Why Do You Travel for a Living?

Why Do You Travel for a Living? Do You Like to Travel?


  • Total voters
    17

Stijloor

Leader
Super Moderator
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.
 

AndyN

Moved On
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............
 

Marc

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

Marc

Fully vaccinated are you?
Leader
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.
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
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.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
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.
 

Ron Rompen

Trusted Information Resource
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.
 

CHRSCLLNGS

Involved In Discussions
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!!!)
 
T

tomvehoski

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)
 
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