Sunday Departure to PHX
Ugh. I’ve really gotten to that point in life where I don’t care to do much of anything on Sundays. Not because religious challenges or anything like that. It’s actually more to do with the fact that where I live (somewhat rurally area). The nearest neighbor is about 2 miles away, and while that seems like a ways to city dwellers, it’s really not.
Especially when your house faces and is near the road. Unfortunately, my place is at the head end of the through way so there tends to be a lot of traffic that passes by, Monday through Saturday.
But Sundays I’ve noticed over the years are much quieter; less traffic coming or going. A little in the early morning and early afternoon. Guessing that is about the journey to churches and houses of worship.
Otherwise, it’s lovely to sit out on the porch, read the newspaper. Yes, I’m one of those hold outs that likes to touch the page. I know I’ve gotten my fill when I have to get up and wash the newsprint off my fingers.
But this Sunday I’ll be heading down to the Phoenix Airport Hotel because my schedule forced me to grab a very early flight to Los Angeles. I do my best to avoid early Monday meetings. While I don’t actually have to see anyone until 11:30pm, I am not one to run through airports to make deadlines.
But I’m also not much of a fan of giving up my lovely, contemplative Sundays either. Of course, this happens very rarely, so I really shouldn’t complain. But you needed to know that I’m sacrificing for the sake of low stress traveling.
With today’s silly scans and strip searches, anything a traveler can do to make the journey easier has to be undertaken. If that means trading some stress reduction on Sunday for smooth sailing on Monday morning early, then I suppose I’m all for it.
You have anything that really gets to you in the way of travel peeves? Do share!
The Month Starts Fresh and New
After having traveled as much as I’ve done the past many years, things begin to get into a nice, familiar routine. As stated a time or two in these posts, I tend to spend the first week to 10 days at my home office planning, scheduling and generally preparing to go out on the road for the remainder of the month.
Here are some of the activities I do to get ready for life on the road at the beginning of each month. Would love to hear you weigh in on things you might do as well.
- Receive an email with my assignments from the home office. Basically this is a list of buyers, prospective buyers, and others that we need to have some sort of face time with.
- I sort the list based upon geographical region contact is located in. Then I sort based upon priority. Does a particular client need me sooner rather than later? Does a prospect have demands that cause them to move up my list on when to visit? That sort of thing.
- Once my list is set, I then go about creating a travel plan. I have learned that some of the online travel/social sites can be a true benefit in this process. I started using Dopplr a couple of months ago (as you might be able to see with that widget-thing on the right side of the page).
- With a general itinerary set, I go about booking my actual flight travel, the business hotels I’ll stay at during the journey, and if I need a rental car I book those in advance as well.
- With travel needs taken care of, I then make sure I’ve got my toiletries in order. It is much easier and about 80% less expensive to make sure I don’t have to buy that stuff while on the road. I get that the businesses selling supplies to travelers are making a profit, but at the same time there is a lot of gouging going on for that bit of convenience. Don’t like that!
- Finally, I start to pack clothing, books, etc. If you’ve ever traveled extensively, you know that it can be hard to carry a lot more than a weeks worth of clean clothes. One of my little tricks is to make sure I have plenty of white under t-shirts as that can often allow me to wear a dress shirt 2 or 3 times prior to needing it laundered. This allows me to usually not have to have laundry done. The great things about most hotels, however, is they are right there should I need a shirt cleaned and pressed. This usually comes after a spill of some sort
I’ll leisurely move through the above list during the first week of the month. Once all is in order, I head out on the road and start providing my clients the best services I can. At this point, it’s all old hat to me. Would love to hear how you plan and prepare for your extended journeys. Have a great month!
At Home Tucked Safely at My Desk
Interesting. I could have sworn that I’d pressed the “Publish” button yesterday when I was getting ready to check out from my stay at the Phoenix Airport hotel. Clearly I did not do that very well. Maybe I’m losing it? Who knows!
I’ll just add that I’m home now, working out of my home office for the remainder of the month. Always great to be back home, regardless of how much I enjoy traveling around our country. Just can never be gone for too terribly long.
And the actual post that I thought I’d published yesterday:
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Ugh! Quite late now. Since I’d decided to check into a room for the night and make the 2 hour trip home tomorrow, I thought I’d stay up a while. Just relax. Take the edge off. Order a pizza or something. There’s a bunch of listings in the yellow pages for food delivery, so that’s nice.
