Travelling, always travelling!

People think I have a great job. Well, I do. Selling a life-saving product, AEDS, it is immensely satisfying as well as giving me the opportunity to work with a great bgroup of people. Everyone focusses on the travel though and see me jetting the world in first class and enjoying the finer things in life. However, often the reality is much different. How many hotels, airports and planes can one see in one's life?

Often they all look the same with little opportunity to look around the local area. Of course, sometimes the chance presents itself and there is nothing better than exploring the local sites and culture and taking photos (I am a sucker for humourous or unusal photos as those who follow me on Facebook will know.
It seems as I get older jet-lag takes its toll more readily. I arrived at my hotel in Izmir last night at around 130am and hit the mattress at 2am. I woke up at 1030 am having completely missed breakfast! This is very unusual for me and must have been the cumulative jet-lag from my trips to Bali, USA and Turkey in the space of a couple of weeks.

June has certainly been a busy month so I am looking forward to three weeks off in July to recharge the batteries and get ready for a busy quarter 3.

Travel certainly broadens the mind and I am eternally grateful for having such a great opportunity.

Soccer time!

Yes, it's that time again when all red-blooded males (and some females) get excited. No, it's not the mating season it's the 2010 soccer World Cup (I use 'soccer' so as not to confuse our American friends). Today is an important day of course as England kick-off (excuse the pun) their World Cup campaign with the opening group match against the USA. So here I am sat in my hotel room in Seattle waiting as the clock slowly moves around to 1130 am local time when the match begins. Bit sad really as it's a beautiful day outside which is very welcome after a week of rain.

Despite the USA's participation in the World Cup there doesn't seem to be much excitement here. Soccer will never take the place of American football or baseball (or even basketball and ice hockey) although Seattle is one area in the US where they have a Major League Soccer team, the Seattle Sounders. Soccer in the US appears to be more of a participation than a spectator sport with a huge raft of players at kids and college level.

All over England thousands of fans will be keeping their fingers crossed for victory today so that the team lives up to the usual hype surrounding the English team. Of course, living in Scotland the locals are, in the main ABE types (Anyone But England) and will solidly behind the Yanks today seeing as Scotland have, once again, failed to qualify for a major tournament.

So, all you soccer fans sit back and enjoy and let's ride the roller-coaster that is English national football and try to end 'forty four years of hurt' - 1966 being the last and only time England won the World Cup.