So Tuesday night, I crashed like really really early.  I fell asleep at 5:30 when I got home from work and didn’t wake up until 1:00a when the power went off in the hotel.  It was really odd… I was laying there, waiting for the generators to kick in , but they never did.  Luckily, it’s about 40 degrees at night, and so it doesn’t get hot in the room.  The power came back on about 40 minutes later and I was back asleep, getting over this jetlag.

Rise and shine and as I headed to work… I started paying attention to things on the drive in this morning.

1. I love this radio station – Sunshine Live. http://sunshinelive.de/  The odd thing is, less than 10 miles down the road, I lose it completely as I enter Waldorf.  You can listen online, and I recommend you do!

2. Gas is expensive here… it’s 1.36 EU per Litre.  That makes it $7.30 a gallon!  And you thought $3.00 was a lot.

3. Soda at a restaurant is so not worth it.  Everything is served in these cute little .2l bottles (6 ounces), and they’re 3 EU – so yeah, for less than a can of soda you pay $4.25 for it.

4. I drive on average 95mph to work on the Autobahn every day – and it ROCKS.

5. Italian food is everywhere here.   My students say it’s because Germans love Italian food and most everyone in Northern regions of the European Union vacation south in the winter, thus Italy.  One student, from Milan, said it’s so “bad” there are Germany and British sections to Italy, where you’d have no idea you were in Italy.  He then quipped it was interesting you didn’t have that problem in Germany. ha ha.

So some small observations.

Wednesday, I was invited to lunch by the education manager for the partner company I am working with.  He is really nice (and small and cute) and we had a nice discussion about Germany and the US.  He told a story of his only vacation to visit the US – Sept 11, 2001.  He was diverted to Canada where he was grounded for four days and then had to make the trip back to Germany.  He’s never been able to try for a vacation in the US.  Hmm.. maybe I should try and pack him in my suitcase – he’d make a great little BF

The drive home was interesting… I went around someone in traffic and they had this massive fit, like i cut them off or something.  I didn’t get it… So I asked my class if it was customary not to pass anyone, and they’re so nice, they tried every scenario to make it seem like someone wasn’t just being a dick to me, but in the end, that’s what we decided.

I had more work to do last night… migrating a server around and such.  I was up until 2:00a this morning working, so no chance to sight see or anything.  Tonight should be the last night I have something work related to do, and the rest of the nights, and of course the weekend, I can sight see and enjoy Germany.

Off to work now…

Choos!

Well last night I was a bit smarter… I decided it would be best to set multiple alarms in the voicemail system and it worked!

I am getting this whole driving on the autobahn thing down… if only I had a faster car!

The radio here is weird – I have a great dance music station I like to listen to Sunshine Life FM, but I can only get it within Heidleberg, not a few kilometers down the road.

Work went well… I had lunch with my students today and we all talked business.  The smoking in the building really gives me a headache, since I am allergic, but the sights are gorgeous.  I never know how pretty fall could be!

I am going to take a short nap and get ready for dinner later.

Choos!

Well day one got off to a great start.  you see, if you look at the pictures of my hotel room (as soon as I post them), you notice something interesting missing – AN ALARM CLOCK.  Yeah.  So smart traveler me doesn’t carry a travel clock with me (Wishlist Item Kandis), so I have to use the voicemail system.  Apparently, I was so jet lagged when I set it, that I set it maybe for 6pm instead of 6am.  Nonetheless, I amazingly woke up on my own at 7:30 – the time I was hoping to be at the office.  In a panic, I jumped up, showered, ironed my clothes and hopped in the car to speed off to God knows where – but luckily my GPS did.

Driving in Germany isn’t bad – especially since I seem to take the autobauhn where I go.  Too bad my car isn’t very powerful, I could have a lot of fun here!

The first day of training starts at 10, which is good, because it allows for instructor mishaps like this one. I arrived at the campus and made my way to security for my credentials.  I made my way to my training room and the setup is awesome!  You’d have to be a trainer to appreciate it, but let’s just say, I have 12 student PCs, which I can monitor and control all from my desk – not to mention a little control panel that controls everything from the lights to the blinds!

The students are all very nice… Most of them are consultants from our partner company, and all speak English as a second (or third) language, but they speak it flawlessly.  It’s funny because they will come up and start speaking German or Italian to me, forgetting that I only speak English (and Texmex – something that has zero use here.)

We broke for lunch, and the campus here is just amazing.  A gourmet lunch of several options, but I went for the vegetable stuffed ravioli, potatos au grautin and manderin jello, with Coke Light – the German version of Diet Coke.

