.
And I was like what?
I'm like, yeah, I know I own 13pairs of shoes, but you know,
some of those are like, you know, uggs and winter boots.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
That's right.
That's right.
Some of them would beappropriate.
You know that pops the shoesdown.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah, I guess you may protect your feet.
It's a half.
No, no, that's a shoe.
Oh, come on, it's a half, it'snever mind Exactly.
Exactly so.
Anyway, I think that therewould be a lot of things we
could worry about this week butif you go, into it with the
attitude of you know we're goingto enjoy it and we're going to
(17:01):
see our friends make connections, relationships, have some good
food and know that we won't haveany voices by the end of it.
It's all great.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I mean, listen, it's exactly right.
I mean I get to sound likeprecious when we're back.
It's going to be awesome.
It's going to sound like gollumwhen I'm back.
It's going to be great.
Yeah, I had somebody tell methis about 10 years ago and he
was right on.
He said think about this weekfor a second.
If you're worrying about shoesor your notepad or this, or did
(17:31):
you forget something from work,or a certain report or this or
whatever the case, you are goingto be here for about eight days
.
In my case, it's going to benine days You're sleep deprived
because how early you got towake up.
This is late for you and I both.
This is late, we're up earlierthan this, but you're sleep
deprived.
You've got a lot of actionableitems that are here.
It's a sensory overload.
(17:53):
And I'm not even getting intoVegas atmosphere itself, with
the shows and everything else,and just the over exuberance of
Vegas as it all.
Out of all those things and hesaid this because forgetting
something at home is that reallythe worry you want to really?
Speaker 1 (18:10):
talk about.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
It's the least of your problems when you think
about it.
I calculated it out because onThursday, when you talk about
that ending party, our daysyours and mine our day starts at
like 4.35 on Thursday.
And then you're cutting outearly.
My day starts then, and thenyou go straight through.
And then Friday I have a 6 amflight.
(18:32):
So I just go straight through.
I leave at 2 am from thatclosing party, go upstairs,
shower, get ready, go straightto the airport.
So I haven't actually gone tosleep and I won't actually go to
sleep when I wake up Thursdaymorning.
I will not go back to sleepuntil Friday evening, so it's
straight shot You're going tosleep on the plane.
I don't sleep on planes.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Yes, you do.
I've seen you.
I have a picture of yousleeping on?
A plane.
Okay, hang on In Columbia.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Wait, hang on.
Hang on.
That's because I will sleepthere too, but hang on a second
I know, but I'm just calling youout.
Oh, wait, wait, out of all thethings that you could take a
photo of on a plane, you take mesleeping on the plane.
Yeah, it's because of the rareoccurrence.
Yes, All right, fair enough,fair enough, Fair enough, I'll
give you that.
Okay, but still, we're talkingabout like an hour.
Yeah, you know, whatever thecase, and I remember I would
(19:19):
come back and this guy said hegoes, you're going to be sleep
deprived, and a lot of peoplethink I'll come home and rest
when I sleep.
It's not actually true.
When you get home, your familyresponsibilities take over, and
so you don't actually, you'rebasically thrown back into your
normal schedule without any kindof catch up.
So you said you need to thinkabout that.
Yeah, yeah, and not the littlethings, because the little
(19:41):
things, as you said, you canpick up anything here.
Yeah, I mean the trip that Iwas on to Columbia.
Before our trip, my phonestopped working.
I had went and picked up a newphone, download everything.
So if that could be fixed, thenforgetting a pair of shoes is
not going to be a problem.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
No, it's not going to be a problem.
And again, we're fortunate tolive in a day and a time when it
used to be.
If you left your paper,presentation or whatever at home
, somebody was going to have toFedEx it to you, or something
like that.
Now everything is in the cloud.
You go to Kinkos, you get aprinted again and you're off and
running.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Well, we even fine-tuned our globetrotting
process in terms of because wehave to set up the booth and
everything else.
