Life out of a suitcase

So this Xmas i will have been travelling for about 8 months spending 3 to 4 days each week in a hotel somewhere around the country. Clocking up tens of thousands of miles.

So how have I found it.
At first exciting, new places, hotels, eating out. It was summer so getting out running in new industrial estates and business parks was all very “nice”. I soon became very efficent at knowing what I needed to pack and what I could do without, how much stuff I needed depending on how long I was going for. Always fitting in the same size suitcase.
Unpacking, washing and repacking became a military operation as I started to count how long I was in my own house in hours rather than days. Often I would string together a week at work a weekend away and back to work as it saved on travelling and got me somewhere new.
I do however have a few home comforts which I find turn a hotel room into MY room. Usually the first things to be unpacked, a book my wash stuff and PJ’s. These 3 things allow me to keep entertained, clean and sleep well.
I also ensured I have a check list of things which live in my travel bag. Phone charges, running kit and most importantly the travel mug and tea bags.

Breakfast, to cut a long story short I had to get creative with making a suitable breakfast out of standard hotel facilities, usually a mug and kettle. It started with cereal and powdered milk which was nice but lugging around lots of cereal is a bit of a pain, especially when you eat as much as me. Then came instant just add boiling water porridge, these are easy and the flat packets made by MOMA make them super easy to pack. Plus buying them in bulk online made it a very cheap option, throw in some seeds or dried fruit and its quite good. However does not quite recreate the same taste of home made porridge.

Routine has been the hardest thing to manage, it is fine when you are in the same place for a while and can find things to do and figure out where you are going to be. Now that it is winter and constantly dark these new exciting hotel locations are just a pain to find and then figure out where you can go for a safe run to keep some sanity. I think the things which have suffered most on my travelling has been diet and fitness. Although I try and eat healthy the lack of veg or basic foods is tricky in pub and chain food restaurants, even the vegearian options. Equally my running fitness has improved but general strength has suffered however finding body weight routine which I can do in the hotel has helped. I have recently been introduced to resistance bands, my new best friends. Light weight, flat, easy to shove in a case, come in a variety of strengths. Make body weight and cardio work outs a bit more entertaining.

Benefits, eating out means no washing up or cooking. However getting the food you really want or just veg is tricky and requires some dedication. Getting a clean hotel room each time, comfy bed again is a nice thing. Not being at home for so much means bills are down, food shopping is now limited.

Trying to look after a house in just 2 days can create some challenges. It feels like the only time I spend there is cleaning in it, tackling the garden which becomes a nice jungle. Paying bills and sorting through post.

A huge downside, the lack of kayaking. Some of you might know that I like kayaking. Some of you however will have never met me because I am never at the club or in a kayak.

Lack if socialising is certainly a huge concern. I regularly go weeks without actually speaking to anyone, other than “hello” and “Can I have the bill please”. This lack of contact becomes more apperent when I am actually greeted with people who want to talk as they either get a verbal diarrhoea of everything I have been up to since I last saw anyone or they get a blank face and murmour of agreement. Trying to find time to see people outside of work is tricky but should be encouraged, also if you are a socialite and like to be around people you may find ways to integrate into new societies quicker than me. I am not a socialite very much an introvert so struggle to just chat with new people.

If anyone has experiance of travelling a lot and staying fit please let me know any good tips.