david j. garcia

This week we’re in Fresno. Next week, Oakland. And we “live” in Los Angeles. During the month or so that I’ve been here, we also went to San Jose one week and San Fransisco/Oakland another. While I can’t claim to be an expert on life on the road, I have already discovered a few things that make the experience more pleasant.

The key is to realize that your hotel is your home for however many days you’re there. It’s nice to have a break from being home if you’re on vacation, but working from the road can quickly become exhausting if you don’t adjust your mindset. Three things can help you accomplish that change: food, furnishings, and fun.

Food. Traveling can be hard on your system. Add eating out for every meal, and your body (and health) can suffer. A quick trip to the grocery store for drinks, snacks, and easy meals at the start of your trip fills your fridge, simplifies your eating, saves you money, and goes a long way towards making you feel comfortably secure in your temporary setting.

Furnishings. Rather than squeezing everything into the smallest possible bag, save yourself a headache, if possible, and move up to a size that leaves you some space without cramming. When you find your hotel, unpack. Use the closet and counters. Traveling feels less like “living out of a suitcase” if you don’t have to open and then re-stuff your suitcase every time you need something. Oh, and there’s nothing like sleeping with your own pillow. If you have room, just bring it.

Fun. If you’re always on the road, then it’s essential that you’re not putting your life on hold while you travel. Go places, do things, and meet people. Live your life as close as possible to how you would if you were home.

Sometimes you want that “on the road” feeling. But once you’ve had enough, remember to adjust your food, furnishings, and fun–as well as your mindset–to make frequent or extended travel bearable, or even pleasant.