Crusing towards the end of the week...

But I"m only up to Day two.

I better get those first two days documented, I’ve now been here 4. Can an old man get much slower and more behind?

After 3+ hours sleep, the first morning the 4 Auditors (i.e., Nerds) have breakfast and then take out to BP’s offices where we will be having meetings before traveling to the Job Site. The only instructions I have are that “the BP building is very close – about 100 meters.” Okay, simple. Ask at the hotel which way is the BP building and off we go.

Two office buildings down there is a BP logo among others on the building and so we go in. I ask the Security guy about the person we are to meet. He doesn’t know him. Asked him if he called one of the BP departments if perhaps they could locate them. I finally ask him about the department my guy is in and he said, “oh you’re in wrong place.” (No sh*t Sherlock.) Okay. No problem. He says, “go down to the corner and turn right and it’ll be right there. Great.

Off we go pulling our bags behind us – off in the distance is an intersection with a traffic light – but it’s obviously further than a 100 meters, but we take off again. Next building over has enough security around it that we realize it must be some Government building. The next building is huge – about a half of a block wide – and there is construction with a big fence up around it blocking the walkway. We then start walking single file, with me being the Mother Duck. Finally we get to the corner and I go – sumpin’s up – we’ve gone too far. One of the guys says well maybe we turn right and go to the next corner. I make an executive decision: We are making an about face and going back to the security guard that told us “the next corner.” Guess what he meant? The corner of the building we were in! When we walked out of the door to his building, we went about 10 meters to the corner of the building, turned right and down on the side of his building was a completely separate entrance to the BP Offices where our folks work. Oh brother. Everyone already knows this, but I will never be appearing on the Amazing Race.

I know you haven’t tuned in hear to hear this kind of dribble – you’re much more interested in the culture, the landscape, the food, the drink, the people, etc., etc. but I just feel compelled to explain the strange things that happen in strange lands.

We had a good morning of meetings and then stayed over that afternoon to gather some contracts we needed. BP has a company cafeteria where employees eat free and as it turns out that is a common practice in the Oil Industry here. Good food, with soups, salads, entrees and deserts. Will talk more about the food later.

But, about 2 p.m. I finally hit the wall. Couldn’t wait to get back to the room and jump in that nice comfy bed (with my pillow!) and went to sleep for over 2 hours. I had packed a whole bunch of snacks, crackers, peanut butter, etc. so I had that for dinner and then went to bed around midnight. My schedule was returning to normal.

The breakfast at the hotel is also a buffet and very good. Typical European. Big table full of lunch meats, cheeses, yogurts and breads and fresh tomatoes and peaches. Then you can order eggs, think Omelets. Only problem is that it cost 17 manats which is dollars in the Azeri currency. The current exchange rate is about 1.25, so that’s about $22.

At any rate, we have BP drivers scheduled to pick us up and take us to work each morning and pick us up again in the afternoon. Which is the only way to travel. You could not begin to drive here. It is crazy and volatile. Lines between lanes mean NOTHING. Cars will ride the stripes, and even go on opposite side and if there’s a car co coming they honk and tell the other guy to go around him – on the wrong side of the road. Courtesy is not performed in even 1% of the drivers. It’s all about getting to your spot first. Honking horns and flashing lights are used by all drivers.

There are some very nice cars in this city and the most surprising of all is that there are no wrecked cars. Somehow someway these people know how the system works and they just do it correctly. Parking? Everywhere. They pull on sidewalks – doesn’t matter. Saw one today parked in front of a traffic light between it and a Stop Sign. Nuts.

And pedestrians? Oh my. There’s lots and they step off curbs and cross the street in a blink of an eye. They are fearless. And understand they have NO right-of way, no priority. People crossing 6 lanes of traffic, in and out between cars, good Lord. Sorta resembles the original Frogger Video Game. You expect to see one of them get smashed, but no. Now, the old Auditors, we are very careful. When we’re going somewhere around the Hotel, we always ask – do we have to cross the street?

And now you understand the peril of the Mother Duck and her 3 chicks trying to find the “next corner.”

Still lots of things to tell and will do so later.