Being an academic was a wonderful way to see the world. I travelled all over Europe and to the USA presenting papers at conferences. All the arrangements were made by the university travel department. You were expected to settle your own hotel bill in situ so you could book currency up front from the uni if you couldnt afford to wait til you return to be reimbursed. . Obviously it all had to be covered by receipts and reconciled on your return but it was a wonderful way to get a free holiday.
Cheap air tickets often meant a minimum stay so once the conference was over you were free to go where you wished. The uni paid for hotel and all meals for the extra nights - you only had to pay for entertainment.
I visited Vienna, Prague, Siena, Lisbon, Reykjavík, Brussels, Las Vegas, New York and many other places all co the uni I worked for. Of course all this was post pandemic and I dont know if it still happens.
