travel: bc on the road part 2

Bright and early Monday morning I spilled out of Heathrow airport and stumbled into the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station in London. For those of you unfamilar with it, Paddington is one of those grand old railway stations with the soaring curved roof, lots of folks wandering around, steam chuffing everywhere and the most beautiful light coming from all directions.

Standing on the block-long queue for a taxi, I met Mr. Christopher Robinson (and wife), "just back from the Argentine" where they enjoyed "the most marvelous beef, grass fed beef". I learned that Christopher - a former British Army cavalry officer - would be participating in a parade in The City come Saturday held for the new Mayor of the City. "When I pass by on my grey horse you may holler 'haloo, Christopher'." I will, I think.

The Lennox hotel was a small affair on the edge of Notting Hill (northwest side of London). After a bit of a nap I conference called until 5pm, wandered about for a few hours, then had dinner with my co-workers and Svend from B&K.

Notting Hill is a bit "bohemian" - more on that when I have more time to write.

Tuesday morning was the "event" at the very modern (and very humid) Hempel Hotel - needless to say, I love giving speeches, and this one went well. I am indebted to both Svend from B&K and Alys from IDC for their role in the event.

We caught a cab at 2pm for the Maidenhead office; I got out at Heathrow and managed to get on an earlier Iberia flight for Barcelona. . .which was late.

I rolled into Barcelona around 10:30pm, arrived at the Utell Diagonal Hotel at 11pm, got to my room and found I couldn't turn on any lights. Apparently you needed to put your cardkey in a tiny box to the right of the door to activate the room lights - a useful fact the lovely (but dull) young lady at reception could have told me.

BTW - other than The Rambler, the central bit of Barcelona - restaurants close at 11pm. So I enjoyed an expansive dinner of granola bar, peanuts, beer and a small can of Pringles then fell asleep in the Entirely Modern Room.

And now I find myself on the floor of TechEd, on break while the attendees sit in session and the vendors stare at each other. I am happy to report that Vista looks lovely. I can also report that it takes something on the order of five cups of tea to cut through a voice ruined by the beginnings of a cold. I sound like a cross between Barry White and a consumptive Fozzy Bear.