So you have to focus on costsbecause it's an expensive week,
but focus on costs.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
It's an investment.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Yes, absolutely, and it was great because this year
we've now figured out a modelwhere everything can be left,
meaning it gets just torn downbut nothing comes back with us
except for just the frame.
So taking our booth down itused to take hours, Now it
literally takes 10 minutes.
Efficiency is the thing thatyou have to think about the most
(20:47):
, Not worry about it you have tothink about it, and that's why,
stressing out about smallthings, your eye gets taken off
that ball.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Which is key, and I think that that is okay, so we
can apply that to leisure travelas well.
So, like you're traveling withyour family, let's say going on
just a trip for you know, afamily trip you enjoy.
You apply all the same rules tothat.
That's right.
That's right.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Efficiency is there.
Don't sweat the small stuff andit will all fall in place, and
if it doesn't, you're going tohave one hell of a story to talk
about the following year.
So there's that.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
I think that kind of does it right.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Wow, we're right on schedule too.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I know we have time to go have coffee.
We do this is impressive Allright, so we're going to go have
coffee now and thank you allagain for joining us.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
I need to change my shoes before we go, though.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Well, I'm, I don't, and I'm going to assume that
you're going to be the rest ofthe week going.
Are you still wearing thoseshoes?
Well, so here's to the rest ofVirtuoso Travel Week, and we're
going to let all the rest of thepeople get on with their day.
The noise is getting to be moreand the props are getting to be
more interesting, so we'regoing to sign off.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
That's right.
I'm going to clean myself up.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
That wraps up today's episode of the Intrepid
Traveler.
Thank you for tuning in andthank you to today's guests for
joining me.
I'll be back again in two weekswith another exciting episode
featuring another guest with astory that is sure to pique your
interest.
Please subscribe to theIntrepid Traveler on your
favorite listening channel andgive us a review.
(22:17):
Once again, today's episode hasbeen brought to you by Clining
Co Travel Consulting, a luxuryadventure and expedition travel
planning company specializing inun-Google-global experiences.
Have you ever wondered how the pros put
together epic tailor-made traveladventures?
Welcome to the IntrepidTraveler Podcast.
I'm your host, robin Klein, andI'm going to explain to you
just how that is done during myconversation with today's guest.
When it comes to luxuryadventure and expedition travel,
the possibilities are endless.
(00:29):
In each episode, you'll hearfrom an expert in his or her
field about how theseexperiences, and more, are
created.
This episode of the IntrepidTraveler is brought to you by
Klein Co Travel Consultingaluxury adventure and expedition
travel planning companyspecializing in un-Googleable
experiences.
(00:49):
You can find us on the web atKleinandcoattravelcom.
On Instagram, at Klein CoTravel, we have a private
Facebook group you are welcometo join.
You can find us on LinkedIn orcatch the video version on
YouTube.
With that said, let's welcometoday's guest.
So Ashish and I have decidedwe're having so much fun doing
(01:11):
these episodes together thatwe're going to do it somewhat
regularly, and I hope thatyou'll enjoy listening to them
as much as we enjoy recordingthem.
We'll have one of these aboutonce a month, and the subject
matter will be what not to worryabout in travel.
Enjoy, okay, we are recordingand we are live from Las Vegas
(01:35):
and we are in person today and Iam Robin Klein.
My podcast is the IntrepidTraveler, and my friend here is
I'm Ashish Senghachika.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
My podcast is a state of sustainable voice.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Okay so we've never done this in person before, but
this is a lot of fun because weobviously have a lot of fun when
we're together, and now we'renot limited by the Miles between
us and separate screens and allthat.
So so anyway, the reason we arehere in Las Vegas, we're
worried.
Why don't we each give ourversion of why we're here?
Because we're here for Kind ofthe same and different reasons
(02:09):
all at the same time.
So okay, first off, what isvirtuoso travel week.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's chaos.