In fact, I’m likely going to sleep later than normal in the morning just to fully recuperate from the journey. It started out with me being quite under the weather, but as the days progressed I’ve come to feel better. Doesn’t take away from the general fatigue we all feel from extended travel, however.
Tired or not, I’m definitely relishing the good success of this month’s journey. There are a lot of great things in life. And one that is most appreciated by this fellow is when hard work pays off with measurable success. Plus, I’m pretty sure my boss and her boss like it when I perform well at my job. At least I hope they appreciate the efforts!
Have a great week (and weekend)! Be back at you real soon with more awesome travel observations and quirky little viewpoints!
Views From the Space Needle
While here in Seattle I had the chance to head up to see the Space Needle. I totally forgot my phone (with camera) and an actual camera so I won’t be getting any pictures for you this trip. I really enjoyed the photos from my NYC excursion up the Empire State Building (click through and check those out if you’ve not seen the AMAZING views that day in New York City.)
Since I know I’ve let you down by not having any pictures of my own to show you, I’ll instead insert a link to lead you to a View From the Top of the Space Needle. And live no less!
I’m not incredibly savvy on these things, but how ever they are doing it, it is very cool. You can even move the view around nearly 360 degrees. I just think that’s about the coolest thing ever. 
Makes me happy for some reason. Of course, you’ll see whatever is happening live when you look at that page. It will likely be even more fabulous than what I got to see.
Given that it’s President’s Day, I’ve no meetings scheduled for the day. Really just getting caught up on sales paperwork. Well, not paperwork in the historical sense. ePaperwork, I suppose. Have to make sure my orders and various other data is input into the virtual private network back to the company.
That’s something else I always look for in any business travel hotel I stay at: good, solid WiFi coverage. Cannot tell you how many times in the past I’d get stuck with “free Internet” coverage only to find out that the only room available was in a dead zone. Made me feel like those creepy (in a fun, entertaining way) Verizon Wireless commercials.
When running on the VPN, you need to have extra bandwidth, they tell me, for all of the added security layers or protocols or the armored Brinks truck that hauls our data to the home office. Well, I get that extra pipe here. And boy am I happy to have it.
Heading home late tomorrow night. Looks like my flight is getting into PHX pretty late, so I might consider staying overnight and driving home Wednesday morning. We shall see.
Local Transportation Take Me Where I Want to Go
The flight from Denver to San Francisco is more bumpy than usual. Flight attendant’s have indicated there is a cold front moving towards Colorado and the lower temperatures are causing big blasts of turbulence. Their explanations seem plausible. I wonder, though if they just think of things to tell us so we won’t whine and upset fellow passengers!
Fortunately, I’m able to get some emails caught up. This is one of those times when I wish all of the airlines had WiFi built into the flight (and for something closer to FREE than $12.95 per flight!) But I know that when we do touch down and I’m in range all the work I’m doing will get sent off without a hitch.
I wish I could do the same with these blog posts. I’d read somewhere that you can post to a blog site using an email, but I’m definitely not far enough along with my blogucation to perform that sort of magic. If you know how to make that happen, maybe you could point me in the right direction? It would be kind of cool to touch it once and then forget it.
About halfway now, I’m thinking about the location of the SFO Airport hotel. While it’s very convenient for staying close to the actual terminal and for meetings on this side of SF, it makes it harder to get to enjoy all the great things in the City itself.
Not to complain, however. Transportation exists for getting from the hotel to all my favorite hotspots downtown. But I tend to prefer to walk a lot when in a different city. Being in Arizona doesn’t really lend itself to doing that too much. You can walk in small neighborhood spaces, but nothing like when you’re in NYC or SF.
So, I tend to take a cab, or if there’s a shuttle, I’ll opt for using that to get me to the general area I hope to spend time in. From there, however, I’ll hoof it around taking in the sights, sounds, smells of the place. It’s easier to smile and say hello to passersby. Plus the big dividend is when you stumble upon the elusive hole-in-the-wall place that screams for your attention. Just a quick duck inside and a whole new adventure begins!
