As hectic and stressful as traveling can be (not to mention uncomfortable-- planes and powerlifters are possible the WORST pairing ever) it's always great to train with PL family I don't normally get to see or lift with!
(Fellow USAPL/IPF Lifters w/me at Metroflex Arlington)
In Texas, there's a whole bunch of folks for me to catch up with. People I lifted with in College, folks that were on the IPF Worlds Team with me in South Africa last summer, people I've formed relationships with through competition, and the list goes on! Aside from getting to catch up with good friends, it's also a great opportunity to learn. Most if not all of these lifters compete at a high level, and have been doing this a while (most of them have been doing it longer than), and therefore have knowledge and experiences worth listening to. Even if it's something that wouldn't be practical or beneficial to me, I still like to learn about different people's training styles/successes/mistakes/etc.