Internet is not that accessible in Europe

I really don't want to find out how much the data roaming charges will sum up in my T-Mobile account. But my BB was sometimes the only way to have access to internet, work e-mails and yes, have to admit it, Facebook. I posted almost every day to Facebook and my blog in spanish (for all those good people who reject joining it)and uploaded my pictures, almost daily. It seems family and friends were following me and kind of wondered what happened when I wasn't posting anything.

So far I had to pay for internet in both hotels I've been in Madrid, (both four stars), had to pay zero, zippo, for excellent internet in both IBIS hotels we stayed in France (two stars), paid in one of the two hotels I stayed in Italy (both terrible connections)... Picasa greatly helped, I had little time and energy to dedicate to the task... But it worked...

I am on my third week in Europe and have visited four countries and around 12 cities. Later this week I'll end my trip in my beloved Germany, to get some rest from my vacations... I'll be posting some of the interesting things (or uninteresting) I was able to see or do in this trip.





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Made it to Madrid

I realized this was a holiday weekend when I got to the airport in Houston and later in Newark. Specially when I got to the plane to Franfurt and there wasn't a free place. Luckily I was so tired because I hadn't gone to bed the night before, that I had no peoblem sleeping Only problem was that my flight to Madid was leaving at 4pm and I got to Frankfurt at 10 am. The airport was full of people an it was not easy to figure out where I had to check in. Once I did, and got to the humungus Lufthansa terminal, I followed the example of a couple of american tourist and took a wonderful nap on top of three chairs. While I got there I noticed the smoking areas, that were rooms with glass rooms. Ughhhh . Depressing. I also wondered why at the aiport you can't finnd bratwurst or currywurst those wonderful wieners or whatever they are called in english.

I
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Digital era travel challenges

I have to catch a flight in a few hours to Newark, then Frankfurt and Madrid. I still haven't finished packing. And then I have to go pick up my passport to the German Consulate, because although I am a permanent resident, as an ecuadorian I am a second class citizen to European countries. I have to get a visa. I had totally forgotten about picking it up. Thank God I checked...

I already packed my clothes, but still need to pack all my gadgets. I didn't realize they were so many... This digital era is complicated! We are going to drive, so we need a GPS. Also my father and brothers, and specially one of them, need to be connected all the time, so I had to get one of those usb sticks, a personal hotspot, unblocked phones to get SIM cards, etc. Also I will take my Kindle (which I only use and enjoy when I am in an airplane), ipod, camera, SD cards, card readers, adapters, and cables, and cables, and cables.

The truth is I need to be connected all the time too.. need to make wire transfers and call payroll and stuff. In small companies you do it all.

And it's the first time in at least a decade that I travel without a Mac (Powerbook, then Macbook). I find that even the 13 inch is heavy.. So I got one of those cheap and nice Asus Eees. I first learned of them from one of my brothers. I am kind of mad at Apple because they haven't made netbooks yet, and the Macbook Air is way too expensive.

Well now off to try to catch my flight. I have a bad record of losing them... Twice because I went to the Continental Presidents Club... and forgot to check the time... so I haven't set foot on one of them since.
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