Question - What's it Like to Travel for Work?

[qwlauren35]

I am considering applying for a job that is 50% travel. It's a LOT of travel. I was wondering if there's anyone here who travels that much and can tell me some tricks for making it a great experience.

[padfun]

1. I used to do long distance travel

And at first, the beauty of the land was enough, but after a while you've seen it a lot.

So eventually I bought cassettes that were like audiobooks. (This was in the 80's and early 90's) If you can listen while driving, this is one way.

Another way is to snort lots of cocaine. (JOKING!!!!)

[Xipe Totec]

2. Depends on how much they're willing to pay for travel and accommodations

If you can get them to spring for 1st class on air travel, and pay for an Air B&B, it can be sweet.

If they want you to use your own vehicle, travel air-roach, and put you in a fleabag hotel, it can be hell.

[leftieNanner]

4. My husband used to travel

A LOT for business. He had a project in Malaysia and his employer wanted him to fly coach. He said no. Business class or nothing.

[musette_sf]

13. I've been to Singapore and Indonesia for business

and there is NO WAY I would fly coach.

[Xipe Totec]

17. Been to Beijing (once). Very memorable 2 weeks.

Yea. No coach.

[WA-03 Democrat]

26. I have over 2,000,000 on United

I lived in Penang, Singapore and Hong Kong. I have done over 15 round trips in coach in one year on trans pacific flights. Sleeping pills, caffeine, neck pillows and booze. I stopped traveling and stopped drinking.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

33. Where did you live in HK, and when? nt

[WA-03 Democrat]

36. Wan Chai

From 2001 to 2002. Loved it. Still have many friends there and go back about 3 times a year (pre-Covid). I bought a ton of surgical masks out of Mexico early last year and sent them to friends and my business in China and HKG. I lived in Zhuhai from 2009-2010. We lived like kings but the job was very demanding.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

37. Repulse Bay, 1979-1981

I was a young teen, and once I got used to it, I loved it too.

Back then, things were friggin cheap.

Not housing, but everything else. Our family too lived like kings (well, to our standards at the time anyway) cause dad's company paid for our flat and my school (Hong Kong International) and Yacht Club membership and ... things were cheap!

Tell ya, never in the rest of my life was the view out my bedroom window like this (I was a bit higher and probably 100 yards to the left of where this was shot from).

[WA-03 Democrat]

38. That's great! Wonderful view.

Yes, things were much cheaper during that time frame. Hong Kong Yacht Club? I have a good friend who was a member (and had the massive boat) and we were guests there a lot. Having cocktails from the deck looking over Victoria Harbor in the second floor bar is one of my favorite spots in the world. We would party on the boat and I would inevitably end up falling asleep on the deck and literally camping in the middle of Hong Kong. The morning brought a bit of a headache but a great view of the beautiful tranquility the moment before the city shifted into day mode.

[VarryOn]

3. Until COVID, I traveled 40-60% of the time...

First, always travel with one airline, so you get status. Status is key, so you get upgrades and priority. While we don't like classes in society, it is nice when you travel lots!

Stick with one hotel brand. For instance, I stay only with Marriott. Building up loyalty will help you when your in a pinch and need a room. There are other perks. Points!

Stay in hotels with bars. Full service is best.

Travel on the latter part of the week. It's nice when you're traveling home on Friday, knowing your week is over. I hate traveling home on Thursday, realizing I have to go to the office the next day.

Stay on top of your expense reports. Don't let them pile up!

[leftieNanner]

6. All excellent advice

I was the office manager for a small firm in the 80s. One sales guy would drop his travel receipts on my desk every few months and ask for a check. It was a pain. But I know he lost a lot of money.

[Grins]

30. Friend of mine never did his..

Hated the paperwork so he didn’t do them .
For YEARS.
And he traveled A LOT.
Bought extra briefcases to hold all the receipts.
Mgt. got on him to do them and word got out.
Two Admin peeps said they would do them for him for a fee.
No. Then...
Office Christmas party, alcohol, and someone brings up those never submitted expense reports in fun.
All laughs.
BUT...it was the first time HIS WIFE had heard this!
And she was all “What the hell????”
Told the admin people to do them.
They made about $1,000 - each!
The wife? She got a brand new kitchen!!!

[gopiscrap]

22. this is exactly what I do

[GP6971]

5. Depends...

is it regional domestic or national? Or international?

I'm retired, but I've done all 3. Regional domestic is tough as a lot of driving. National and International was easier...I like to read so I got a couple of easy to read books to pass the time. International...I would get a couple of books that I was really interested in.

