Tesla

Closing in on Day 100 and working the program. I travel a lot...so much that I am one of those Admiral Club (American Airlines) super elite members who flies in first and waits in the swank private lounges. Booze is everywhere!!! This was a big part of my problem (and I found that lots of road warriors have the disease)....I was at the Airport or in an airplane or a limo all the time and I boozed it up to get ready for a sales call and then drank with clients and then got ripped roaring drunk to celebrate the win or console the loss. So...here comes my first overseas trip in 100 days..to Rio (of all places). I will do everything I have been practicing but would appreciate advice from those who have been there. At once point my evil self was saying "well...you will have made it to 100...therefore you have no problem...go ahead and drink and reward yourself"....man this is hard.

Dee74

I'm not a traveller, but I think the thing to do is to think about all the likely scenarios and temptations and make strategies now.

Use all the support you have - if you think you need more, now would be a good time to find some

D

Leana

You could always go to the airport and sit in the non-swanky seats at the boarding terminal.

FeenixxRising

Also a road warrior, but mostly driving the last few years. Before that it was air travel, and air travel was probably one of the major factors contributing to my drinking problem. There came a point when I saw travel days as party days. I usually arrived at my destination very intoxicated. I wasn't an elite flyer, but I had my share of bumps to first class. Of course, that also meant free booze.

Dee's advice is good. Even though I'm not doing much air travel I still have dangers. One of them is a lot of free and plentiful booze during my road travels. I plan out things as well as I can, I run the scenarios through my mind, mostly focusing on the consequences that almost always occur when I drink. On overnight trips, I reflect on waking up sober rather than hung over. The thought of waking up alert, energetic without a hangover or regrets really helps me to stay focused.

I hope that helps. Enjoy the trip. Remember, a lot of people travel sober, so there's no reason you can't do the same.

bigsombrero

Writing this from a hotel as we speak! Airports are the worst. I was never a member of those lounge clubs (too cheap), but the airport bars were perhaps my 2nd favorite place to drink, and they were hard to deal with early on. Hotels, also - not all of them have mini-bars, but a few of my hotel memberships include a couple 4-star joints that have them.

Tips: Just like the bars and pubs in your neighborhood, you've got to avoid the airport bars. If you're not a drinker, you don't need to be there. Don't belly up for a club soda. Don't eat there. Don't order a coffee there. Get all those things from the little news-stand shops, and eat in the concourse. I'd avoid those lounges, if possible - they look like nightclubs and you even have a bouncer who checks your ID to get in! There's just too many similarities. Stay away. Stop looking at them, stop looking for them. In time, they'll fade into the background. Just avoid all of it. Period.

As for Rio - same thing. Don't let the name fool you, it's just another city. For us alcoholics, EVERY town is a party town. Las Vegas is a party town. Chicago is a party town. Moscow is a party town. Heck, I lived in Madison WI, and in my mind that's a party town too. Why? Because I wanted to party.

The best advice for being on the road is to get up early and get OUT and do something at daybreak. Walk the city before the morning rush hour, bring your camera, grab a coffee and a newspaper (even if you don't speak Portugese) and have breakfast in an authentic local joint. Don't live like a hot-shot salesman on a biz trip - instead, adopt the mind of a young backpacker or traveler. Say "good morning" to people on the street, and go to the local market and watch the guy behind the counter chop fish heads. That kind of stuff. March to your own drum and stay away from the "luxury travel" culture. Works for me, in fact I prefer it. Good luck!

ZeldaFan

Ah yes, the airport! My routine used to be to almost always be sure I had a nice buzz by the time I got on the flight. I had my regular drinking spots at both Indianapolis International and Phoenix Sky Harbor since I was there so often. One of the servers actually knew me at the bar at PHX.

I have only had one trip since I quit drinking but it was to Las Vegas for a conference. I made a plan before I left and was determined to stick to it. When I got to the airport I went and sat at the gate and didn't budge from there until I got on the flight. At the hotel and conference, I knew I had a battle to wage and I put up my guard full force. There was alcohol everywhere and during exhibit hall hours it was usually cocktail hour with free drinks. I had to turn down wine on a few occasions but I knew it was coming so I was prepared.

Like Dee said, the best thing to do is have a plan and be mentally prepared for the many temptations you will face. It worked for me and I made it back from Vegas without having one drop of alcohol. Good luck and have fun on your trip!

Tesla

thanks very much...hearing from someone who understands is everything

Dejvice

If you have kids and a wife make sure you have photos of them on your phone. A quick browse might support you mentally when the drinks trolley is going around. FWIW don't waste those 100days, the stakes are high, and your holding a good steady hand, but maybe the AV will bluff you, don't let it happen.

Deleteda

Great advice Bigsombrero X

Ornithology

Tesla, I also travel for work and have found it helpful to visualize where I think I will have problems and come up with strategies to deal with those specific situations. It could be the frequent traveller lounge, the mimosa in First Class, the long layover in the international terminal, the hotel mini-bar, the hotel lounge, the meals with colleagues or clients.
I have had to deal with all of them during my 12 weeks of not drinking and none of them have been as bad as I have feared. I have found my biggest enemy to be my own thinking late at night, so I go to bed early with a good book. I also throw my running shoes and shorts in my bag and I'm out the hotel door at 5am for a run every morning. In Rio I run on the treadmill to avoid running up and down the beaches in the dark.

jazzfish

I used to travel a lot and I had over $14,000 in room charges last year alone!

Boredom and habit are my two worst enemies. Airports have been discussed and simply avoiding the bars is the best way. It always amazes me how many people will be drinking at a bar at 7am.

The flights can be hard too, because they are so boring. For those, I just have to plan ahead that I will not order drinks. I try to remember the horrible, dehydrated, mid-flight hangovers. There is simply nothing that can be done about them until after landing.

Hotels - there is simply too much down time in hotels and if it is an extended stay boredom is bound to set it. You can only tolerate so many meals alone before you start to crave some sort of escape. Some strategies I have used:

• Plan some sight-seeing tours ahead of time;
• Have a simple computer game to play - time consuming, but not frustrating
• Eat a simple dinner in the room, I used to eat muesli just to avoid the boredom of dining alone;
• Read a book;
• Write a book;
• Use the gym;
• Go to bed early;
• Skype calls with families and friends;
• Treat yourself to snacks you wouldn't normally eat;
• On-line meetings; or
• Go for walks

Ultimately, it was too stressful for me, so I am now in the process of changing career. Good luck!

If you do AA, there are meetings just about everywhere and it can be very interesting exposing yourself to the different style of meetings.