As I start a period of too much travel, I read this NY Times article which focuses on the joys of web conferencing in the days of toothpaste driven security checks and other travel hassles.
But an interesting quote jumped out.
“As technology has advanced, it increases the need for face-to-face travel,” said Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition, a group that advocates lower fares and better conditions for passengers. “In 1990, you and I might have managed 100 relationships, and that was a lot,” he said. “Now with e-mail and instant messaging, you and I may manage 1,000.”
Don't forget blogs and resulting relationships are also feeding curiosity about meeting more people face to face. I am looking forward to seeing some fellow bloggers at Office 2.0 in San Francisco and SAP's TechED in Amsterdam in October. Of course, wouldn't you know it - the need to be with clients in other cities is threatening both.
But just as important reading posts like this from Thomas Otter about S. Africa and Tom Peters from around the world has got me excited again about traveling to countries I have not been near.
I have a cousin who is part of the "100 country" club (I think he has been to 125). I am stuck at 40. I think I added 5 new ones in the last decade.
Just assure me they have toothpaste - since it will likely be taken away at the originating point.
