[FlyingChinaman]

Travelgirl:

Let me pass on a tip from one of my female road warrior friends when going to a bar.

Just start the conversation to a bloke that you would like to have some clean fun without benefit as an opener. Not every male traveller wants to take advantage of a female. You could humourously say “I love gay men” and if the response is positive then bravo big fun time ahead!

[ConstantFlyer]

Martyn

Thank you for your post and raising what I think is an important issue. Can I add another suggestion that I have tried and found works well? If you’re stuck somewhere away over a weekend, search out the local English church. Whether one is a Christian or not, there’ll always be a warm welcome, some resident expats to meet, and usually a nice cup of tea and some cake afterwards.

My travels now are mainly around Europe, but I’ve had great fun and made good friends all over. Hope your forthcoming trips go well.

CF

[Globalti]

In 27 years of export travelling I have often sat alone in restaurants wondering why somebody doesn’t start a solo business travellers’ club. Members could identify themselves to the Maitre D on entering the restaurant, so indicating that they’d be willing to share a table with fellow members. Some of my best conversations have been started in hotel bars and continued in the restaurant though this seems to happen less as I grow older and less inclined to drink! I guess the problem is that a lively night in the bar or restaurant leads to tiredness, which can make the next day’s meetings less bearable!

[stevescoots]

So you could have an official business traveller magazine club, a recommended resturant/bar etc in major cities, flash your card to the Maitre D or bar staff and they can let you know if anyone else is in or even a discount club!

[IanFromHKG]

Globalti, I love that idea – and it wouldn’t be too hard for BT to publish a list of participating restaurants…

The concept is one I am familiar with in a different context – many members’ clubs have “Club Tables” where anyone can sit. For some years I have frequented the Bowling Alley Bar in the Hong Kong Club for lunch and made many friends that way

[Globalti]

So perhaps I would benefit from joining some kind of travellers’ club?

Any suggestions?

[robsmith100]

If anyone finds that they do spend extended periods of time on the road, in the air stuck in a stuffy/dull hotel or some undesirable location you can’t risk or want to travel too and hates it. Then please keep me in mind, I would be more than happy to do this for any of you.

If any of you wish to test the theory I am very happy to take annual leave of work for you GRATIS and fund my own trip to anywhere in the world you wish me to go and represent you, your company to deal with any issues from training, requirement analysis or to simply win that new piece of business.

Unlike many of you, I am not a corporate executive or director, senior/managing consultant, banker. Business travel for me has only ever limited me to mostly the UK and on rare occasion’s Europe for very short stints. So going beyond this is no problem. I have been fortunate when I was younger to travel across world including Asia and the Americas.

Unfortunately I am having a rather rough time, not only at work but sadly at home too. With a serious state of depression now fully kicked in and showing no results of improving or making me feel better, I really do need a significant change of lifestyle. Personally speaking, I don’t mind loosing any more in my life because I know when I hit rock bottom the only way is up!

Many of you commentators may think this is probably not the way to go and are more than likely correct. So any tips and advice would be most welcome

I do have a CV/resume available for anyone who would like to take up this exciting opportunity. However please only request it if you are serious and not just out of being nosey.

[jasonr01]

Dear Martin,
Just like most other people on hear I know exactly how you feel.
At times i also feel its an age thing but Im only 40 and often feel that there is nothing better than being at home with the family. I try to get into a routine of firstly speaking with the family via skype. As my two kids are still young 9 and 5 they usually spend time after the general chit chat of reading to me as it makes me happy to see how they are proggressing and also interacting with me and vice versa, I would then usually go to the gym for a bit more to kill a bit of time, and then maybe a few Gin and Tonics. As like yourself I do extensive travell, I have to admit that I do not really attempt to mix that much with other people or even look for many things to do as i feel guilty that the wife is at home doing her own job plus cooking, cleaning and looking after the kids whilst I in their opinion im living in luxary hotels. (not the case)
People have this impression when you are away that everything is great but in reality they dont understand the toll it takes , the time difference that can effect you and still you are expected to talk to people work or personal on UK time. I often find myself on skype at stupid times of the night/ morning especially when in the usa so i can talk with the kids before they go to school. I have a trip booked in approx 4 weeks heading to Singapore then onto KL followed by Perth, Brisbane and then Sydney which will be a 3 week trip. I am dreading it. I think they only thing that really perks you up apart from speaking with the family is the buzz once you had a good meeting with clients / potential new customers and can see somthing positive coming out of it. on the downside if it is a crap meeting you can go they other way and if it is the first meeting of the day its usually downhill from there.
Anyway I hope things have got better and good luck with the rest of your trip

Robsmith- sorry to hear your having a bad time.
keep your pecker up and i hope you see a change sooner.

Globalti- i think its a great idea !

[stevescoots]

Rob,

not looking for your CV, but whats your field of expertise?

I am actually looking for a UK/EU person with manufacturing experiance for my company in China, to ease some of my travelling back and forth!

[MartynSinclair]

Rob, sincerely hope you get things back on track – good luck to you.

You certainly have used the forum for good purposes, a wonderful piece of networking AND it didnt even cost you a golf club membership!!!

Good luck Rob, I hope your success with a potential new job involving travel will kick your depression into touch and give you a fresh new start. Please let us know how you get on.

[PatJordan]

Rob,

how brave to publicly admit depression. It is one of the worst things to suffer, not least because the scars are invisible and therefore sympathy can be lacking.

Hopefully somebody will utilise your skills, and I look forward to hearing how you get on.

Pat.

[acchaladka]

Likewise – all the best of luck from Canada, Rob. We’ve all been looking for work and I hope can sympathise. I’ll look forward to seeing your response to stevescoots.

On topic again, what clubs are best to join for traveling globally? I would welcome this kind of thing and so far have been using MeetUp and MeetIn, two websites designed for organising social club types of activities and with pretty good coverage globally (internet search will get you to each website). Alas, the groups are generally not very permanent but I have made one or two decent long-term friendships from this tool at home in Montreal.

Generally I would welcome a club that worked a bit like Club Quarters in the US does, was affordable, and focuses on the global traveller. I’m afraid our demographic is not very large or easy to monetize though.

Hey Rob, maybe you can investigate if such a business is feasible. In my fantasy this is not luxury chain, just more homey, predictable and stable-ish (think kitchenette with a grocery service, concierge service and a decent fitness centre, in major global centres) than my current large and anonymous Sheraton / Hilton / Etc option.

Okay, enough blathering out of me.

[StewartKidd1]

I’ve often wondered why hotels which cater for road warriors don’t have a ‘Chef’s Table’ where those who wish to socialise but are on their own can sit with others and perhaps make valuable contacts.

[Bullfrog]

I’ve seen a ‘social table’ & this particular hotel called it the ‘talking table’.

[robsmith100]

Thank you for all your support!

Sorry for a late response but last week has been hell for me as you can probably imagine.

Steve – I work in IT and specialise in Service Management and Improvement for one of the world’s largest computer manufacturers. My work is concentrated to working in software manufacturing, supply of hardware and the support of both technologies for a customer project. *Please don’t underestimate me*. Like I said on my previous post, If you or anyone wishes to test the theory then I am very happy to take annual leave, work for you GRATIS and fund my own trip to anywhere in the world you wish me to go and represent you and your company. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain as this is something I really want. So the last thing will be for me to jeopardise things for you given the opportunity.

I will be in London this coming Thursday (23rd) so if anyone would like to meet up for lunch or after work drink I am available. My email is a yahoo.co.uk domain preceded with rob_smith100 followed by the @.

Kind regards,

RS.

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