I am on the train travelling to Berlin - we are an hour away - but I have to
tell you I have never seen snow like it! we are in the middle of no where
passing through fields, little towns, farms etc! snow every where, It is
falling atm....... Everything from the powerlines to the trees and fences
are covered in Snow! Something other than Salt Lake City some 4 weeks ago
never en-counted in such mass. Ironic as I type a Barbra Streisand Christmas
Song starts to play. So I will have a nice little white christmas, rugged up
in my nice dark blue jumper from chicago, and my new black Kenneth Cole
Leather jacket I got on sale in New York. Some things occurred to me
yesterday - one was why they have jumpers that have the long role up neck -
always thought they were silly - but well here your neck would freeze!!! and
why my Volvo has seat warmers!!!! LOL your bum would freeze with out them! I
am Spending Christmas in Prague - that people tell me is like Burges in
Brussels - where I loved!!! Can you beleive that I have been away so long!!!
I never thought I would survive! but im doing great! Never know may not
return ;) tim x x x
Saturday, December 22, 2001
Minus 6 and Snowing!
Well cologne was mmmmmmm a touch boring. Most of the inner city of Cologne
or KOLN - was destroyed during world war II, but the Magnificent Gothic Dom
(cathedral) survived no fewer that 14 bombings and it is really the own main
attraction. It boasts the worlds largest church facade. Mind you I tell you
it needs a bloody good clean! other than that there is House #4711 that has
a fountain out the front that dispenses famous scented water (that is
apparently drinkable) and this house was on Eau de Cologne! that is where
the famous perfume name came from! the scented fountain out the front......
But it is now labelled House #4711 due to a Napoleonic system that abolished
street names!!!! .......... Last night was my first bad hotel experience!!!
I stayed at a very nice Renaissance Hotel 5 star! Great rooms! nice and
cosy! Cheap $85US a nite! But bloody hell, the management decided to bar all
access to free calls or 1800 numbers! and as the internet service around the
world uses a german free call I could not connect! Added to this was the
tour guide brochure people contact number was a 1800 free call, and on top,
the telephone card I use to call home (much cheaper) was a 1800 free call as
well! so bam!!! 3 differing ways I could not use it! well we all know what
that would have done to me!!!!!! I WENT CRAZY!!!! reception then to
supervisor then to front office manager, then to duty hotel manager, then
str8t to the top the GM! I was on a mission! How stupid! Why would you
program your PABX not to dial a free call number!!! They all said that it
was the PABX!!!! gezzzzzzz! idiots! so I marched to meet with the GM!!! (I
was so angry) he said that they had charging difficulties as some free calls
in germany are not free calls and charge and they cant charge on to the
guest....... I sat I listened......... I then told him what I thought and
how rediculous....... And then got to the crunch in explaining that there
was a way around in programming the bloody PABX. (this is a F____K__G 5 star
hotel remember) so he got the IT person!!! I felt like I was at work -
wanted to send them a invoice for my time!!!! but explained to all 4 people
(by this time I was at the bar - at a small table - needed a southern - GM
paid !! thank god) Then it all made sence to the IT guy and GM!!! they
understood? How silly! they have had the Free call barring for 6 mths! GM
told me they had a million complaints! but he could not see a way around it!
- any way LOL they had AT&T in programming from what I could see when I left
at 10am this morning!!! (it all sounds like it took me hours - actually was
only about 1 hour - and I got a drink or 2) and yes! I got net access, and
my calling card - they connected me from the GM fone (only one that can make
these calls) LOL well I did good here!! im off again on a train to Berlin!
Snow every where and minus 6 - I wonder how I will go sight seeing in this
weather! mmmmmmm interesting! I love the trains! Just show up with the
eurorail pass to any train going any where hope on and done!!! its great! I
tell you this is the most amazing train! TVs in the back of the seats and
all! very classy! take care and have a safe xmas.... Tim xox
or KOLN - was destroyed during world war II, but the Magnificent Gothic Dom
(cathedral) survived no fewer that 14 bombings and it is really the own main
attraction. It boasts the worlds largest church facade. Mind you I tell you
it needs a bloody good clean! other than that there is House #4711 that has
a fountain out the front that dispenses famous scented water (that is
apparently drinkable) and this house was on Eau de Cologne! that is where
the famous perfume name came from! the scented fountain out the front......
But it is now labelled House #4711 due to a Napoleonic system that abolished
street names!!!! .......... Last night was my first bad hotel experience!!!
