One of the best kept secrets of being a scientist is getting to travel.  I have just returned from a trip to Poznan, Poland, to meet two of my research partners, and once again I have been struck by how nice it is to travel.  It is also amazing how much work can be done while sitting in an overseas town square, with a glass of beer.

Many times over my career, the view has been expressed to me by students that the disadvantage of a career in science is that you "get stuck in the lab".  I do not know who invented this phrase, but it really is piffle.  If anything, the problem is getting enough time in the lab...  It is easy to get out of the lab, to meet colleagues and collaborators, and to attend conferences.  It is all part of the job, and one of its joys.

For myself, retired as I am from an academic career, and now running my own company, working on a multiplicity of teaching, research and consultancy activities, days in the lab are a thing of the past.  But travel is not.  Shortly, I shall be returning to Poland as a speaker at the FDI conference and later in the year I am scheduled to go to Taiwan to speak at another conference.  I also have other travels scheduled within the UK.

So, this most delightful aspect of being a scientist remains.  I shall continue to enjoy it as much as I can.  And, I shall probably go on telling the world about it.  After all, as someone once said, it is better to be envied than pitied.