Career move

I enjoyed travelling for a while, but it became a chore at the point when my kids were young and I wanted to see them more often.

Some people adapt better to travel - multi taskers who can work from airports and get things done whereever they are. Ask yourself whether you are one of this type of person.

And much depends on how easy they make travelling for you - do they make all the arrangements for you and provide detailled itineraries? Do they provide reasonable expense limits? Do they pay for out of pocket expeneses promptly?

James

My experience with traveling positions is that 50% travel is usually off one way or the other by 25%. What are their rules for travel? Are you assured weekends at home? Do they have limits on how much you will travel per month? How do they pay back travel expenses?
One place I worked paid $250 a day and your hotel and car and food came out of that. One place I worked had no cap and really didn't track or care how much you spent.

Travel for me was great when I was single, good when I got married, and a pain in the buttocks when I had kids. I find travel to be hard on the other parent, if you are married with kids be prepared to give your spouse extra free time when you are home.

When he started working for the company he is with now, there was the odd bit of travel. Then it started being more and more. What started as 1-2 days a month then became 1-2 days every two weeks, then every week, and near the end of that he'd be in the UK and they'd call him and say he needed to go to Denmark or whatever that night or next morning.

At first it was cool. I liked it because i got nights to myself. Have a take away for dinner, do my hair and stuff (and he always brought me back a present)..but then when it increased it wasn't so nice anymore. He stated getting very tired and run down as well. After the first few times, a hotel and restaraunt is not such a novelty.

I think when your single you have a different outlokk on things, but if you've a wife or kids, it gets very hard. When he got home all he wanted to do was chill out and enjoy his own "home" where as I was ready to go out and do soemthing.

He eventually told his boss he wouldn't travel unless absolutley nessasary and he moved to a different position in the company. Its very rare he travels now, and its much better.

I gues sit depends on how well you can juggle it all, and if you've the ability to stand up and say NO, i can't go anywhere this week. :)

Hope it works out for you

I have small children and was pretty sure that I didn't want to take the job. The experiences shared here have convinced me of that. Many, many thanks to everybody who responded.