It’s Business Travel, But Can I Still Have Fun?

I returned from Prague as few weeks ago; a city rightfully reputed as one of Europe’s most beautiful.  There was just one minor problem, my schedule dictated that I land in the Prague airport at 8:30 AM on Wednesday and I take off at 6:30 AM on Thursday.  That is 22 hours folks - in a legendary city.  And this was not 22 hours to see the city.  This included time at the airport, immigration, airport security, money changing, travel to and from the airport, meeting with lawyers, lunch with lawyer, sleeping time, bathroom time, not to forget packing and unpacking time.

So on the good side, I had the chance to see Prague on the corporate dime …insert a nice Monty Python “yeah” here.  On the bad side, if I wanted to even see a small fraction of this city, I would need to devour this town like Jared downing Subway Footlong.  These are the yin and yang of business travel, you get to see new places, but you’re not there to enjoy them.  That must be what it’s like trying to pick up girls working at a funeral home. You meet new people every day, it just might not be the right time to try a pickup line (“Hey Babe. You’re so hot I could have cremated your grandfather with just your smile.”  Yeah, probably not).

As to my philosophy of business travel, which is kind of my philosophy of life I guess, is get out there-you can sleep when you’re dead. There is far too much good touring time wasted by businessmen in bars with coworkers, answering email after hours like you are so important, watching crappy basic cable, or sleeping (perhaps I should amend, you can sleep when you’re dead or in your meeting, both work for me).  So in my 22 hours and Prague, I think I slept three of them. That way I was able attend all of my meeting, see the major sites in the city, eat old Prague ham in one of the many squares, listen to Russian pianist, watch the sunset from a clock tower (whose picture I by chance I already had hanging on my wall), enjoyed one of my two balconies in my Russian Mafia hotel room upgrade, and even snuck in a bath in very green water.

When I post picture of cities like this, I often get comments like, “You have the best job in the world.” Yes, it is pretty cool.  I am lucky or blessed or a hard worker or maybe all three. The downside is, like Frankenstein’s monster, I had no one to share the moments with.  “Hey me, remember that great sunset a lot that clock tower?  Obviously, since I am talking to myself and reminding myself of  something I obviously remember.”  Not always the memories you like to build.  On the same trip, I did book an extra day in Holland to see a few things before my meetings. It didn’t disappoint. But as I sat eating a fantastic steak by a beautiful canal, it was just me. Without getting too lame, traveling is a bit like your heart, it’s best to be shared with someone else. If you are alone, make the most of it, and eat a steak with a good view.  But a steak can't replace sharing moment... but just barely.

Now not all business travel is alone. I do travel with coworkers sometimes. Fortunately, I have stacked my team at work with two of my favorite people. Coworkers can supply company, but you also have to coordinate interests and energy levels.  So this may have you stuck at an H&M in Shanghai at 10 PM helping your boss pick out skinny jeans and multicoloredChinese skivvies since he lost his bag (You’re a trooper Mary).  These kind of trips are good team building exercises anyway, though may run afoul of some HR anti-harassment policy.

On one trip to Italy I was with a coworker who had lived there for a few months. Since we were only an hour out of Florence and were able to wrap up things early on a Friday afternoon, we decided to jump to train to see what we could see. Arriving there near the end of the day, my coworker knew the great place to watch the sunset. It was an amazing place.  It was one of the best sunset, I has ever seen. I took this photo myself from that sunset point.

As we basked in the beautiful Northern Italy sunset, I turned my coworker and said “This would be absolutely perfect if you weren’t a dude.”  Garrett looked right back at me and said “I was just thinking the exact same thing.” We turned back towards the sunset and audibly signed. I will say that the awkwardness of the moment was not helped by the fact that throughout Europe that trip we were mistaken for a gay couple. We just chalked it up to being too strikingly handsome well-dressed men – who both very much like women.

But coworkers don’t always make the best travel partners.  My first business trip ever was to San Francisco to take depositions with one of the firm’s senior partners.  As soon as the hours of boring question ended (boring question that I wrote no less), I changed out of the monkey suit, hopped a cable car, and went were ever it took me. 

As I arrive back at the hotel later that evening I ran into this senior partner leaving the hotel.  The intrigued look on his face reminded that I had heard rumors of a former (married) partner who took cases in San Fran just to slip out in the evening to explore his “alternative” alter ego.  I had no idea what to say, because I was not sure how to explained what I really did.  In truth, once I got to the end of the line of the cable car I noticed a decal of a large molten chocolate volcano cake on the side walk with an arrow.  Instinct kicked in. I stalked those arrowed-decals like fat a German kid following breadcrumbs.  Finally I found myself directed into the Rain Forrest Café.  Dang, their ploy worked.  Still, I promptly asked whatever that chocolate thing was allow over the sidewalk.  Five minutes later 5 pounds of chocolate goodness showed up beset by burning sparklers.  And yes, I ate that whole sucker (this was long prior to writing posts regarding weight loss).  In view of the absurdity of my chocolate bender,  I chose not to explain myself to this partner (but I did save the time stamped receipt just in case).   I ended up joining this partner in pursing his passion, watching exotic dogs at the top of Nob Hill. Not as fun as my passion, but sure beat that of the former partners.

Then there are business trip where the business side of organization just doesn’t think things all the way through. Like the American Bar Association week-long conference in Honolulu. Yeah, that 90 minute class was pretty interesting – whatever it was about.  Law stuff I am sure.  I need more of that business travel for sure.  You can bet there were lots of coworkers and spouses on that trip.

So what is my point?  Not totally sure, this is a blog post, not an essay.  But perhaps it is this: I could have easily stayed in my hotel room in any of those cities.  There is always plenty of work that I could do (sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof).  And yes, I do get tired and making a plan and getting out that door can be tough.  But that is the adventure; that is life.  Taking that first step out the door into something new.  This applies to more than just business travel.  This applies to life. What are we doing to make today memorable.  If nothing, then the day won't be remembered.  And if not remembered, then did the day ever happen?

So Diem that Carpe, grab your Bilbo Baggins bag and take that first step out the door.  Skip a few hours of sleep, turn off the TV, get your chores done fast, turn off your phone, forget that email.  Find what there is to see and do around and get out there.  It may be for an all day adventure or it may only be to roam the streets of NYC for an hour listening to Billy Joel before bedtime, but big or small, these are the moment we remember and the moments we should live for.