Okay, it's nine days of chaosand this I've been doing this us
2006, 2007 sorry.
Yeah so I'm used to this chaos,but it is nine days I'm
supposed to have a voice untilFriday.
My voice is already gone.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
So okay, other than chaos, but why, like?
What's the purpose of it, foryou, for your company?
Why do you come here every yearand have been doing it for that
many years?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
You know, we work hard all year to earn people's
trust and and to we deal, and wedeal in trust.
Right, we talk about dealing intravel.
We deal in trust, yeah, and andthis is here to reinforce our
trust to To ask for ways that wecan make that trust that bonds
stronger.
Mm-hmm, it's also, this is aplace we come in, just to you
know, there's lifelong friendsthat we've made absolutely
(02:58):
people that I have made Friendswith since 2006 seven, some of
them before and thoserelationships are still intact.
Yeah, still there.
I mean I don't have family thatI get along with that long.
Come on.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Well, you get to choose your friends.
Yes you know, okay, well, good,no, I like that.
That's.
That's very true and for me.
So just to be clear.
So a few issues on what we callthe supplier or partner side of
things.
So I Come to his company veryoften when I have a client with
a request that that fits likethe client profile, fits what
(03:30):
his company does that profilescrazy, by the way.
They big five does do an amazingjob at finding those out of the
box which, you know, I kind oflike that term.
I got to come up this littlebox difference.
No, there is no box.
I'm a box and you're reallygood at that.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
I mean, your company is really good at it.
You're finding clients thatactually don't even ask about a
box, they just see.
They see things that you can'tfind, they just want to do.
You're really good at findingthat stuff because you do that.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
So yeah, so that's kind of my my forte, I would say
so that's why and one of thereasons we get along so well.
Yeah, that's right, that'sright, um, anyway.
So the reason that I am here isto meet with these supplier
partners, such as Ashish andmany, many others.
I think there's like 5000people here this way Actually
goes to a six.
Yeah it's just a 6000 and Idon't know exactly what the
(04:17):
split is between travel advisorsand between Suppliers partners
and there's more other.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
So it's a great opportunity for us to actually
meet with people in person thatwe might not get to know
Otherwise.
Like a lot of times, it's alittle bit like the old days,
you know, when you used to talkto people on the phone and you
know, you would kind of imaginewhat they look like and stuff.
Well, now it's, you know it'sthe other side of the email.
That's right, you know.
You know you don't even knowsometimes, unless they put a
(04:47):
picture you know in their emailsignature what they might look
like.
Um, but you sort of developthese relationships over email.
It's really interesting.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
And then it's like you get here and it's as if you
already know yeah, yeahabsolutely.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Or, you know, over the last few years we all sort
of know each other from one.
You know this angle up fromzoom boxes.
And then you know, you see,this whole person is like oh man
, I thought you were really talland you're not.
Or I thought you were reallyshort, you're not, you know.
So You're not what I picturedyou to be.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
I literally had somebody my first few years ago.
You're a lot younger than Ithought you'd be.
I'm like, don't let the grayhair fool you.
I'm pretty old, you're right.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
That's funny, that's funny, so anyway.
So it's really wonderful for meto meet people and talk to
people and, you know, get to.
We get our little speed dating.
You know eight minutes together, and but you know it's.
It's enough to Give you a goodpicture.
And for those that we don'talready know, we're introduced
(05:43):
to so many that I didn't knowabout before.
Yesterday we were atGlobetrotting, which is, you
know, the speed dating in agroup, though, so your group
moves from booth to booth andyou get an introduction to
certain places and we get to becreative with that.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
And that's not just the table.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
You said you were saying putting a face to it.
I mean, we had a guide fromPeru here and oh, you were the
one that was with my clients.
Oh, you're the one that, oh,exactly, exactly, that was a
face there.
It's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, no, and we've talked about it before this
industry is all aboutrelationships.
