Portfolio.com REALLY!! Check it out!

You know that wonderful writer I met on the plane?  She was not kidding, she really did include me in her piece for Portfolio.com about the British Airways Face of Opportunity Flight!

Read it here!! 

What happens when 250 entrepreneurs and a handful of business experts are all put on one London-bound flight? More than seven hours of networking at 35,000 feet. An insider’s account of doing business in the clouds.
http://www.portfolio.com/companies-executives/2011/02/07/british-airways-face-to-face-conference-lets-entrepreneurs-network-at-35000-feet

Thank you Romy!

London and Harrod’s Here I Come!

I can feel the energy build as we leave Britain’s breadbasket and move into the suburbs of London, then there are people everywhere and traffic, whew more traffic in a day than the entire state of Wyoming sees in a week all in one place.  Roads are blocked with accidents or closed for repairs.  Andy had studied just how he was going to get me to Kensington and now we’ve done a few u turns and zig zags, but my confidence in him is very high.

Finally, the congestion on the streets lighten.  We are in Kensingtonand there are all kinds of Bentleys, Porsches and Mazarti’s,  must be in the right place. On the left a magnificent structure stands tall.  It is the Museum of Natural History.  Breathtaking! Andy does a quick flip around after we have gone by… “I just wanted you to see that,” he says to me in his fabulous British accent, “Your hotel is back this way.”  I love when I have people who want to show me great things!

The hotel had us  stumped for a moment, but then we realized we drove right past it gawking at the museum, but… there is no parking.  Andy inquires as if we can park out front, “No,” reception says.  “Well how in the devil do people get to your hotel,” asks Andy with a hint of frustration in his voice. “Car park,” I do believe the answer was.  Andy is from rather creative stock and so am I and when there is a space that is not far from the hotel with a construction sign blocking our entry, I ask if I can jump out and move it for him…. His astonished look tells me, “No” but his hearty laugh tells me he appreciated the gesture.  “You know I would have done it, “I told him.  I think he thinks I am a little off my rocker.  We do manage to dodge around the sign and get a place, “For Permit Holders Only”.  Hummm, we  both say and Andy insists on helping me in to the Eden Plaza with my bags.  Now he is the kind of driver I like to have with me  and he is a big guy.  No one is going to mess with him!

My room is the size of a small college dorm room and the shower would present a problem for anyone over a size 6, but this will be my home base for a few days and I am happy to have it!

Nap, cup of tea and a brisk walk down Brompton Road to Harrod’s come next.  I have to check this place out!

Yes, just like the pictures it is massive!  It is also bustling with people.  I want to check out the competition so I go to handbags, furniture and clothing.  Yes, you can get lost in this place! Then true to form, I am starving so I get the most expensive sushi I have ever had, but man was it good!!! Guess that is my treat for the whole trip!

My favorite part of the whole place was it’s art gallery which I can see with a fabulous exhibition of western art, craft and design.  Right now it has Matisse, Lorenzo Quinn Sculpture and paintings by Bob Dylan.  Interesting mix!

Surprisingly, London feels great to me.  I am not a big city person and usually feel so claustrophobic I can’t wait to leave, but I felt at home walking tonight.  Strange, perhaps that is a sign!

And, really, where does the time go?



I need to go back into the Thorofare, where there is no signal and certainly no machines allowed like a computer or smart phone, because yet again, I stayed up too late.  Must be a disease!  The emails were stacking up like wildfire and the aftermath, if I didn’t get a few answered was scary, plus I had lots of home work to do, prices to be converted to Pounds and Euros and plans to be organized.  That is a good enough excuse right?

I must have worked my brain good because it wouldn’t stop!  I didn’t sleep well and when Rachel knocked on the door and said, “It’s a quarter to 10,” I about had a heart attack.  I can’t remember when I slept that long!

We had a big day planned.  We were headed for the Black Country Museum.  You see the midlands are known for their mining history.  They have their own alphabet which I found hysterical and more than once I found myself looking at Rachel for an interpretation.  I thought I spoke English, but this was unlike any English I had ever heard!

We went into the old mine on a tour and I must say the story was interpretted brilliantly.  My favorite part was that of the pit ponies.  Ponies that were just big enough to work the shafts and pull the carts.  Most of them lived underground all the time.  The only time they came up was for a week at Christmas.  Fascinating!  The whole place was wonderful and I had my first fish and chips in newsprint.  Wow!  I really am getting a feel for  British life in the Midlands.

It was a wonderful day, though even in my heavy wool coat I got chilled in the Midland wind.  You would think coming from Wyoming I would be used to cold temperatures, but… I blamed it on the humidity. That we do not have.

I can’t believe the time has flown by so fast, tomorrow is Monday and I must go to London. I am going to miss this crew in Norton Canes.  I can’t wait to show them around Wyoming!