Conferences are such a pain in the butt, for the following reasons:

1. You're on your feet almost all the time - total opposite from being on your butt in the office
2. Sustenance is hard to come by - demand usually outstrips supply and prices of even a simple sandwich skyrockets
3. You get people-spammed left right centre - all sorts of people try to convince you that your company needs their products and services
4. You meet too many new people, too quickly - before you know it, the person in front of you gets replaced by someone new, and you've forgotten what his/her name was. How absolutely impersonal
   
5. Your weekends get burnt preparing for a successful trade show
6. Worse than that? Your Valentine's day gets burnt as well! Sweet...

But but but but but...if you dig deeper, it ain't that bad:

1. Free plane ticket to 'scope out' the destination city/country - not quite enough time to tour the place proper, but pretty good to just get your feet wet and know where to go the next time you come back
2. Nice change of pace - from the humdrum of the white-collared worker's life
3. The thrill - of helping the companies you bring up to exhibit score a lead
4. Daily allowance from IDA! $$$$$ you can save a bit if you scrimp some here and there

*work-in-progress post*