After a whirlwind morning filled with more introductions, work, and breakfast, I situated myself by the pool. The heat of the sun beat down on me today, with no cool relief from the Mediterranean breeze. I hoped I wasn't getting further burnt under the cover of my 30SPF sunblock and worked on reading my book. Reading really transports me to whatever locale the novel is set in, but I would periodically be drawn back into the luxury of my own exotic Barcelona. I cooled off a few times by swimming laps in the pool, much to the schoolboy delight of the [View Full Entry]

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Dinner was absolutely wonderful! We had quite an international contingent - we were American, English, German & Spanish, with some who had switched countries! Everyone was great - one of our dinner companions is a small man, dressed casually with a dedicated love of football (the European kind, mind you), while his wife was impeccably dressed (matching handbag and shoes), and an admitted shopping fanatic (though I don't know too many women who aren't!). She seemed to sense my nervousness and stood right next to me in a protective manner, which she kept up throughout the night, whenever she [View Full Entry]

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Out by the pool: No, I'm not still out by the pool, nor have I been here all day. I began my morning with breakfast at just after eight in the hotel. We had juice, coffee, Belgian waffles, fruit and bacon. It was great. Afterwards, it was time to attend to some business. We trekked down to the business center, found at the bottom of an elegant staircase, carpeted in a plush brown shag. We discovered that they didn't have the capability to access documents on a USB device as we had hoped, so instead, my dad showed me where the [View Full Entry]

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Well, I certainly can't complain, as I lay here on a cushioned beach chair by the hotel pool. Barcelona is beautiful! We landed this morning, and I watched the landscape creep up, straining my already sore neck to look out the tiny plane window. I was surprised to see the difference in the terrain to the US - the clusters of houses and buildings that dotted the hills and mountains set a stark contrast to the congestion I just left. I watched the huge waves pound the coastline as we came into the airport, which was surrounded by farmland. Barcelona itself [View Full Entry]

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This was the first trip I took to Europe as an adult, and my first trip for what would become my job by that November, so it's interesting to take a look back at my excitement, and the impressions I had. Enjoy! Here I am, ready to be off on my trip! I'm packed, checked in, and waiting in the airport lounge for my trip. We should land in Barcelona in just over ten hours - I'm tired just thinking about it! But I'm excited too. I love that the airport lounge has these huge glass windows where I can watch [View Full Entry]

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The week always manages to get away from me when I'm away on these trips! I am now on the endless flight home, about halfway through. The trip was a total success, so I have departed Bangkok with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. Friday evening was warm and breezy, and the wind lifted tendrils of my hair as I walked along to the barge. It was made of dark, deeply stained wood, probably teak, with an angled roof. A couple of steps up to the dining area led us to a long table flanked by round-back chairs. I situated myself [View Full Entry]

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After a morning meeting that felt as though it dragged on forever, the group gathered to take an express boat to lunch at the Supatra River House. The boat trip was wonderful in its difference to yesterday's tour on the long tail boat. This boat cut through the waves quickly, sending up a wild spray on both sides and a wind that whipped across our faces. it was near impossible to understand anyone around you, so all that was left was to enjoy the scenery! We arrived at lunch and disembarked on a floating dock. Our group had a little alcove [View Full Entry]

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I just returned from our meeting with CDM (our events planners) - both nice, and I think if Khun Chariya gets to warm up to me a little, she will be quite funny. Today, it is hazy and humid - the kind of air that sticks to your skin. It is beginning to be summer here and in fact, the school children are on summer vacation - something I can't quite wrap my mind around. Even with the humidity, I am still enjoying myself. We had breakfast in the Riverside Lounge, a high-ceilinged area just off the lobby that takes advantage [View Full Entry]

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The ink from my pen is practically melting, it's so hot out here! I'm enjoying some sun out by the pool after an adventurous morning on a long tail boat. After meeting up with two of our lawyers for breakfast, we decided to charter a boat and headed out on the Chao Phraya River. Our pilot was Khun Mou, and he guided us through the muddy, trash-filled waters expertly. We went up a canal, waiting first in a lock/loch with about eight other boats - then we were off to the races, cruising through neighborhoods, where beautiful, well-tended houses stood next [View Full Entry]

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We arrived in Bangkok late last night, so in the dark it was difficult to assess the city. It was busy for a Monday evening, with a number of people out on the streets. It felt like any big city, until we reached the outskirts of the hotel. Here, dilapidated buildings of many colors, made out of sheets of corrugated metal, were shut up tightly for the night. It reminded me of the backdrop of the King & I, Siam, which is Thailand's former name. It was a little unnerving. Between our taxi driver's thick accent and our mispronunciation of "Krungthep," [View Full Entry]

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