Returning from a days work

( this post was written in April but I lost it. Or better said I had left it in my draft folder. So now here it is.)It is not too often where I leave the house and return from work the same day.Today was a last minute trip to a trade fair in Berlin which I was able to fit in between other travels. I knew it was going to be tough to do and it meant a voluntary 15 hour day but it was an opportunity which I just said 'yes' to.The whole day before i was preoccupied with thoughts of what I would need to carry with me. There were the obvious wallets, id cards, business cards, a notebook (paper) and well there was not much more. I always travel with my backpack. It replaced my other briefcase type cases about 8 or so years ago. A lot can fit in it too. But for a day trip to a trade fair I would not need the usual PC and all it's peripherals nor the other extras like power adapters which I use often when out of the country.So, it meant taking a mostly empty backpack with me to the airport. Once I was at the congress center I had to deposit my pack at the check in and spent the rest of the day with my business cards in my pocket and my iPad in my hand. I used it for note taking and writing on two blog posts as well. Including this one now on the flight back.So, what did I learn today? Well, that day trips across the country are hard but coming home to my own bed sounds really nice right now. Working with a tablet device has it's challenges still but it is ultra portable and with the battery still showing 84% I could spend two more days away.Mostly I learned that when there is only a day on site, at a meeting, fair or with a client that there is no luxury of time. It goes quickly and that there is no more tomorrow to follow up. Well, yes there is but it will be through my usual notebook in the office.Guess I was in Berlin today. No real evidence of that but great conversations did happen.