Two Weeks Across The Pond – Part One

At the last minute the company asked me to deliver some training to a client in Wilmington, Delaware, in the USA. This was a two week assignment on the run up to Christmas, so in many respects may not have been the best timing. However, on the plus side having to come over here at this time of the year meant that:

1. Having to spend the weekend over here did not interfere with any re-enactment events or anything else that I might normally have had planned for a summer weekend
2. It gave me a great reason to visit some of the family who live in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Getting Here

I left Oxford on Monday 10th December, catching the Airline bus from Oxford to Heathrow and then flying into Philadelphia. During the flight I managed to stay awake by watching Brave, Ice Age Continental Drift and reading the Kindle Fire that Denise bought me as an early Xmas present. After landing I made my way to the Alamo compound to pick up the hire car. I wasn’t expecting a big car, but a Chevy Spark is small even by UK standards. Compared to most American cars its absolutely tiny. To make matters worse, on the drive from the airport to the hotel there was a car with no lights on at all, that I saw in my mirror at the last moment before I pulled out in front of it.

Despite the best efforts of the Delaware drivers, I made it to the hotel in one piece. By the time I checked in it was about 3am UK time and I was cream crackered.

Starting Work

Breakfast at the hotel is a buffet type affair. There is cereal, bread, bagels, waffels and an egg McMuffin wannabe that you heat up in the microwave. I had one on Tuesday morning and it was OK.

The first days training went quite well, although it was one of the more challenging sessions as none of the PMO were there to answer questions about the process.

Dinner Tuesday night was at a local Mexican.

Wednesday morning I decided to go for another egg muffin. Despite a minute and half there were still cold bits in it and I decided not to finish it.

Training on Wednesday was much better and went really well, even though I was feeling a bit rough. Wednesday evening I had a pizza for tea at a local sports bar. It was dire and went cold really quickly. By the time I got back to my room I felt really rough. I had a horrid night, up every hour or so with an upset stomach.

With very little sleep Thursday was quite hard work, although the delegates were great and very understanding.

Dinner on Thursday night was a cookie and Gatorade.

Friday morning the client had wanted to finish work by 2pm, so we agreed to start at 8am. This worked well for me as it meant I could an early start up to Greenwich. Friday went really well and the client expressed how happy they were so far. I made it back to the hotel, changed and was on the road by 2.30pm.