FAQ
Why “From Home and Back”?
We all have a home – and presumably if you’re here, you are also traveling (or planning to travel or dreaming about travel). Those two worlds are not always synchronized, but should be harmonious. If they aren’t, things can get out of whack very quickly with family, friends, work, finances, and personal balance. Sometimes it can feel a lot like leading dual lives – one that only your fellow travelers understand and one that doesn’t understand your travels. My goal is to make your transition between those two worlds seamless – when you are heading “from home” and when you are headed “back”.
How do you navigate this personally?
I’ve seen a lot of road warriors burn out – travel ceases to be fun, priorities change, or the scales tip too much in one direction. I traveled at a hectic pace for over 20 years before the Covid pandemic in 2020 ground my travels to a halt. Before that, I often found myself at the point that I’m thinking about travel when I’m at home but thinking about home when I traveled. Living fully in the moment in both spheres but keeping them in balance requires careful planning – and that’s where I can help!
What does your travel life look like?
My jetsetter life is ever evolving. For years, I was on the road for work for 150-200 days a year, both domestic and international. Now technology allows me to work remotely frequently which means I can balance my time between home, client/vendor visits, and personal travels. These days you never know where I might be as I’m only a Zoom call away!
What does the home part of your life look like?
Home is a 1924 Craftsman bungalow in Fort Worth, Texas, where I grew up. I moved back several years into my frequent travel life as I craved the connections and stability that roots provided me. When I’m home, I love to create things in the kitchen and attempt to keep herb and flower gardens thriving. I also have a love of all things creative, particularly needlepoint. I have two giant babies – my Great Pyrenees dogs. Luckily, I have a fantastic house/dog sitter who holds things down when I’m away. I am always on the hunt for great thrift stores and flea markets, new restaurants of all types, and interesting places to shop for fashion and home décor.
How do I get the most miles possible – what promos and strategies do you recommend?
This is the wrong blog for that information! Many of my blogger colleagues at Boarding Area have great advice for how to maximize your mileage earning and I from time-to-time link to ideas that they have. And I may once in a while actually take a mileage run for fun – just because it reminds me of what it was like to be in my 20s and just discovering the world of miles, status, and frequent flying!
Do you ever get tired of traveling?
No. I’ve always said that frequent travel has a finite window for many people. Often early careerists view travel as an adventure and ones 20s are a great time to have a travel-intensive job and do as much travel as possible both for work and pleasure. I’ve watched many frequent travelers burn out after two to five years of career travel (or regular mileage running) as other life priorities – houses, relationships, families – come into forefront. For many of us who have multiple decades of traveling under our belts, a travel-life balance eventually emerges where one has to find a way to juggle both. I will always be excited for the next adventure and live for my vacations and weekend trips.
Have a question about From Home and Back? Or something you’d like to see featured in a future post?