Dedicated to Evi

I mentioned the occasional people I meet when traveling. 

Most famous are Mr Rubarber and Mr L'Oreal ;-). 

I met Mr Rubarber coming back from Hong Kong through Finland. He was in Business Class next to me and came from China. His job: to buy and sell frozen fruit. He inspects the crops, buys the fruit before it is even existing and sells it before priced on the market... purpose: trying to beat the market. He had just SOLD 4 ton of Rubarber (sorry don't know the English and too lazy to look it up) without having a clue where to buy it and at what price! You have to have steal balls... especially because the money invested in this business was his and another wealthy men's! Bon, the guy was Flemish and funny so we exchanged some mails... however, when I made it clear I wasn't "interested", our premature email relationship died an early death... don't blame me, he was rich but too old for me, and not cute enough ;-)

Mr L'Oreal was a whole different story. I was still working for BNPP IP and coming back from Paris by train, I had just had some time to get some take-away food with me to survive. I decided to eat it at the bar and upon opening my soup I spilled it all over me, the floor, the table... with the most phlegm I could pull out at that time -I didn't blink- I went to the bathroom for paper, cleaned it up and started eating... knowing several people were watching me. Mr L'Oreal was amazed by my calm and started a conversation. We realised we both were traveling the world and decided to try and meet up somewhere. For several months after that, I sent him mails (and he did too) with my schedule, but we missed an opportunity to meet each time. I would be in Hong Kong or Tokyo one week, and he would be the other. One time we set up to meet in Paris, meeting he cancelled for personal reasons... It wasn't meant to be ;-) A pity though... he was even older, but could have let me in on all the beauty tips a director of L'Oreal group must know!

Flight delayed...

Time to reflect on my life...

Not that reflecting is my strongest quality, after all, I am a real blond!

Watching people is actually more fun, especially when stuck in airports. First of all there are people from many different places and I love to guess where they are from. Only thing is I the have to sneak up to them to hear the language they speak to know if I was right. Or try to see their passport... tricky without looking like a freak! 

Secondly it is so easy to separate the occasional travels from the frequent flyers... wondering about, obstructing anyone who knows their way around. One advise to you dear tourists: follow the guy in the suit... he'll get you where you need to be! 

Funny also to watch those who have difficulties managing their stress, yelling at their partners, screaming at the kids, all over the place with pick-nicks... or just sweating (also good to watch people's faces during take off and landing). 

Usually the same people who set off the beeps on security control, do have a large bottle of liquids (don't they read?) and want to go to the bathroom during taxi-ing... really!

Luckily I am flying European, 'cause when it gets to Africa... OMG; but that's another story!

The Dark side of my Traveling

Tuesday morning... early. I take my car, drive to the metro station, leave it there, take a metro to the train station, take the Eurostar. In London, I make my way through the tube and walk to the office. Later that day, I take a taxi to Paddington station, a fast train to the airport and a plane to Geneva. I arrive in Geneva around 22h, walk to the train station, take a train into the city and walk to my hotel: check in time 23h15. You tell me if traveling for business is fun, or glamourous... 

I mostly experience it as exhausting and lonely (and diner-less). 

But sometimes you get lucky and you have the opportunity to meet very special people... randomly. 

Or experience very different situations... unexpectedly.

This little post is dedicated to the random people and situations that brighten my day. 

Details do matter. 

Every time I am in Geneva, I walk across the Pont du Mont Blanc to go from my hotel to the office.
It is gorgeous, the picture was taken with my phone, and doesn't render the beauty of the scene.