Collectively, the Bubble & Squeak team has over 50 years’ experience of visiting trade shows in Amsterdam and they put together this list that we LOVE! It’s an “everything you need to know and take to have a great tradeshow experience:

Before you go:

• To ensure you don’t miss a thing, make sure you know you what’s going on in and around the show.
• Check your passport is in date (recent painful experience has taught some of us that dealing with the passport office can be long, drawn out and very frustrating!)
• It’s freezing in Amsterdam in February – don’t forget your gloves / mittens, warm socks, hats, scarf, etc.
• Also, ensure if you need a visa you have one in plenty of time.
• Call your credit card company before you leave and put a travel alert on your card. While you’re at it, jot down their international customer service number (same applies for some mobile phone operators)
• Do you have your travel / health insurance in place? Europeans should ensure you have your free EHIC Card.
• Don’t worry if you have forgotten to pick up your Euros. Go online and order your Euros to collect at the airport. Amex and Travelex may help.
• You will inevitably forget something, either at home or while away.

Accept this reality and pray it is not your passport or your wallet!

• Use the local hotels, bars and restaurants for meetings that you don’t want on the tradeshow floor. The Okura and the Hilton are very smart; you can also walk to the Holiday Inn and there are lots of local bars just outside the RAI.
• If organising a clients drinks do it somewhere close to a big party that they are going to, or on a boat that will transport them there – it takes ages to get anywhere once the show closes
• The second you think of packing something, PACK IT. If you wait, you will forget. And then you’ll end up using a plastic bag as a shower cap. In fact use the shower cap to wrap around your shoes so they don’t mark your clothes!
• Pack a capsule wardrobe with plenty of layers – makes it so much easier in the mornings – layering will allow you to transfer from outdoors to indoors seamlessly! Oh and never pack something that you haven’t worn before. Otherwise you’ll find your new shoes too uncomfortable, your new jacket too flimsy, your new underwear too wedgie-prone
• Make sure your electronic devices are fully charged when you are at the airport – extra checks mean you must demonstrate that you can turn them on
• Go to your local chemist (see below) When you arrive
• If there are more than two people in your company get local phones at the airport – they are much cheaper to use and the battery on these phones lasts for days
• Find a local limo/boat company and have their number on hand to beat those long taxi queues

Things to take with you:

• Berroca (take them morning and evening)
• Aspirin
• Neurofen
• Eye drops
• Plasters for blisters
• Umbrella (or find one as a give away on a stand!)
• Mints (show breath – yuk!)
• Chargers – camera, phone, laptop, etc. (pack these into a glasses case to keep them tidy and easy to locate in your bag)
• European adapters – more than one
• Dry shampoo (ladies only)
• Shoes – women. Take as many different types as possible so that your feet don’t get time to hurt / get blisters in the same place
• Shoes – men. If you’ve read this far you are unusual. Just remember, no heels.
• If you like a cup of tea in your hotel room before you set off you will need to take your own tea bags / kettle etc.

While you are there:

• The train is still the best way (cheaper and faster) to get from Schiphol airport, either directly to the RAI or into central Amsterdam
• Check your diary timings – daylight saving / timezones can screw up meetings!
• Eat some breakfast, even if it’s just a banana – you might not ‘do’ breakfast but you never know when you’ll be able to grab a bite and you really don’t want to spend all your per diem on expensive ham kaas rolls every day. Or faint.
• Be conscious of displaying your mobile phone in the street as you walk around – a surprisingly high number of people have had their phones snatched by passing motorcyclists.
• Plan your day – the halls are many and far apart!
• Get some daylight and fresh air whenever you can.
• Sleep with a pillow under your feet at night to raise them and relieve pressure/aches
• Get clear instructions on where you are meeting someone – by a bridge / canal / bicycle stand or a flower stall will not help you!
• Bacterial hand stuff for after shaking hands with a million people
• Drink lots… and maybe some water too
• Watch out for the “bitterballen”. Look like a local: They are the perfect accompaniment to a round of beers. But be careful when you bite through the crunchy crust, the meaty ragout filling is often volcanically hot! And you don’t want to have to spit in public…
• Try a delicious stroopwafel. Look like a local: Lay one across the top of your coffee to warm the waffle before eating. Mmmm.
• Look in every direction when crossing road and footpaths – trams, cars, bikes (especially bikes with wobbly exhibitors on them!) are everywhere.
• As much as you believe the contrary, once you get home you will not remember names, or action items. Take notes, leave yourself a voice memo, ‘LinkedIn and remember to follow up.
• Presents for partners – ask the Bubbles (we are good at PR, marketing,events and shopping!)

Returning home:

• Schiphol airport has a great express spa – foot massage / facial / back rub to make you feel a bit more human before you go home
• You will always bump into someone you know having a dirty burger at a well know fast food chain before you head home
• If you liked your hotel, book it again for next year
• Book your flights for next year as soon as you can, you know you are going to go again so get the best seats at the best prices you can

What a great list, huh? Thanks to Bubble & Squeak for putting this together!