Preparations to go overseas for some time can be expansive. With regard to where you are going you need to know about how to access to a doctor and prescriptions, how wide a variety of food is available (Can you get the essentials like pepperoni pizza?), how Americans are received, whether there are any no-go areas, how tolerant the people are, whether a visa is required after how many days, whether any special immunizations are needed, which, if any, credit cards are accepted, how easy shopping can be (Is Colgate Total available?), and numerous other facts.

But in this case I was lucky because I was going to Romania, a country that I had visited before and liked a lot. I knew the answers to the above already.

When traveling you have to decide on the things you have to bring with you:
-Electric adapter plugs and converter (found my adapters and didn't bring a converter),
-Sneakers for serious walking,
-Working boots (couldn't find the right kind so I didn't bring any)
-Music and books (settled for a very few books, some music)
-Clothes (which, how many?)
-Blank video tapes (bought and brought one)
-Black sox (have to be business-like)
-US stamps (forgot to get some to use to pay bills that are DHL'd home)
-Cheddar cheese (too heavy to bring but sorely missed)

Of course there are the things you need to do before you leave:
-Cancel newspapers (did it a week early)
-Get a haircut (did it early in the week)
-Buy a spiral bound notebook (always have paper on hand)
-Backup files (didn't do it but should have)
-Pack gloves, extra scarf, ear muffs (brought them)

And perhaps most important of all one must be sure to bring all the right electronics, computer, Palm Pilot, digital still camera, digital video camera, and, of course, all the software and peripherals that makes these things kick ass.

*** Thursday, 21 Nov 2002 ***
Departure to DC Day
Up at 4:30 in the morning, 30 minutes earlier than I had planned but still not out the door until 6 AM. It was an easy $40 cab ride to O'Hare. I checked the two largest bags at the curb and got through security with no more than the usual problems.

The trip to Washington National was smooth and I took a cab to my company's headquarters in Bethesda. As we drove along the gray Potomac, I noticed how such blah weather blurs the edges of the monuments on the mall and takes their color away. The cabbie offered me a choice of a fast but more expensive route or a slow (through the city) but less expensive one. Since I was told that I would be going to lunch with several people I took the fast route and ended up with a $45 tab. I was told that people had turned in $65 expense reports for the same trip. A statement about the traffic?

After a lunch meeting at an Asian restaurant, I was given some expense form training (invaluable for an overseas consultant). I had trouble getting a cab to my hotel but finally succeeded.

The big horror of the day was schlepping those four big bags. My largest one -- the blue bag that I once paid $5 for and which won't die) must hold 70 pounds and it was packed full. I had great difficulty in wearing the back pack, putting the black bag on top of the Travel Pro and hauling the blue bag.

I had agreed to meet a friend at 6:15 in the Bethesda Hyatt which was near my hotel. Joe Kelly (not a typo and not a confusion!) found me at the bar imbibing some liquid refreshment. We had dinner at the Pines of Rome which has a wonderful thin white pizza as an appetizer. We talked about old times and common acquaintances for over three hours. It was a delight to see Joe again and hear how everyone in his family was doing. Afterwards, I walked back to my hotel, had a few beers at an adjacent restaurant and then to went to bed.

*** Friday, 22 Nov 2002 ***
Departure for Romania Day
I woke rested and took it as an omen that the trip to Romania would not be that bad.
I walked to the office and met the HR Coordinator who was well informed and clear and I signed lots of forms and ultimately my contract. It felt good to get all the paperwork done.
I went back to the hotel and took a limo to Dulles quite early. The driver was from Cote d'Ivoire and talked about the current sad state of affairs there. He said that the people who were demanding the right to vote were refugees who had been sheltered by Cote d'Ivoire and were not locals. Now they were taking over the country. A sad tale for sure.

Swiss Airlines was the code share for my flight.

In thinking about the misery of the all night ocean crossing -- and my ability to afford it -- I decided that I would be smart to get a business class upgrade if I could. The guy behind the counter, a tall, stately black man with a slight French accent and a sense of humor, told me that I could but that it would cost $900 which my face told him was over my budget. He then said he would ask his Section Chief and came back saying I could have it for $633 which I decided to go with. For an eight plus hour trip it seemed worth it -- as it turned out to be since I saved the project $120 for the third bag I was checking (though I don't think I can recoup this) and I got to sit in the NorthWest frequent flier lounge in the B concourse and drink for free. Heineken on tap helped but I still could not relax. Par for the travel course for me.

*** Saturday, 23 Nov 2002 ***
Arrived Zurich on time after a nearly pleasant flight -- I even got some sleep. I never had so much leg room in my life and the free booze helped as well. Of course my stubble tore the paper towels when I tried to dry my face but I knew enough to brush off the small white leavings.

In Zurich my flight to Bucharest was delayed as I expected. I was miserable because the light told my eye/mind that it was 9 PM but my body only knew about a 2 AM tiredness. I found the gate and parked myself there and checked the scheduled departures every 30 minutes. A good thing as the departure gate was suddenly changed and I had to haul ass to a different part of the airport. (Compulsiveness does have its value.) Thank goodness that Zurich Airport is so compact.

The flight to Bucharest was a quick two hours. I arrived rank and tired in a drippy rain falling reluctantly from a mottled gray overcast. It had rained in Chicago and DC when I was there. Now I was bringing the drippy weather across the ocean.

I navigated baggage claim, customs and immigrations with no difficulty and spotted the sign that said "Joe Kelley" as I came though the exit. I was met by a driver and a representative of the project's real estate agent and driven to a nice apartment with beer and wine in fridge. I couldn't wait to take a shower and shave.

I turned on the TV and I caught the last part of Romania's President Ion Illiescu's introduction of George Bush (who was in the country for about four hours). It was followed by George Bush's brief speech to the gathered multitude in Revolution Square. It was brief and a meringue of a confection but it was exactly what the Romanians wanted to hear: You are part of Europe and the Americans (NATO) will protect you. It went over well. (Later I heard that the event managers had hoped for over 200,000 but less than 100,000 showed up. But then the weather was bad.)

The bright lamps in my bedroom cast shadows on the wall.

I unpacked and wondered how late I could manage to stay up. The answer turned out to be 9 PM. I would have liked to go out for a walk but it was dark and rainy and I had only a vague idea where I was. So I went to sleep on my first night in Romania. A pleasant sleep.