The fist 24 hours...

The first 24 hours have been something special to say the least. We have had both our triumphs and our challenges. But really the first rule in traveling is being willing to adapt. I have been fortunate to ravel, but here is a different animal. Not only do few people understand English, but even fewer care that you are speaking it them. With a conversion of rate of 19 to 1, all of the math starts to make your head hurt. But then again I am in Prague, and I will take all of those challenges any day if this is the outcome.

So this all started in a very good way. I have to carry an enormous pelican case full of equipment. We didn’t want to take the chance of it not getting here via Fed-ex, so I checked it on to the plane. Remember this part of the story later and I have a feeling you will be able to taste the irony. The point behind all of this was I didn’t have to pay a fee to get this thing on the plane. Here is my first shout out to United.

So then we are off to security. Even though we are getting out of the country, we are still in one of the nations busiest airports on the kick-off weekend of summer. The positive to this is there are very few business men travelling, so we breeze through security. The only real moment of tension came from trying to decide which line would be faster. Longer with no stroller or shorter with one in the line, we went longer and won!

Then the best treat of all came. Through some act of divine intervention United felt they should upgrade me to business class. I win again! So I settled in to my seat that laid flat and browsed through the amenity bag. Nice touch, so this is what the extra two grand is all about. I was a charlatan in the king’s court. But, by the end of the flight I was one of the crowd, spoiled on fresh fruit and comfortable pillows.

After discovering a potential business opportunity, I found myself in London. Half way between terminal one and two we ran in to our client. We joined up with them, went through the customary security procedures, boarded the flight and settled in for my second nap of the day. Waking up I found myself listening to Matt Nathanson and looking out the window to see the beautiful countryside of the Czech Republic.

We touchdown and I begin to panic a bit. Either I was asleep and missed when they passed out the customs form, or something is wrong. After some inquiry I find out no customs form was distributed. I am the guy who likes to fill out on the plane and be ready to go. So after a couple of hallways we end up at customs. Come to find out all you have to do here is show them you passport. No paperwork! Other countries, take note, it was so easy and was still a topic of discussion almost 12 hours after we cleared.

This is where the good fortune took a turn for the worse. The big box comes out along with my bag, but after 30 minutes, Sandy’s bag is no place to be found. After fumbling our way through baggage claim we get some resolution. The resolution was, they have no clue where the bag is! Some 12 hours later we find out it never left IAD and that it will be here tomorrow afternoon.
Off to the hotel! After having a great cab ride where we saw the castle and the river, we made it to the hotel. Not what I thought it would be, but hey, it is a place to put our head. Or so we thought, until we got walked. They only had us down for one room despite us paying for two. Come to find out the own several apartments in old town and they are willing to put us up there for our stay. The building is a little shady, but it is safe and in a great location. They have been renovated and I find the accommodations very satisfactory.

So after all of that we decide to hit the streets. Three and one half hours later we had covered the better part of Prague. This city is so beautiful and a must for anyone who likes architecture and design. Life just seems a bit slower here. I will let the pictures I posted on Facebook do the talking.

After going to see the client and take care of some business, we needed to go shopping. Sandy got some stuff for tomorrow, and I think she is really happy with what she purchased more on that tomorrow. I then did my favorite thing when travelling, hit the grocery store. This apartment is already working out well. Nothing like buying products based on aesthetics because you can’t read a damn thing on the label. After being brought back our new homes in a beuatiful new Audi A6 I was done for the night.

Just finished my laughing cow cheese and aloe drink, for the record, tasty but the lumps are distrurbing. Well that sums up things for now. I am ready to hit the sack, but I am sure we certainly will have plenty more to talk about tomorrow. Hope all is well back in the states!