Wednesday 15 June 2011

Oh, the hardship!

Travelling            

I have previously mentioned that I work for myself as a medical writer/communications provider, which means I have to find my own work and can not always be choosey.  I have been really lucky and managed to become a preferred freelancer for one med comms agency and they provide me with enough work per month to keep us going.

Back in April they asked me to attend a conference out in Paris which is a place I have always wanted to visit.  I was put in hotel right in the centre, literally 10 minutes walk from the Eiffel Tower, and Arc d’Triump and managed to get in most of the sites in the 3 days I was there, including The Louvre and the Church of Notre Dame.

From this conference I had to do the scientific write up for the client showing what had been discussed in their sessions and also the competitive intelligence.  This was the first big thing I had done for this company so I obviously put a hell of a lot of effort into it which involved working through the night twice, something I haven’t done since Uni days (however that was due to beer and dancing being more important than assignments!).  Both the agency I had represented and the client were very pleased with the results. I was very chuffed!

Downside is I have now become the preferred writer for conferences and June has proved a very busy month. Last week I was attending a 4 day conference in London, and was home for 2 days and have then had to fly out to Switzerland for 5 days which I hate as I am missing my boys more than anything and have never done anything like this before and been away from them for longer than a few nights.  They are having a ball though and each call home I am told they had pizza with Daddy or Daddy let them stay up late or has taken them somewhere, or tea at Grannie and Grandad’s so I needn’t worry about them missing me obviously!!

However, oh my god how beautiful  is Lugano in Switzerland!. The client decided that I was going at the last minute so most hotels were booked and I have ended up in a junior suite with a massive balcony in a 5* hotel. It is amazing and I have never (and probably never will) stayed in a place like it.  It is also sitting right on the shore side of Lake Lugano and the views are out of this world, as is the weather.  I am currently sat in the restaurant at the congress centre making one coffee last as long as is humanly possible (it is also amazingly expensive out here – even though I will claim all my costs back, my room for 4 nights will cost nearly £1800 and a sandwich in the hotel is about £15.00!!!!). Anyhow I am thinking I need to go inside as it is so hot I can feel my skin beginning to tingle and being at a Lymphoma/Cancer meeting, I recon sun burn would look very, very bad.

Here a few pictures of the view from my room- I guess this is the perk of agreeing to do some travel for work, along with the money side obviously.


7 comments:

Sarah said...

I am HUGELY envious!!! What an amazing place. I hope you have the chance to take some more photos you lucky, lucky thing!

The Rambling Pages said...

I must admit it is an amazing opportunity to be able to travel and see places, and work so all expenses are paid. Today though it is raining, which is a bum, very muggy, very heavy rain and dimwit here has no coat or brolly. I live in hope tomorrow and sat will be sunny again!

Unknown said...

That is really beautiful. What a fantastic opportunity for travel, even though I'm sure that missing your family takes some of the fun out of it.

Ffi said...

Can I just say that you unlike me still did your assignments even after dancing n drinking!

Place looks fab- but don't worry it'll be nearly over and the boys will be happy to have you back (even the big one!)

BNM

The Rambling Pages said...

Can I just say that you unlike me still did your assignments even after dancing n drinking!

Place looks fab- but don't worry it'll be nearly over and the boys will be happy to have you back (even the big one!)

BNM

The Rambling Pages said...

That is really beautiful. What a fantastic opportunity for travel, even though I'm sure that missing your family takes some of the fun out of it.

The Rambling Pages said...

I am HUGELY envious!!! What an amazing place. I hope you have the chance to take some more photos you lucky, lucky thing!