Spending Valentine’s Day in My Downtown Denver Hotel
Alone. But don’t feel sorry for me. Please don’t! As I may have noted before, I’ve never really been the big holiday rah rah sort of guy. Especially when it concerns the industrialized, marketing driven holidays that seem so prevalent now days.
As I sit in my warm downtown Denver hotel room looking out over the city I realize why Valentine’s Day in particular has never been high on my list. Being on a lower floor during this stay (not my preference, but oh well) I’m able to watch a ton of couples head into or leave from a number of restaurants outside.
Valentine’s Day is soooo clearly a woman’s holiday. The poor saps that are emotionally connected to their female friends just get completely hoodwinked into participating in this so called holiday. It’s truly a terrible shame to watch the looks on the men’s faces.
By contrast, however, the women, for the most part, have expressions of joy. Glee even. LOL. Seriously. As I watch some of them I am literally chuckling out loud to no one in particular (but you, I suppose.)
One couple earlier where heading into an eatery. Perhaps I’m transferring my emotions onto the poor guy, but the look on his face screamed out in silence that he had just been hooked. Literally. She was repeatedly holding out her left hand to admire the ring. On the ring finger. Yeah, THAT FINGER!
Guessing the fellow had a nice job, I could actually see the shimmering and refraction off the stone. But if you could have seen the look on his face. OMG! I won’t say he was green and ready to puke, but without a doubt, this was not his favorite day on the planet. I’m sure that would change as he realized what he’d done.
And to be fair, when I saw them exit from their meal, he was clearly over the anxiety. Nothing beats a good meal to take the edge off and provide your brain with the blood sugar to more fully contemplate what the heck you just got yourself into.
I’ll be nice and wish them good luck. They are going to need it 
Observing the Changes of the Cityscape
Being able to rent a car and drive out to my Anaheim Convention Center hotel was a nice diversion from my normal travel routine. An average trip segment for me usually sees me driving to PHX (which is smart since I live in the greater Phoenix area ) I have a long term parking place that is great, inexpensive and shuttles me to the airport.
Obviously we all know the trials and tribulations of navigating airport security in our now (mostly) familiar post 9/11 world of airline travel. Once on the plane however, I usually have a few moments to just relax, contemplate the sales efforts just completed, and focus on the next stop of the journey.
It’s usually during these times that I try and share some thoughts about the wonderful and exciting world of business travel. Okay, that last statement might be stretching it a bit. But I do my best to share the good, the bad, and what I’d only be able to consider my little insightful observations.
My time in Anaheim was so busy that I was completely unable to spare even a few moments to share some of those observations. Now, however, after dropping off the car and settling in for the flight to Denver I’ve relaxed and am feeling insightful. A nice airline cocktail can often have that affect. Don’t worry, I’m not going to expense that one!
The other day I spoke about L.A. becoming the set for Blade Runner. Being able to drive from LAX down to Anaheim and back a few days later really just confirmed that they are going to start building straight up before long!
As we cruise towards Denver and I’m finishing up this post I find myself reflecting on the changes that I get to see as I revisit the various metropolitan areas around our country. Usually the changes are subtle. I building gone from here; a new one over there. Roads are widened, but rarely narrowed. A different restaurant in the space that I ate last time I was here. That sort of thing.
So, off to Denver to discover the changes, additions, subtractions. After 5 or so days there, back to the California life with a stop in San Francisco. Sure hope Sam Wo’s is still there!
Is Los Angeles Becoming the Set for Blade Runner?
I’ve just checked out of my room at the LAX Airport hotel after a pleasant few days in the ever expanding metropolis of Los Angeles. Pretty sure that the surrealistic cityscape that was presented us in the movie Blade Runner is going to happen here in the near future.
I suppose the reason I’m saying that has to do a lot with the highways of the area. In Phoenix we have a lot of very new double, triple and I think there’s actually a spot in the Valley of the Sun that has 4 different levels of over/under passes going on.
Other than the few dense traffic regions in Arizona, everything is spread low, and extends far. When approaching LAX from San Diego earlier this week, I got a real eyeful. At certain points while flying up the coast you get to see how development has butted right up against the edge of the various mountains that protect and encapsulate the greater L.A and Orange County area.
My first flight into Los Angeles was as an 11 year old kid who was coming to visit his father and brother, for the first time. Yeah. Weird. I know. Our parents had divorced while I was in my second year, so I never really knew these people or the Left Coast where they resided.