That's right, and so this is anevent that really helps us form
stronger bonds in thoserelationships, and so so, yeah,
so it's a lot of fun, it ischaos and it is exhausting as
well.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
It is Well.
So I have a routine in theoffice Every time I come back
from Globetrot from this week,from Travel Week, and I get to
the office on Monday.
I'm a huge Lord of the Ringsfan, so my golem voice comes out
.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
I leave saying.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I'm ready for Travel Week and I come back saying my
precious it's great.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
So that's what we're doing here.
That's why we're here.
We had actually hoped we'd havea few people that might stop by
and say hi, but you know we'reup early and we're both early
birds.
Given all of that, what are wenot worrying about here?
And you want to go first.
You want me to go first.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
I think for me look, I've been doing these meetings
since 2007.
And for me, it's just takingeach moment in.
You know, I remember my firstweeks when I was here, my first
years when I was here, andpeople would dread coming here.
Oh, this is just that thisweekend big, it's going to be so
tough.
I don't, I'm not going to gothis year, I'm not going to go
that year, or they would bringan army of five people all
(07:32):
taking turns.
I actually look forward to it.
Maybe I'm a glutton forpunishment, but I look forward
to it Because, as you saidearlier, you're putting a face
to everything you have dealt inover email, by messaging by
WhatsApp, and at one point I wasgetting all three
simultaneously and for the sameperson.
Then you get here and you'rehugging each other because
you've been through somethingchaotic or you've been through
(07:54):
something, and it's as if you'vemet, known that person for 25
years, as if you, you, you'reliterally.
You don't see the madness ofthem for a year or two years,
but you see them again.
You pick up every letter.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yes, absolutely yeah, yeah.
So it's like not getting toostressed over the meetings and
things like that.
I mean, what's going totranspire is going to transpire.
You've got to be prepared, butat the same time, it's not it's
not life threatening.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
No, and the flip side of that's also true, which is,
you know, in trouble things canhappen once in a while right
Things can go wrong here andthere, and if they do, it's rare
.
But when you're in thesemeetings you may run into the
person that maybe you let down.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
It doesn't happen.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
often it's rare, and I've talked to other companies
who they'll, they'll skirt themeeting and whatnot.
Right, I will.
And again, it's only happened ahandful of times in 20 years.
But I'll go up to that personand just say, look, I'm coming
to you face to face.
I messed up, I apologize, butour friendship is worth more
than this and our and therelationship that we have forced
(08:53):
is worth more than one failure.
Right, right, when you're readyto forgive me, then we can go
through.
And it works every time becauseit's genuine, yeah, you know,
so it's not stressing about thatas well.
It's so, that's just it.
It's taking in each momentBecause you never know, yeah,
what that moment's gonna change.
Yeah, even if we, the sameperson every you know, five
years in a row, it's a differentmoment.
(09:14):
Right, it's not, it's not thesame moment.
They're all great meetings,mm-hmm, but there's a new
discussion.
Somebody has had a child or agrandchild, or gotten married,
or the kids have gotten married,or there's something else
that's happened in their life,and and it's now.
There's a new discussion.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Hmm, interesting.
Yeah, well, you know, and I'vethought about this before, but,
you know, coming listening tothat and being on the other side
of that sometimes, you know, Idon't like to use these meetings
as the like okay, we got it, Igot a beef, and there's you.
You know that I've had somethings happen with that.
I do want to, you know, have aconversation about, but I'm
(09:50):
looking at more like I'm gonnaget to meet this person face to
face.
We're gonna talk about whateverand then, you know, toward the
end of the conversation, I'mgonna say, hey, after this week,
can we pick up and talk aboutblah, blah, blah and you know
that just kind of it, ratherthan sitting down at the table
and being like I never got mycommission from blah, blah, blah
(10:11):
and you know that, becausethat's just wrong.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Yeah, yeah, over eight minutes right.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
Long time, it really is I mean it doesn't sound like
that long when you're doing thewhole speed dating thing, but,
it's an eternity.
