[VintageKrug]

There’s only two left, so hurry!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flight-Catering-Peter-Jones/dp/0750662166

[LuganoPirate]

I can sympathise Marty and it’s something I suffer from as well and it does become worse the older one gets, though you do get used to it and just have to bear it!

Returning from dinner to an empty room and bed, I usually call the wife. I then feel worse as she has friends round polishing off my prized Claret, laughing and joking. Even the kids are too busy playing to want to come to the phone!

Weekdays are not too bad, after dinner, watch some TV, read the papers on my iPad (newsparedirect or Pressreader are great apps) scan some reports, a hot tea and sleep.

Weekends, I will have the Concierge draw up an itinerary of interesting things to do, take a car and driver and off I go. It’s pricier than taxi’s but you don’t have to continually look for another one, they take you to the door and often help you jump the queue. It’s surprising what a man in a uniform and cap can do for you. They’ll be waiting when you come out and at the end of the day, it’s an early dinner, TV etc.

Your idea for a club prompts me of an idea I had, but I have to dash to a meeting now so will mention it later today in another message.

Cheer up, and you’ll soon be home, when, after a day or two you cannot wait to get on the road again!!!

[FlyingChinaman]

The secret of a successful road trip is to have lots of local social contacts for the non-working hours.

I have never suffered from this travellers’ blue as I have already cultivated a network of personal friends worldwide long before I even started travelling for work.

Work on developing these local connections to places you go to regulary if you have not done so already!

HAPPY AND FUN TRAVELS TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FlyingChinaman]

at the time of this writing, my italians friends are coming to fetch me and taking me to the beach outside Rome for the day and possible dinner with a view of Colloseum.

Make it a La Dolce Vita, not a Dog’s life!!!!

[LuganoPirate]

The trouble is FlyingChinaman, that not everyone has a network of friends or colleagues all over the world, especially if visiting new markets and exploring for fresh business.

It’s great you have such a wonderful network, and I’m also fortunate that my network is very wide, but just the same, there are still places I visit where I know no-one, and sometimes friends are out of town during a planned trip.

I remember many years ago when I did business in the Cameroons, the owner of the hotel I stayed in, the Akwa Palace in Douala, organised each evening a cocktail for single (mostle business) people staying in the hotel with a table organised for dinner afterwards.

I met some very interesting people this way, some of which led to new business being generated, and it was nice to spend an evening with others, some of whom became good friends.

I’ve often wished this idea could be extended to other hotels.

[David]

Hi Martyn and sorry I didn’t see your post until today . I was also in Bangkok last week (including the 13th) staying on Sukhumvit (I assume that’s where you are, given that you mention Nana and Soi Cowboy).

It would have been fun to meet up and commiserate about being away from our families! If you’re still there, I can recommend Kuppa (a nice restaurant on Soi 16, located in an old coffee roaster building) and also Long Table, a chic restaurant/bar on the 24th floor of a skyscraper, overlooking the park/lake (also located on Soi 16).

Perhaps a topic can be started where like ‘lonely’ travellers can post where they’ll be, on certain dates for possible meet-ups.

Chin up and best wishes!

[Swissdiver]

Hi Martyn,

Thank you for sharing!

Whatever people are saying in social gathering, we all have our best and worst times… This is life. And I believe we need the worst ones to realise how much the great ones are great!

Now being on my own (professionally speaking!), I can make my schedule and I try not to travel too much. My ideal is a long haul journey per month. The advantage of this is I still enjoy it very much! Now I understand this strategy is not possible for all…

The remedies:
Friends: if I have some in that city, of course it is great. But as it was mentioned, it is not always the case…
SkypeOut: if the internet connection allows it, great to call the family at a nominal fee.
iTunes US account. Each time I am in the US I buy prepaid cards for an iTunes account I opened there (so I have two accounts). I therefore can download a lot of stuff including the latest movies from anywhere around the world! Something you cannot do on BBC for instance. Actually I usually have a movie or two on hold in my laptop just in case…
TED.com: best speakers on great topics for free. 20 minutes max per speaker. Just fabulous.
Good food & wine: over the years, I accepted the idea to go to a good restaurant with either a book, my iPhone (the Economist app allow me to read it offline – just great!) or even my laptop and treat myself. In Bangkok, my favourite one is the Vertigo (tel: +66 2 679 1200 – located on the 61st floor of Banyan Tree Hotel on Sathorn road – closed when it rains since it is on the roof of the hotel – there is also a bar there if you just want to enjoy the view).
Just some ideas. Hope this helps.

Safe journey!

[Swissdiver]

Just found this: http://www.bangkok.com/rooftop-bars.htm The Vertigo is described along with others I don’t know…

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Martyn

How are you, today?

[ConcordeFlyer]

Martyn.
Just back from vacation – missed your Friday post. May I suggest in the future a wander down to the local Chabad ? Always welcoming and entertaining and perhaps even a typical FND…..
Enjoy your travels………..

[MartynSinclair]

I would like to thank everyone who responded not only on thread but also who took the time to write to me via email. I was positively stunned when I turned my computer on for the first time this weekend to read the messages – all of which felt incredibly personal and were received as such.

It is now Sunday evening in BKK and having read each message (several times) I can see that I am not alone in the way I was feeling. I was very sceptical about making such a personal post, but am now pleased I did. I certainly don’t want to make it sound worse than it actually was, but I felt very very down and strangely (for me) extremely insecure, in a country I know well.

I wanted to say thanks to you all tonight. I really appreciated the advice / comment / support and recommendations all of which has put me back to where I was on Thursday night, feeling how fortunate and privileged I am having the opportunity to travel and see the world.

I will post a few more comments later.

[NTarrant]

Hi Martyn

I have just returned from holiday so also missed your post. Certainly understand where you are coming from. Don’t think I can add much to what has been posted by others, but here is a thought I sometimes think of.

When I first started my business 15 years ago we all stayed in some grotty B&B’s or rough pubs, mainly in the UK, Travel Inn as it was then too expensive. Sometimes when I have been bored in a hotel room I think back to the days when I would be in a tiny single room paperwork all over the bed and watching a portable television which was almost on the ceiling. It doesn’t help the boredom but it makes it a bit more pleasurable thinking where one could be or has been.

Hope you have a good trip home.

Regards

Nigel

[Stretch]

For someone who has recently joined this website, I have found your opinions to be very informative. This comes from years of experience of travelling around the world with various airlines.

If you can pass on any nuggets of valuable information to lesser experienced travellers, then it’s worth it in my eyes. That’s some solace you can take from the situation you find yourself in.

Chin up Martyn.

All the best.

[VintageKrug]

This would make a good human interest article for the print edition of BT.

[FlyingChinaman]

Luganopirate: Since all business travellers are faced with this occasional loneliness during their overseas business trip, it makes sense for they to gradually building up a network of local connection in the most frequently visited locations to compensate for the unavailability of one’s direct family. It should not be too hard a job as most of us are capable professionals.

We all have our moments of ups and downs and Martyn is no exception but pleased to know that he is on the “up-swing mood” again!

Thank God I have felt lonely in my life!!! At home or abroad. Perfect material made for constant travels.

Happy travel to all!

[Author]

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