Plane, train, or, well...maybe not automobile...

[bagman67]

Just remember, don't put the strip club on the expense report.

And the in-room entertainment, i.e., on-demand porn... yeah, you wanna bill your own credit card for that, not the corporate card.  You get some odd looks from Bob in accounting when you hand in an expense report with "All Anal Extravaganza" on it.  Dunno why...

 

[Cagey]

You get some odd looks from Bob in accounting when you hand in an expense report with "All Anal Extravaganza" on it.  Dunno why...

That's because Bob in Accounting has a firm policy: No poo-poo on the pee-pee. Which is weird, considering how anal accountants can be.

 

[MikeW]

Definitely fly.

Delta is a good airline to go with in my experience (I use them for San Diego-Atlanta-Stuttgart flights), but the one killer is the extra baggage fee they'll hit you with. Other than that, no problems. One piece of advice: Buy something to eat at a restaurant to take with you on the plane. I usually hit a mexican place and get a burrito and a coke to go before boarding. It'll drive the guy next to you nuts when he has to eat that crappy sandwich he just paid $7 for.

Do plan on an extra hour getting through security if you're flying during a 'rush hour' and do dress casually for the trip. It's easier to get through security if you're casual and just have the basics with you.

On the plus side, Atlanta is a pretty cool town. I was there for a conference last year and it was a good trip. Go see the aquarium if you get a chance, it's well worth the time. I also found the food to be pretty good. There's a great drive-in burger place across the freeway from GA Tech that has a fantastic double bacon cheeseburger.

There are a couple interesting guitar shops in town also. Here's one where the guys were pretty cool and let me noodle on a couple acoustics while I was killing some down time. http://www.maplestreetguitars.com/

 

[Graffiti62]

After my first day of work, I kind of have an idea of what's going on. I don't even have to think about my travel plans--all I was asked is "what's the closest big airport to you,"  and I'll wind up getting my tickets in the mail or in a print-off voucher. As for the rental car, it's something they're contemplating doing, but from what I was told, you're basically sealed into the system--right now, you take a shuttle to the hotel, a shuttle to and from the training center, and that's about it.  Kind of makes it suck for the evening when there's nothing that can be done, but from what I've heard, at least they put you in a hotel that's decked out with a couple of restuarants and a bar.

It'll be an interesting experience to say the least. At least Warmoth is doing more and more with their site to make it more interactive. Once bills get paid off and I'm at least only in it waist-deep, I can start contemplating a build again. It's rare that I spoil myself with anything, so buying myself something bigger than a pack of Schick Titanium razor blades and  a couple of sticks of deodorant is kind of a big deal to me.

 

[Nightclub Dwight]

Its actually better for you that they have shuttle service instead of a rental car.  You don't have to worry about anything that way.  If it is a batch training session for a bunch of people from all over the country they may have activities for you at night.  If not, remember you can always take a taxi.  You would most likely get reimbursed for reasonable taxi expenses (save your receipts!  Also, most taxi drivers just hand you a blank receipt, allowing you to pad it a little bit if necessary).  Also, some cabs even allow you to pay via credit card, so if you have a company card by then its even easier.

Even though I just mentioned it, remember to save all your receipts on the trip.  You may be able to get reimbursed for a lot of things.  May as well try, most they can say is no.  Its tough to remember to save those receipts when you are in a rush, so try to develop a plan, like putting them all in a certain pocket or something.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

Train travel is horrible, and you don't get your own private shower quarters or bathroom.  If you do, they're very, VERY small...and uncomfortable.  Maybe it's just me, but I don't like sharing my bathroom and shower with people I don't know.

Take a plane, and just get it over with.  You'll thank yourself...unless you're like me and catch every cold in the world every time you fly.

Hell, for me personally, I'd just get a new job.  :toothy12:

On another note, I've worked in a few mail rooms and am familiar with some of the Pitney Bowes machines.  Most of the techs seemed to enjoy their jobs and I'm guessing they made a fairly decent income...but that was 16 years ago.

 

[JCizzle]

Personally, I recommend flying. It's fast and easy. I fly quite a bit and it's really no big deal, you just have to know what you're doing. You can also fly business class, that can actually be an enjoyable experience. How long is your flight? From here to JFK is 14 hours, and that's with no connections, not to mention if I'm going to the west coast...Just have a dozen or so drinks at the airport bar and hop on the plane.