Yeah, it's well, especially foryou, because it's like
Groundhog Day.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Oh, my god.
Well, we have the same thingover and over, say.
You said that it used to bethat way.
I, my first show.
Tell you a quick story.
My first year I had a hotelyour in front of me and a hotel
your behind me.
Mm-hmm hotel your in front ofme was was from Peru, was
amazing.
Mm-hmm hotel You're behind mewas from Argentina.
She was new as well and was justgetting flustered and stressed
(10:49):
and whatnot, and she keptpushing, pushing, pushing,
they'll tell you in front of me,pulls her aside.
So what are you doing?
Can I see your presentation?
She showed she's talking aboutthe new bathrooms in her hotel.
Oh, and the one.
Okay, you have X number ofminutes and you want to talk
about a bathroom, a number ofthings one would do in a
bathroom.
It's not one we really want totalk about and why would you
(11:11):
bring it up here?
Right, and the view that you'retalking about?
Nobody cares.
Yeah, it's just relax and justbe you.
Yeah, we became friends.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna tell you from Argentina, I'll
tell you we became friendsbecause we just relax, and I
think that was and that's like amentoring moment.
Yeah, yeah you just relax andjust roll with it yeah.
Yeah, that's good, that's good,I like it.
So my thing not to worry aboutand this week in particular, or
in travel in general, isUnderpacking.
(11:39):
Like people think that theyhave to bring everything.
You know, no disrespect.
I mean like if you really likea super clothes horse and you
just got to have those, you knowThree suitcases full of I'm not
sure what, okay.
But and there are a lot ofoutfit changes this week there's
a lot of different events.
So you know, we have ourdaytime events and then you
(12:00):
usually have some sort of maybea Cocktail event or something,
and then you'll have a dinnerand then there's a gala at the
end and all of that.
Now I Managed to come.
Now I am skipping out two daysearly, so oh, oh I don't think
you can say that on there I know.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
I know where you're from.
Okay, yeah exactly um.
All right you know.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Okay, so I I came with one carry on and my
backpack, so basically one of myoffices in my backpack and I
have like I have something likesix or eight dresses with me, I
have three pairs of shoes andyou know just kind of the usual
stuff that I need stuff to workout it.
I mean I just put it all in thecarry on.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Do you use tiles?
Do you use tiles with me?
Speaker 1 (12:56):
I usually do.
I didn't this time, althoughsometimes I use rubber bands.
I'll roll things and all therubber bands around them, and
that's what I did like with allmy workout clothes.
Oh, that's a really good idea.
You can also do that with yourshoes, like a lot of people use
shoe bags.
But you can even use Like thosesort of Velcro wrap cords or
like little bungee cords, and itjust compresses everything.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
You learn something's new every time stuff things in
your shoes.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
You know small things put in your shoes.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Is there something new every time?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I'm impressed.
Okay, I'm waiting for what I'mgonna learn from you today, all
right, so anyway.
So, yeah, we've established andI mean, I have to say I love to
go, I love to travel, I hate topack, I really hate to pack.
So my thing not to worry aboutis you can buy, you know, almost
anything.
(13:46):
When you get there that youneed, will it be yours and
exactly?
Will it match the outputexactly and all of that?
Probably not, but you know,again, it's not life-threatening
.
The two things you absolutelyhave to have and cannot forget
are your medications, yourprescription medications and
your passport.
(14:06):
Other than that like you canpretty much manage.
I mean people do it when theirluggage gets lost.
They don't have any choice.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Exactly.
I mean it's easier to pack forguys.
I mean that.
I'll say I mean it is.
I know, whenever I see some ofthe, some of the people that
come here and they're talkingabout like 13 pairs of shoes and
whatnot, and holy cow, I findmyself I've got three or four
pairs of shoes in my even that'stoo many.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
I don't never take four pairs of shoes anywhere.
