I pretty much do all of the things that have been mentioned here...the gifts, postcards, quality time with girlfriend. She doesn't like it very much that I travel alot, but she does like the perks of taking her vacation time on a First Class trips anywhere in the world! Funny thing is that she couldn't really tell that I was traveling that much more this year than last (last year 65,000, this year will be 120,000+). I guess it's all a blur to her. Just me coming and going. She (we) has a 7 year old boy and in Matt Wald's post he mentioned taking the little one to Disney World and such on occasion, which I do as well. But what makes my situation a bit touchy with him is that most of my trips ARE to Disney World (or Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris). He gets upset sometimes when he knows that I am going to one of these places and I'm not taking him with me. I try to explain it's work but, well, he's a 7 year old, you know.
But enough about what it does to our friends and families...what about us! I actually can't think of anything worse than doing the doing the whole packing, airport crowds, flight delays, crammed into an aluminum tube and pressurized, impending gravity event, aircraft exodus, immagrations, luggage, customs, more airports, taxis, and hotels sort of thing. All of this while you have the pressure of the business combined with jet lag and being away from home, family and friends guilt. I tell you I LOVE IT! <not> And then when you get home and try to get a little sympathy by telling someone what a rough trip that you had, you just get this "Yeah...right." sort of thing like they don't believe you just because they wish they could travel the world. Well I tell you...it's one thing when you WANT to, but it's totally another thing when you HAVE to. How about a little sympathy for us FFer's?