Just offered a job that requires lots of travel
Nov 10, 2012, 3:58 am
#46
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,187
Yes, this is a problem if you're flying to multiple cities during a single week. Your "work day" stretches from wake up time until arrival at the next hotel - easily a 14-16 hour day. If that's the type of travel you're doing, you will never have any time to experience anything positive about traveling to other cities.
Nov 10, 2012, 7:42 am
#47
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Granted the travel is not for a long time, but it is possible to see at least part of the destination city.
Nov 10, 2012, 10:49 am
#48
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 176
I would try to see as MUCH as possible from every city you go to! Seriously, buy a camera and try to force yourself to go out and see the place, ideally in the lunch break or in the evening hours.
Otherwise, as others have noted, you will see nothing more than dumb hotel rooms, dumb conference rooms, dumb ...
Having a camera certainly helped me a lot to enjoy travelling.
For example, I have started a series of photographing every place I am at morning light, on the way from the hotel to the client for example. It is a nice way of capturing your experiences, otherwise time just flies by much too quickly!
Otherwise, as others have noted, you will see nothing more than dumb hotel rooms, dumb conference rooms, dumb ...
Having a camera certainly helped me a lot to enjoy travelling.
For example, I have started a series of photographing every place I am at morning light, on the way from the hotel to the client for example. It is a nice way of capturing your experiences, otherwise time just flies by much too quickly!
Nov 10, 2012, 11:44 am
#49
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Another trick to make travel more interesting is:
1. Geocaching - you will see city from a different perspective
2. Running - planning a run ahead of time or asking front desk at the hotel to help you. You will see area differently.
1. Geocaching - you will see city from a different perspective
2. Running - planning a run ahead of time or asking front desk at the hotel to help you. You will see area differently.
Nov 10, 2012, 4:28 pm
#50
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And airports also get really old really fast.
Even the best one in the world could be improved IMO.
(Granted I lived there most of my life, but I do believe that they could put the escalators closer to the security checkpoint instead of having to walk through a bunch of restaurants and shops that I probably won't look at)
Even the best one in the world could be improved IMO.
(Granted I lived there most of my life, but I do believe that they could put the escalators closer to the security checkpoint instead of having to walk through a bunch of restaurants and shops that I probably won't look at)
Nov 10, 2012, 4:35 pm
#51
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On the girlfriend situation. Ask yourself if she is wife material. If she is not potentially wife material, then discount everything stated above concerning girlfriend. Now I am not advocating breaking up with her; but if you don't see yourself getting married to this person, perhaps your work should take the priority.
If you think the girlfriend is wife material, then ask yourself what is stopping you from proposing right now. Perhaps the answer is time based (e.g. you both are too young, or the relationship is too new), if so then I would talk to your girlfriend about traveling and her longterm expectations. Basically try and get her temperature on expectations of a fiancee and husband. Her expectations of "boyfriend" might be okay with travelling 3-5 days per week, but "fiancee/husband" could be radically different. Radically different is okay if you both don't see the situation transitioning in the next two years, but if she is thinking of engagement in 6mths to 1 year, then you would have to re-evaluate the travel job.
One final thought. If your girlfriend is potential wife material, you might want to think about how she interacts with her family (example attendance at family functions, frequency of family get togethers, location of her immediate family). Boyfriends are typically excluded from MANDATORY attendance at family functions. Fiance and husbands do not enjoy this rule relaxation. If your girlfriend with wife potential has a lot of family function requirements, your travelling job will be a source of friction betwen you and your GF/GF-family.
If you think the girlfriend is wife material, then ask yourself what is stopping you from proposing right now. Perhaps the answer is time based (e.g. you both are too young, or the relationship is too new), if so then I would talk to your girlfriend about traveling and her longterm expectations. Basically try and get her temperature on expectations of a fiancee and husband. Her expectations of "boyfriend" might be okay with travelling 3-5 days per week, but "fiancee/husband" could be radically different. Radically different is okay if you both don't see the situation transitioning in the next two years, but if she is thinking of engagement in 6mths to 1 year, then you would have to re-evaluate the travel job.
One final thought. If your girlfriend is potential wife material, you might want to think about how she interacts with her family (example attendance at family functions, frequency of family get togethers, location of her immediate family). Boyfriends are typically excluded from MANDATORY attendance at family functions. Fiance and husbands do not enjoy this rule relaxation. If your girlfriend with wife potential has a lot of family function requirements, your travelling job will be a source of friction betwen you and your GF/GF-family.
Nov 10, 2012, 4:38 pm
#52
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With your GF, the biggest factor to me is really financial. Do you trust her enough with your money that what she spends can also potentially come out of your pocket?
Nov 10, 2012, 10:11 pm
#53
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My suggestion to the OP is to be thankful for the opportunity to travel in a job. Travel has challenges and frustrations, but in my opinion is much better than cubicle life.
Nov 10, 2012, 10:48 pm
#54
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Nov 11, 2012, 6:59 am
#55
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Berlin and Buggenhagen, Germany
Posts: 3,509
Only in number 4 do your travels figure. The others have very well explained which kind of toll the road warrior life can take. Unless you really, really want to try it AND you are sure to be able to easily change the situation back to a "normal" life, I would go for the job with less travel that will still give you a good taste and status + miles.
Till
Nov 11, 2012, 7:02 am
#56
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Nov 11, 2012, 7:03 am
#57
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Berlin and Buggenhagen, Germany
Posts: 3,509
It is a question of character not of equivalent jobs.
After that it becomes a question of partnership finding an agreeable solution on common finances.