Yeah, but it's exactly right.
I mean, you've got.
This is probably the only weekwhere all color code went up,
but you're right.
You know what?
I stopped wearing ties.
I used to come here with a fulltie and everything.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I said no, no more, I'm not doing it.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
That's not me.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah Well, I think in general, the world is getting
more casual too, but you knowyou still want to look
professional and you know youlook at my breaks this morning,
thank you.
So you know, packing light tome is like the best thing you
can do for yourself when youtravel, whether it's for
meetings or whether it is for,you know, a leisure trip.
(15:12):
Honestly, like nobody reallycares if you have a different
pair of shoes on every day.
I mean you want to.
Your feet are on this kind ofsituation.
We are walking a ton, so youwant to make sure that you're
wearing something that issensible, sensible shoes.
If you've seen some of theheels here.
That's crazy.
I can, I mean I would break myneck.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I mean because you're averaging what 2021, 25,000
steps a day.
I can and I've seen some ofthese.
You know the.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
You've noticed them more than me.
I don't really look at thoseheels.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
No, I only only reason I notice them is because
I see these heels like it's noteven this.
It's like this You're justastounded and you're just
looking, going how are you?
And they're owning it yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
They're owning it.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I, god, love them, I give them credit.
I mean they're owning it.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
So you know, but it's still onthose things, it's really
important to you and you needthe 13 pairs of shoes.
And then the reason with 13 isthe number we're talking about
is that in my own group so I'm Ihave a host agency and we have
a host agency and we have aWhatsApp going with the whole
group and I think there's 40 ofus here or something in that
group, and somehow we got onthis.
(16:17):
You know WhatsApp, you knowabout who was packing what.
And somebody said you know theyhad 13 pairs of shoes.
And I was like what?
I'm like, yeah, I know I own 13pairs of shoes, but you know,
some of those are like, you know, uggs and winter boots.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
That's right.
That's right.
Some of them would beappropriate.
You know that pops the shoesdown.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah, I guess you may protect your feet.
It's a half.
No, no, that's a shoe.
Oh, come on, it's a half, it'snever mind Exactly.
Exactly so.
Anyway, I think that therewould be a lot of things we
could worry about this week butif you go, into it with the
attitude of you know we're goingto enjoy it and we're going to
(17:01):
see our friends make connections, relationships, have some good
food and know that we won't haveany voices by the end of it.
It's all great.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I mean, listen, it's exactly right.
I mean I get to sound likeprecious when we're back.
It's going to be awesome.
It's going to sound like gollumwhen I'm back.
It's going to be great.
Yeah, I had somebody tell methis about 10 years ago and he
was right on.
He said think about this weekfor a second.
If you're worrying about shoesor your notepad or this, or did
(17:31):
you forget something from work,or a certain report or this or
whatever the case, you are goingto be here for about eight days
.
In my case, it's going to benine days You're sleep deprived
because how early you got towake up.
This is late for you and I both.
This is late, we're up earlierthan this, but you're sleep
deprived.
You've got a lot of actionableitems that are here.
It's a sensory overload.
(17:53):
And I'm not even getting intoVegas atmosphere itself, with
the shows and everything else,and just the over exuberance of
Vegas as it all.
Out of all those things and hesaid this because forgetting
something at home is that reallythe worry you want to really?
Speaker 1 (18:10):
talk about.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
It's the least of your problems when you think
about it.
I calculated it out because onThursday, when you talk about
that ending party, our daysyours and mine our day starts at
like 4.35 on Thursday.
And then you're cutting outearly.
My day starts then, and thenyou go straight through.
And then Friday I have a 6 amflight.
(18:32):
So I just go straight through.
I leave at 2 am from thatclosing party, go upstairs,
shower, get ready, go straightto the airport.
So I haven't actually gone tosleep and I won't actually go to
sleep when I wake up Thursdaymorning.