I stayed at a very nice Renaissance Hotel 5 star! Great rooms! nice and
cosy! Cheap $85US a nite! But bloody hell, the management decided to bar all
access to free calls or 1800 numbers! and as the internet service around the
world uses a german free call I could not connect! Added to this was the
tour guide brochure people contact number was a 1800 free call, and on top,
the telephone card I use to call home (much cheaper) was a 1800 free call as
well! so bam!!! 3 differing ways I could not use it! well we all know what
that would have done to me!!!!!! I WENT CRAZY!!!! reception then to
supervisor then to front office manager, then to duty hotel manager, then
str8t to the top the GM! I was on a mission! How stupid! Why would you
program your PABX not to dial a free call number!!! They all said that it
was the PABX!!!! gezzzzzzz! idiots! so I marched to meet with the GM!!! (I
was so angry) he said that they had charging difficulties as some free calls
in germany are not free calls and charge and they cant charge on to the
guest....... I sat I listened......... I then told him what I thought and
how rediculous....... And then got to the crunch in explaining that there
was a way around in programming the bloody PABX. (this is a F____K__G 5 star
hotel remember) so he got the IT person!!! I felt like I was at work -
wanted to send them a invoice for my time!!!! but explained to all 4 people
(by this time I was at the bar - at a small table - needed a southern - GM
paid !! thank god) Then it all made sence to the IT guy and GM!!! they
understood? How silly! they have had the Free call barring for 6 mths! GM
told me they had a million complaints! but he could not see a way around it!
- any way LOL they had AT&T in programming from what I could see when I left
at 10am this morning!!! (it all sounds like it took me hours - actually was
only about 1 hour - and I got a drink or 2) and yes! I got net access, and
my calling card - they connected me from the GM fone (only one that can make
these calls) LOL well I did good here!! im off again on a train to Berlin!
Snow every where and minus 6 - I wonder how I will go sight seeing in this
weather! mmmmmmm interesting! I love the trains! Just show up with the
eurorail pass to any train going any where hope on and done!!! its great! I
tell you this is the most amazing train! TVs in the back of the seats and
all! very classy! take care and have a safe xmas.... Tim xox
English?? Do you Speak?
I really am well and truly not sticking to my plan! Not at all like me! I decided yesterday I would get up at 5.30am and catch the train to Luxemburg - as lux is small you can look around quick! then I would come back and do the Brussels tour for the late afternoon and into evening! Have a nice dinner and jump on the 11.53 overnight train to Berlin! I after a long chat with a mate in Sydney I fell asleep at 12.45pm ....... RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING RING IT WAS THE WAKE UP CALL AT 5.30AM ..... It was raining! I couldn't do it!!! I was tired so booked another call for 9am!!! was not sure what I would do! BUT SLEEP was definitely on the agenda! RING RING RING up I got - packed like a Tasmanian devil (from the warners bugs bunny cartoons) spinning around like a mad man! Was at the brekkie table with coco pops and coffee by 9.13am! I almost beat my record! of 10 minutes!! I decided I would do Brussels then Lux, then overnight to Berlin. Well that went out the train window like one on my scarfs from here to Amsterdam ......... The train to Berlin was totally booked!!! every thing!!! first time I have had a issue!! but I guess- xmas and all that! so people getting to their destinations for the weekend and holiday fun! So Lux went out the window as its is hard to get a train from there to Berlin (or any where actually- TRUST ME I KNOW THE EURO RAIL TIME TABLE LIKE THE SONG FROM URINETOWN) so - I decided to take the exciting FASTTRAIN to Cologne for the afternoon and nite! Then go to berlin in the morning! Done! Brussels is a very interesting city! I guess not many people over the world would realise it is such a huge influence and head or the European union! has very strong connections to The Netherlands - Languages are Dutch (57%) French, German. I still had a little of a hard time getting people to understand me! But they have usually just asked a collegue who they know speaks English to help. The tour was great! but very rainy and windy! again some amazing buildings! Brussels houses the worlds largest collections of Cartoons!! The Cartoon Museum!! The hotel I stayed at last night was fantastic! The people were so nice, the room warm and comfortable! The show was great! and all for like $107 australian dollars - and that includes breakfast! As all the trees are bear of leaves - was very cute to see all these birdsnests (empty) perfectly made and sitting on the atop of many of the trees! The Begium Franc is good value to the aussie dollar - just like Holland! It is so different when you travel to check in to a hotel, ask for a cup of coffee, sandwich, buss or train ticket and not have a heart attack at the price - like 3 times in London! and New York (usa) double!