It’s so funny how bright the office here is – there are windows everywhere, which you can actually open – go figure.  Another thing is that there are smoking “cafeterias” all over the place inside, so you can get your nicotine on in the building… which gave me a headache yesterday.

We wrapped up class at 5 and what could have been a very difficult day to start turned out to be great.

I made my way back to the hotel to change and start exploring.  I took some pictures (which I will post soon in my photos) of the town and things that I just thought looked really neat.  I love the architecture here and how you have the old style look of buildings with a business on the bottom and an apartment on the top.

I made my way down the main street last night full of shops – the shopping looks AWESOME!  I had dinner at a local resteraunt which is over 250 years old.  A wonderful pumpkin cream soup, salmon with rosemary potatos and hot apple strudel with fresh ice cream and whipped cream, and a glass of reisling to top it off.

As I waddled my way back to the hotel, stuffed as could be, it was like being in a movie… walking down the cobblestone mainstreet of the shopping district, no cars in sight, people bundled up as the tempature dropped to 40, or slightly lower.

I decided I needed to hit the gym for a bit, and so that’s just what I did.  A light work out to get back into the groove of things, since it had been well over a week since my last work out.  Talk about getting sore easily.

From there it was back to the hotel to play catch up with family and friends on line and to bed from there…  I have adjusted to the time difference quite well I think… aside from the fact that it’s 1:00a and I am still awake!

Choos!
(that means “late ninja” in German… or atleast “bye”!)

Well the flight is finally over… I landed in Germany.  The customs process was easy enough, I got another stamp in my passport and went through customs.

I headed down to the car rental place… Natalie would be happy to know that Dollar rent a car is just as slow in Germany as they are in the states.

After 2 hours, I got my rental car, and hopped on the road.  Thank GOD for GPS.  And the GPS system rocks!

I wormed my way around Frankfurt till I hopped on the Autobaun and headed for Heidleberg.

I got to the hotel with no problem, but was so tired that I totally crashed out in my room for like 5 hours.

I got up and decided to grab some food.  It’s interesting, they don’t seat you here – you walk in and help yourself.  Furthermore, they wait on you without waiting… so flag them down if you want sometime.

From there, it was back to the room for bed, where I am ready to turn in.  Le sigh, I am exhausted.

More to come.

Choos!

Well, I have been in Germany for just over 5 hours – two of those trying to get my rental car.

I am in the hotel room and exhausted…

Gonna take a nap and will expand on the experience a little bit later.

Well – I am in route to Frankurt right now, and am flying over New York as I write this, just south of Syracuse.  Technology is amazing isn’t it?  We’re traveling at 37,000 feet at 628 land miles per hour and it is currently -63 degrees farenheit outside.  We have just under 7 hours before we arrive in Germany, which is still over 3000 miles away and it is currently 12:23am Sunday morning.

It’s so funny to people watch when you travel, and notice how people interact with one another.  I understand working in the public sector has to be difficult – I mean people can be jerks.  But at what point does working with the public jade you to the point that it is difficult for you to just be friendly?

Case in point, boarding the flight from Austin to Dallas this afternoon.  The flight attendant is walking through first class asking if passengers would like to keep their jackets on.  He’s doing this in an indirect general annoucnement.  At one point, this guy goes “Here you go…” and the flight fairy just looks at him… and pauses.  “I asked you and you didn’t say anything.” Baffeled, the passenger looks at him and says “Well, I’d like to just hang it for now.”  This made Flight Fairy unhappy. “I asked and you didn’t respond, and now you want me to hang it?”  Mind you Flight Fairy had just moved one seat past this poor guy.  I didn’t get it but moved on.

Thank God I sat next to a normal person.  Tony was a finance student on his way to take some certification exams in Boston and was studying his hot little body to the bone.  We had a nice little chat about Time Driven Activity Based Costing – the foundation of my company’s software, and a new concept to Tony he just happened to be reading about.  If only he had played for my team, it was a Hollywood meeting for two husbands.

On the 777 to Frankfurt, the overhead bins are MASSIVE.  Well Flight Attendant Sally Short Shit was trying to close a bin and couldn’t reach so she dully asked this guy to stand up and close the bin.  Now I will give you this – most people know how to close a bin, but these are hydrolic, and not the standard “close the lid” bin.  After gawking for a few minutes, Sally Short Shit quips “If you move out of the way, I’ll do it myself”  So Infrequent Flyer steps back in the seat, expecting this is enough room for Sally to work in.  “You’re not out of the way. Out of the way would be the aisle.  Now if you would step out of the way, I will take care of it myself.”

Wow Sally – Welcome abord Flight 70 to Frankfurt.  We hope you enjoy your flight and are able to remove that stick from your ass during our inflight movie.