This is funny to read some of the comments on this thread. Especially some of you have never traveled like we do building golf courses. Basically we are like gypsies. One thing I have noticed is that in the 10 years I have been traveling, the drug use has seemed to have gone down. Not saying that it doesn't exist but I notice less and less people with the tell tale signs. Now the alcohol use has not declined at all. I have not met many old timers that don't drink a bunch. The alcoholism and the travel just seem to go hand in hand.
That's sort of my point in starting this thread.
It seems the drinking is a result of the long hours and monotonous work. Of course your "band of gypsies" have zero friends in the area where you are working......your wife (if she's crazy enough to hook up with a guy like you) probably has zero friends in the area as well.
American culture has done a fabulous job of creating situations where pitfalls are around every corner.
Gotta build it faster, gotta work harder, longer.....
What are these people to do for social outlets? You already spend 60 hrs a week with the schmoes you work with, surely that's enough time to get sick of them.
So you go to the bar, that's what, or sit at home, resting your stinky feet, crying in your beer over how much your life sucks.....
It's a profession destined for addiction, methinks, and I cannot help but wonder if that leads to less quality work?