I have been fortunate to have done business travel to over 40 states, and Canada, and to have accompanied J on business travel to England, Italy and Greece. Not everyplace I have gone was a place I wanted to go, a couple of them I will gladly never go back to (though the host and audience in Fayetteville North Carolina were warm, welcoming, wonderful, the location had few redeeming qualities.)
I was asked to do an hour in New Hampshire one fall. I hadn't been there. I immediately said yes, you buy the airline ticket and pay the hotel bill and I will be there. When I started planning, I added a couple of days to the trip, renting a car at my own expense, adding hotels for my pleasure. I drove into Vermont and spent the night, then another day to drive through Vermont and New Hampshire, rode the cog-railway to the top of Mt Washington. I was on the agenda early in the day, with a late afternoon flight home. I had time to drive to Maine for lunch on my way.
That trip took me places, to see and do things I had never done before. I fulfilled the work mission, and added on a little to widen my life's experience.
I know an academic, who teaches here in the USA. Every couple of years there is a conference in Rome. He brags about teaching on Thursday, taking an overnight flight to Rome, attending the conference all day on Friday and Saturday and flying back to the USA on Sunday, so he can teach his Monday classes. Honestly, he is crazy in more ways than one.
When you get a chance to travel for work, add to it. I had a consulting contract with a national aging organization for a few years. The last couple of years they decided that business travel couldn't be combined with personal travel, no adding a day on, you need to fly in at the last minute and take the first flight out when the work was done. I didn't really enjoy that last season.
When I was with my last employer, they flew us all over in the company plane...but if it was somewhere I wanted to see more of, I would always stay longer and do as you do make my own arrangementseven thought we generally had our evenings free from 430 on.
ReplyDeletePrivate plane travel, there could be some stories there
DeleteAt Cold water Creek when I was there...the Penses who own the company and its founders thought a private plane would save money. Course that was when the company was taking off. Later when it became so big it became commerical travel. But fun while it lasted.
DeleteI have posted about the Mount Washington cog train but it was many years ago and I forget the detail now. I might do so again. I love clean and green public transport.
ReplyDeleteI have a blogmate in NH and if it wasn't for the winters, I think it is a terrific state to live in. Did you stay at Hotel New Hampshire?
My hotel reservations were messed up, I stayed at a nice but unremarkable small hotel near Mt Washington.
DeleteMy reference to Hotel New Hampshire was because of the mid eighties movie of the same name.
DeleteWhat a restrictive and uncreative regulation by that national aging organization. Also, you wouldn’t catch me flying to Rome for a conference and only attending the conference. That’s a major missed opportunity.
ReplyDeleteYou need at least an extra week in Rome, or Paris, or London, or . . .
DeleteI wouldn't go anywhere just for the work and not take some extra days to vacation and sightsee.
ReplyDeleteImagine saying I've been to Rome and all I saw was the inside of a hotel conference room.
I have been to a couple of places for work, that I found less than pleasant
DeleteI couldn't agree more. I've always taken the extra steps to enjoy a business trip.
ReplyDeleteI am stretching to a week on a one soon
DeleteEveryone I know who ever traveled to exotic places for business ALWAYS added personal vacation time on!
ReplyDeleteI want to do that, even if it is close by. I attended a conference in Hershey PA, added a day to take a steam train ride on the way there.
DeleteI’m hoping to visit Rome with my ex girlfriend x
ReplyDeleteShe does know this is not a romance being rekindled?
DeleteMy husband had to travel to far flung places many times for work during the last few years before he retired. Some of them were quite dangerous. It was hard on him and on me. Everyone assumes business travel is great fun and like being on holiday but he had to endure the travelling then be at his best as soon as he arrived, which is nothing like being on holiday. The boss doesn't pay all that money for flights and hotels just so you can have a good time!
ReplyDeleteNever went anyplace dangerous, but some were a lot less fun than others.
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