One final jaunt across the pond...

December 8, 2008- So in my final trek over the Atlantic this year, I started in the UK, Birmingham to be exact. I spent two sunny, yes, I said sunny days in England. It was a busy couple days attending the motorcycle show. Our booth looked great and I had some good meetings with our team from Britain. So after some fish, chips and a Carlsberg beer, I was off for Geneva and my search for housing in France.

So 6:14am, the alarm goes off. I grab my English breakfast and a cab to the airport. Of course, I am more than 2 hours early for my flight. It's just the way it is. So after 2 hours of waiting, we get the announcement that our flight is delayed. No big deal, but I only had a one hour layover in Paris between flights so I was a little worried. So we leave one hour late and after we landed 10 minutes ahead of our later scheduled time, I am thinking I can make this flight.... Until I see us parking on the runway and the bus waiting for us. So most of us have connections and unload the plane in record time, except for the mom and grandma with 1 year old daughter who are taking their sweet old time. I am calm at this point because I called our travel division and found out that if I missed my 1pm flight I had a 3pm, 4pm or 5:30pm option. So I am not freaking out. Plus those of you who know me at all know that I rarely freak out.

So we load the bus, get to the terminal and it is 12:43. I was pushing it. I got through the long security line and did the Home Alone sprint to my gate, where the woman told me I was too late. So I got to kill 2 hours in the airport and caught the 3pm flight.

This is now the deep part of the blog- So as we are flying into Switzerland, I am amazed by the beauty of the land. The dark peaks of the Alps peaking through the soft layer of clouds, the snow sticking to the forests of evergreen trees, the lake glistening in the sun. And behind all of that lied the entire mountain range, covered in snow. The rolling hills leading up to it remind me of the Sound of Music. The snow ends as the elevation gets lower and reveals green hills and cliffs overlooking a winding river. At this point I am beginning to realize how spoiled I will be for 6 months of my life in France. I love nature and the beauty of this world and what I saw today got me excited for all I will experience. End of deep part of the blog.

So after gettimg my bag (which made it on my flight!!), I get my rental car. Now someone must have told them how cool I am because I got a pretty kick butt vehicle. I'll post pictures tomorrow. But I start my supposed one hour drive to the hotel in Chamonix at 5pm. Oh wait, people get off work at 5pm. Crap. So I got to experience traffic in Geneva, while trying to follow the GPS and find the darn freeway. So after 1 hour and 45 minutes I made it safely. I wish it would have been light out, but all I could see on either side of the road were snow covered peaks. There is snow all around and the little town I am staying in a little ski resort town. The shops look gorgeous and I am excited to go venture out in the morning and check out the town. I am meeting my consultant at 11am to go look at 5 properties. I will post pictures tomorrow of the area and the apartment I choose.

I will blog more at the end of my trip.

Thanks for checking in and check back soon for the second annual Holiday Blog!