Budapest

It's Sunday here in Budapest. I just got back from church. I arrived yesterday. Their were eight company employees on my same flight from NYC to Budapest. To state it mildly, they weren't too happy when I got a complimentary upgrade to first class and they stayed in coach. Hey, they can fly 100,000 miles a year and I'm sure they'll get the same thing! It was nice. I got five hours of sleep in the seat that came close to a full horizontal recline.

Yesterday, we went walking around the city. Visited the Buda castle/palace, a large ornate church, and the labyrinth (a series of connected tunnels under the castle -- it was cool). Today is raining, which isn't too much fun. Church service was a little international, English-speaking branch with about 15 members. The block is only two hours long -- no Sunday school. I got a chance to bear my testimony during Sacrament meeting. It was nice.


Tomorrow I have a marketing meeting with my European team members, then a golf tournament in the afternoon, and a welcome reception tomorrow night. The conference then begins Tuesday morning.


Here are some pics for you to enjoy. Steph and Jeremy, I thought of you guys a ton since you've already been here and probably saw all the same things I have.


I love you all!




This is the view looking across the Danube river out of my hotel window.

Cool part of the wall that extends from St. Matthews church.

Inside the Labyrinth -- it takes about 30 minutes to walk through all the connected tunnels.







St. Matthews cathedral.

A shot from the Buda side of the river (the river actually divides the two cities -- Buda and Pest. The ornate building in the background is the Parlament building.

Part of our group. I think we'll have about 60 employees here for the event.

The entrance to the church. Also the institute building, mission office, and mission home.

This was kind of cool. This cable car is how you get up the hill. There are two cars and the gravity of the car coming down, pulls up the car going up.


Kaz and me at church.

Inside the Labyrinth, they had bungie cords lit by a black light that formed a maze like the high-tech lazer security on Mission Impossible or Oceans 11. I had to try it. It was fun, and then the tunnel kept going back and was very dark. A little creepy, but I would love to play in this place at night after it closes!

New Zealand pics...(more)

Yesterday and today were both filled with meetings (two presentations to two different customer groups yesterday and an all day meeting with an analyst today). Flew to Sydney last night. Slept well last night. The hotel is very run down (oh well). Tomorrow I give two more presentations to customers then fly to Melbourne tomorrow night to do the same thing there on Thursday. Then an early morning flight home on Friday (yay!!!!)

Here are some additional pictures from New Zealand

New Zealand pictures...

The guy in the black shirt is the guy who sold me the item for the cabin. He doesn't own a computer :-)

The two shots on the water are from the ferry ride to Waiheke Island

Some of the cool carving at the Mauori exhibit.


Sunrise Sunday morning in Auckland from my hotel window.

See I told you I really did go to church!

New Zealand -- Makes my top five places in the world

I love New Zealand. These have to be the most genuinely friendly people I have ever met. Wow. And what a beautiful country!!!! I'm sure this post will get a bit lengthy, so thanks for reading.

On Thursday, I flew from Tokyo to Seoul to Auckland. I had one meeting Thursday moring in Tokyo, then raced for the train station. As I left our office (wish I had a picture of it), all eight of our employees were jammed into the doorway saying goodbye. The managing director got me on the train. 2 1/2 hours to Seoul, a very quick connection that I wasn't sure I was going to make, then about 12 hours to Auckland. I arrived here around 8:30 a.m.

Trying to be a good missionary, I engaged the cab driver driving me to the hotel to a discussion about the Church...only to find out that he is a Stake Partiarch. Small world!!!

My room wasn't ready, so I checked my bags and went to an internet cafe to handle a couple of business items. I came back, got checked in, dropped off some laundry, and was off to see the sites before noon.

I took a ferry to Devonport and then took a tour bus around the island and to the top of Mt. Victoria with 360 degree views. Devonport is a beautiful little town of 8,000 people. They already have a chocolate shop, so I guess moving here and staring one is out of the question.

I saw the local Rugby team who stayed at my hotel.

Friday night I walked down to the water for dinner. There is a huge sailing regatta (race) going on -- the Louis Vitton trophy. Friday night it was down to four teams. While I was there, the Italian team had just finished and arriving (they had won and made it to the finals). I talked to them, high-fived them on their win and was right in the middle of it all (as if I know anything about sailing -- right about now Robyn is shaking her head and mumbling, "oh Joe..."). It was fun! By Friday night I had had about 2 hours sleep in the last 32 hours so I was exhausted. I crashed and slept for about 10 hours.

Saturday morning....off to Waiheke island by ferry. I takes about 45 minutes to get there. I then boarded a bus and round around the island, hopped off at an outdoor market (bought a great item for the cabin), became best friends with a local guy and another guy from Northern New Zealand, met a girl who was backpacking across Asia for six months, ate two bites of some nasty meat pie, then caught the ferry back to Auckland.

