Thursday, November 06, 2008

Back to the "travel" part of the blog

As many of you know I've recently relocated to HK. I've moved into my tiny and expensive flat in Mid levels and am settling into a work routine which seems to take up most of the waking hours of the day.
The central problem (from a scheduling point of view) is I don't just take care of Asia. As the day goes on and Asia shuts down, the UK and Europe fires up.....then about 9:30 pm, Canada and South America get started.
Some of my colleagues in the US haven't got their head around the math involved in a 13 hour time difference.
There have been a few 2-3 am phone calls.
I'll figure out a way to break up the day and give myself some down time.
This weekend I'm "going to the races" at Happy Valley Race Track, a unique HK winter tradition.
Next week I'm in Taiwan and then Tokyo, so the travel will be kicking in again soon.
There have been some funny and interesting bits and pieces over the past week and I'll get to them later today or tomorrow.Big hug to all who want one!
T

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'll take one!

Have to be out in four hours to get to LHR and can't sleep for fear of oversleeping.

Try not to work yourself into the ground, please?

TR-HW

Terry said...

Ahh I know the feeling well.
Terminal 5 is actually working well now so the frustration of long lines at security and tedious check delays are two fewer things to worry.....that is if you're flying BA. God help you if you're going Virgin at Terminal 3.....Good luck and head to Katz's deli when you get to NYC!

Anonymous said...

Now back in blighty, so..

T5 was a dream, I may move in there and never leave. IAD immigration unusually charming, which got me worried in case that was good cop and bad cop was bringing up the rear snapping on the gloves.

One argument over car hire and 3 hours crappy Washington Friday night outbound to VA traffic later, reached Miss Mini-Baron HQ. Total travel time: 17 hours. Scooped up Miss MB then off for the first night tradition (strange how these patterns develop) at the local Italian. Adults practically face down in their plates at this point, carb rush finished us off. Lively discussion with hotel as to why booked into a pet-friendly room ($15 surcharge) when no pet, but child in tow, $15 charge waived, eventually. And so to bed. Which ended up being musical beds (MB with B, then "daddy's snoring" so MB with TR-HW, then all change etc etc repeat as necessary).

Up at 3, 5, 6, 7. Ugh. Off to the mall for haircuts, then to the pet store to get terribly excited over ferrets (?) and puppies and kittens; roller skating (tell me how I do, ooomph, face plant, 10 for enthusiasm, 0 for execution), Hot Wok crappy Chinese dinner at the mall (for some reason known as Wok n Roll), movie choice: High School Musical 3 (don't go); Madagascar follow-up would have been a better bet.

Sunday: Slow start then swimming in the hotel pool, to the coffee shop for lunch (did word searches and Sudoku with Miss M-B) and then play in the park, then step-brother's 2nd birthday party. Interesting. Thought invited for birthday dinner with ex and new hub (latter is lovely) but ousted. How charming. Miss MB bereft at parting, it gets worse as they get older, I think. To DC.
And so to bed.

Amtrak Washington to to NYC.
Fine, although if you leave early it's bloody hard to find someone to sell you a coffee. Whimper....CO-FF-EE...purlease

Good to be back in NY. Didn't make it to Katz (tried). Can recommend the bar and restaurant attached to MoMA: The Modern. Fantastic food, GREAT bar as a meet-you place, go go go.

What else, Well the ice rink is in place at the Rockefeller. Pound exchange rate precluded shopping. Got upgraded to Biz on the way back (there may be a god, I wanted to kiss the ticketing lady), cruised into work on time post-flight and drive; shuffled email till the home bell rang.

Take care darlin'. We miss you.

TR-HW

Terry said...

Rarely do I laugh out load at a comment on my blog.
I did this time!
Thanks for the smile

Anonymous said...

I was genuinely concerned about being hauled off by the Dulles bottom inspectors...

TR-HW

Anonymous said...

And to prove how impossibly glamorous life is... up at 5.30am to convey Baron to the station - first leg of his rail day trip to continental Europe for a lunch (who in their right mind schedules these things).

As for myself, off for team-building in Solihull. Yes....team-building AND Solihull. The thought of two days in close confinement with my colleagues is making me feel... how to put it... all warm and fuzzy and huggy and licky.

Wish me bon voyage up the A14 and M6.

TR-HW

For non-UK readers:

You can do a day trip to Northern France or Belgium from St Pancreas London by Eurostar rail.

The A14 is "the most controversial stretch of road in Cambridgeshire", the M6 is no better. Stick a pin in smack bang in the centre of England and you are close to Solihull.

Here endeth the lesson.

Anonymous said...

I sat, in Solihull, in the team-building session, thinking if I hand in my notice then will they let me leave right now.

TR-HW