I have gone on business trips to cities that people would consider ‘vacation spots’ in the past. Paris, Rome and London are good examples…but…these cities are also thriving hubs of business.

I have also been on business trips to cities that no one in their right mind would visit on vacation - Guinea Conakry for example - geez what a hole.

In November I will be going on a business trip and organizing the whole meeting in Antigua and Barbuda. Not only is Antigua a popular destination for people who are not working, the meeting will be held in an all-inclusive resort (it’s cheaper that way). It is going to be weird.

Can I dress casually given that on the way to the meeting room I will pass through a lobby full of people in bikinis?

Can I wear flip flops given that house liquor is free at our buffet lunches?

Can I relax by the pool in the evening or will the other participants be expecting me to work frantically all night long?

You see…all of the rules I’ve learned are called into question all because some politician somewhere thought that the best place to discuss arid lands agriculture is in a resort on the beach.

By the way, this all-inclusive resort is supposedly 2.5 stars. I didn’t know they gave out half stars.