Actually got a good sleep last night. Very surprised when the alarm went off this morning. It’s a good thing I got some sleep because the subject of today’s meetings is very, very boring. It has no relevance to the business we do in Canada but it’s mandatory that I learn it.
The snow finally stopped overnight and, while not sunny, the sky is much lighter than yesterday which helps the whole staying awake fight.
It’s been snowing all day here in Schindellegi where the meetings are being held. Lots of fun walking from the train. I’m sure all the skiers are getting all worked up.
This is what 3:30 in the morning looks like in Einsiedeln Switzerland. Not a pretty sight is it?
I was dog tired last night and hit the sack at 9pm. Slept great – until 1am. Now I’m wide “awake” and dreading the fact that I’ve got a full day of sitting on my ass in a meeting to look forward to.
So what does one do at this time of the morning? Watching TV is an option. The hotel has tiny little TVs with 16 – count ‘em – 16 channels. None of which are in English. Usually you can get CNN International or BBC but not here. I can watch Law & Order with German dubbing (surprisingly good) or these surreal soft-core pornfomercials which include naked tug of war, naked poker, naked rhythmic gymnastics, etc. wrapped around 15 second ads trying to get you to call on your “handy” (cellphone) and talk to beautiful girls who are waiting to satisfy your every aural desire.
I’d love to have a coffee but the idea of in room coffee makers hasn’t made it to this part of the world yet. Everything in the hotel and the town is locked up tighter than a drum so I’m sucking back Coca-Coca Light and hoping for some sort of caffeine rush. The alarm goes off in about 45 minutes and I know I could lay down right now and fall fast asleep.
First day of meetings is over. It started snowing at midday and continued throughout the trip back to Einsiedeln. Very pretty, very much a pain in the ass when you have to walk up steep hills to the hotel. Cobblestone, snow and dress shoes do not a good combination make. Tomorrow I’m wearing my Timberlands (should go well with a tie).
As is the usual, tonight’s dinner will be anything but Swiss. Probably a pizza. It’s not that I don’t like Swiss food; it’s just so dam hard to find. Lots of Italian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Greek …… but hardly any “traditional” fare to be found at night.
Here’s another picture I took yesterday that gives you a little better idea of how much snow they have here.
Switzerland day 2. Ok, I’m here again and it’s very pretty. And cold! Lots of snow.
This picture is from my hotel room in Einsiedeln. The room is cold and the internet connection doesn’t work. Remind me again why I’m so lucky to be able to travel?
At 6:20 pm tonight Air Canada 878 lifts off from Pearson Airport and I’ll be tucked into seat 25K. In just under 8 hours I’ll arrive in Zurich Switzerland. Big farking deal. I’ve made this trip about a dozen times and usually I’m excited, but not this time. I never thought I’d ever feel nothing about traveling but I could really do without this one. It’s another week of training and meetings – been there. It’s another couple of flights in economy – definitely been there. Staying in the Hotel Drei Konige in Einsiedeln – ditto. Everyone thinks that being able to travel overseas on business is the greatest perk available. Everyone, that is, except those who have done it a number of times. Airports are a hassle. Aircraft are cramped, uncomfortable and either too hot or too cold. Trains, even the excellent Swiss trains, just roll along. I’ve seen the scenery and it’s pretty but no longer exciting. Walking to the hotel in snow – hell, I could do that here. Day after day of meetings. No fun there. This could very well be my last trip to Switzerland for quite a while. The economy has my company seriously looking at curtailing these trips. Conference calls, video conferencing or good old emailing are being looked at as alternatives. I don’t blame them. I’ve sometimes felt guilty about wasting their money. I’m not even taking my big DSLR. When the possibility of grabbing pictures of the beauty of Switzerland doesn’t get a rise out of me, then you know the magic is gone. Perhaps I’ll get more excited as departure draws near. Right now, I’m doing laundry and packing – as usual. *SIGH*
Friday the 13th dawns with the terrible news that Continental Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, went down just outside Buffalo last night. 49 people are dead including one elderly gentleman on the ground.
Flight 3407 departed Newark Liberty International Airport at 9:20 pm EST and was approximately 5 miles from touchdown at Buffalo International when it crashed in the small town of Clarence Centre. ATC tapes give no indication of any problem although other pilots were reporting icing conditions.
The aircraft was a Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 built in Toronto. This hits home for me as the Bombardier plant is right beside the Canadian Air & Space Museum and we see the Q’s coming and going all the time. I took the image above in 2007 during our Wings & Wheels Heritage Festival. Bombardier always brings a few planes over and this one was a Horizon Air purchase before being painted.
A sad, sad morning.
Wednesday night. Over the last two nights I’ve had about 4 hours sleep total. I’m dog tired and my boss caught me napping at my desk today. Not good. Not good.
On Monday night I was fretting about a meeting that I attended last night which ended up going longer than I thought. So I ended up getting home late. I dropped off to sleep immediately only to get woken up by the wife’s alarm that got screwed up during one of the numerous power bumps we’ve had this week. Getting back to sleep was impossible.
A good sleep tonight? Perhaps.
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Qantas 747-400 “LongReach” at Heathrow Airport
The venerable Boeing 747 celebrates its 40th birthday today. Up until the introduction of the Airbus 380, the 747 was the giant of the commercial aviation world. She was the first to be called a “Jumbo”.
The 747 will always be my favorite mode of air travel. The size, the power, the sheer majesty of a 747-400 at takeoff always makes my heart beat a little faster than any other airplane. The first time I flew on one was back in the 80′s – a CP Air “Empress”. Years later I had a guided tour of an Air Canada combi (half passenger/half cargo) as it cruised above the Atlantic and then spent 2 of the greatest hours of my life up on the flight deck shooting the shit and drinking coffee with a very accommodating Captain and FO. I’ve been on aging KLM’s, Lufthansa and refurbished British Airways models. I’ve been in coach, business and on the upper deck. I sat in Row 1, farther forward than the flightdeck. Every flight was a memory I’ll always cherish.
The chances of flying on a 747 are still there. Boeing has a new version on the books. I hope to board the beast again.
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