Where did 2012 go?

 

 

Should Have Done A Lot More of That......

 

 

 

Instead spent most of the year at the airport.....

 

 

 

It is now Christmas time and I am finally home for the holidays. I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas.....

 

 

As the weather gets colder I will be updating you on all the crazy things that happenned in 2012 (met Cher at LAX, a hotel room with someone already in it, and so much more).

 

 

 The best is yet to come!

 

 

 

Please follow my Blog for updates, happy 2013!



Traveling Requires a Sense of Humor

   In a season of airport closures and widespread cancellations and delays I have found a sense of humor the only way to combat the stresses of it all. In my last two International trips, about 18 different flights, only 2 were on time!

   Sometimes the cancellations were ok because it meant more time to sitesee which was the case in Italy during the Christmas holidays. Often though it meant a ton of stress just trying to make sure my house of cards don't totally crumble. I trip this year I was rerouted on three different flights, missed two connections, and ran full spring just to make two planes. When did traveling get so difficult?

   As I took the above picture at the Franfurt airport a few weeks ago I had to laugh. Here's it is snowing, most of the flights are delayed many cancelled, yet here I am the luckiest girl in the world. Early in my career a friend told me "on every business trip make sure you leave the hotel at see something at least once". I thought the advice was silly at the time and I haven't always done that until now. In Sweden I saw beautiful Gotenburg, in Copenhagen I enjoyed the downtown (eventhough it was 10 below), in Belgium I spent several nights enjoying the beer and chocolate downtown, and my favorite so far has been Italy. There I was able to really enjoy Milan, Verona, and Rome at Christmas something I think everyone should do at least once.

Here's what I learned after over a 100,000 miles of travel in 2010: the most important item to pack when traveling is a sense of humor because if you don't it will drive you mad!

The Trips have began....

Don't worry I am not asking you to iron but after being in three countries in two weeks I had some serious ironing to do when I arrived in Osaka. Much to my dismay the hotel I was staying at didn't have any irons for guest to use. Instead the front desk clerk escorted me outside and down the street to use the iron in the service building. I can't make this stuff up.

So here I am holding my clothes, walking down the street in Osaka Japan, the only 6'1 blond woman anywhere. I couldn't help but giggle. Life can certainly be an adventure. The ironic part of this story is the service building was nicer and cleaner than my hotel room. I would have much rather stayed there!

When I first started traveling for the racing I compete in I never really took the time to see the sites. I would fly in, practice, race, and go right home. Now that I am given another chance to travel I am going to make sure I smell the roses along the way. I knew the chances of me returning to Japan are slim so I made sure to see as much of beautiful Osaka as I could.

Some of the most unique things I saw in Osaka were:
-Vending machines on literally every corner which sold liquer, food, soda, smokes, and about anything else.
-Apartments are everywhere and appear to be where everyone lives. Seeing laundry drying outside of most apartment buildings is something I haven't seen since I was a kid.
-Such narrow streets that often two cars couldn't pass.
-Little to no English spoken or written and I only saw three Caucasians (at the airport) the whole time I was there. Not exactly a tourist spot for Americans. This is probably why the hotels were not up to my standards. I prefer a bit bigger and clean.
-Since the people there are so small I couldn't fit into any of the clothes or shoes I tried on.
-Good luck trying to ride the trains unless you speak very good Japanese. Nothing is in English, there are very little signs and none that can be even guessed about. I didn't know I was supposed to give my receipt to the man at the end of my train ride. Who knows maybe there is a warrant out on me or something....

I loved the Osaka temple and castle, what breathtaking beauty. Plus I had to buy some good luck sachets along the way. You never know they may just work.

Next stop Berlin, Germany......

No Pot of Gold.....

As I am driving through San Diego I see this most beautiful site. A rare double rainbow. It is so bright that pictures don't do it justice. Since I had never seen one before I pull over and take some pictures. Pretty incredible site! I am ashamed to admit what I did next but I got back on the freeway and started driving toward the rainbow. As I got closer I secretly wished there would be something special at the end of it. The problem though.....I could never find the end.

Michael Jackson's Memorial

I can't say that I am the biggest Michael Jackson fan anymore. Sure I had all of his albums back in the day but his personal life turned me off on his music a long time ago. I remember when he died I was racing in Canada and the news was everywhere. I couldn't turn on the TV, radio, or Internet without there being a tribute.

When I arrive home I saw on the news there would be a lottery to get into his memorial service in Los Angeles. I decided what the heck and entered for tickets that night. Let me say I am not a lucky person. I have never hit the lottery, won a contest, or even won any of the many raffle ticket drawings I have entered.

Imagine my suprise when I found out I had been chosen out of tens of millions of people who had applied! I am still in shock I was chosen. So I took the afternoon off and drove to Dodgers Stadium to pick up the tickets in what could only be described as mass hysteria. Once there they gave you a wristband which they put on you and a ticket, that's it. My fiancee and I were embarking on a once in a lifetime journey!

Once there you weren't allowed cameras so cell phone cameras had to make due. There was no announcer or MC and you never knew through the ceremony who was coming on the stage next. Michael's family all spoke, many of his friends (the highlight being Brooke Shields), and the music was the best I have ever seen. Stevie Wonder couldn't stop crying but still tried to sing. Mariah Carey was bad but it didn't matter.

I think Usher was the most poignant though. Half way through his song he walked down to MJ's casket and began sobbing. It was a extremely emotional day for everyone there, even for me. As I walked out of his memorial cermony I was struck by the fact that I actually was there. I was able to witness when the celebrities and family walked into Staples Center many walked all the way around the center just to waive at the rest of us. I was able to see the tens of thousands of people who were lined up outside just to get a glimpse of his casket.

It was a sad day. On our way home we listened to MJ's best album ever "Thriller".....its brings back so many memories and its the way I like to remember him....

Here Goes Nothing....



The Road Less Traveled


Sure I was the editor of my school newspaper but when it comes to writing a blog its pretty daunting. My friends have convinced me that people would find my stories fun too so here goes nothing....

I work for a Medical company and in July was promoted to run all of our International business. That means lots and lots of travel all over the world. I feel pretty comfortable with the United States because I have visited 47 out of the 50 states. When it comes to anywhere else, well not so much. I speak only English and Spanish fluently (hey I was born, raised, and spent my whole life in California what other languages are there).

I plan to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel the world. Why not enjoy the ride together?