As soon as I got off the ferry, I dashed for the bus and went to the Auckland museum, which was open for a couple more hours. Great exhibits, especially the one on the native Mauri's.

Then I caught the bus back to my hotel (or near my hotel) and relaxed for an hour or so. I wanted a quick dinner, so I went around the corner to a pizza and pasta place. I saw one of the New Zealand sailing team members and asked him how they had done. They made it to the finals and had beaten the Italians in the first race (I think it is the best of seven). Then back to my hotel and to bed (or fell asleep watching the movie Bewitched).

Today is Sunday and it was awesome! The Patriarch cabie had shown me where the church was. It was about a 20 minute walk (I'm sure I've walked 10 miles in the last two days). I got there just before 9 a.m. and church was about ready to start. EVERYONE is friendly. EVERYONE talks to you and introduces themselves. It was great. What a recharge for me. Good talks and comments that strengthened me.

I then walked back to my hotel and jumped on here to get this post out. Work will be very busy for me for the next four days, but I'll try and get one more post in there. Tomorrow night I fly to Sydney, Wednesday night to Melbourn, and Friday morning HOME!

I'll get pictures posted shortly. I have a lot of interesting ones.

I whine about the travel that my job requires, but I admit seeing New Zealand is quite a perk. And....I don't have to go by slow boat. I'm safe. I sleep in nice hotels. So I need to stop whinning and be a bit more grateful.

I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Japan -- The subway

One more story...

I had my first true Japanese subway experience yesterday. The train stops, it is full of people, we go to get on. I didn't think there was any room for us. Not only was there room for us; there was room for another hundred people. I was at the door and all of a sudden there is this surge that pushes you into the train car. You are packed as tight as can be. You don't need to hold on, because there is no where to fall. Serious -- bodies jamed into every inch. I makes NY seem tame. It was all I could do not to start to laugh :-) Oh yeah, and hope you don't need to exit before everyone else. I'm not sure how we would have accomplished that.

Japan Continued

I leave Japan later today, headed to New Zealand (and English speaking people!)

Yesterday was a packed day. I had a press conference with eleven journalists. The two most interesting points was that it was translated word for word. So I would speak 2-3 sentences and then pause for my interpreter to translate it into Japanese. The second thing is that try to Japan, then take a lot of pictures. So while I was presenting, the camera flashes were going like crazy. It was fun and went well. I also presented to a group of 12 resellers, did a one on one interview with a magazine, and had two other meetings with vendors.

Last night for dinner I went out for barbque with my Japanese marketing guy. I figured it was safe since I've had it before. It is pretty cool. You select what meats you want to order, they bring them on plates and then you grill them at your table. All the items are usually thinly sliced. Well....the first thing that comes out is tongue! Sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone, but I'm not eating that! Speaking of offending...the night before we went to a restaurant with nine of us. I stepped up a step onto the floor and you would have thought I was about to step onto a land mine. "Noooooooo!!!!!" I jumped back off. I didn't know you were supposed to take your shoes off before entering the main part of the restaurant. Hopefully I don't start any international incendents before I leave.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy.

Japan!

No pics yet. I'll try and post a couple tomorrow, but now I'll catch you up on my first day and a half.

The trip didn't start off so well. I forgot this it was daylight savings time and I missed my flight. The airport was crazy and I would have missed it anyway because I mis-calculated the time that I needed to leave. Anyway, I scrambled to the airport then stood in line for an hour. They got me on a later flight and I ended up arriving in Tokyo only about 30 minutes later than planned.

On the flight I sat next to an LDS guy from China. I'll have to fill you in on the stories of the church there. He was a great guy!

Monday night I arrived, went to catch the train into the city and found that there had been an accident and the train was shut down. So I took the bus and made it to my hotel safely. I checked in (the third credit card finally worked due to fraud protection), was escourted to my room, the room key didn't work, had to wait, got the right key, opened the door into an occupied room. I finally got the right room then met my neighbor, also here on business, and we had a great Korean barbque dinner with someone that works for him here in Japan.

Didn't sleep well Monday night, but oh well.

Woke up Tuesday morning, knelt down to say my prayers when the building started to shake. It was a 4.6 earthquake. Not sure where it originated, but nothing too tramatic. Went to the office and worked all day with several meetings. Tuesday dinner was a 15 course (yes 15) traditional Japanese dinner with our office staff (nine of us). I think I ate all but two of the items. I survived.

Tomorrow, I give a press conference to ten journalists. I need to get up early to practice my presentation. Should be fun.

The trip sounds a bit crazy, but all in all, its going just fine. Tokyo is a cool city. I like the people I get to work with here. I love you all. I'll try and post again tomorrow. Love, Dad.