Going up while you are away

EVEN a business trip can offer opportunities to have fun, if you know where to look.

Hot air ballooning is a good way to let off steam in Canada. Picture: Shutterstock

THE worst part about business travel is that you don’t get to have fun except for the occasional long dinner with business associates whom you really don’t care for that much anyway.

So today we’re giving you four things to do while you’re away that will make your life on the road incredibly happier and you won’t even care if the photos find their way back home or get sent to the board by the person who wants your job.

Toronto: The only reason you would go to Toronto, the coldest and windiest city on earth, is to visit a few of the 300,000 fund managers who work in a few of the incredibly tall office buildings that overlook what Toronto residents call a lake but is really a particularly savage section of the Arctic Ocean. So, given you will be spending most of the days trying to convince sceptical investors that this year’s loss was a one-off and that all of the directors resigning was a great example of board renewal in action, how ironic to use your morning off taking a hot air balloon ride. Hal Cooper from UPTUIT Balloons has been ballooning for more than 20 years and represented Canada at the World Hot Air Balloon Championships. Pay him $1200 and he’ll take you and three associates up in the air for an hour. ([e-mail])

San Francisco: Look, I know it’s one of the world’s great cities but how many times can you go to the French Laundry, de Young Museum, 826 Valencia and the San Francisco Ballet?

The minute you have a day free, ring Richard Martin at DB Autosportif. From his Sonoma office, Dicky hires classic cars such as E-Types, XK 150s, MGAs, Ferraris and 1960 Corvettes. Of course, Sonoma is at the epicentre of Northern California’s best winemaking region, so you can combine historic sightseeing with premium rocket fuel. Here’s a suggestion: the Silverado Trail winds its way through old silver mines and Oak Knoll, where you can mine chardies and sav blancs, and Stags Leap, where you can visit Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars cabernet sauvignon, which triumphed at the Paris Judgment of 1976.

Cars from about $70 to $200 an hour.

London: Despite the biggest growth markets in the world being a few hours away in Asia, most Australian executives prefer to go to London.

Being in London means you have to like Dover sole, gastro pubs, the Queen and be up with the latest corporate words and phrases such as:

scalable, space, synergies, shout-out, empower, execution and open the kimono. Of course, you’ll also need a helicopter view. No better way to get that than from 300m up with the lads at The London Helicopter. Taking off from Battersea, you head up the Thames and look down on your colleagues in the City or while they are eating at Dinings in Marylebone. Have a good squiz at this Japanese jewel because you will never get a reservation. ([e-mail])

Rabat: Let’s just say you are in Rabat, Morocco, for business. If so, it must be very funny business, but let’s say you feel like a train ride to Casablanca or Marrakech. You don’t want to hop in with all the other Moroccans while you are discussing sensitive business issues so you charter the Prince’s Carriage.

Now, I don’t know if Prince Moulay Rachid still uses his carriage but it comes with a fully equipped kitchen, dining for 12, two bunk beds and a screen and projector for those lonely nights. I’m told you can hire it for about $5000 a day plus catering and movies. (privaterailcars.net)