Japan's mobile phone system is not compatible with most non-Japanese phones. This includes Blackberrys and tri-region phones. Make sure you don't get caught short by checking to see if your phone gives you a signal when you get off the plane. If not, you are able to rent a phone at the airport (it's easier here as you can return it just before you head home and the language barrier is not an issue).

Narita Airport, Tokyo, Japan www.narita-airport.jp/en/guide/service/list/svc_19.html

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Use this mobile phone translation service whilst in China and connect to a team of operators who will be able to translate for you when you pass your mobile phone to the Chinese person with whom you need to communicate. So useful in lots of situations in a country where so few people speak English. The service can be used for business communication, travel around the country, hotel reservations and so much more.

www.chinaonecall.com

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If you will be using your mobile a lot to speak to the UK, either to make or receive calls, then consider buying a local sim card. Remember you will either need an unlocked phone or to buy a local phone as well. Making calls to the UK is in the order of 10p per minute, local calls and texts are a lot less. The difference between these costs and roaming charges soon pays back the approx £12 cost of the SIM. Even if you buy a cheap phone in India then you start pay back after about an hour of calls. Watch out for Indian roaming charges because mobile rates are by the state you are in. So if you move from Mumbai to, say Delhi, you get into roaming charges on your Indian number. Still, though, very much cheaper than roaming with your UK number! Check out the calling abroad rates on your UK mobile - they are probably a lot less than roaming abroad so forward your UK mobile to the Indian number. You can usually do this via an internet connection. Finally, remember to divert both your personal and business mobiles. If you are not going to buy an Indian SIM forward your personal mobile to your business phone so that calls into your personal phone cost you at your contract rate.

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Mobile phone coverage is very good in Hong Kong. You can even use your mobile on the underground – the hugely efficient Mass Transit Railway. If you are going to be making lots of local calls it may be worth buying a pre-paid sim card from 3G or SmarTone Vodafone, as this will save you a fortune in the long-run.

www.smartone-vodafone.com.hk

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In Hong Kong, like elsewhere in Asia, business cards are treated with unusual respect. Always present and receive a business card with two hands. When presenting your card, ensure your name reads 'right way up' to the receiver. Upon receiving a business card, look at it first rather than immediately stashing it away - and it is always helpful to show some kind of excitement at seeing whatever is written thereon. After this, the business card may be put away, but never in your back trouser pocket!

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Hong Kong benefits from one of the world's most competitive mobile telephone markets. Whilst handsets are generally more expensive than elsewhere, sim cards are exceptionally good value.

A GBP10 sim card should provide you with more than enough credit for a short stay in Hong Kong and allows you to keep in touch with locals and fellow travellers. Sim cards are available at local convenience stores and are easy to use with dual-language instructions.

Convenience stores

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There is nothing worse than having to navigate through some of the world's busiest airports whilst lugging around a heavy laptop as well. Enter EeePC from Asus. This low cost (USD300-700) computer allows you to surf the web (wi-fi), review documents and send emails. Not only does this little gem compete with normal laptops on price, the small dimensions (22.5cm (W), 17cm (D) and 2-3.38cm (H) and 1kg weight make it ideal for the business traveller. The latest model (EeePC 900) features an 8.9 inch screen, 12-20GB hard disk and built in webcam. Great for keeping in touch with the office or home. Whilst it certainly won't replace your laptop for long business trips (the keyboard is slightly small) and lacks the power for full scale presentations, it is ideal for the short business trip or using whilst commuting.

eeepc.asus.com/global/900.htm

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It's a phone translation service that makes travelling in China much easier. You sign up online for a certain number of minutes and then add credit when you run out. All you need is a mobile phone, which you can pass to anyone you need to speak to and they can interpret what you want to say. Best part is it runs 24 hours a day so it can be really useful when it's 3am and you've realised you've lost the address of the hotel you're staying in.

Using it with international roaming can be a bit pricey (as you're using a UK network's roaming rates) so I'd recommend getting a Chinese SIM card which means it's a local-rate call from anywhere in the country.

Last time I checked they were about to introduce a SIM card delivery service but might be worth checking first. We bought our SIM cards at Beijing airport.

www.chinaonecall.com

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