Travel is . . .

. . . Addictive

Yes, travel can become a way of life. When your work takes you on the road with great regularity you live by a concept of either time to plan or pack for a trip, unpack and recover from a trip. or think down the road to the next travels on your dance card. Your normal life -- visits with friends, doctor's appointments and chores around the house -- often get put on hold. But while it is a way of life that many people can't understand, it is a perfectly normal way of life for those of us who enjoy the nomadic existence.

A friend visted this weekend, a friend who had also been in Germany with me earlier this month. We discussed our various tours and experiences in Germany and looked ahead to next year's Society of American Travel Writer's convention in New Zealand. We got a kick out of planning a year ahead of time what we'll do when to get to the other side of the world.

New Zealand is an ambitious trip, long hours of flight time and a long, long away from home. (When it is noon on the East Coast it is 5 AM the next day in New Zealand.)

I suppose we are travel junkies who can't seem to keep away from airports and travel plans.

I know many people think this work is glamorous and exciting. Getting to an airport at 5:30 AM isn't either, nor is dragging heavy suitcases through train aisles or winding up in the last room a hotel has to offer and the offering is poor at best. It's not fun to find out there's a mechanical problem, the plane is late or the crew has worked too many hours. It is unpleasant to discover the restaurant is closed, room service will take two hours or water will be shut off until noon.

These all happen, but so does life. While it may be simpler to sit home and watch mindless television, leaving your comfort zone for other vistas can be a wonderful existence. And people are traveling - when was the last time you saw empty seats on a plane?

Travel is what I do, it's not life-altering or will it impact mankind. It will, however, broaden my experiences and allow me to share these experiences with readers. In the process, I hope to convince others to head for the train, bus, cruiseship or airport and enjoy the mind-expanding joy of visiting new places and seeing new sites.

But a cautionary statement. Watch out! It can be addictive.