Preparing to Travel
I'm not quite sure how this works, but I always end up travelling to the other end of the country in the final week before Christmas. This year I will spend the greater part of the week holed up in a hotel in Prestonabout 200 miles north of home. I haven't packed a bag yet, orbought an advance train ticket -although I have organised a self-service ticket to pick up from London Euston en-route. Ihave booked the hotel room.
So here we go again. I'll have to go and find a bag at some point this evening, and start throwing clothes into it. Make sure the Kindle is charged. Go through my work backpack. Put a wash bag together.
Whenever I travel with work, I can't help thinking about the George Clooney movie “Up in the Air”about the businessman who has no life outside travellinghotels, railway stations, hotels, and taxis. It's a lonely, soulless existenceespecially at this time of year, and especially when you have young children.
The worst part is I know it's going to get far, far worse next yearwe have two more far-flung projects kicking offone in Scotland, and one in Wales. So far my name hasn't been penciled into anything, but it's a matter of time really. First the consultants arrive, and then the developers arrive to shake their head at the various promises agreed and signed off.
Anyway.
I'm thinking I should read “The Martian” while travelling tomorrow. I bought it a while agoit's sitting on the Kindle, still at page 1. It's supposed to be a great book. There is a huge temptation to read “Ready Player One” again thoughit's by far the most entertainingbook I have read in the last several yearsbut maybe it's too easymaybe I need to challenge myself a bit. I also have “Snowcrash”.
People always ask what the various cities I have visited are likeor if they know them, recommend places to visit while there. The truth is, I never get to seeanywhere. I see the railway station, the inside of a cab, the hotel, and the inside of a conference room, or occasionally a desk in an office somewhere. By the time work finishes on an evening my brain is usually toast, and I'm looking forward to sitting alone in the hotel room with nobody asking me anything.
I very rarely eat in hotel restaurants if I'm on my ownor wander into town for something to eat (if town is close bywhich it rarely is). It feels weird, sitting at a table on your own when you're used to crowding around a table as a family. Paradoxically, when I am out with the children I often look across restaurants at single people, or couples, and wish I could swap placesif only for a few hours. It's weird isn't itI don't deal with mayhem well, but then I miss it when it's not there.
If giventhe choice I will always choose buying food from a supermarket over sitting in a restaurant or pub on my own. For half the cost I can buy a ready made salad, a carton of smoothie, some snacks, and sit in the hotel room with the internet for company for the entire evening.
I guess I should go and find that sports bag