going on my first ever buisness trip.....

[Toejam]

In my former job, I would get sent out of state on work-related details for 3 weeks at a time. When I was in my 20's, it wasn't so bad. You could save a lot on per diem if you didn't eat at fancy places everyday, and I enjoyed the experience of being in a new town.

But there was always the nagging feeling of meeting assignment deadlines, and it was not possible to just relax (at least not for me). After about the first 5 years, it grew old real fast and became a pain in the . Being single, I had to always find someone to take care of my cat, collect my mail, water my plants, etc. It made it difficult to buy tickets in advance for sports/performing arts events or to sign up for extended recreational type classes because we were only given a week or two notice of when we had to go. It got to the point where many of us would do anything to get out of the travel. We'd try to plan our vacations during the times when we knew the travel was required, or we'd say things like "Let the young ones go, they like to travel!"

Now that I am retired, I don't have to worry about any of the above! 8)

 

[Nords]

It got to the point where many of us would do anything to get out of the travel.  We'd try to plan our vacations during the times when we knew the travel was required, or we'd say things like "Let the young ones go, they like to travel!" 
Now that I am retired, I don't have to worry about any of the above!    8)

So now that you're retired, are you traveling again?

 

[polloloco]

Reasonably accurate, but you forgot:

3a) having dinner with the client for a couple of hours even though you are exhausted
3b) checking e-mail and possibly doing work after dinner
5a) getting stuck in some godforsaken place due to weather/plane problems/space aliens/whatever

And then add..

7) Going in an hour early the next day to catch up on emails and other business before the day officially starts.

 

[Toejam]

So now that you're retired, are you traveling again?

Hi Nords:

Just short trips of a day or two within the state. I haven't had a burning desire to travel since my retirement in March 2004. However, I recently discussed with some friends a possible trip to one of the following countries next year: Iceland, Japan, or England. Right now, I am enjoying my new hobby of cooking and gardening/growing my own vegetables for the summer. Prior to retiring, my chaotic and demanding job made it difficult to fully enjoy these simple pleasures. I think I'm really a homebody at heart.

Toejam

 

[califdreamer]

"Let the young ones go, they like to travel!"

Reminds me of a businees trip my boss sent me on when I was in my mid 20s. Sent me to Minneapolis.  From San Francisco.  In January.  And I was thrilled.

 

[riskadverse]

While I never did alot of traveling, I found the best trips were when I was alone. Without a boss or companion, you can squeeze in some sightseeing and tourism if you plan ahead. Without that diversion, business trips should be avoided at all costs.

 

[youbet]

While I had enjoyable experiences with international business travel myself, I always found approving the expense reports of my direct reports the most amusing thing ever!     I always liked to hire creative, out-of-the-box types and my success at finding those types was always manifested big time when they did their expense reports.  My only disappointment was that after a decade or so, truly new scams creative entries became rare.  The newbies couldn't think of many ways to pad, exaggerate, bend the truth, account for their personal spending I hadn't seen many times before!

 

[Brat]

This brings to mind a travel voucher submitted by an OSHA employee for a trip to Alaska.  The conditions require that he purchase special boots that were required by the enviornment inspected, he put them on the travel voucher.  Reimbursement was rejected.      

The next voucher was submitted with the comment "You find the boots!". 

He evidently hid them well as full payment was made.