Business Trips (no, it really is Business...)

I am fortunate that my assignment in Europe allows me the opportunity to visit many different countries where Toyota has business interests. Part of my assignment is to see how things operate in different regions of Europe.

Recently, I made a couple of business trips that have let me check off a few more countries off my list. Actually, it was one more country than I had anticipated...

In late April, I joined a Lexus dealer visit to Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. When Communist rule of Czechoslovakia dissolved in the early 90's, the country was split into two: Slovakia and The Czech Republic.

Slovakia has since undergone some dramatic changes, and you only have to just look around to witness it. Flashy new shopping centers are built next to drab gray, ex-Communist facilities.

My travelling buddy, Zsolt, surprised me by getting us lost. And not just by only a little bit...
Heading back to Vienna to catch our flight home, we must have made a wrong turn somewhere. As we crossed the border, we are shocked to find ourselves not in Austria, but in Hungary!!!

A day does not pass where I don't remind him of this. And the funny thing is that he is Hungarian!!!

Thankfully, my next trip to Oslo, Norway was without incident. Especially, since I was travelling with a new boss.


Oslo is about a two-hour flight from Brussels, and is one of the Scandinavian countries, just due east across the North Sea from the UK. When I think of Scandinavia, I think of long hours of sunlight or darkness, depending on the season.

And boy, was I right! We walked out of the restaurant from dinner at 9:00PM and it looked like 4PM in the afternoon. That evening, I woke up at 3:30AM to peek outside and it was getting light already!!!

Norway is a beautiful country with friendly people and a very relaxed atmosphere. Even the staff at the Toyota office I visited seemed to be so relaxed and laid back!

I will be making a few more visits to Norway during my assignment in Europe, and really looking forward to them. I will try to bring the girls along on the next trip and make it an extended weekend.

However, one of the things I saw at dinner was an entree called "Reindeer Rudolph". I'll just have to make sure that I don't traumatize the girls by ordering that dish...