I’m off tomorrow to the UK for a week of work at the Red Gate offices, and then a couple days of vacation. My oldest is graduating from high school this year, and as a present, we’re taking him and the rest of the family to the UK for a week. My family actually leaves Mon and will arrive Tues, and they are there for a week, coming back the following Tuesday.

It’s not a trip I’m looking forward to. Going to Red Gate is fine, but the 10+ hour flights and being out of my routine for a week bugs me. I don’t like traveling this much. I prefer the short, two day SQL Saturday trips.

With cutbacks on all airlines, it becomes harder to travel these days. Even going to the East Coast from Denver requires 2-3 days for work. I used to be able to catch an early flight from Denver to somewhere like NY in time for a lunch meeting on the East Coast, working half a day, and coming home late at night. These days it seems like you always have to leave the night before, and possibly stay another night if you want to work until 5pm.

The UK is worse. I leave Sat morning, arriving early Sun morning. I would leave Sunday, but I have had issues with delays, and I have work to do Monday. Plus I hate being exhausted that first day at work more than I hate traveling. That’s a day of travel plus a slightly lost day of my weekend on Sun. I’ll probably work on Sun to get things done and get a little ahead.

Coming back we leave on Tuesday morning, arriving late afternoon in Denver that day. However another day lost to travel, and even though it isn’t a vacation day, it’s a lost day of work. In the world I live in, which is a grinding daily list of things to keep the site running, it puts me behind. Even with someone helping out, I usually take a few days to get caught back up.

I’m dreading this next long week, and will likely be a little out of touch on the site. Hopefully everything still runs smoothly.