This morning I discovered that my travel toe has started to itch again, less than a month after I returned from my previous trip. It’s clearly misbehaving. I’m supposed to work from my home office for seven more weeks. Nothing wrong with that – normally I feel privileged and happy to be able to do that. I enjoy my wide water views and love the walks in the nature reserve with my little poodle or on the beach with my hubby. Not to talk about the almost always nice weather here at home…

It all started this morning when I received an invitation to a leadership summit in London. Great program – and an opportunity to visit London. It’s far too long since I’ve been in London, probably around seven years or so. Only good memories from there. The many plays we’ve seen there, the concerts, the dinners at the Post Office Tower, the Wax Cabinet, the many other sights …  But this one was too expensive.  My CFO told me that loud and clear as soon as I started to look at the tickets. Not good enough ROI. Oh well, it was useless to argue against oneself so maybe I just had to forget this one. But the itch had started.

Then I thought about the project in Bhutan I was offered just before Xmas. I’ve never been there (photo credit JM Hullot). It would probably have been a very different experience, an adventure into an exciting new world. But I didn’t want to get too busy so I said no…I have to admit that there was a bit of regret this morning. It was too late to do anything about it now, but the itch was still there.

I knew that the usual cortisone ointment would not heal this type of itch so I started to look for other remedies. Not in my medicine cabinet, but in my photo galleries. And I found plenty. Reminders of how much better I have it here at home.

First, I don’t need to run in long corridors at some huge international airport dragging my carry-on from one terminal to another, going through multiple security check points, getting out of breath and all sweaty trying to catch my next flight leaving in 15 minutes.

Instead of having the planned two-three hours of transfer time admitting relaxation in the lounge with a glass of wine or a cup of cappuccino, I’ve often ended up running like mad due to delayed incoming flights…not very appealing. Not what I had bargained for when I bought the tickets. At home, I’ll just take it easy, no rush anywhere. Plenty of time to enjoy the beverage of my choice.

The next remedy had to do with the flying experience itself. Even with the luck of nice weather, which one can’t count on,  and traveling in the business cabin, the space and comfort of sleeping in the flat seat cannot be compared to our king-sized bed with its memory foam mattress and loads of soft pillows. And guaranteed no unwanted turbulence. I have to admit traveling overnight is much more comfortable now than it used to be, but my bones are older too…they like the memory foam pillow top.

And it is not always the “business” seat is bigger than all the other seats. It’s a business seat only because there is a curtain between rows 11 and 12. Just the food might be a bit fancier. But on the other hand, the whole nice setup might end up in your lap when the passenger in front of you decides he needs the maximum recline. So eating a good home-made meal at the dining table will always win. I think I’ll make our favorite meat loaf tonight – just to feel the difference. My itch had started to heal a bit already.

Then I remembered that waking up at home usually doesn’t involve any jet lag. A great plus right there.  And thinking further about the comforts of my own bed, I realized how I always will want to come home as planned. And remembered the many times that didn’t happen. Landing at 6:41 p.m. could easily become 2:30 p.m. the next day. If I was lucky and there were seats available. Sometimes the technical stuff didn’t cooperate – and who would want to fly with a leak in the hydraulics system? Other times mother nature had her own  plans, like on my latest trip. Full snow storm at two of my transfer airports…and alltogether almost seven (!) hours waiting on the tarmac. Not fun. Now my travel toe was completely healed.

Phew, that was a close call…almost got tickets to London! You can also use these remedies, they are completely free, whenever your travel toe does its own thing and doesn’t want to listen to you. Good luck!