I will not go back to sleepuntil Friday evening, so it's
straight shot You're going tosleep on the plane.
I don't sleep on planes.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Yes, you do.
I've seen you.
I have a picture of yousleeping on?
A plane.
Okay, hang on In Columbia.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Wait, hang on.
Hang on.
That's because I will sleepthere too, but hang on a second
I know, but I'm just calling youout.
Oh, wait, wait, out of all thethings that you could take a
photo of on a plane, you take mesleeping on the plane.
Yeah, it's because of the rareoccurrence.
Yes, All right, fair enough,fair enough, Fair enough, I'll
give you that.
Okay, but still, we're talkingabout like an hour.
Yeah, you know, whatever thecase, and I remember I would
(19:19):
come back and this guy said hegoes, you're going to be sleep
deprived, and a lot of peoplethink I'll come home and rest
when I sleep.
It's not actually true.
When you get home, your familyresponsibilities take over, and
so you don't actually, you'rebasically thrown back into your
normal schedule without any kindof catch up.
So you said you need to thinkabout that.
Yeah, yeah, and not the littlethings, because the little
(19:41):
things, as you said, you canpick up anything here.
Yeah, I mean the trip that Iwas on to Columbia.
Before our trip, my phonestopped working.
I had went and picked up a newphone, download everything.
So if that could be fixed, thenforgetting a pair of shoes is
not going to be a problem.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
No, it's not going to be a problem.
And again, we're fortunate tolive in a day and a time when it
used to be.
If you left your paper,presentation or whatever at home
, somebody was going to have toFedEx it to you, or something
like that.
Now everything is in the cloud.
You go to Kinkos, you get aprinted again and you're off and
running.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Well, we even fine-tuned our globetrotting
process in terms of because wehave to set up the booth and
everything else.
So you have to focus on costsbecause it's an expensive week,
but focus on costs.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
It's an investment.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Yes, absolutely, and it was great because this year
we've now figured out a modelwhere everything can be left,
meaning it gets just torn downbut nothing comes back with us
except for just the frame.
So taking our booth down itused to take hours, Now it
literally takes 10 minutes.
Efficiency is the thing thatyou have to think about the most
(20:47):
, Not worry about it you have tothink about it, and that's why,
stressing out about smallthings, your eye gets taken off
that ball.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
Which is key, and I think that that is okay, so we
can apply that to leisure travelas well.
So, like you're traveling withyour family, let's say going on
just a trip for you know, afamily trip you enjoy.
You apply all the same rules tothat.
That's right.
That's right.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Efficiency is there.
Don't sweat the small stuff andit will all fall in place, and
if it doesn't, you're going tohave one hell of a story to talk
about the following year.
So there's that.
Speaker 1 (21:22):
I think that kind of does it right.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Wow, we're right on schedule too.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I know we have time to go have coffee.
We do this is impressive Allright, so we're going to go have
coffee now and thank you allagain for joining us.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
I need to change my shoes before we go, though.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Well, I'm, I don't, and I'm going to assume that
you're going to be the rest ofthe week going.
Are you still wearing thoseshoes?
Well, so here's to the rest ofVirtuoso Travel Week, and we're
going to let all the rest of thepeople get on with their day.
The noise is getting to be moreand the props are getting to be
more interesting, so we'regoing to sign off.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
That's right.
I'm going to clean myself up.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
That wraps up today's episode of the Intrepid
Traveler.
Thank you for tuning in andthank you to today's guests for
joining me.
I'll be back again in two weekswith another exciting episode
featuring another guest with astory that is sure to pique your
interest.
Please subscribe to theIntrepid Traveler on your
favorite listening channel andgive us a review.
(22:17):
Once again, today's episode hasbeen brought to you by Clining
Co Travel Consulting, a luxuryadventure and expedition travel
planning company specializing inun-Google-global experiences.
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