MattW

3-4 nights in a hotel away from family? How do you find it?

what would scooby do

TomTom?

boxst

I did work away quite a lot. It was fun to start with as someone else pays for your life effectively. As you get old it plays havoc with relationships and is worse when you have children and married as your wife feels somewhat abandoned during the week.

I go away perhaps 1 week every two months and that is fine.

Steve

Xx-IAN-xX

urban

iTrader: (1)

I used to travel a lot, have managed to avoid for the last few years though.
Used to travel away on Sunday night and return home on Friday and that was the worst one.
That lasted for nearly 3 months until I pretty much said no more.

The Zohan

Suits some better than others, hated it after we had kids, liked to be @ home more (well, most of the time). It's OK if not each and every week. Hotels generally soulless places, even the expensive ones, you will be eating out a lot, hotel and restaunt food which gets boring very quickly.

I would look to rent somewhere, house-share even or a real nice guest house, i had a superb guest house up in Yorkshire, only 5 rooms, usually booked by tourists, so they where mostly out evenings had the place to myself most of the time. It had spoerate accommodation block (just refurbed) to the owners, had its own spacious and well appointed lounge and kitchen so you could cook and eat in peace. around £ 35.00 per night and it was splendid.
This is the place, i would much rather stay away in ssomewhere like this: Birkby Hall - Home

Steve vRS

I do it a lot and to be honest spend far too much time in the bar

Steve

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

My eldest works in Holland and loathes it. He is lonely, his girl in the UK chucked him, he doesn't want to start a relationship with a Dutch girl for fear of losing her when he comes home, he is fed up living in an hotel, and bored out of his head most nights.

If there were jobs in the UK, (thanks Gordon, you tw@ ), he'd be home like a shot.

Hysteria1983

Mr P travels a lot, and stays away 1-2 nights a week sparingly. It is happening more often now since redundancy effected the company, so him and the other 7 people in his department are piking up the left overs.

I think he finds it hard, being away from home, and like people have said, the novelty of hotel food and being alone soon wears off.

It is a lot worse now we have the children, as it's upsetting for them when Daddy doesn't come home, and they just don't understand that he will be back soon.
He used to travel a lot when it was just the two of us, and to be honest it wasn't too bad then, s I could just pop and and do some late night shopping or something.

I think it has it's pro's and cons. Sometimes 'absence makes the heart grow fonder''. sometimes it just doesn't work.

Bus all I keep getting told is ... think yourself lucky he has a job! Can't say it makes me feel much better, but I understand what they are saying.

urban

iTrader: (1)

Thats the other problem.

Boredom - we'll in my case anway.

JTaylor

I was running Scotland for three months (just some bed shops, not the entire country) and then London for two. I found it a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. I enjoyed the free food and beer, met some cool people and it was nice not to have to do any chores. On the other hand, Hotels, no matter how nice, can become quite soulless and despite returning home for a couple of days every other week, I missed my partner and my mates.

Initially I found the lack of distractions allowed me to focus entirely on my work and I got some good results off the back of it but, three or four months in, this reversed. I craved normality and found it difficult to remain energized and positive; I recall some very lonely evenings when the results hadn't come in but, on the whole, it was a good experience for me.

boxst

Yes .... bar, food and boredom. Not good for your general health.

urban

iTrader: (1)

I actually enjoy the 1 or 2 nights away form time to time now.
In fact I was in Belgium last week for 3 days.
this week office bound and away for a couple of days next week after that nothing until early February which will be Belgium for a couple of days

MattW

Hmm ok Thanks.

Situation is this, I contract in IT, last 6 months I've been at home but just picked up a gig in London for 6 months plus but has travel, so will be in NY, Paris occasionally.

I can commute from where I am but it is 2 hours each way meaning I get up early, get home late, tea, bed.

Considering making a move back to where I'm from which means nicer place to live, rural, old mates, family nearby. Wife won't be working and kids are primary school age.

It will mean me leaving Mon morn and probably back Thursday late, then WFH Friday.

Then the next contract might be London, or home, or Reading who knows. Or I could go permie close to home.

The Zohan

Few days at a time on the odd occasion is good fun, i did a year in Dubai, only seeing the family every 2 months or so for a long weekend or at most 7 days - had a young family at the time, two little girls and i missed them and Jenny terribly.

Hysteria1983

I think despite what we all think, the only people that really matter are you, your wife and the children.

