sightseeing (24)

Make sure you catch a morning flight to Chicago - you'll arrive in time to catch an afternoon architecture tour of the city, by river boat. Chicago's the home of the skyscraper, and you get some awesome views of some of the world's first, and finest, tall buildings from the river. From Trump Tower to the Wrigley dynasty's HQ, you'll feel like you know the city a lot better at the end of the tour. The guides are great - typically friendly mid-Westerners keen to share their enthusiasm for one of the world's great cities.

A bar in Kowloon to enjoy a drink after work and watch the skyscraper light show on Hong Kong. The bar also owns an old style junk called Aqualuna which takes you through the harbour and is a top place to view the cityscape.

One of the amazing things about New York is that the city is so iconic, yes it's the old cliché - we've all been there 100 times before in films and movies. The best way to appreciate the city is from a high vantage point, so if you've got an hour or so spare, then a trip up to the Top Of The Rock is great. At the top of the Rockafeller Centre you get the most stunning view of the city, without the madness and crowds and tacky tourist nature of the Empire State Building and fantastically you also get an amazing view of that most iconic building in Manhattan. You reserve your time to go up, meaning it's never too crowded, and after the most amazing lift ride to the roof (I won't spoil the surprise) you're treated to jaw-dropping views, with only full-length glass walls stopping you from falling off. You can stay up for as long as you want, and really get a sense of the city. It never fails to inspire me, and make me feel thankful that I get to travel to New York on business. If you want a similar view without doing the tourist thing, enjoy a meal or drink at the Rainbow Rooms which is just below the Top Of The Rock part of the building. A quick trip to the skies to sample that movie set view will bring you back down to work with a bump, but make you appreciate that you're in the Big Apple, one of the most exciting cities in the world.

The Art Institute of Chicago is well worth a visit. The arts are not usually my thing, but the collection here is very varied and packed with works from numerous well-known artists. As a relative novice when it comes to art appreciation, the audioguide proved a real boon for getting the most out of the visit. The building is light and airy, and situated in a wonderful spot on the shores of Lake Michigan.

When staying at the super slick and eco-friendly Andaz Hotel (formerly the Great Eastern) in Liverpool, book Urban Gentry - insider tour guides and get a real insight into the fashion (or art) tribes of East London. The hotel also has it's own Reader in Residence to tell you bedtime stories, or read you a precis of the day's news.

This is an organisation of New Yorkers who ask for no payment - or tips - who will show you around whichever area of New York you would like to discover. Submit a request to www.bigapplegreeter.org, preferably a month before your trip. State the neighbourhood you'd like to explore (if no preference, leave it to the Greeter to decide) and fill in some details about your interests, etc. They'll match you up with someone of similar interests and in the area you have chosen, and then contact you with details of your greeter. This is great because the party will only consist of you and any of your group (up to a max of 6) - you won't be with another group of strangers. Your Greeter will show you how to use public transport and will accommodate any wishes you have - for example, to see famous landmarks, art, shops, etc etc. Best of all it's FREE....and uniquely personal. How much would you have to pay for a personal travel guide anywhere else in the world? These guys are sincere, friendly and enthusiastic, and genuinely keen to show you their city.

The south of Hong Kong Island is a nice place to escape to after spending time walking through the interesting streets of Hong Kong. Sit and enjoy the view of the sea and find the hotel with a hole in it - apparently something to do with the spirit of a dragon! Probably best not to swim in the sea though - I hear it's quite polluted. Get on a bus and take to the top deck for a ride across Hong Kong Island.

If you have a couple of hours to spare one evening after a hard day of conferencing why not visit the world's first Night Safari at Singapore Zoo? You get to explore wildlife in a tropical jungle at night! And in case you're thinking zoo=bad, think again. Singapore Zoo is a model of the 'open zoo' concept. The animals are kept in spacious, landscaped enclosures, separated from the visitors by dry or wet moats. It's magical.

If considering heading to Singapore's world famous zoo, it's worth purchasing their safari pass for $30, (approx £10) which will give you access to the main zoo which is amazingly lush and beautifully laid out. After visiting the day zoo you can have some dinner in the separate night safari park adjoining the zoo, with a vast choice of fresh cooked food. The night zoo features hundreds of nocturnal creatures that can be witnessed either from the trams that roam the park or some footpaths. The zoo gets extremely dark and could be a bit frightening for children, especially the free flying bat enclosure and hearing tigers roar from somewhere within the tropical foliage, but a fantastic day/night out that is definitely worth a visit. Highlight of the night safari has to be seeing a mother elephant sleeping curled up around its calf. Beautiful!

If staying on Kowloon and arriving later in the evening, or feeling a bit thrown by jet lag and fancy something to do late at night, a walk around Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, the commercial heart of Kowloon is an absoloute must! An amazingly vibrant neon street spectacle as people shop and socialise amongst street stalls and sprawling maze-like malls. Although it is bustling and chaotic it never feels claustrophobic due to the polite and leisurely pace - people stroll around soaking up the atmosphere. The area remains busy sometimes until 2am so it's a must see for any traveller whether for leisure or business.