just wanted to say one thing....

northGAcock

........Business travel sucks. Trying to get home from my last trip of the year. 

That is all. 

theyolksonyou

At one time, I didn't mind occasional travel, but the older I get, the more I hate it. 

Fortunately, I don't have to do it much. 

tarheelmatt

It does suck, Robin.  I hated it when I had to do it often.  Now it's rare I have to go somewhere.  

I'm like an oak tree, the older I get, the deeper my roots.  I don't want to go anywhere these days.  

RRP

True - while the early years of my career did not involve that much travel over 2 or 3 nights away they were always on a nice expense account and spent in wonderful cities. Then later when I was on up the corporate ladder that meant my wife could attend these trips with me, and again we ate well! Then into another job, in a another era, it reverted to possibly good eating, but my associates would rather get sh!t faced when out of town and chase shirts rather than seeking out great dining experiences. By the time I was 50 I dreaded even going out of town overnight! Thankfully I retired at age 60 and left all that behind!

YukonRon

The first month of my career, regarding travel was very cool. The coolness ended when being stranded in an European airport, due to a massive snowstorm, and missing the holidays back home. From that moment, moving forward, I have not enjoyed business travel, unless it involved taking my family with me. That was infrequent, at best. I will say this, I have been to places, and have done, and seen amazing things on my life, however, I would trade every single experience, for my wife, our children, home cooked meals and my bed. Call me crazy, but it is comforting to hear the ice maker dump a bunch of cubes into the tray, while at home. It is just one of the many simple pleasures you just do not have on the road.
I just returned home, from being on the road, departing in less than 24 hours of a return from vacation this past Sunday.
It is wonderful to be home, finally.

Jeepster47

What, you don't like that the guy in the room to your left stays up till 1:00am making noise ... and, the guy on your right gets up at 5:00am to catch a flight out ... oh yes, and Frankenstein's monster, complete with bladder problems, is in the room overhead.  And, the last resident of your room set the damn alarm clock for 4:30am ... yea, you forgot to check it didn't you?

Either that or there's a high school/college sports tournament in town and the team on your floor won their match today.  Yea, traveling is so much fun.

Darby_Crenshaw

I work from home 

yesterday at five o'clock when I came to dinner i said to the wife "you know, I didn't even put on pants today"

panama bottoms, but still

ten years since i worked for the man. Best. Decision. Ever. 

johnnyp

I have to tell you, a few creature comforts make travel a lot easier. noise cancelling headphones are a must.  

DoubleEgger

Yup. Business travel sucks. Nothing like the AC banging on and off all night long and waking up sneezing because the units have never been cleaned. I generally try to find older hotels that have been renovated because they aren't stick built. The newer stick built hotels are notorious for hearing everybody around you. Being herded like cattle at the airport is a fun experience too. 

northGAcock

I got back.....but of course my bag is sitting in. Texas. 

northGAcock

Sorry to all for venting here. 

Hotch

northGAcock said:

I got back.....but of course my bag is sitting in. Texas. 

Sorry about the bag thing. we will send it back shortly!!!

YukonRon

northGAcock said:

Sorry to all for venting here. 

My worst was the terminal collapse in Paris France at DG. Lost luggage and delayed flights to everywhere, total chaos. Almost a week w/o luggage, and had to buy everything. 

Botch

I've travelled enough that it doesn't seem to bother me too much anymore, always have a good book with me.
Except for one thing: I have a 37" inseam.  30 years ago, as I was approaching the gate clerk, she'd always look up and say, "Well, we'll put you in the exit row", for the extra leg room.  Nowadays, they'll sell me the exit row seat.  For $39.  
 

Jeepster47

Botch said:

... "Well, we'll put you in the exit row", for the extra leg room.  Nowadays, they'll sell me the exit row seat.  For $39.  
 

Oh yes, that's another opportunity to irritate the public.  Now that they charge extra for the leg room, you can't move to them if they're empty ... no more than you can move up to business/first class if there's an empty seat there.  Seems we now have a fourth class ... first class, business class, cattle car, and cattle car w/ leg room.

xfire_ATX

Sitting in the "Guest Office" in Dallas for my last HQ trip of the year as I type.  Its 205 miles to home which is somewhere between 3 and 4 hours usually.  Last trip was 9.5 hours due to flooding.