But that's true for all relationships not just those with one road warrior in them.
Till
Nov 11, 2012, 7:58 am
#58
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 799
Lots of useful comments in this thread; interested to see what the OP will decide.
I like the cubicle vs travel argument, and the fact that a long day travelling counts as a long day work; which usually is more fun than a long day at the office.
Company travel perks are important IMHO. If OP is confined to Y and cannot arrange tickets/hotels him/herself, that would be a major factor. Racking up miles, getting status on one or two alliances, and becoming an expert upgrader are essential to keep travelling fun.
I travel a lot TATL, but I told my employer (i.e. me) that I would never travel TATL in Y again. Employer (i.e. me) accepted grudgingly. What helps is that European income taxes are about 50%, so our IRS pays half of ticket.
GF/wife material argument is a bit rude but extremely valid: travelling can be extremely rough on relationships. Many travellers tend to stay out of hotel bars for this reason.
Exercise/health is another issue: as most decent hotels have a gym this can help staying in shape. Hotel food is horrendously salt/greasy, lacking fibers and vitamins, over cooked. Via Google and other websites I have found healthy, cheap restaurants in many unexpected places. One perk of frequent flying is free alcohol at times when it is not appropriate. Many frequent travellers probably drink a bit too much and that, combined with loneliness, probably results in more hidden alcoholism than we realise.
All in all, I would be tempted to go for the travelling job; and realise that focusing on staying mentally and physically strong will help against the unhealthy side effects.
Travelling is fun and can be enormously rewarding. Take some photos of the cubicles at the head office, and look at them once in a while when you are on the road feeling tired!
I like the cubicle vs travel argument, and the fact that a long day travelling counts as a long day work; which usually is more fun than a long day at the office.
Company travel perks are important IMHO. If OP is confined to Y and cannot arrange tickets/hotels him/herself, that would be a major factor. Racking up miles, getting status on one or two alliances, and becoming an expert upgrader are essential to keep travelling fun.
I travel a lot TATL, but I told my employer (i.e. me) that I would never travel TATL in Y again. Employer (i.e. me) accepted grudgingly. What helps is that European income taxes are about 50%, so our IRS pays half of ticket.
GF/wife material argument is a bit rude but extremely valid: travelling can be extremely rough on relationships. Many travellers tend to stay out of hotel bars for this reason.
Exercise/health is another issue: as most decent hotels have a gym this can help staying in shape. Hotel food is horrendously salt/greasy, lacking fibers and vitamins, over cooked. Via Google and other websites I have found healthy, cheap restaurants in many unexpected places. One perk of frequent flying is free alcohol at times when it is not appropriate. Many frequent travellers probably drink a bit too much and that, combined with loneliness, probably results in more hidden alcoholism than we realise.
All in all, I would be tempted to go for the travelling job; and realise that focusing on staying mentally and physically strong will help against the unhealthy side effects.
Travelling is fun and can be enormously rewarding. Take some photos of the cubicles at the head office, and look at them once in a while when you are on the road feeling tired!
Nov 11, 2012, 8:39 am
#59
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 226
Not sure what your company policies on travel are, but one of the reasons I continue to travel for work 100% of the time is that I am able to "in lieu" almost anywhere as long as the cost is reasonable. At the end of the day, my company doesn't care if I go home to my apartment in New York or to visit a friend in Chicago. It is also nice because my family is from Ohio, so I am able to visit them more often than I would if I didn't travel for work.
Also, I am able to "in lieu" a spouse/significant other/friend and as long as the costs are in line with what it would cost to fly me home, I am able to fly a friend out to me. I think this is a great deal especially if you have a significant other, you get to see each other and it is like a little vacation that the company partially picked up.
The biggest reason I travel is the points/miles. I just booked my first award trip to Asia in first class with miles. There is no way I could afford something like that out of pocket.
As a side, I am a single guy with no kids so other than the ridiculous amount of rent I pay, there is no reason for me to be at my apartment.
As for the GF situation, like I said I am single so probably not the best to comment, but I think if she is fine with your travel you both can really benefit from the points/miles you'll accumulate and if you can fly her out over the weekends. Personally I think it'd be nice to have a break from each other during the week and then the time you spend over the weekends is just that more special, but like I said before I am probably not the best person to offer advice in this area.
I think in your situation one of the biggest down sides is that you have a mortgage. Most of my co workers that travel and have their own home seem to complain most about that.
Also, I am able to "in lieu" a spouse/significant other/friend and as long as the costs are in line with what it would cost to fly me home, I am able to fly a friend out to me. I think this is a great deal especially if you have a significant other, you get to see each other and it is like a little vacation that the company partially picked up.
The biggest reason I travel is the points/miles. I just booked my first award trip to Asia in first class with miles. There is no way I could afford something like that out of pocket.
As a side, I am a single guy with no kids so other than the ridiculous amount of rent I pay, there is no reason for me to be at my apartment.
As for the GF situation, like I said I am single so probably not the best to comment, but I think if she is fine with your travel you both can really benefit from the points/miles you'll accumulate and if you can fly her out over the weekends. Personally I think it'd be nice to have a break from each other during the week and then the time you spend over the weekends is just that more special, but like I said before I am probably not the best person to offer advice in this area.
I think in your situation one of the biggest down sides is that you have a mortgage. Most of my co workers that travel and have their own home seem to complain most about that.
Nov 11, 2012, 10:44 am
#60
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 176
I did not know about geocaching, thanks for the hint! However, does it not take a whole lot of time to find these?