The upside to any kind of travel (for me anyway) was new experiences. Any place I went I tried to make time to briefly visit a point of interest or a local historical site.

[qwlauren35]

8. I'm guessing at this point

But they said I'd need a passport... that's a clue.

I *LOVE* to read, and with a lot of long distance travel, I could get into CD books, definitely.

[gopiscrap]

23. same here

[WhiteTara]

7. what kiind of travel? car? plane?

[qwlauren35]

9. I think it's going to be all flying.

That's my guess. I love to fly, so maybe that's why its not intimidating me.

[WhiteTara]

19. I traveled extensively for several years

One year I had 18 trade shows. Trust me that is way way too much. But it all depends on what your job is. If you have time, come in the day before. Arrive as early as possible; that is your free time. If you're lucky, you have the night over after whatever and that is also your free time. Mostly food and drink and "howdy do." If you love the business, it's fun for awhile. You meet lots of people and see lots of airports. You'll know what to take on each trip based on your airport.

Do you sell?

[qwlauren35]

10. THANK YOU!

For all of this great advice.

I am a Marriott Courtyard person, but I can consider upgrading. I will find out about first class flights, although I think I'll be okay for anything less than 6 hours.

[gopiscrap]

24. Marriott and Delta is who I go to when ever I can

[elleng]

11. Check with DFW; EDITED

Last edited Fri Apr 9, 2021, 11:52 PM - Edit history (1)

he travels a LOT. He posted yesterday, HERE: https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=15317826

and GOOD LUCK!!!

[musette_sf]

12. I love it, I miss it

and wouldn't do it unless I got a decent lodging and per diem allowance. NO shared rooms, NO AirBNB. At least Marriott Courtyard level or better. And if there's international travel, must be business class or better. I'd love my US travel to be first class, but domestic travel rules tend to be coach only unless you are super high on the corporate food chain. If you get enough air miles, it'll cover your upgrades to preferred coach seating. I pay for mine out of pocket if miles aren't an option - it's worth it to me. Upgrades usually cost somewhere between a decent dinner out, and a knocked-out dinner out, so I consider that to be a cost I will absorb for more comfort.

ON EDIT: For domestic flights, insist on direct flights whenever they are available. For international flights, insist on the carriers and schedules that are the most direct. When I go to Europe, the travel app keeps trying to make me transfer in London, to a flight that doesn't leave for 8 hours, and vice-versa for the return. Sorry, not spending an entire day in an airport when I'm already exhausted.

DO get TSA Pre certification, it will make your life immensely easier and less stressful. I travel internationally so I got Global Entry. If you're traveling internationally, get Global Entry.

I was doing about 18-20 trips a year before COVID. My last trip was first week of March 2020, and my travel colleague and I prayed for two weeks after returning that we hadn't been infected. We were lucky.

(Profiles In COVID Cluelessness: I had reservations for an annual industry conference to be held the following week after my March 2020 trip. All of us who were registered kept checking the association's website hour after hour, waiting for them to call it canceled. Stubbornly, they kept with the WE HAVE LOTS OF HAND SANITIZER AND WE AREN'T CANCELLING rap right up until the Saturday before the Sunday arrivals and registration. THIS year, they've moved the conference out to August, and are full steam ahead planning for an in-person event. But when you go to the registration page on their site, you must sign a waiver saying you will not hold them, the hotel, any vendors, or anyone else associated with the event liable if you DO get COVID. Yeah, imma sign right up, not.)

[gopiscrap]

25. same here no sharing a room and only a 3.5 star hotel or up

any early morning flights I stay at an airport hotel the night before and if I get in too late I stay at an airport hotel also, otherwise I don't take the assignment

[qwlauren35]

14. OH MY GAWD, CHECK OUT THESE BEDS!

https://www.sleep.org/hotels-with-best-beds/

Westin
The Westin has its own pillow-top mattress called The Heavenly Bed (5). The exclusive mattress was first released in 1999 (6). Now, the 12.5-inch mattress (7) is available in every Westin Hotel globally. Westin's mattress has a plush top layer and reinforced edges.

In the hotel, Westin bedding (8) includes two feather and down pillows, two down alternative pillows, and a boudoir pillow. Additionally, guests can settle in under 200 thread count cotton blend sheets, a down blanket, and a down alternative duvet. Both the mattress and the bedding are available for purchase on the hotel’s online store.

