It occurred to me at the end of last week that I really ought to sort out my travel arrangements to LIFT08 and, possibly, a hotel as well. I sat down on Sunday with good intentions, but after forty minutes of careering between the LIFT maps and the online hotel booking service (never mind a flight), I was hopelessly lost and frustrated.

Never mind, I thought, I'll go to the Co-op Midlands Travel shop in my local town shopping centre (Oadby, in Leicestershire). You do have to have a certain mind set when approaching a travel agent, I find. It's a bit like estate agents and shopping for clothes at T K Maxx. It's not a five minute job that you can fit in between buying some milk and posting a birthday card.

You have to put aside the afternoon and accept that you may not do anything else with that half-day. Once you've entered that zen-like state, the whole thing becomes easier to bear, and you can pass the time gazing idly out the window or pretending to plan your dream cruise around the Mediterranean, while really eavesdropping on other people's conversations.

It was just as well that I had mentally prepared myself, as the people in the travel agents had had a bad day of it. Not only had they been so busy that they hadn't had time for a cup of tea (never mind lunch), they had had unfortunate news about next year's sales targets. I had thought 4.00pm on a Monday afternoon was a good time to pick, "they can't be busy then", but no.

Finally, I was the last person in the shop, and cup of tea in hand (we all had one, I thought it was really nice of them to make me one), we discussed my requirements. It took a little while, but eventually I had the hotel I wanted (near the conference centre, internet connection and free travel pass), the flights at the times I wanted from the airports I wanted and all for the best price!

I'm flying out from London City Airport, which I shall be fascinated to see. Tiny apparently, and built in the heart of London's Docklands. And back into Heathrow, ready to meet a friend in London before returning to Leicester.

I could feel stress slipping away from me as I handed over my debit card. "Swiss francs?" "Here on Wednesday, how many would you like? We'll put some aside for you."

The final touch, they carefully photocopied and stapled everything, so I have a set for my records, and a set for my expenses claim.

Service beats D-I-Y every time, especially when you know your business.