My understanding is that even if you're shorthaul you'll potentially be away from base for several days in a row.
You need to do your homework a bit better then!
The maximum length trip on SH is 5 days with 4 night stops. Generally split into 3,2,2,2,3 sectors per day. They will either be 'earlys' (start 0500 finish 1300 ish) or 'lates' (start 1200 ish finish 2200 ish).
Normal work 'blocks' as dictated by bidline (including blindlines) are seperated into blocks of 6 days containing a mixture of day trips and 2,3,4 and 5 day tours. So a 5 day trip would 'normally' be on its own with a few days off either side or a day trip on either end. In exceptional circumstances you might get a 'block' of 7 days with a mixture of day trips and short tours. Very, very rare though.
All pilots are protected by the bidline rules which prevent the company from rostering earlies after lates, excessive weekly or monthly flying rates, insufficient rest etc. etc. etc.
The work required for the month is set by 'CAP' this dictates the required hours per month that the pilot must contractually bid for. If you bid over the hours get 'banked' which means you can bid under when you need a quiet month and the banked hours get used instead of flight hours for that month.
The system is extremely flexible and allows for considerable lifestyle choices with 'commuter' lines being constructed for those wishing to get all their work bashed out in the first two or last two weeks and minimising the UK night stops for tax purposes. Be aware though that as a low seniority pilot many of the options to bid will be sucked up by the more senior pilots within the company thus leaving you with a 'blind line' where the company fits work to your line. You are then 'CAP Protected' which means you might have a very quiet month but can't choose which days you work.
Is that a little better than 'away for several days'?