Westin Hotels also offer Sleep Well Lavender Balm and a menu of sleep-enhancing foods.

Four Seasons
The Signature Four Seasons Mattress incorporates temperature-regulated technology (9) to help provide a cool night’s sleep. Individually pocketed coils limit motion transfer, which minimizes sleep disturbances for those who share the bed. The individually pocketed coils also help the bed conform to your body (10).

The mattress is covered by a set of 350 thread count sheets made of Supima cotton (11). Two down and feather pillows or down alternative pillows (12) are available for hotel guests.

The Signature Four Seasons Mattress and bedding are also available for home purchase. Shoppers have their choice of three firmness levels for the mattress, which is customized with an interchangeable mattress topper.

Marriott Hotels
Exclusive to Marriott Hotels are two types of mattresses. The Marriott Bed is a medium firm foam mattress (13) with a 9-inch profile. The Marriott Innerspring Bed (14) stands at 12 inches and has reinforced edges.

Also exclusive to the hotels is the Marriott Pillow (15), made of a blend of down and lyocell fibers. In the hotels, four of these pillows sit atop their Signature Linens (16), which include a down duvet cover and white, 300 thread count sheets made of a cotton blend with a percale weave.

Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton has its own exclusive mattress in its hotels, which is also available for purchase online. With gel-infused foam, individually encased coils, and reinforced edges, the Ritz-Carlton Bed (17) is designed to regulate temperature and minimize sleep disturbances.

In the hotel, the mattress is softened with a featherbed topper (18). The hotel uses 400 thread count sheets, a down-blend duvet (19), and Ritz-Carlton Pillows. The pillows are filled with a blend of down and lyocell fiber (20).

[musette_sf]

16. Marriott has GREAT beds.

The further you go up the chain, the better the beds are. JW Marriott beds are better than Courtyard beds... but they're still all good.

Until I got my organic latex mattress a couple of years ago, I looked forward to traveling for the great beds.

If you travel to Europe, make sure the hotel has nice big fluffy American style pillows, and preferably an American style bed with box spring. I've stayed in 5-star hotels in Europe where the beds were single-mattress Euro style and the pillows were small and flat. One hotel had a "pillow menu" which sounds great in theory, but was in reality a list of small, flat pillows with various fillings to choose from.

[smirkymonkey]

35. The Westin's Heavenly Bed is amazing!

I usually have problems sleeping, but I am out like a rock when I sleep at the Westin. I don't travel often, but when I have to go to our corporate HQ, I usually stay at the Westin and I love their beds. The problem is, I do not want to get out of them!

I usually ask them for a fan as well, since I always sleep with one at home.

[NNadir]

15. I used to travel 60% of my time, six or seven times a year to Europe.

When I first took the job, I thought it would be very cool, weeks in Paris, travel all over the United States.

I went on business trips at different times to France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, and even three weeks in India, Spain, Portugal (for a few hours) and even Luxembourg.

I regularly visited old friends in California (I live in New Jersey).

I had so many frequent flier miles, that my son never flew in coach until he was five. I had so many hotel points, when my wife and I traveled we stayed in the best of the best hotels for free. I ate in great restaurants, drank great wines, and did, I guess, meet some fascinating people.

I was making a lot of money, and I occasionally, I felt like I was important.

Well then...

Before I took that job, I'd been married to nine years and only once, in that nine years, I didn't sleep with my wife - I had taken a job in San Diego and she was packing things up in LA.

The first time I was in France - for two weeks - all I could think about was how I missed her. The new job made it possible for us to consider having children and she got pregnant. She had an emergency C-section, which was botched, and my oldest son had colic, and I spent two of the first eight weeks of his life in France. There were times I wondered if he remembered who I was.

Once I was gone in Europe three weeks, when my youngest son was two, and I was sure he wouldn't know who I was. After an ice delay delayed my flight, which arrived after midnight, after which I drove from the airport in heavy weather, and I found him waiting up for me at three in the morning. He squeezed me so hard when I picked him up, that I felt like a fool for doing this.

I missed my family.

Lots of times, I'd wake up in some hotel and not know what city I was in, sometimes I wouldn't even know what country I was in, and what language I should speak. The worst was when I woke up in my own bed and didn't know where I was.

Look...I saw all of Western Europe...ate great meals, stayed in great Hotels, even flew several times on the Concorde, but it gets old...or it did for me. I began to hate aircraft, airlines, hotels, the loneliness, the feeling of being a cow in a herd, tired all the time, wacked out on Ambien to deal with jet lag, wired on coffee, meeting after meeting, all these languages, all the time away from those I loved.

