The Travel Thread

[Shirley]

rural northern new mexico would be wonderful, if not for the crime...it’s why my family left almost 30 years ago and, sadly, it seems to have only gotten worse

Chama and Abiquiu are gorgeous

the best night skies i’ve ever witnessed have been in rural parts of the Philippines

#thirdworldnightskysmacktalk

[DrPepper]

I coach newbies laying down to keep their eyes closed for 30 seconds first. Then open and see how many more night sky things they can see.
I bought a packable telescope just for taking to the Philippines. Last used it on the western coast of Palawan.
As was previously mentioned, binoculars are excellent for night sky viewing! Humongous scope is not needed to have a great time and make memories.

[kubandalum]

Not Gutter’s intention at all, which was nice, by the way, but just looking at the images in that video, I can’t help but wonder if youngsters who’ve never really been away from city lights think that that’s how the night sky looks to the naked eye.

[Geezer]

Living in a city, I have not seen the night sky in a long time.

[TDub]

Living in a city, I have not seen the night sky in a long time.

It's worth a trip outside the city. I'm not a big stars guy but man there is something about looking up in the dark country sky that is peaceful and really gives me a sense of perspective about how truly minuscule and unimportant I am in the universe. Humbling, centering, focusing and powerful.

[ousdahl]

Actually I was just about to bump this thread:


so who here has ever done an all-expenses-paid work trip?

[TDub]

Went salmon fishing off the coast across the Columbia river bar and went pheasant hunting in Utah. Good times. But couldnt stand living near the city or around people one second longer. Small rural companies dont do work trips. Haha. All work no play.

[Deleted User 89]

Living in a city, I have not seen the night sky in a long time.

It's worth a trip outside the city. I'm not a big stars guy but man there is something about looking up in the dark country sky that is peaceful and really gives me a sense of perspective about how truly minuscule and unimportant I am in the universe. Humbling, centering, focusing and powerful.

much like being in a mountain landscape

[CrimsonNBlue]

Actually I was just about to bump this thread:


so who here has ever done an all-expenses-paid work trip?

For leisure or for work?

I've done the latter somewhere in the triple digits.

The former a couple of times (but still partially work related).

[ousdahl]

It’s a work trip.

They bought my flight and hotel, and say they’ll pay for everything else, just keep the receipts.

So how do I reasonably milk it without the accounting department crying foul?

[PhDhawk]

You need to find out what the policy is on alcohol. Some places will make you get the alcohol on a separate receipt and you pay for it yourself.

You should ask for a per diem, unless you're planning on eating something nice. If they give you like $60 a day, you can eat for a lot less than that and pocket the rest, especially if the work thing you're going to would have free food.

[TDub]

Living in a city, I have not seen the night sky in a long time.

It's worth a trip outside the city. I'm not a big stars guy but man there is something about looking up in the dark country sky that is peaceful and really gives me a sense of perspective about how truly minuscule and unimportant I am in the universe. Humbling, centering, focusing and powerful.

much like being in a mountain landscape

Indeed.

[CrimsonNBlue]

It’s a work trip.

They bought my flight and hotel, and say they’ll pay for everything else, just keep the receipts.

So how do I reasonably milk it without the accounting department crying foul?

Basically what PhD said. My clients' have guidelines, so I know upfront the alcohol policy and whether or not itemized receipts are required. There is also usually an upper limit on each thing. Lunch: $20, Dinner $50, Hotel $200, etc.

Those are the important questions to ask. If no itemized receipt is required, go get 'em. I've even known of other road warriors spending all their dinner money on booze and then ordering off the $1 menu to eat. Of course, be a little coy about the itemized receipt thing--you could always just grab the non-itemized receipt and say "that's all they gave me."

[CrimsonNBlue]

Also, most companies are pretty good about paying for reasonable bar tabs if the drinks are being consumed over the (mostly) legitimate prospect of gaining business.

You know your company better than I would, so YMMV.

[ousdahl]

Yeah I asked about a per diem and the gm said, just keep all your receipts.

Seeing as proactivity is strictly against company policy, I highly doubt they’ll identify any set numbers ahead of time.

I frankly am amazed they’ve been willing to pay for a flight and hotel. As frugal as they are about everything else, I can pretty much guarantee they won’t reimburse for booze. So about that much at least, it’s prob good to be coy.

So I’m gonna use discretion. But I kinda imagine I’ll get some pushback about something. “You got TWICE as many donuts for breakfast as we budgeted for!”

[Deleted User 89]

accounting: “You got TWICE as many donuts for breakfast as we budgeted for!”

ousie: "well, yeah...but none of them were half donuts"

[PhDhawk]

Yeah I asked about a per diem and the gm said, just keep all your receipts.

Seeing as proactivity is strictly against company policy, I highly doubt they’ll identify any set numbers ahead of time.

I frankly am amazed they’ve been willing to pay for a flight and hotel. As frugal as they are about everything else, I can pretty much guarantee they won’t reimburse for booze. So about that much at least, it’s prob good to be coy.

So I’m gonna use discretion. But I kinda imagine I’ll get some pushback about something. “You got TWICE as many donuts for breakfast as we budgeted for!”

Make sure you keep receipts for transportation during your trips like taxis or rental car. Also for parking at the airport.

Personally I never care about having to pay for a sandwich for lunch that I forgot a receipt for, becuase I'd have eaten whether I traveled or not. But I hate it when I loose a parking garage receipt.

[CrimsonNBlue]

DEN is a hike, too.

I always expense the gas to the airport.

Of course, can always use uber/lyft to get out there and then expense.

[ousdahl]

Yup, plan on expensing all that.

I would have been cool paying for food out of pocket except they said to expense that too.

Plus when traveling you gotta eat out for pretty much every meal, whereas I normally would be eating a lot more peanut butter sammiches at home.

How do I keep a receipt for Uber? Can I just like show a screenshot from my app?

[CrimsonNBlue]

Print off the email receipt.