I finally arrived in Kabul!

Hi all! I just wanted to let you know that I've arrived safely in Kabul about 3 days ago. It is surprisingly much warmer here then expected. When I left Kabul over a month ago, it was still unbelievably cold and snowy ... so this warm and sunny weather is a very wonderful surprise (particularly after the cold and rainy London and Paris).

I've basically jumped right into the job here. I am busy catching up on the last month's activities, and getting the program moving forward. So far, all is well. I am very excited about my team. They are a great group, and I believe the next year will be an exciting one. I will keep you all posted.

I would love to hear from you all, so don't be bashful with the emails!!!!

My Wandering Feet in Paris

I am writing this note to you from an Irish pub in Paris, sitting next to a Dutch couple and being served by a French Canadian … all the while a French priest is chomping on a toothpick at the bar over a pint. This lovely pub serves my much needed Guinness after a long day on my feet.

It all started with a 7am wake-up after not getting to bed until a little after 2am (work-related, unfortunately). I barely made it down to breakfast before leaving for the Eiffel Tower with the Carr Family. I was a bit grumpy, and Therese and gang blessedly left ahead of me while I frantically searched for my money sack (yep, I pulled my first blond card this morning). After freezing our arses off in line to purchase our tickets for the Eiffel Tower, we had a blast. It was totally worth it being one of the first up the elevator … no crowds, no hassle … it was wonderful.

Then we headed to Versailles. Of course, no trip is complete without getting on the Metro in the wrong direction. I pulled my second blond card for the day. I realized this mistake when we entered into one of the more dangerous districts in Paris … do you remember the Paris riots???

In any event, we finally arrived at Versailles. Woo hoo!!! It was not too cloudy and rainy… However, I pulled my third blond card of the day (by the way, it is only noon at this point) … by forgetting my museum pass at the hotel. The lines were at least 1.5 hours long to purchase a ticket and there was no way I was waiting!!! So I decided to ditch Versailles and head back to Paris, where I went to the Chatelet-les Halles area, then on to the Louvre and Notre Dame, where I became the unofficial photographer for all young couples from Britain and Ireland. I stopped by the Shakespeare & Co bookstore to pick up a new book, and wandered around the Latin Quarter.

And now I am here, at this lovely Irish pub. My feet are aching, but I have a freshly poured Guinness in front of me to help alleviate the pain and swelling… :-)

The Rainy Days of London

The title says it all... almost. It leaves out a very important factor. It was damn cold and windy as well. Therese, Jim, the Carr gang and I persevered ... barely. Everyone was reaching deep to stay positive and upbeat. Admittedly, I fell off the wagon several times ... particularly in the mornings. [Side note... I inherited the Pat Sheehan Gotsch syndrome, which involves at times severe anti-morning behavior. There is no cure for it... and not much I can do to stop it once it starts. I recommend staying clear when noted signs are apparent: growling, grunting, shortness, avoidance of any and all kinds of conversations, and most of all, the clasping of the coffee mug as if it is a life jacket.]

There was a lot to see, and the Carr Gang had an aggressive tour schedule. I joined on some of the activities and backed out on others due to either (a) no interest, (b) I could not get my act together in time, (c) I was delayed, or (d) I had to work. When off on my own I pulled my typical move and just skulked about town, getting a little lost, hitting the local coffee shops and basically just soaking it all in. It was fantastic. Yes, there are plenty of great historical things to see in London, but I prefer just checking the scene out and people watching. I like to take the tourist sites in moderation. :-)

When together, we hit some of the obvious spots: Buckingham Palace, the War Museum, the Changing of the Guard, Tower Bridge, the Eye, etc. We had a great time exploring these spots and taking various goofy pictures.

Now off to Paris…