Traveling 500 steps or 5,000 Miles is Tough

As part of the BitsBuddies updates for SQLBits 2023, I posted a set of Tweets as I traveled.
My personal travel included (ultra) long haul flights, train travel, taxi transfer and daily bus transfer to the venue.
Even as a seasoned traveler, I still feel the stress, which is why those updates included a stress levels.

The aim of these posts is to go a little deeper, as that same stress affects us all when going to a User Group, Conference or even a Family Trip, near or far.
And if the stress is too much, then maybe something that stops people from taking part.

More can be found on these pages

  1. Pre-Flight
  2. Welcome to Manchester
  3. Train Transfer
  4. Being a Volunteer
  5. Going Home

My first interaction with group events, like many, was formal training classes provided by my employer.
Then later, I started to attend conferences and user groups.
And as I got brave I even attended on my own time (and budget).

In each case the same basic fears and obstacles exist, though the level of stress reduces a little with each event, the stress never goes away.
For SQLBits 2023, I had over 6,000 miles to fly each way, then 135 miles by train and three different hotels, along with an unknown venue.
Plane, Train or Taxi, there is something to cause stress, tickets and travel documents, or having money (the correct currency) to pay. And even keep my bank happy and adding travel plans, so my Credit Card can be used in each Country.
And for the Planes and Trains, getting the timing right, unless they get delayed, they won’t wait for you.

And for my older company training, there was unknown travel routes, either driving or via public transport, if in a different city then an unknown location.
In both cases, new faces and the fear of not knowing how much more they already know. imposter syndrome affects us all.

The good news is that the SQL Family is a global community of people who have done this, some hundreds of times, but they all had a first time.
SQLBits has formalised a set of dedicated and experienced helpers known as The Bits Buddies, whose names, faces and profiles are made available, they are contactable all year round, not just during the conference.

And the support doesn’t stop there, as User Groups exists around the world, I visited one in Bangkok though haven’t found one in Hong Kong (yet).
Each run by volunteers from the SQL Family, who if you are facing the fears and obstacles that block you attending, can be contacted to help.

While post Covid remote sessions may have stopped, that doesn’t mean online resources don’t exist, so if you have a personal blocker that means you can’t attend in person events, reach out to any member of the SQL Family to find out what options are available.

In summary, for SQLBits 2023 I shared my personal journey, the stress, the good luck and the unplanned meeting of a fellow BitsBuddy on the Train
So you can see that driving to an event in the same city or flying around the world, travel is never easy and stress free, don’t let the stress stop you getting involved.