penfold:
the wife seems to enjoy the (as she says)peace and quiet when I not around
.
Mine’s the same. If I started coming home every day, she’d be out the door within three months.
Personally, I like tramping, but not UK tramping.
Vince
In your area there is also Quick Freight in Oswestry, John Renolds is the gaffer and his TM is Sally. The pay is a bit low, but there is no stress with them at all and they go ALL over Europe. The work is mainly Kellogg, one of the jobs which used to be Murfitts. They mainly run ex-Murfitts wagon and drags(caravan type), which are Iveco Eurostars.
I have been tramping for a good few years and it is what you make it. With a good company, running max hours means about 60hrs (ish) a week, probably Monday am to Sat midday, or Sunday to Friday.
I usually, park near my next morning delivery or collection a good bit before I run out of day / driving time. I also usually get one or two nights at home during a week, unless I’m touring Europe 
.
Occasionally something will go awry and I’ll have to run out my complete time, take a minimum break and get rolling again, but with a good company this should only happen occasionally (once a week 
)
One other thing to bear in mind. The one that goes, what if. What if you decide not to do it, and then end up kicking yourself for not doing it.
My advise is to go for it, you can always jack it in if it doesn’t suit you in the end. There are jobs going begging in your area and some distance tramping is always good experience for when you are next ‘job hunting’.
I agree wholeheartedly with any one who says tramping is the only job. To me it is ’ proper lorry driving ’ where i truly do feel i experience the freedom of the open road. As has already been said [ and repeated ] you usually don’t know where you will be going next. Instead of endless shuttling backwards and forwards on the same road (that would do my napper in!!)
Seeing your gaffer once a week and usually having no other contact until the following weekend (I get work direct for the customer) has got be better than having someone wanting to know your every move.
I have done this job for 13 years and still feel the same way about it so I’m not someone who’s still influenced by novelty.
As well as having plenty of friends, I spend quality time with my lovely wife and our 3 wonderful children. It’s true that you have got to appreciate your own company but over the years I have learnt some excellent quiet parking places
in various parts of the UK - rural ones where you can go for walks in the summer, and friendly towns where you can go for a pint when the mood takes, also it’s surprising how many out of town leisure complexes can accommodate a carefully parked artic so I’m in easy reach of a cinema.
Of course, there are many nights on cold wet industrial estates and for that reason I have an Xbox games console running off an inverter in my cab, or there’s always the TV and a bottle of beer out of my fridge.
I know it’s not everybody’s ideal way of life but I make the best of it and it suits me fine.
Vince:
penfold:
the wife seems to enjoy the (as she says)Mine’s the same. If I started coming home every day, she’d be out the door within three months.
Personally, I like tramping, but not UK tramping.
Vince
I have that problem, Vince lolol If I appear more than once during the week, she asks me if I am going to get a new job!!! I reckon the milkman is onto a good thing lol
the same here, I generally do 6 days on Tramping work, ok its only tramping to France, but I probably only actually speak to the boss 3 times.Any problems arising can be sorted out over the satellite text.
I cant do with a regular run, Derby to Poole is getting a bit too repetitive now 
marcustandy:
steve_24v:
That’s what I like to hear Bear…So pleased you enjoy tramping as most everyone else don’t seem to have a good word to say about it,
Steve,
Maybe I didn’t make myself totally clear; I really really enjoyed my time tramping despite the negatives! It suited me then as I was single etc etc. Now with 'er & 2 little 'uns it would be difficult and probably an anit-climax after the good time I had before!!
It’s the sort of response I get in general from drivers I speak to, they seem to have enjoyed it but “times have changed” and are now happy with a cushy day job.
I see you good folk who are still tramping enjoy it, and the others enjoyed it at the time. I appreciate its horses for courses and circumstance prevail but it seems the right time for me, and has been said, if I don’t give it a go I’ll never know…
My concern is will I survive with limited experience 