2012 Reflections

As 2012 is coming to an end a lot of us are looking back on our year and thinking about what we are going to achieve or do different in 2013.

My 2012 has been a fantastic year.  It has been full of laughter, hard work, heartbreak, and happiness.  By far it has been the most exciting travel year of my life.

• January - Listening to a lecture about the RMS Atlantic - largest civilian Maritime disaster in history (bigger than Titanic) 
• February - Seeing the amazing Sutton Foster in "Anything Goes" on Broadway in NYC
• March - Jeep riding in Sedona, AZ with great friends
• April - 2 weeks in England
• May - 3weeks (combined) Switzerland, Italy, Istanbul, Canada
• June - Work and family in Texas
• July - Making new friends and seeing old friends in California
• August - Family, Friends, BBQ, and Jetski on Lake Erie; Two weeks falling in love with the mountains (and steak) of Montana
• September - Learning there is nothing good to eat in Columbus, GA but there are some great places to run
• October - Baltimore Relay with the LM Lunch Run Crew;  Halloween at The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood
• November - Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas; Thanksgiving with fantastic friends in Chicago
• December - My brother graduating from his Masters program; A festive Christmas celebration like I've never experienced before.

More than travel and what I've seen, its what 2012 has taught me

• The value of sleeping in my own bed is better than a free week  in a 5 star luxury hotel.  Don't get me wrong I love a nicely appointed hotel room as much as the next person, but when you've been on the road for weeks at a time, being able to be home, if only for one night, can recharge you.

• Having my dog greet me at the door can bring a weary traveler to happy tears.  There is nothing that says "Welcome Home" than a happy dog, with a waggly tail to greet you at the door.

• I miss my life.  This didn't actually hit me until mid-December.  I've been working from home on internal corporate projects and it was during this time home it hit me "I don't live here anymore".  Sure I pay mortgage, have a bed, roommate, pets, etc, but I don't have a life anymore.  I realized, I missed a lot of mid-week birthday celebrations, dinners with friends, and races because 36 hours on a weekend home is enough time to catch up on laundry, buy dog/cat food, and re-pack for the next trip, but not much of anything else.

• Living out of a suitcase taught me what I REALLY need.  Living for weeks out of a suitcase makes it so made it so much easier to declutter my house.  Cleaning out closets and drawers is not the chore it used to be because I've learned what I really need and what is just taking up space.

Still, 2012 has been one of those years that I will look back on with a smile.  So many great memories have been made.  I'm not sure what 2013 will bring but I'm ready, so bring it on!!

Dining While Traveling

A little while ago I read a CNN article about women business travelers not liking solo dining.  The basic feeling is that most women don’t feel comfortable or may feel they look like an unwanted spinster if they dine alone.  To me that seems crazy because if a woman feels comfortable enough to travel on her own, then why would dining alone be outside her comfort zone?

Me?  I LOVE eating new foods, so eating alone doesn't bother me.  Don’t get me wrong I love dining with others, but the thought of dining alone doesn’t keep me in the hotel room while I’m traveling.

Eat Alone

One of the things I really like about traveling is eating locally.  Usually I’m gone for a week at a time, so I try to eat at a nice restaurant at least once per trip.  If I’m not sure where to eat, I will ask the concierge for a recommendation and a reservation for me.  Other times I will search through Yelp for a customer rated recommendation.  If I’m reading a really good book, I might take it with me, if not I will just sit on my own, enjoy my dinner, think over my day, and plot to take over the world.

On the days where I have more work to do in the evening, I will usually find a restaurant close to the hotel and eat there.  Depending on how much time I have, I might eat at the restaurant bar area (quicker service) or get a table. 

Facebook/Linked-In/Corporate Contacts

Is there a Facebook friend that lives or is from the same area you will be in?  Reach out to them to make an introduction for you.  I have made several new friends by having dinner with friends-of-friends from Facebook.  Usually they know THE best local place to go and you always have at least one mutual interest…. your mutual friend.

Use Linked-In and Corporate contacts to broaden your network circle and develop more business contacts.  Maybe you are going to Chicago and you’ve talked with some of the Chicago team on a conference call.  Reach out and see if they are interested in a dinner one night.  Strengthening relationships across teams is never a bad idea.

Invite for a Bite

I discovered InviteForABite.com through the CNN article I mentioned and of course signed up!  Invite for Bite is a website for women-only (this is not a dating site), who are traveling for business or pleasure and do not wish to dine alone.  You simply search for a dinner invite in the area you will be traveling and meet with other women travelers.  Don't be afraid to be adventurous and create a new invite for others to find. 

I posted an IFAB invite while I was in Dallas, Texas and someone actually responded!  It was great fun making a new friend.  We tried a new restaurant and realized we had a lot in common, work, family, kids, and of course meeting new people.  I look forward to more IFAB dinners and hope to see my new friend again.

There are many alternatives to dining while on the road and while its always safer in numbers, sometimes you need to strike out on your own to expand your comfort zone.