I am making one last AA trip to LA to make up my ~600 miles deficit to re-up Platinum Status.  Yes I know I travel alot- but having 'Status' at hotel chains and on the airline make the effort so much more tolerable in general and especially when things go sideways.   I have been sitting in Airplanes now for 20+ years- mostly its boring, sometimes its miserable and sometimes I meet very interesting people.  If I only got on a plane a few times a year I would consider it a miserable experience as well, but when you do it twice a month its no different than a commute to work.

Benefits of travel- taking family on vacations that are partially funded by all the rewards.  This summer (4) of us flew to S CA on AA miles, we stayed for 6 nights on points in 3 different chains and had half the week of car rental covered.

Thatgrimguy

I like business travel. But if I'm traveling for business it's because I decided to. Not someone else deciding to send me.

BYS1981

I used to travel with my old job, some trips were forecasted, others were a night before they would call saying you're going out of town tomorrow. I changed lines of work, aside from just travel, the company wasn't good for my family. 

theyolksonyou

Found out this morning I have to go to Cali first of the year. Me and my big mouth.  

evie1370

My favorite: traveling to Boston with hubby (his business trip) over Christmas. We don't observe so no problem, but we were flying back on Dec 23, plan was packed and oversold, and he had food poisoning from dinner the night before. The poor woman who sat in our aisle will be scarred for life. Oh, and there was an ice storm, our car doors were frozen shut and we had to climb in the hatch and over the seats to get in. As sick as he was he did that...that is how bad we wanted to get home.

Good Times! And i will never willingly travel around Christmas again.

RRP

RRP said:

True - while the early years of my career did not involve that much travel over 2 or 3 nights away they were always on a nice expense account and spent in wonderful cities. Then later when I was on up the corporate ladder that meant my wife could attend these trips with me, and again we ate well! Then into another job, in a another era, it reverted to possibly good eating, but my associates would rather get sh!t faced when out of town and chase shirts rather than seeking out great dining experiences. By the time I was 50 I dreaded even going out of town overnight! Thankfully I retired at age 60 and left all that behind!

@NDG - you fat fingered my post? I thought that I along with others were stating our opinions!

NDG

Ha sorry ron, I must have clicked in error.  Obviously nothing to disagree with anyway so chill out girl scout . . . unclicked.  Your sparkling reputation is back! 

RRP

LOL - Thank you! I thought maybe you disagreed withe the "get sh!t faced and chase shirts" part!  

Foghorn

Part of this depends on why you travel for business.  The majority of my business travel is for professional meetings which are typically in good places and as a result I've gotten to stay in a lot of places that are much nicer than the places I typically book on vacation.  

That's different from "I have to go check on our office in Dunlap, IL and I'm staying at the Motel 6 across the street from it."

(Note: I have never been to Dunlap, IL.  I just saw it on Ron's tagline and thought I would use it as an example.  I have no doubt it has many redeeming qualities.  And I have stayed at a number of Motel 6s.  They are fine and sometimes the best option for the money.)

And I have to ask if chasing shirts is the same thing as chasing skirts?

NDG

HA @foghorn - I just pictured a bunch of crusty women in collar polo shirts . . I guess it could still apply, but "chasing skirts" is much more spicy. 

Foghorn

@NDG, yeah, I've never chased a shirt...

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

JethroVA

@xfire_ATX I too have taken one last flight to nowhere to maintain elite status. Back when I was a US Scareways fan, I got up on a December Saturday morning, flew from Richmond to Philly for $100, had cup of coffee, flew back to Richmond.  Having top tier status meant a heck of a lot of first class upgrades the following year.  Heck, the $100 was easily cost-justified based on the free liquor in first class. 

northGAcock

northGAcock said:

I got back.....but of course my bag is sitting in. Texas. 

Still venting....they (American Airlines) ain't got a clue where my bag is. 

xfire_ATX

northGAcock said:

northGAcock said:

I got back.....but of course my bag is sitting in. Texas. 

Still venting....they (American Airlines) ain't got a clue where my bag is. 

Never Ever Check a bag.  Last time I checked a bag (on business) was ~7 years ago when I had all my Mountain Bike Gear for a ride in the Santa Catalina Mountains outside Tuscon.  I likely could have figured this trip out as well but my Coworker had already told me she was checking so I did the same.  I can do easily a week in my carry on bag when on business.

When on vacation with two daughters and wife there is no way we wont have too much stuff and have to check.