Why Do You Travel for a Living?

Why Do You Travel for a Living?

I hate traveling by air. The before, during and after is a totally out-of-control process.
Most of my travel (20% of my work time) is within the Eastern United States.

I drive most of the time because:

I depart when I want
I can stop when I want
I can load in my car what I want
I can eat good (reasonably priced) food
I have all the peanuts/pretzels I want
I don't have to show my stuff to anybody
I have the window seat all the time
Shall I go on?

Stijloor.

After 16 years of travel, I now drive 25 miles each way..........to work! I really enjoy flying, but recently, not so much. With the advent of commuter jets and some other economies, it just ain't the same as it was in the early 90's. After reading about you (Marc) being stuck in 'Boarstin', I realized that I rarely had that issue and never got aggravated over delays etc. It wouldn't have done my blood pressure any good, and the airline people already had enough of that cr*p.

So, I'll wait to see if my new job, without much travel (except for the drive around the block in a new Jag or LR) causes any withdrawal from getting on a 737 or CRJ 200............

I added 2 options. Three of us have voted already and can't revote, but I thought I'd throw the options in anyway...

I hate traveling by air. The before, during and after is a totally out-of-control process.
Most of my travel (20% of my work time) is within the Eastern United States.

I drive most of the time...
Quite a lot of my travel is, and has been, by car. In the past, it was mostly by car, actually. I'd drive to Harley in York, for example, rather than fly. I had a client in Miami a few years back, and one in Tampa that I drove to. I'd take a couple days now and again (like traveling the old route 27 and 25 down to Georgia and then on into Florida).

If it's under a 20 hour drive, I prefer to drive. For the most part I really enjoy driving. But - I am and was working for myself so I could set my own schedule. If I take the job I'm considering, however, it will undoubtedly be mostly air travel, and I definitely won't be setting my own schedule.

I voted "I don't travel but I would like to".
But I have to qualify that a bit...
I've only gone on two business trips in 2 years only onwe of which was an overnighter.
I used to travel about every other week for a night or two a week.
I enjoyed that. I was not away long enough to stress out the wife and I got some time to myself, which I value and always have.
I also miss meeting new people at customer's or supplier's places.

On the other hand - if I had to travel overnight 2 or more days a week almost every week, I wouldn't take the job or I'd quit if a job went that way.
I have young kids. I'm only willing to be away so much.

Hey Scott, you can travel for me there pardner.

I'm in St.Louis right now, cold and snowy, but not bad.

I'm also sitting in my suite (yep seperate living room, bedroom and kitchen on the exec level) looking across at the Arch with the Mississippi flowing in the background. It is pretty!

I'm here 'til the 21st and that's it for the year boys and girls....home until sometime in Jan '08.

Well see ya later, gotta review the 9K Lead material I'm delivering.

My travel seems to come in fits and spurts, and generally I enjoy it. Like others, I prefer to drive when I can.....at least that way I have a modicum of control over what I do, when I go, etc.

Lately there hasn't been much opportunity, although I am promised/threatened a trip to Germany early in the new year, to evaluate a supplier process, and a trip down to South Carolina at the end of January for a DFMEA review meeting. After that, we'll see what happens.

It's polls like this that make me appreciate not having to travel too much!
Apart from the odd jaunt over to the Czech Republic, or the upcoming trip to Tuscon, everywhere in the UK is accessable within 5 or 6 hours. None of this driving 20 hours!
I drive to work because I'm far too lazy to walk the 1/2 mile. (I think it takes longer to drive, than it does to walk!!!)

I enjoy some work travel, but it can get old after awhile. This was my busiest year ever with around 80,000 miles actually flown. Most of my trips are to our other development centers in the US and Europe, so I have exhausted most of the interesting things to do there.

The work travel does open up the ability for a bunch of personal travel thanks to frequent flier miles and hotel points. I've probably banked close to 200K frequent flier miles this year. It has helped me take a bunch of personal trips over the last couple years I probably could not have otherwise including:

- 2006 Kentucky Derby (miles)
- Alaska (miles)
- Prague (side trip on a business trip)
- Amsterdam (several overnight layovers/delays)
- Munich, Nuremberg, Frankfurt Germany (business add on)
- Airbus A380 production line - Tolouse France (business)
- Vegas (several times)
- Red Wings vs. Canucks in Vancouver (Feb 08 - credit card points)

I didn't vote, because I rarely travel (overnight). However, I used to have a job where I would leave right after church on Sunday and get back Friday evening. Saturday was spent doing the paperwork from the week, and preparing to leave again the next day.

I took a 10K cut in pay just so I could be home at night. And now, I see that was exactly the RIGHT thing to do!

I drive to work because I'm far too lazy to walk the 1/2 mile. (I think it takes longer to drive, than it does to walk!!!)

I walk nearly that far to get from my parking space to my desk!

My travel seems to come in fits and spurts, and generally I enjoy it. Like others, I prefer to drive when I can.....at least that way I have a modicum of control over what I do, when I go, etc.

Lately there hasn't been much opportunity, although I am promised/threatened a trip to Germany early in the new year, to evaluate a supplier process, and a trip down to South Carolina at the end of January for a DFMEA review meeting. After that, we'll see what happens.

If you do get to go to Germany, would you be in need of a translator?:bigwave:
I'm offering plus it's been a while since I've been back home. :D

If you do get to go to Germany, would you be in need of a translator?:bigwave:
I'm offering plus it's been a while since I've been back home. :D

I'm offering the same services if anyone goes to England.............:notme:

For official purpose, I like air travelling once in 3 months.:nopity:

I'll be honest, it's the money. I'm young(ish), single, no commitments at home and my expenses are all paid for. Essentially, my pay goes straight into my bills, mortgage payments and my investments into my future.

Do I miss my parents (who live 20 minutes away from me)? Yes. But I talk to them daily either on the phone or email. I usually arrive home on Thursday or Friday, and am grocery shopping with my mom at 7am on Saturdays as our "bonding" time.

I don't get to see my friends as much, but they're all busy with their kids and own families that I wouldn't see much of them even if I was home. Still, we stay in touch.

The most difficult two parts to travelling for me are my pets. I miss them like crazy! And the lack of a routine. However, learning to live without a defined structure will help me to grow...or so I keep telling myself. ;)

This was my busiest year ever with around 80,000 miles actually flown.


Busiest year ever? Tom, Tom, dear Tom..........I had 80,000 in by October and never left the lower 48! Right now I'm sitting at 130+ flight segments for the year and it was kinda slow.

Since Dec 2nd I've been home a total of less than 60 hours...and I'm in St. Louis right now until Friday evening the 21st.

I walk nearly that far to get from my parking space to my desk!
:lmao::lmao:

Yea!! I want the "drive 1/2 a mile to work job" also!

Busiest year ever? Tom, Tom, dear Tom..........I had 80,000 in by October and never left the lower 48! Right now I'm sitting at 130+ flight segments for the year and it was kinda slow.

Since Dec 2nd I've been home a total of less than 60 hours...and I'm in St. Louis right now until Friday evening the 21st.

So are you in that "Premier" flying group? Someone the other day was telling me about it. I had never heard of it.

American Airlines - Executive Platinum...:D

You betcha, unlimited complementary upgrades.;)

I realize that at 80K I'm way behind some others, but really don't wish to do that much more. I'm happy enough to be a Northwest Platinum and get my free upgrades, 125% bonus mileage and all the other perks. I'm done traveling for the year, but will probably be back to Europe more starting early next.