Work Travel

[The Sea Turtle]

I have been looking into different engineering jobs and some include long term travel. I have only done some short term travel for work. Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you travel back home on weekends, every other weekend, etc.? My background is in Mechanical engineering and I am looking for something that will keep me challenged and interested.

With long term travel, do you have any time to do any diving or tourist things? On my short trips, I have been too busy for much more than a good dinner and quick swim in the hotel pool.

 

[KeithG]

Does long term travel mean "several months at 1 location" or does it mean "a new client every week"?

The new client very week sucks. You work all week and then spend your weekend travelling to the next client. Never come home. I was once at a job where the equipment installation techs eventually revolted because they were essentially at work constantly with no time off.

The several months model sometimes works out okay. Since you stay long term, you get time off (weekends?) in a place you eventually become a little familiar with. If the term is long enough, some companies will toss in a few trips home. I have a coworker whose wife has been granted 4 trips home for a 6 month posting. She burnt them all in the first 6 weeks.

I also know people who for the last 2 years fly out Monday morning and fly home Friday afternoon. They live in neither place.

It helps to be single. Or leads to it...

 

[The Sea Turtle]

Thanks for the reply. The long term travel I'm talking about is several months in one location.


I understand the part about being single or leading to it. The hours at my current job make relationships difficult. Many of the guys there are on their second or third wives.

 

[TMHeimer]

Thanks for the reply. The long term travel I'm talking about is several months in one location.


I understand the part about being single or leading to it. The hours at my current job make relationships difficult. Many of the guys there are on their second or third wives.

Well tell them to get off.

 

[AngloFish]

I'm and independent consultant and prior to telecommuting gaining popularity I had to travel a fair bit. Two of my engagements were 12+months.
The first gig I did the hotel thing for about a month, but at about $4000+ I figured finding an apartment would be better. I did travel home but not very often, being single at the time made that choice easier. I made a lot of friends locally and actually managed to get out to dive almost every weekend.
My second gig I opted to just stick with a hotel, every few months I'd head home for a visit but again being single, mingling in a new city is great. This would probably depend on your duties, as a consultant my clients are generally loathe to pay me any overtime so my evenings/weekends are free unless there is an emergency.
These days though as a married guy, pretty much any client that won't ship me a laptop to do the work won't be getting my services
Working from home is awesome..

I have been looking into different engineering jobs and some include long term travel. I have only done some short term travel for work. Does anyone have any experience with this? Do you travel back home on weekends, every other weekend, etc.? My background is in Mechanical engineering and I am looking for something that will keep me challenged and interested.

With long term travel, do you have any time to do any diving or tourist things? On my short trips, I have been too busy for much more than a good dinner and quick swim in the hotel pool.

 

[drbill]

My nephew is an engineer who is relocated by his company to a new location every few months. It gives him the opportunity to learn from a wide range of different projects as well as experience new locations and possible living environments. He seems to like it. He only gets back "home" about once every few months. Of course that would drive an old geezer like me nuts... unless I was doing it for MY work (diving and underwater filming) and going to beautiful tropical destinations.