The good, the bad and the reality. Touring is a big commitment. You set the dates, garner the interest, and then ensure you have taken every step to make for a seamless, overheads minimised and stress free tour. Life changes in a New York minute. Whilst I very much enjoy touring, there are also exhausting aspects of it. Even for this Energizer bunny!
Part of the reason I first went touring is I was going through a bit of a funk. I wanted a change of scene, hell a change is as good as a holiday, and as we know, globally we aren't really going anywhere anytime soon. So it was a working holiday, in theory.
I repeat... in THEORY...
You see, even as a professional who knows her game, I too was under the impression I would have time to go and enjoy some fancy food at lavish hotels, (I do enjoy dinner at hotel restaurants for some reason). But 'yeah, nah', there is no rest for the wicked. I don't even eat when touring. One of my best friends I alert to let know I am touring, safety first, even messages me to say "I hope you are eating!"
Last time I went to a new hotel as my favourite one is now KEY CARDED - they have got to stop doing that! They had no room service or restaurant. While 'everyone' waffles on about how amazing that universal food delivery company is, which I won't bag as I am sure it has its merits, I can never see anything I feel like and the one time I did buy something it cost near on $80. For one meal. Uh, no thanks. You see, I may be a petrolhead who some might think spends too much money on cars, but you know what, in hindsight I may be able to do so because I do not order food delivery :)
Aside from earning a few more air points, (hey big spender) and meeting, or reconnecting as the case may be, with all these rad people; something else which appealed was easy starts and finishes to the day. As soon as I completed my bookings for the day about 11pm, I didn't have to drive anywhere and could spring out of bed at dawn to shower and start my day. No getting stuck in traffic! Score.
The costs of touring, your overheads aside, is there is a lot of time spent just travelling. Kind of obvious but maybe not. This gives you a brief time to reflect. At the onset on the way to the hotel you may be busy reconfirming appointments etc, on the way back to the airport you may be trying to disengage from the tour and focus on what you have to do when you get home.
A part of my mind is always focused on what I have to do, so another part of my mind can actually live in the now and enjoy what I have pre arranged to do.
For instance, "Right, have to meet my driver at 5.30am so I'll pack the night before, hopefully the plane is not late, oh and I need to pay parking, which reminds me I need to get my car serviced, will take Buffy for a strut when get home, I'll do that after banking, should go food shopping as well and then I'll have to top up my parking app as (wahoo!) I have so-and-so at 2pm to 4pm, double rats I'll get stuck in traffic it's a long weekend...."
All too sudden my thoughts are interrupted, oh hello, my driver is here and it's time to have a friendly yarn about life and go home.
