First business trip!

[BRPORSCHE]

First work trip of my relatively young working career. Sitting in MAF enjoying a nice cold shiner at the bar.

I now have a new found respect for you guys that do this day after day for 30 years.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Enjoy it! I found it to be a great way to build rapport amongst team members, our group that frequently traveled together became very tight knit, even after we returned home. Bonding over drinks can go a long way.

[craigster59]

Save those receipts, even the ones with footprints on them!

[vash]

avoid the cheap all you can eat shrimp plate.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by BRPORSCHE

First work trip of my relatively young working career. Sitting in MAF enjoying a nice cold shiner at the bar.

I now have a new found respect for you guys that do this day after day for 30 years.

Ya, and you got fly you lucky dog.... I have to drive everywhere.....

[Zeke]

Well, you're off to a good start....in the bar.

[Shuie]

Make sure to get registered for all of the frequent traveler programs. The airline miles, car rentals, and hotel points add up quickly.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Well, you're off to a good start....in the bar.

Yes, let us know when you move on to shots!

Best of luck to you, I met a lot of interesting people and visited some very cool places I would not have seen if not for business travel.

However now that I'm an old dog and we don't travel anymore I have to admit I don't miss it.

[JeremyD]

Originally Posted by BRPORSCHE

First work trip of my relatively young working career. Sitting in MAF enjoying a nice cold shiner at the bar.

I now have a new found respect for you guys that do this day after day for 30 years.

You had me at cold Shiner...

[Don Plumley]

Originally Posted by Shuie

Make sure to get registered for all of the frequent traveler programs. The airline miles, car rentals, and hotel points add up quickly.

+1

3 Million Miles on AA

Take notes, write your trip report on the plane before the first beverage. Read your company expense policy before you fill out your expense report during the first beverage. Get the trip report in before the expense report; get the expense report in within days.

I love business travel!

[LakeCleElum]

Best advice I ever got for travel:

Go to the hotel bar when it's slow. Tip well, get to know the bartender and solicit ideas on where to go and what to do....

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by Don Plumley

I love business travel!

Then you don't do it often enough.

I agree about points. Tunnel them all into one program if you can.

Ian

[onewhippedpuppy]

Make sure to get registered for all of the frequent traveler programs. The airline miles, car rentals, and hotel points add up quickly.

Very good point. I've earned many free rental cars and hotel nights this way.

[Don Plumley]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Then you don't do it often enough.

Ian

Nope - did it a ton before 9/11; mostly international. Nothing better than waking up on approach to CDG or NRT. Out for a week every 4 or 5. Before that I covered the US, loved driving out to sales calls, meeting people. Today, my trips are less frequent, but I'd rather be on the road than at my desk. Sales calls are my theater.

[gprsh924]

Out for a week every 4 or 5 is hardly traveling.

I do almost no real "trips" but drive about 2500 miles a month, so it can be a bit of a grind.

My dad did real travel for about 5 years. On a 6am flight Monday, home at 10pm Thursday for about 5 years. Now he flies about once every 3-4 weeks. He likes this better

[ODDJOB UNO]

all i can say about my past job as a ROADWARRIOR.................is to watch "PLANES,TRAINS and AUTOMOBILES" with john candy and steve martin.



sums EVERYTHING UP!


when ya start recognizing pilots and stews and they recognize you...............YOU will KNOW YER A REAL ROAD WARRIOR!

when rental car agencys recognize you and pronounce your name correctly......you will know your a ROADWARRIOR!

traveled the entire SW U.S. with trips to chicago and new jersey thrown in for good measure. monthly trips to laguna,calif.

the only thing i miss.............IS NOTHING! i did this FOR YEARS!


i like driving 8 minutes to work everyday now. (2) stop lights, (2) stop signs.


get the PURCHASE ORDER(P.O.) BEFORE THE TA-TA BAR!

[imcarthur]

Except for a one year hiatus along the way, I have been on the road - one way or another - since 1977. There isn't any thrill left but I still like to head out.

Ian

[NutmegCarrera]

Call your wife BEFORE she starts to wonder why you have not.
Get your kids a little trinket every once in a while (not every trip), and try getting something truly local (not at the airport).
Remember that everybody at the airport that does this for a living likes it just as little as you do. If they like it more - great for them.
Remember that people vacationing ARE doing it because they want to. Don't be a buzzkill for them.
Eat a healthy meal once in a while, and remember that beer (and liquor) has lots of calories.
Don't fly your bike to a funky little southern town during a long duration machine startup, thinking that you'll get some training in after working 16+ hours every day on concrete floors.
And most of all - if you wouldn't do it in front of your wife or family, you probably shouldn't be doing it on the road.
Keep ahead of some or most of these, and you'll be pretty well off.
All of the above posts have lots of merit too.

[biosurfer1]

I traveled for my last job, not anywhere close to some of the road warriors but more than a lot of people. I didn't travel so much that it became annoying, plus my dept made a TON of money so we got to stay at the best, eat at the best, etc.

Listen to the guys talking about frequent flyer programs. Get the credit cards, read blogs like frequentmiler.com and thepointsguy.com and read flyertalk. I only had to travel for 1.5 years but saved enough to pay for my honeymoon to Bora Bora in 5 weeks and trip to Europe in April. It can really make personal travel very cheap!

[stomachmonkey]

That chick at the hotel bar, she's not really that into you, she's "working" as well.