Personally I prefer Mr P to stay away rather than make a long journey home after a long day. It has a knock on effect, and usually a couple of days of doing that and he's done in. By Saturday night he's no good to anyone.

At least staying away gives him some time to charge his batteries. I can't say I like it, but being sensible, I prefer him to be put up in a hotel somewhere rather than sat on the motorways of Britain all hours of the day.

Oh and sadly he doesn't get a beer allowance! Just food.

urban

iTrader: (1)

If the hotel gets to know you well enough then beer can be called food

Hysteria1983

Lol, I know what you mean, but he travels all over the place, and he is only allowed to use Travel Lodge!

MattW

To add, I also have to service some other contracts which may mean 4 hours of work when I get home plus sat/sun if i'm really lucky!!

Staying away means I would do this in the hotel and have the weekend clear.

This work can be off and on though.

Jaybird-UK

I did several months in New York and enjoyed the experience, after that I did 2-3 visits to the USA for several years.

It depends on where you are working I guess.

I also did a stint in Rotherham which wasn't as memorable!

DJ_Jon

iTrader: (7)

I also contract, & work a long way from my partner. It can be hard but it keeps things minty fresh between us at the weekends.

I used to work around the country when I was a permie & staying in hotels got very broing, very quickly, even the 5 star jobbies in London - as previously said, Hotels are souless places. I was able to go out for food en the evening with colleagues, so that made it more bearable.

If you have kids then its going to make things more difficult, but atleast you are getting work. I'd rent a share in a house & have the Missus & kids come down for the weekend for a London adventure, it will help keep you sane (the travelling drives me nuts)

Hope it works out for you

hodgy0_2

i have to, occasionally, not really a fan, a couple of times a month is not too bad

get less attractive as you get older tbh

rifleman

i do 6 months away at a time on tour.will probs be away twice in next 2 years,mrs not happy but likes the money.doesnt really bother me as when away my mind only on blowing **** up and trying not to get blown up...

worley

It's good when your younger and happy to discover new places and when someone else pays it's always nice.

Top tips

(1) Don't do it for too long.
(2) Don't drink too much.
(3) Eat healthy - no greasy breakfasts in the UK.
(4) Do some sport ie swimming or running or hotel with a gym.
(5) Take a Laptop and a hotel with wireless.
(6) Plan your weekends.


Nik

PS Avoid strip bars

David_Dickson

I did it for a few months several years back. I was single at thought it would be a hoot - out in new towns, on the razz in different places etc, but in reality it became really tedious after a week or so. I was always in Travelodge type hotels, which were generally out of town. Every evening meal would be in the attatched Harvester/Brewers Fayre and its got very boring very quickly. This was before wifi internet exploded everywhere so entertainment consisted of tv in the room or propping up the bar listening to sales reps from coventry.

Leslie

Happens all the time in the Services of course, its part of the job and we all get used to it.

Used to spend a lot of time in the US, especially with 6 week detachments for either Red Flag training or US international bombing competitions. Also in Germany on Navigator training exercises in the Dominie.

All very enjoyable and it was good to be able to take some special presents home from the US military stores on base.

It was always good to come home again though.

Les

LC Geezer

As others have said, you spend way to much time at the bar. And you tend to ********** a lot

I spent 2 years living in a hotel near Grimsby (even closer to Immingham) and I got fat on restaurant food and a huge tolerance for alcohol. I still travel (overseas) from time to time and if you're on your own, it's a lonely existance. An occasional night or two away from the family is quite nice sometimes but I couldn't do it for months on end. Having said that, 2 hours travel each way means you still won't see them.

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

when I was a singleton I used to spend time travelling between Glasgow, Newcastle, Birmingham, Bristol and London. Sadly it was about drinking a lot, spending my nights in bars and clubs with the aim of ******** some local slapper. Was a bit of a laugh for a while until I found myself becoming more settled at home.

Fast forward by ten years - no company could pay me enough to spend a night away from my own bed, and from my wife. I would sooner be up at 430 to fly across to the uk and travel back later the same day.

CrisPDuk

I do it on an occasional basis, 3-4 trips per year, usually (if all goes well) for about 2 weeks, and I enjoy the escape from the office.

The 15 month stint in Thailand did place a bit of a strain on our marriage, but we got through it. Although it did take me some time to convince her that I hadn't played away

bigtony

hiya matt .. just a short enquiery to see if you wanna sell your reg number by any chance???? if you still own it of course ?