It’s a big world out there and it is a privilege to be paid to work in so many different countries.
A lot of the time the actual photography itself can be the easy bit. It is the logistics surrounding an overseas trip, the travel arrangements, visas, passes, fixers, driving in a foreign country and the languages that can cause headaches.
Usually a picture editor will simply make an unexpected phone call to ask if you can go to, say, Italy. On saying “yes” you will then be told who you will be going with or meeting there. Sometimes you will get a call back with flight details. Other times you will be asked to make your own travel arrangements. It’s then a case of pack your bags with haste and get to the airport ASAP.
There is also the safety factor if you are sent to a war zone. You might need make a detour on the way to the airport to pick up body armour and helmet.
Getting your pictures back to base could also test your resolve.
Fortunately internet and Wi-Fi is available in most places these days. However, for those places where it is not, you might need to take a satellite phone along if you really were venturing out into the back of beyond and going up against deadlines.
After all. It’s no good at all being in the middle of nowhere with pictures stuck in the camera unable to be sent back to the UK.