And frankly, it was hard on them. My sons turned out OK, but my wife had to do "it all."

And you really, really, really, really have to work hard to be sharp when you're exhausted after delayed flights, jogs across airports to make connections, jet lagged, stressed about the outcome of some meeting.

Personally, when it all started...I was just a lab rat before...I really, really, really thought it would be cool.

I suppose for some people it was, is and always will be.

Not for me.

Now, maybe I travel 5% - 10% of the time, which is entirely enough for me.

I was Mr. Jet Set for 10 years, but I don't miss it at all. I really don't miss it.

It may be different for you, but that's how it was for me. It got really old after two or three years.

[fierywoman]

18. I played in an orchestra that traveled all over the world.

Be sure the hotels are nice and that you have a reasonable per diem.

It's not a paid vacation -- you're supposed to do the job, not be exhausted from tourist-y activities.

[qwlauren35]

20. Right now, I do a little bit of traveling.

I'd say 2-4 times a year for 2-3 days. I promise, I focus on the job. But if this is going to become a way of life, I feel like I need to take an entirely different approach. I need to be efficient, I need to know what to take, and what not to take, I need to know how to make sure that I have good accommodations, I need to have a plan for down time, so that I am rejuvenated every morning.

[fierywoman]

29. It sounds like your head is in the right place!

[gopiscrap]

21. I do send me a letter to my inbox

and we can talk-Mike C

[MissB]

27. My husband used to travel half of that

So like 25% of his time. He would be gone the equivalent of one week a month.

Our kids were young. It was hell.

As our kids got older, it was easier. As they left the house, I kinda liked the peace and quiet of being the only one home.

They always gave him a company credit card for hotel/rental car/food. As a consultant, he was expected to entertain clients with nice meals, and he wasn’t required to stay in crappy hotels. In recent years, I’d travel with him sometimes if he was going somewhere interesting. His company also paid for first class airfare for him.

I think you have to weigh where you are in life and what impact being away half of the time would mean to your relationships. Young family? That’s hard. Single, no pets? Much easier.

He doesn’t travel now, because covid. After covid, he won’t really travel because he’s ready to step out of his career.

[Ferrets are Cool]

28. I sometimes drive 3 or more hours a day getting to my clients

BUT, and this is a major but, it is my own company AND I make good money doing so.

The good thing is that I am home every night. You might not be talking about that kind of travel.
What makes it a great experience? Loving what I do.

[Laffy Kat]

31. I think you get kind of addicted to that lifestyle.

I worked for an internationally known pediatrician and he spent at least fifty percent of his time traveling all over the world. He seemed to get antsy when he had to stay in the office for more than a few days.

[Grins]

32. Loved it. Wish I was still doing it.

That movie, “Up in the Air”?
For veteran travelers - it’s VERY REAL.

And note: It’s NOT for everyone!
It can take a serious toll on your life, friends, spouse, family.
That’s the hard part!

I travelled so much that between the points for flights and hotels I earned, I never paid for a vacation for years.

Lots of good advice here from others about how to do it. Don’t let mgt. dictate how and when and nitpick like a green eye-shade bean counter.
It’s demanding!
People think “Travel. How wonderfull!” Not knowing you never get the time to enjoy/see where you are going.
Because you are working.
Make that time. Arrive early, stay at good AND SAFE hotels, stay an extra day to unwind.

What I learned by chance:
Have 3rd party TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!
Expense it or write it off on your taxes if they don’t, but YOU MUST GET IT! It’s not that expensive.

It’s NOT for missed flights- it’s for when you get sick or injured in some remote place (or another country) and need HELP. Serious medical help.
An air ambulance can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars!
(For fun, ask HR what their policy/coverage is if you need to be evacuated from (for example) Rome, Italy to where you live. I’ll bet it will stump them.)

Got more questions, email me via DU.

[hunter]

34. My brother hated it. The corporation he worked for didn't schedule any free time to explore...

...the cities he was dropped into.

When he wasn't solving problems (largely problems the corporation had inflicted upon itself) he spent most of his time in airplanes and hotels. He'd count himself lucky to have dinner in a nice restaurant.

When he was working at home they acted like he was on call 24/7.

He started answering 2 AM phone calls asking, "Is anyone going to die? No? Call me in six hours," and quit about a month later.

Maybe he was comparing his job to my wife's. When my wife gets called by work in the middle of the night it's likely someone actually is in mortal danger.