Work trip to Boston - struggling/anxious over arrangements

[redrabbit29]

Hi all,

This is embarrassing but I've got myself really worked up by a work trip to Boston. The location is slightly irrelevant as it often happens when I'm going to meet people I don't know and can't visualise the office, the people, the atmosphere etc.

One reason that I am struggling is there are so many variables:

• I would like to arrive several days before the presentation with my partner for a few days break how do I plan, pay, claim expenses for this.

• I need to probably leave the same day as the presentation, just after to get back home as I have meeting in London two days after.

• A US colleague I've never met said he has booked a hotel near the place the night before. Do I stay there, which means moving over on the day before? It makes sense as the presentation is at 7am the next day so it would be good to be nearby. I don't want to be anti-social by saying "no I will stay with my GF... etc..." but equally I don't want the hassle of checking out of one hotel we've been in for several days, to then go over to another.

• What do I wear/bring? The client already said "business casual no ties". But I am reluctant to take a suit jacket for a 3 hour presentation, although it would make me feel anxious to not bring this as I have a weird phobia about being under dressed or sticking out for the wrong reason. Although in my experience absolutely no one cares - but I still panic.

• What class do I book? I read on a policy something about 7+ hour flights can be premium economy. But then I don't want to book an expedia package or something as I'll struggle to separate the hotel costs out. My boss (who has not responded) is generally relaxed and I doubt he would care that much... once again just working myself up.

Possible Agenda - all in May

• Friday 3: Arrive in Boston around mid-afternoon and have the weekend there
• Monday 6: US colleague in Boston (I could offer to meet up for dinner or something?)
• Tuesday 7: Presentation to the client between 7am and 10am (It's a weird time as others are dialling in remotely from different areas). Flight home.
• Wednesday 8: Hopefully at home and chilling out
• Thursday 9: London for a two hour work meeting

Thanks everyone

[redrabbit29]

Mr Pointy said:

How far apart is the hotel they have booked for you & where you want to stay for the weekend? Can you either stay at the booked hotel or find one mid-way?

Logon Airport (the main airport) to the client site is 34 miles away. Google Maps shows it can take 1 to 1.5 hours to travel there by car due to bad traffic.

It is half way between Boston Airport and Providence just for your reference. If the meeting finishes at 10am local time maps say it can take about an hour.

Here are google directions to the approximate areas: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Boston+Logan+Inter...

Pincher said:

Boston is a great city and there is plenty to see and do, so hopefully you’ll be able to spend the weekend relaxing and not stressing out

Thank you :-D

ClaphamGT3 said:

Most of the stress seems to be coming from combining a work and a social trip.
Take your girlfriend away another time and turn this over to your corp travel team to make all the bookings/payments.
If you're doing a presentation, definitely take a jacket - or buy one there when you arrive if you really don't want to pack one

That has crossed my mind, although I feel it's a bit of a wasted opportunity to travel all the way for a 3 hour presentation and not make it into a bit of an experience/holiday.

Agree on jacket. I'll take one with me.

Edited by redrabbit29 on Wednesday 17th April 10:07

Edited by redrabbit29 on Wednesday 17th April 10:08

Edited by redrabbit29 on Wednesday 17th April 10:08

[redrabbit29]

C5_Steve said:

OP I know exactly how you feel
Dress - Take the suit jacket.
Definitely meet your colleague

Sorry to cut so much text but thank you for the great advice. Definitely agree with the suit jacket and meeting colleague. Also thanks for the advice about travelling/anxiety etc. It's the same when this happens and each time it's absolutely fine.

sleepezy said:

Expenses and what to claim: my approach is to work out what the trip would cost if I was doing it 'just for me' and claim that

Difficult to judge without knowing the distances - personally i'd shift myself and GF into the hotel the presentation is being held at on the Monday night

Meeting colleague: Personally I would meet up with them for a meal, with the GF in tow too

Thank you, that's a really really helpful post. The claiming is slightly different to what you described as I'd be flying out several days before. However, your point still stands and is very useful.

I just found out that the meeting is 35 miles outside of Boston. So definitely will move there on the Monday and will meet my colleague there. I will then travel back into Boston after to get a flight back.

