The Best Part of Traveling for Work

As you may have noticed, it has been a while since I have written anything on the blog.  The truth is, I was traveling all last week, and it is too much work for me to bring my laptop, my personal laptop, along when I travel.  I had my iPad, so i suppose I could have used that to post something, but there is just something about a physical keyboard that just goes along with writing for me.  The virtual keyboard just doesn't do it for me at all.  I have to be able to feel the keys, and here the clicking of the keys as I type.  Does that make me strange?  Probably, but that's ok with me.

Yes, last week I was traveling, and it was travel for work, which is the worst kind, really.  You leave your family behind, and you venture out into the big, scary world all by yourself.  My trip was to San Francisco.  I have the photos to prove it:

That's me, in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. I look thrilled, don't I?  I took this picture because on the way to the airport, my 4-year-old son asked me, "In San Francisco, don't they have that Golden Gate Bridge or sumfing?" Yes they do, so I promised him a pic, and there it is.

The expression on my face sums up business travel for me.  I just don't like it.  Don't get me wrong, there are worse things in life, and I am grateful for my job and the company I work for, and the opportunities that are presented as a result, but it's just not fun to travel for work.  Why?  Because you are all alone.  Some of you might be thinking with 5 kids, I would relish the opportunity to be alone for once, and that's true.  It lasts about as long as my 1 1/2 hour flight, then I start missing my kids and the chaos that goes with them.  I stayed later at work on the days I was there because what was waiting for me back at the hotel?  An empty room, that's what.  Again, you might think that the peace and quiet are a nice change, but it gets old really fast.  The absolute worst part of traveling is being away from my family.  It just is.  If that makes me a softy or a whip, fine, I don't care.  I like being home with my family more than I like seeing the world.

There have been some great inventions and developments over the years that have made business travel better than it used to be, I'm sure.  One of my favorites is FaceTime from Apple.  Yes I know that Skype is the same thing and can be on any device.  I don't care, I like Apple, and I like FaceTime.  It is so cool to be able to see my wife and kids, instead of just hearing them.  It is also fun to watch my two youngest girls fight over being in front of the camera to see me.  I loved that part.  It is fun to watch as my oldest is explaining what he did that day, or how he helped mom make dinner that night.  It does me good to see that things at home are ok, and everyone looks good.  I love it.  Until it is time to hang up.  That is the worst thing ever.  I don't want to do it, but eventually it is time for my kids to go to bed, and that requires my wife's undivided attention, and then some, so eventually, you have to hang up.  The only thing that keeps me going each day while I am away is that hour long conversation with the family when I get back to the hotel.

The FaceTime is nice, but the best part of traveling for work is coming home.  Nothing beats arriving at the airport, walking off the plane, worn out and tired, making it down the escalator to where everyone is waiting for their loved ones, and seeing my family there.  Seeing the way my girls' faces light up when the see me and getting all the hugs.  Hugs are always nice, but hugs after you have been gone for nearly a week, those are even better.  There is just something so sweet about coming home and seeing everyone again, knowing how much I missed them.  It almost makes me want to book my next trip, just to experience it again.