You Know You Are A Road Warrior When...
 

You've been through customs multiple times getting back into the states alone.

Dropping you off at the airport is no longer an event but a chore.

You vacation with your best friend/spouse/SO and don't think twice about the fact that you aren't on any of the same flights because your are cashing in FF miles.

Any others.

You fly through International airports so often that even the duty free shops selling touristy souvenirs don't excite you any more.

You don't think twice about driving 5 hours to an airport, even when you can fly from one 4.5 hours closer, just so you can fly nonstop to Europe.

Instead of being really excited on the day of departure, you are moaning and groaning because you know that you have about 18 hours of travel ahead of you before you actually arrive at your destination so you don't actually get excited until you get there.

Tracy

This is also a great thread that I forgot about!

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...t=Road+Warrior

You keep a carryon packed with a swim suit, change of clothes, underwear, toiletries, etc, so you can depart at a moments notice, and also because you travel a lot and hate the prep work. LoL

You have a packing list for long trips that you edit after each trip--and it gets shorter and shorter.

You don't care where you sit on the flight (or if any of you sit together) as long as you get that deeply discounted seat . . . which will mean you can get ANOTHER trip this year.

Good thread, GT! I could go on and on . . .any others???

You know the baggage handlers and ticket agents at your home airport AND common connecting airport by name.

The immigration control folks at your home airport have actually given you a hug upon returning home at times.

Your home airport has called you to ensure you are on your way when you are running late for a flight.

You can pack for three months in a 22-inch carry on bag and not think twice about it.

You are offended by any vacationing tourists on any of your flights when you are traveling for work. You think they are obnoxious.

You are offended by any business travelers on your flights when you are traveling for vacation because you think they are pompous a$$holes.

You sneer at everyone walking back to Coach as you enjoy your pre-flight drink in 1st Class, even though you were upgraded for free. You can pack your entire life into a 22" drag-along suitcase & have room leftover.

You know what concessions are where along each concourse in most of the major US airports.

You have experienced that momentary sense of panic when you deplane, because you're not sure if you're in the right city today.

You wake up in the middle of the night and not only do you NOT know the city you're in, you also haven't got a clue what country you're in.
((S))((*))

You visit travel forums to seek & provide travel information and instead are subjected to inane threads like this one ... and it annoys you like clueless fanny-packed tourists on crowded flights with carseats and screaming sniveling undisciplined ankle-biters.

...you respond to threads discussing what great food options there are at the Minneapolis airport.

Gekko, that was just rude. If you didn't like the question you shouldn't have responded.

Tracy

those who provide really valuable information are ofcourse people who have travelled much. They ofcourse will have pride in that fact and they deserve some such light although not so travel-wise useful threads. This is equivalent of swapping war stories crossed with some harmless fun.

I think another thing that happens with frequent travel is that u get to your flight barely in time and dont get on the plane until the last minute. Want to spend minimum time on the plane.

I can also sleep anywhere now and there is no such thing as jet lag.

Driving 5 hours feels like driving 30 minutes.

On your return flight, you plan your next trip.

sikki, I was going to say that, too! No more jet lag.

You pack an extra set of clothes in your carry on, but not in case you lose your luggage. You have it so that when you get to your destination, you can simply change and go straight out to walk around the city--no need to rest from the flight.

Have a perfected "bumping strategy"

Know airport codes, and even difficult ones like MCO and SNA

Coughed up $300 for Bose noise canceling headsets, and would gladly do it again.

Don't care that you aren't sitting with your traveling companion, because an exit row is an exit row and you'll have the whole vacation to be together.

You can tell people what roads they need to take to places in other states without having to look at a map.

You know the roads in Utah like the back of your hand, but you have never lived in that state.

Utahtea

When people ask "How many states have you visited?", your respond that you are now working on romance with your spouse in all fifty states -- and are now up to 47.

Have seriously considered spending a day of your vacation time being continually bumped for all the free tickets.

You notice that there is always at least one pompous a$$ like Gekko on every flight that annoys the hell out of every other passenger. And they always end up sitting right next to you.

..when you refer to cities by airport codes, even when you are not discussing travel, I said "so-and-so is in SDF this week"...and they were like "what is SDF ?"...whoops...

You know how to sneak fois gras past the US Agriculture inspectors during the bird flu siege.

You know how to wear those fabulous Italian designer finds through customs while claiming your tourbooks and tourist tee-shirts on the customs form.

You have had so many flights cancelled out from under you that it is a bother rather than a fatality.

Another one, your aircraft was on fire during the flight. That is a sure way to liven the morning.

When you post on travel forums and people agree with what you say or thin you begin addressing them with the word "Dear."

When you post on travel forums and people disagree with you then those people are always "rude."

You finally figured out that not all tourists in Europe are from the US.

You ran into another Fodorite at the airport and when you realized it and then looked at how they were dressed you wondered how you could ever have asked them "What should I wear?"

You are sure you recognized the possible Fodorite in the airport Men's Room who had to consult his PDA to figure out how to use the toilet paper.

>>> You ran into another Fodorite at the airport and when you realized it and then looked at how they were dressed you wondered how you could ever have asked them "What should I wear?"

You are sure you recognized the possible Fodorite in the airport Men's Room who had to consult his PDA to figure out how to use the toilet paper.<<<

Both are VERY funny!

I have a question. Does the PDA expert actually ever GO anywhere?

You extend your trip by several days and never run out of underwear.

You consider a 5 hour flight as a short hop.

You talk to your travel agent more than your spouse.

When you go though customs, they don't ask about your trip, but how long you get to be with your family. And they have a special line just for you.

You have on your speed dial restaurants that are 500 miles or more away from where you live.

You know the national number to your frequent hotel stay program by heart.

You see nothing wrong with doing 'mileage runs' to bumfreakegypt to up your award status.

Speed dial? GoT's a techie (at least compared to me! :-)

Do you know your frequent stay # by heart?

For which chain?

For "the national number to your frequent hotel stay program"

Yes, I know the phone number for Hyatt Gold Passport by heart. Not my ID number but the phone number!

Ah, you are a REAL road warrior when you know them both! (phone number to call and frequent stay # without looking at card...216xxxyyy)

Hilton Honors for me :-)

One rep I trained had her corporate Amex # memorized too - so she could do it all from a cell phone while driving.

I told her I thought she had gone too far! :-)

She WAS so impressed with herself when she demo'd her "talent" while we were traveling!

You know your frequent flier account number and airline telephone number by heart, as well. You know the account numbers for your family members by heart, too. :)

Yep on the airlines too.

You have your favorite deli or diner in cities everywhere - outside the Hyatt San Francisco, Hilton New York, etc. You almost feel like you are "home" the minute you go in the door.

You plan your Sunday night arrival into Tampa so that you can make it to the family owned Cuban restaurant in the non-descript shopping center before they close for your "fix".

You plan your departing flight so you have time to run by Alessi's Bakery first to take goodies back home.

When you no longer want to look glamorous on your passport photo. Your goal now is to look like you do when you've had to get up at 4 AM to make your early morning flight.