Play by Play while on the ground.

1. Deplane – iPhone is blasting The Killers into my brain.  I didn’t sleep at all flight long – so feeling a bit tired – need the stimulation.
2. Head towards customs – no paperwork needed – while the guy check my passport I do the currency shuffle – I have Thai, Singapore, Japanese Yen, Canadian, and a few currencies I don’t recognize – found EU – crap but only 60.  RMB goes into my cash stash out of my wallet – EU is now replaced.  The guy waves me through.
3. Luggage is already out- benefit of the first class – less waiting.
4. Get SMS.  Its M….   Message “Hope you had a good flight.  Welcome to Germany!” – I think that this is the kind of people I want to do business with.
5. Get SMS from a friend in Beijing – so far away but still connected – small world.
6. Quick stop at bank machine – pull 500 out – should last me this trip and replenish my cash stash.
7. Taxis are readily available right outside the door – The guys know the hotel.   Good.  I reply to M… that I have arrived.  SMS over to a friend in Beijing.   Juice up the music a bit and roll out the window.  Its 12deg C, and the cool air feels good.  The Benz taxi is speeding down the auto-bahn.
8. Arrive at Maratim.  Thank god – a proper hotel.  Last time I stayed at Ramada – and it was hell.  Just not a 3 start boy.
9. In the room – setup laptop – t-mobile wireless is around – great.  29EU gets me 30 days.   I already have account from last time, but need to refill the account. I’m on.
10. M… SMS’s – he wants to bring his PA to meetings to keep minutes.  We must be thinking the same way.  On the way I had put together the agenda for the day – and made a note to keep minutes of the meeting.
11. I VPN into Beijing and shoot the Agenda over to M….
12. I check my odesk job – yes, one guy.  I hire him – he is supposed to do prelim research on Germany website hosting.  He is India – crap – usually means slooooow.  I msg him and tell him to get this to me in 12 hours.   I will be lucky if I get it in 3 days.
13. Dad MSN’s me – “Where are you?” – we do a quick catch up – all is good home in Canada.
14. I skim my emails for criticals  – no critical – good.
15. I have now been in Germany for 1.5 hours.
16. Its 7PM – feeling a bit floaty –but want to go for a walk.    Fire up my Iphone and download GPS maps of local area – looks like there is a forest near by.    Its cold – I only have sneakers and one T – no jacket.  I improvise, and stuff 2nd T on top – off I go.
17. Its beautiful, forest smells great – and the Killers are still blasting – I’m in the overtired mode – great – my engineering side is turned off – so my brain is firing off in the ‘creative’ mode.   I’m thinking through next 5 years – I can see things unfolding – the plays I need to make.   Thinking of HK, and my trip there.   Finally establishing banking relationships.   Go through my head about valuations, and share structure.   Love it – its solid – and give me options.  I play with all the options in my head – employee VC plan, dilutions, exit.   Tired = creative.  I take it all in.  German forest goes by.
18. GPS saves my butt – the forest is great – but on the way I get a bit turned around – but GPS guides me home
19. In room at 8:30PM.  Order chef salad – rescan email for anything urgent

– there is one for EO – I email to the board to ask if anyone can help me out since I will be pinned for next couple days.

Its now 9PM – still a bit early.   I fired up “LOST” and catch an episode.  10PM lights out.  Feeling on top of my game.