My colleague is US based, only spoke for the first time yesterday. Once I've made decisions I'll let him know my full plans including on whether GF will be with me or not.

sleepezy said:

My fingers clearly don't type quickly enough
Given the distance from Boston (where I presume you want to spend the weekend) and the presentation hotel I'd definitely travel there on the Monday later afternoon - not on Tuesday morning. I'd get stressed about the journey on Tuesday morning if I didn't.

Yep definitely doing that. That's helped me decide one thing at least.

...............

All this for a 3 hour meeting!!!

[redrabbit29]

On a side note, I just checked the price of hotels and I'm shocked :-o

[redrabbit29]

UPDATE

have managed to get all this booked (Hotel + Flight I mean... going to do parking/ETSA and other bits soon).

I am taking partner and going for a mini-holiday before my presentation. Also, this is a 3 hour presentation on the final day and is more of an interactive training exercise to an existing client.

I mention that as some seemed to think it would be very distracting and someone mentioned meetings, etc. There's one single commitment and that is the 3 hour training input.

Plan is:

Friday: Fly out
Saturday: fun
Sunday: fun
Monday: half fun then get Uber for 45-60 minutes to other hotel
Tuesday morning: Presentation and then leave

The presentation finishes at 10am and flight isn't until 7pm. But I have found some luggage lockers we can use in Boston and maybe just go for lunch/casual walk around.

I also can't believe how much accommodation costs in Boston. Around £300 a night for anything even remotely decent.

I also managed to get Premium Economy. I could have potentially got it cheaper but it would have been less comfortable and also the option to have economy on the way back wasn't there due to sold out tickets. This is billable work so will go to client who wanted me to travel from the UK to the site for a 3 hour input.

Expect a post on the "Travel" forum asking for ideas!

Thank you everyone, particularly in reference to me feeling a bit overwhelmed by it. This was partly made worse due to sleep issues and other things.

Edited by redrabbit29 on Thursday 18th April 15:11

[redrabbit29]

alscar said:

Sounds like both a plan and you’re in a happier frame of mind so win win.
On the day flying home you’ll be back in Boston circa 11.00 so that’s still a fair few hours to kill.
You may want to consider asking your weekend hotel whether you can store your luggage there or indeed whether you could get a room for the day use.
Trolley bus tour deffo worth a few hours time spent.
If time and weather ok , whale watching trip quite fun.
Generally speaking it’s a nice City to walk around and feels pretty safe.

Thank you, definitely a lot more settled and relaxed. The idea of asking my first hotel (the one where I first arrive and stay for 3 days) crossed my mind too. I doubt they'd care at all, especially if they knew I was going off for a night for a work thing.

Thanks for the extra advice about the trolley bus tour. I've heard it's very walkable too.

[redrabbit29]

Thank you - I think you're right to have this "not my issue" attitude. I spent way too long trying to adjust the prices, locations, worrying about this being too much. I messaged my Director who ignored me. So I booked it and then told him after, he eventually replied and said "that's OK, it is expensive to travel now".

I travelled a few times recently to places in Europe and each time got annoyed that I didn't pay for extras like Speedy boarding, or choosing my own set, etc. Especially as I was stood in the airport, tired and a bit stressed, in a big queue of holiday makers whilst I was was worrying about the cost of checking in a bag.

...

I couldn't separate the cost but I have submitted the receipts with a reduced claim,

E.g.

£1000 receipt but I claim £300 or something as the rest is on top of the business cost.

My company are flexible and easy going. We're a consultancy so doubt they'd care.

[redrabbit29]

shep1001 said:

Stress less.

This is the story of my life. I've been in some dangerous situations (past job), dealt with some horrible things, done loads of weird things and yet I still spend the majority of my life panicking and being anxious about an upcoming thing. I think it's partly anticipation and excitement, but it's also fundamentally stress and anxiety. I am 40 this year and a bit sick of it.

Thanks for all your great advice by the way. I put the expenses through without any issue, I just claimed a percentage and clearly stated "claiming £xyz as I am going earlier than required for a personal break". My work is a smaller consultancy and I don't think they really care that much.

The flight out is with BA but is actually an American Airlines and we are seated in the middle of a section of four seats which is a bit annoying. I am checking everyday and hoping other seats become available so we're not just penned in between two random people.



Good luck with the rest of your week and I absolutely love and admire your attitude of "just go with the flow".