Friday Five: Business Travel

This meme from the RevGalsBlogPals brings up lots of memories!

1. Does your job ever call for travel? Is this a joy or a burden?

Back in the day when I worked for the bank, I traveled a great deal, mostly to national HQ down south or divisional HQ out west. It was okay, because I liked the people with whom I worked. The actual traveling part was tedious, certainly nothing like the international travel I had done a zillion years ago as a consultant. Since I went to seminary, my professional travel has been limited to offsite training (most recently last week, 100 miles south of here).

Can't say that I really miss it. Planes are like cattle cars, the food is abysmal, and the hotel rooms have a bleak sameness whether one is in Tupelo, MS or Troy, NY.

That recent training event took place in a diocesan conference center which is quite nice, though. The drive down was like being in a NASCAR race going down on Rt 95 - a bit nerve-wracking - but the place was lovely and the people were lovely and I didn't miss the TV news.

2. How about that of your spouse or partner?

Also back in the day, PH stayed home while I traveled. Now, as a leader of a national organization in his profession, he travels quite a bit more. Seems fair, although I do miss him when he's away.

3. What was the best business trip you ever took?

When Laker Air was still flying (you've got to be really ancient to remember those days) I went to London to teach a seminar. I stayed in a lovely hotel, and met friends for a couple of meals, enjoyed my class tremendously, and got the distinct pleasure of schadenfreude when a colleague who was a bit of an @ss made a complete and utter fool of himself in an Indian restaurant by insisting on spicy-hot food...and then got blisters in his mouth from it. Not enough lassi in the world to cool down that guy's mouth! Plus I spent an afternoon in the British Museum before I left for home.

Interestingly, the "bonus" trips to the fancy resorts weren't nearly as much fun.

4. ...and the worst, of course?

Being sent to do a consulting job at a military Munitions Depot deep in the nation's heartland, certainly not where you would expect to find one. I had a miserable case of the flu and laryngitis, the client was a troll and kept hitting on me, and there was not a good meal to be found in a forty mile radius. Even the Officer's Mess on the base had awful food, and that is a rarity. Plus the clients wouldn't listen to a thing I had to say, not that I looked like a credible consultant with my red nose and eyes and squeaky voice.

5. What would make your next business trip perfect?

Time to explore the place where it is held, PH or a good friend to share it with, access to some nice food and wine.

Of course, I suspect in my new profession, my traveling will be limited. That's okay. I've had my time of doing that. Home is better.