When I'm on the phone I feel "on" the whole time. If there is a pause at all, it feels awkward. Because of this, I only enjoy phone calls if I or the other person have lots to talk about so pauses are avoided. Texting, emailing, and instant messaging don't come with the same "always on" feeling. Pauses are more natural and even expected. Because of this I rarely call people other than my husband.
I call my husband daily on my way home from work, but that's because after a day of work we both have plenty to talk about! There aren't any pauses and usually I'm still on the phone with him when I pull into the driveway. But there is something different about out of town calls. When he is out of town he is VERY busy so I can't just call him on my way home from work, I have to wait for him to call me, and it's usually late at night and I'm exhausted and not really in an overly talkative mood. Sometimes the ringing phone literally wakes me up, and half the time he forgets that there is a time difference and that it's later where I am! So I'm sure sometimes I sound annoyed or don't feel much like talking, and I think a few times he has been hurt by it, but we talk about it and I explain that he can text me as much as he wants all day and I will respond but 11:30pm is not the best time for a meaningful phone conversation.
It sounds like your wife didn't intend to hurt your feelings. Your feelings were valid, certainly, but you discussed it and it's time to move on. Just set reasonable expectations for this trip and keep in mind that both of you will probably have to compromise.