But the one thing that struck me about flying into LAX was seeing all of the streets, buildings, the civilization that existed out here. It was amazing and overwhelming for a kid on his first ever plane ride. And a solo one at that! Pretty sure that was the best I’d ever been treated on a plane, but that’s a story for another post.
During the approach this time there was one thing that caught my eye. Off in the distance to the east you could actually see where the home developers were starting to carve out those bounding mountains I’d first observed protecting the area.
Now you could clearly see the excavations and massive terracing that was prepping those areas for yet more homes for more people to be able to live in the California sunshine.
While I’m not sure how high up on those hillsides they can build it was observing this that made me think on the Blade Runner future of Los Angeles. They are going to have to start building up if growth is to continue. I wonder how that will affect life here? How will the future affect all of our visits to the area.
Would love to hear if you have any thoughts on the concept, be it here in L.A. or your favorite travel destination. Be good to yourself!
My Roller Coaster Ride in San Diego
Have I mentioned here abouts that I used to live in San Diego, CA? Well, I was a much younger bloke back then, though still single and (relatively) care free. My first stop this month happens to plop me down right in the heart of Mission Valley, just north of downtown San Diego. In all the years since I lived here, the beauty and placid life has remained largely unchanged.
Though I checked into my extended stay hotel suite’s lovely room almost 3 days ago, it feels as fresh and vibrant when I come back to it as the moment I walked in. My view of the valley has had me up bright and early every morning as my window faces east.
When I lived here before, there were a lot of places around town that I called home. Not sure, but thinking the same desire I have to travel for a living was exerting its influences on me when picking up and finding a new apartment was cheap and easy. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth now days. Those were leaner times.
The sales calls have been booked pretty solid most of the week, however tonight I’m definitely heading out to one of my favorite spots in the area. While I never really got into being in the ocean, for a while I lived just a few houses south of the Mission Beach Roller Coaster.
The coaster itself isn’t really all that scary. In fact, it might be considered quite quaint compared to the monstrosities that exist in major theme parks like Six Flags Magic Mountain or Knott’s Berry Farm. But it is fun and mellow nonetheless.
Personal memories of the first time I rode this attraction with someone that I was very attracted to are the main reason I’m heading back over to the seaside park. While lamenting is definitely not something I do much of, this was one relationship that easily falls into the category of the one that got away.
And we know that really means I was likely the dumbo in the relationship. But I’ve learned since then. Walking around the park, down Ocean Front Walk I pass right by the place I once lived for the summer. Spent more time that season pulling sand out of my shoes and clothes than the rest of my life combined. Gotta say, however, I might just be willing to do that again for all the perks that come with living on the beach in Southern California.
Up to Los Angeles tomorrow evening. Catch up with you after I check in and grab some grub.
Just a Little Sick and Out of Sorts
My apologies for having taken so much time since my last posting. It seems that every few years a wallop of a sinus ailment decides to hit me upside my head. I suppose hit me INSIDE my head is the better way to describe it.
Have you ever suffered from a sinus infection or heavily impacted sinuses? If so, you know exactly what I’m referring to, I’ll bet. The very first time I was afflicted, the package deal included some inner ear challenges.
Of course you brainy types know this is where your balance mechanisms are located. Well, I literally woke up one morning, attempted to rise out of bed and literally fell over because I couldn’t maintain my balance.
But that wasn’t the worst of it. If my head were to move at all, lucky me got to experience motion sickness. It only lasted a couple of weeks, and while it was extremely bad the first 6 or 8 days, it really was not fun. I hope to never experience that specific set of symptoms again.
This time is a bit different. The main symptom is the pressure and pain that brings. Almost equally though, is the eye muscle fatigue caused by the sinus pressures. The effects are my eyes are tired and it becomes difficult to scan visually, back and forth. Driving becomes a challenge as does anything that requires acute ability to focus quickly.
Good news is that things are subsiding. As I work on my travel schedule for the month I find myself slowly, surely feeling better. And that’s a good thing because this is going to be nice West Coast month.
Other than my (don’t say clingy ) clients in Denver, the entire month’s worth of travel takes place in California and Washington State. In deep winter that’s always a welcome itinerary!
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Who Am I?
Just a fellow business traveler who's been hopping from city to city across the country for years now!