And she's OFF...

I'm currently typing this entry from the lounge at Terminal 5.  I am right where I should be living it up in the lap of luxury munching on kettle crisps and drinking a glass of cold Chablis.  The departure lounge for club and first class passengers is cool, there is a cinema, a plethora of drinks, a bar with a barman and more importantly everything is FREE.  I need to make sure I am not buzzing even before I get on the plane as that would not be good during a 13 hour flight!

I have to keep reminding myself this is not a holiday as I am slipping into that mindset.  If you could see me now in my tatty converse trainers, flowered carry on holdall, mismatched top and and trousers I look as far away from a business traveller as you could possibly get. You can take the girl out of economy but not economy out of the girl. The only negative points about the club lounge is that the magazines are rubbish where is vogue,hello etc that you get in the Eurostar business lounge?! Who wants to read business magazines? I fear I may have to excuse myself from this lounge and go and join "le grand public" and actually buy my own magazines - quelle horreur.  Also what's up with bringing kids into these lounges.  Apparently they are only allowed in the business class lounges not the FIRST class ones.  You know what's coming - I need to travel first class next time!

There is the ELEMIS day spa here in the lounge but since I am travelling round the world in business class I fear it not worth taking all the benefits at once. Therefore if there is a spa in Sydney I will try it there or even Singapore.

My bags got searched because of a battenburg cake. WYC and I had lunch today with my gorgeous goddaughter and her baby brother. She gave me a M&S cake to take to HK for her relatives. Except the cake nearly didn't make it. I was gliding through security when suddenly my bag was pulled aside. "No" was all I thought:
"Miss please open your bag." 
"Ok"
"Tracy (the security guard screams at the top of his voice so EVERYONE turns to stare at me) it was only a BATTENBURG CAKE FROM M&S"
I felt MORTIFIED. 
The security guard turns to me and says "It looked like a bottle of liquid on the scanner."
That's all right then I say. The only reason I put the cake in my bag was so it wouldn't get squashed and what do I end up with the public humilation!!

Right I am off to go and buy a real magazine and the next post will be from Hong Konggggggggg!

5 Days to go and almost packed!

This is an absolute first.  I am basically packed 5 days to go before catching my plane.  A WHOLE 5 DAYS early.  I am the person who is dusting down her suitcase at midnight and has to be at the airport 4 hours later. For those of you who do not believe me here is the proof:

Impressive!

Je suis FIERE de moi meme. J-5 avant le decolage de mon avion et ma valise est presque fait! Normalement je suis en train de faire ma valise 4 heures avant que je dois etre a l'aeroport mais pas ce-fois ci! Regardez le photo!!

Having now basically packed my suitcase I am nervous about the trip.  However I am looking at it as a holiday.  The weather has been fabulous in Paris and so is getting me ready for the heat and humidity of Asia.

I can't believe it but this is actually happening...eek!

There are cultural difference and then just plain MEANNESS = RADIN!

So last Thursday big boss man was finally in the office.  I explained to him that I read up on business etiquette in China and they exchange gifts.  "Oh" he says.  "Therefore we should give them some gifts from France" I tell him. Without missing a beat he says "take some of the company pens and key chains".  I stared at him disbelief.  This man wants me to take key chains....let me explain.  Those are the things that hang round your neck with the electronic pass attached to it (lanyard).  They are in all likelihood made in CHINA.  I am not taking them.  It is sooooooo CHEAP.  I am off to Galerie Lafayette with the company expenses card I was given for this trip tomorrow to buy some proper gifts so that I won't feel ashamed!

Donc le grand chef a ete au retour jeudi denier...enfin! Je lui ai explique qu'en Chine c'est normale d'echanger les cadeaux.  Il m'a regarde et sans sourire ou blague m'a dit "emmenez les stylos et porte de cle de l'enterprise". J'ai attendu qu'il va me dire que c'etait une blague mais non...les porte-cles qui etaient surement fabrique dans une usine en CHINE. Non mais...demain j'y vais au Galerie Lafayette pour acheter des VRAI cadeaux!

Aside from this I think I am ready.  I have my malaria tablets and tissues

and insect spray.  What more does a girl need - answers on a postcard...

Heaven Help

I am now avoiding reading emails that come from anyone with a Chinese sounding name. I know it will be bad news. Yesterday for example I emailed a site and I received an out of office from the client coordinator for ASIA informing anyone who actually bothers to read an out of office that he was moving back to the USA. It would have been nice to be told....I consoled myself that evening with stinky goats cheese and a 2004 bottle of French red syrah...it helped take the edge off!

Everyone tells me this trip will go well. It has to but I currently I don't see how I will make it through the next 5 weeks and keep my sanity. For example I asked the big boss who do I call if I need to contact someone urgently say 2am and I am locked up in a jail cell in far flung China...he responds "me...but if it is 2 or 3am in the morning send me a text first!" He then gave me his blackberry pin! I have decided to take the direct dials of all the CEO of the group, head of finance....anyone that counts and I will call them all if I get into difficulty.

Today there is a strike on the RER (public transport lines in Paris) just for a change! I am doing my own little strike at work...I have stopped talking. Yes, moi has stopped talking. I have nothing to say. Especially since yesterday I came into the office to see a big wall gawping back at me...no explanation...Friday I was in open space staring at people I don't particularly like and today I stare at wall and my right to light has been severely limited. To add to my woes it is hot here in the office but there is the war of the air conditioning. One person puts it on and then someone gets up to turn it off and then we open the window and someone complains. I just say RIP OUT the air conditioning unit and seal up the windows because it is becoming increasingly tempting to just kick one or two people out of the window. And, yes the windows open all the way!!

Aside from that it is wet and grey in Paris which mirrors how I feel inside. There is the fête de la musique tonight with bands playing all over Paris which will be a welcome distraction from having to actually get on with the practicalities such as packing my suitcase and organising myself....that would be too much!

11 Days to go.....Miss Try-Hane try harder...

I am trying to stay focused on the now but inside I am panicking...HELP! I'm off to ASIA first stop Hong Kong on 1 July. The ship carrying the what, why, when questions of why it is I all alone that is going to ASIA has long since sailed. I begged (the shame of it) and almost cried (more pleaded...I don't do emotions) in front of my boss to let me go with a colleague but no. SO I suppose I should take it as a compliment that he thinks:

a) I am capable of representing his company to people he has never even met!
b) that I am intelligent
c) and independent/survivor and capable of creative thinking (preferable to bullshitting) my way out of any situation!

I am going to visit industrial sites in various locations and try to look knowledgeable. Ha!

I now know how to say hello and thank you in Mandarin.

I am a very fussy eater so I am hoping that aside from this being a round the world tour to remember, it will also act as an amazing diet! Between the dazzling array of food on offer that I won't be eating and the humidity I reckon I will lose 10 kg and come back svelte!! The thought of losing weight and travelling round the world in business class is easing the pain of going to Asia, Australia and Argentina on my own.

I promise to update my blog daily with photos etc. Comments on my blog will be gratefully received since I will be all alone in hotel rooms.