Though I will be many miles from home, I will still be able to work.  I am simply amazed that I can be so far from the office and yet little changes.  I still have access to all of the machines through remoting.  I can check my email, update files via FTP, and my customers can still reach me by phone using my cell number.  In fact, little if anything changes for me when I am on a trip like this.  I even manage to get some productive time in on the actual voyage via my laptop or at the very least my PDA.

Internet access has become ubiquitous and allows me to connect and collaborate from nearly anywhere in the world.  The only problem that I encounter when on trips like this is my wife.   For some reason, she would like to see me spend time with her and my son while on vacation.  She's a good woman, and if it wasn't for her... I probably wouldn't have a life.  As it is, she coaxes me away from the computer just enough that I'm almost well rounded.  Well, as well rounded as a computer programmer can be.

In closing I'd say, “Talk to you all when I get back!”, but that's not really necessary given that we are connected 24/7 in this day and age.  Technology is just amazing in this regard... whether that is a good thing or bad depends on how often your spouse is able to coax you away from the screen.