A normal Latte coffee in New York was $6.35 AUD (aussie dollars)
A normal Big Mac Meal in New York was $12.45 AUD (aussie dollars)
A normal Latte coffee in London was $9.60 AUD (aussie dollars)
A normal Big Mac Meal in London was $15.10 AUD (aussie dollars)
I have not had much fast food at all (except my binge late at 2am in London when every thing including the subway was closed! But you see the bill posters every where and it is always interesting to do a like for like comparison. Our dollar is seriously fucked! But if you are good at shopping around and like a bargain (like me) you can get good value airfares (at least now) and Hotels! Mistake that I have made has been planing Europe and not just the key dates like xmas and new years! Some of the cancellations have cost me a small fee! but I have made that up pretty quick in a more economical hotel there at a different time! I do not know what the airlines do in the current economy as well as all the anti flying! I think it is going to better but like in Europe, by the time you take in the 2 and 3 hour check in time, the flight, safety issues, taxis to the city, you can get around Europe often quicker and less expensive! One thing that any company and or airline will have to deal with in the future is DEBT! when the market goes south, and people don't spend, and you have debt - then you cant service!! well HELLO ANSETT!! Why on earth would Low and Fox or the lowlyfox buy ansett, even if they got it for a song, even a $1 they have debt up to their eyeballs to service! They will have a long way to go to compete in my eyes! And then again even a BA or Qantas has debt issues, Qantas's lucky break was Ansetts fall from grace and the opportunity to refinance, and get American Airlines planes at a song! well not really but big discount! (American could not longer purchase & and we know why) Germany Just went into recession, USA is there already Bush thinks that he is on holiday - spending on any thing and every thing! UK soon, Japan! well that's a joke their interest rates at Zero! 0 ziltch! zip! no further can they go trying to motivate spending and activity! Thank god I have no debt! I have a mortgage or 2 but not heavily geared and property can be sold for at least if purchased properly what you paid! Try doing that with a Boeing 747, or a Truck, or a printing press! hard to sell when times are tuff! Australia may scrape through by the skin of the GST motivation, but unlikely, I do believe we may of course get some sniffs and a runny nose when the USA and europe catch a cold! It will be interesting to see what the Euro does in 2002 to other countries! Hard to understand actually, but one currency is easyier! much easier! every thing is priced in Euro now! and they are all pumped up for it! Some areas I think will benefit and others will not - just like our GST - one thing is clear in my eyes, in the current economy and environment it is not a good thing to be introducing! It will cost a fortune for most companies and business to comply with, systems, pricing duel currency! A Bloody nightmare. And any one who ignores it may be left behind! if I was travelling id use Euro 100% The winners will be Visa, Mastercard, and Amex as they are like universal - may even become more cashless. Arrived in Cologne Cya! love tim
A normal Latte coffee in New York was $6.35 AUD (aussie dollars)
A normal Big Mac Meal in New York was $12.45 AUD (aussie dollars)
A normal Latte coffee in London was $9.60 AUD (aussie dollars)
A normal Big Mac Meal in London was $15.10 AUD (aussie dollars)
I have not had much fast food at all (except my binge late at 2am in London when every thing including the subway was closed! But you see the bill posters every where and it is always interesting to do a like for like comparison. Our dollar is seriously fucked! But if you are good at shopping around and like a bargain (like me) you can get good value airfares (at least now) and Hotels! Mistake that I have made has been planing Europe and not just the key dates like xmas and new years! Some of the cancellations have cost me a small fee! but I have made that up pretty quick in a more economical hotel there at a different time! I do not know what the airlines do in the current economy as well as all the anti flying! I think it is going to better but like in Europe, by the time you take in the 2 and 3 hour check in time, the flight, safety issues, taxis to the city, you can get around Europe often quicker and less expensive! One thing that any company and or airline will have to deal with in the future is DEBT! when the market goes south, and people don't spend, and you have debt - then you cant service!! well HELLO ANSETT!! Why on earth would Low and Fox or the lowlyfox buy ansett, even if they got it for a song, even a $1 they have debt up to their eyeballs to service! They will have a long way to go to compete in my eyes! And then again even a BA or Qantas has debt issues, Qantas's lucky break was Ansetts fall from grace and the opportunity to refinance, and get American Airlines planes at a song! well not really but big discount! (American could not longer purchase & and we know why) Germany Just went into recession, USA is there already Bush thinks that he is on holiday - spending on any thing and every thing! UK soon, Japan! well that's a joke their interest rates at Zero! 0 ziltch! zip! no further can they go trying to motivate spending and activity! Thank god I have no debt! I have a mortgage or 2 but not heavily geared and property can be sold for at least if purchased properly what you paid! Try doing that with a Boeing 747, or a Truck, or a printing press! hard to sell when times are tuff! Australia may scrape through by the skin of the GST motivation, but unlikely, I do believe we may of course get some sniffs and a runny nose when the USA and europe catch a cold! It will be interesting to see what the Euro does in 2002 to other countries! Hard to understand actually, but one currency is easyier! much easier! every thing is priced in Euro now! and they are all pumped up for it! Some areas I think will benefit and others will not - just like our GST - one thing is clear in my eyes, in the current economy and environment it is not a good thing to be introducing! It will cost a fortune for most companies and business to comply with, systems, pricing duel currency! A Bloody nightmare. And any one who ignores it may be left behind! if I was travelling id use Euro 100% The winners will be Visa, Mastercard, and Amex as they are like universal - may even become more cashless. Arrived in Cologne Cya! love tim