Holiday time!

So that’s another trip over, and I’m back home with the family. And so far I don’t have to travel anywhere for a few weeks. So it’s time to enjoy some home comforts (including a long list of DIY chores) and the wonderful British climate.

By 'travel' I mean for work. Because I have two upcoming holidays. We’re looking forward to a family trip to the Netherlands at the end of next week, then a week at home to unpack and wash the holiday clothes before we repack them and fly out to Miami for a week in the sun.  Spoilt? I think so.

This lifestyle is all about balance. A job can last for weeks, often putting in long hours with little or no time off. We don’t see our families for all this time, and can miss important events, including kids’ birthdays, parents’ evenings and anniversaries (this time I missed my son’s 10th birthday).  Many of the leads that come through are for exciting jobs in interesting places, and it’s often hard not to take them all on. But it’s crucial to always remember that work is only a part of life. So as a family we strive to make the most of the time we have together, enjoying restaurants, museums, days at the beach and foreign adventures.

In contrast to my usual tight schedules that involves dashing from one airport to another, our Dutch journey begins with a leisurely sail from North Shields, a mere 15 minute drive from our front door, overnight to Amsterdam, with our own cabins and probably a sneaky bottle of champagne. Then we’ll be filling our days with sightseeing, relaxing and doing whatever we want. As for Miami, that’s an adult only romantic trip; South Beach with our own private rooftop terrace and Jacuzzi.

So after all that family fun, relaxation and romance I’ll be geared up for another long stint of hard work in far off lands. I'll keep you posted about the next projects, which include another trip to the Big O, some new challenges at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and a couple of as yet unconfirmed  trips. As always, I'll be stacking up the hotel loyalty points and air miles to put towards our next family holiday!