How do you travel to and around your assignment?

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

So a bit of background info, I'm currently on my first assignment out in CA. I'm from Chicago and drove 3 days here in my car to reach it. While I enjoyed the scenery and the experience it's not one I'm eager to repeat (driving across the country). My contract is up in late Sept and I'll be driving back home to Chi-town. Afterwards I plan to stick around my home for a bit and do agency for a couple of months so I'm home for the holidays.

I plan on traveling again early-mid January (I'm thinking Colorado, Denver area). So I have no interest in actually driving out there. I have a car but the lease on it is up in late April and I'd prefer not renewing.

I'm just interested to know what other travelers do. Do you drive everywhere you go? Or do you take planes and deal with rental cars in your assignment area? Or do you travel in an RV etc??? Just really trying to brainstorm ideas and see what I can work with and where I'd have to compromise.

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Every way you can imagine has been done. Personally, I find taking my personal car is the cheapest and most efficient way to get anywhere and allows options for exploring the area ad lib. I take a bicycle (and way too much other stuff to think about flying) and seldom use the car when I get to an assignment. I meet travelers that will walk several miles to work, take transit, even skate.

Completely a personal choice. Not owning a vehicle is likely to save you a good bit of money over time even with Uber/flights/rentals, but likely to increase your hassle and lower your quality of life. It would seem too much to me just to save four days of travel time.

I don't see how an RV would work for you, not only now do you have a vehicle that you will have to drive across country, but a really expensive one.

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I live on the east coast but actually did some extensive travel in Hawaii and California. both places I rented a car and added that in during my negotiation phase of pay.

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My wife and I are both travelers. She's ICU and I am ER. To rent a car is prohibitive and a pain, and if you negotiate that in the contract it will just be taken away somewhere else. Like lifetime free oil changes but the dealer makes a profit elsewhere. There is no free lunch. We pull a toy hauler fifth wheel everywhere. Which means a big expensive diesel pickup to pull it. But that gives us the freedom we want. There's more than one way to skin a cat. You could fly and have your car sent to your destination if you don't like driving. To have our 2015 Durango sent from Iowa to California was about 750 bucks.

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Specializes in MS, Emergency.

Agree. I am just finishing my contract and rented a car. rental company are evil corporations lol i ended up paying them so much money. I signed for an extension and negotiated more money per week but I am buying a bike! :)

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Good for you! A bicycle will save you lots of money even if you bring your own car and be good for your health.

Don't buy a new bike. Save half to ninety percent on Craiglist. If you have the time, garage sales have the lowest prices for bicycles.

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Jasel, How do you balance dating life, family and friendships when traveling? I'd love to get into traveling but in not sure how I will balance everything plus I don't like the idea of not knowing where my next job will be. However it does sound like an adventure!!

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

Well I'm single, no girlfriend, no kids, and most of my friends are either moving off or getting married/starting families so I'm afraid I can't offer any wisdom in that regard lol. Balancing my life isn't a problem so much as getting one :p

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