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SUNDAY, AUGUST 13TH:
Got our 3 hours of sleep. Thank goodness I took my shower before
going to bed. Everyone else got up and only had freezing cold water to shower
in. Never going to stay at this hotel again. Got the bus loaded but someone
took the soft guitar case for the Bellamy’s lead guitar player last night at the
show. They looked everywhere for it but never located it. He is going to try
and carry it on wrapped in a towel. Boy is he unhappy, as he should be!
Made it to the airport and arrived right on time. Everyone got checked I and we
had a few minutes to grab a cup of coffee before flying to Frankfurt. Then we
had to split up. Bellamys flew to Spokane, Jesse and Noah back to Nashville,
and I flew to Lyon, France.
I was already apprehensive about this festival because it’s one that I have
never attended. Have booked talent here and was told that it was not very
well-organized so thought I’d better come check it out for myself. I have Rick
Trevino performing here on Monday.
I landed and collected my luggage but there wasn’t anyone waiting for me outside
baggage claim. Someone named Armand was supposed to pick me up. I called the
number I had for him but got voice mail. Then I called the promoter’s cell
phone and was told to go outside terminal one and he would be waiting at gate
17. Well, “outside” was a metal fence! So, I waited in line to take the lift
up to the 2nd floor. Went outside there but couldn’t find anyone.
Went back inside and asked the INFO desk and they tried to send me to Terminal
Two. Finally took the lift back down and went outside and started walking
around the metal fence. About a quarter of a mile later, it ended and I saw
some buses parked nearby. Started checking each bus and there was one with a
sign on it for “Armand Limo Service”…thank goodness!
I had hoped to sit in the back so I could sleep on the 1 ½ hour drive but he
insisted that I sit in the front. Now, he did not speak ONE word of English
either so I knew it would be a very quiet drive. I was nodding off about 15
minutes after we departed when he ran off the side of the road. That definitely
got my attention. I started watching him and he kept rubbing his face and
fidgeting. He was falling asleep at the wheel! And since he didn’t understand
any English, there was nothing I could do but watch him closely and yell if when
he started nodding off. The trip seemed to take forever and the roads were
something else. We went WAY into the countryside of France on little one lane
roads that made hairpin turns up and down steep mountains with no guardrails on
the sides. I kept praying that we would get behind a slow-moving car but when
we did, he got right on the car’s bumper and flew around it at the first
opportunity. I honestly did not expect to make it to the hotel without him
crashing the car – either from falling asleep or from his reckless driving.
When we finally arrived, my legs were shaking when I entered the hotel.
Rick’s tour manager was there and I told him what happened. He said there
driver was just as reckless but at least he wasn’t falling asleep at the wheel.
The hotel is “quaint”….good word for “it has NO amenities”. It is supposed to
have wireless internet. Ha! It barely has a telephone in the room. Room is so
tiny I can only open one suitcase at a time, It is “clean” but very, very old.
I had dinner with Rick and his guys and thank goodness they are easy to work
with. They arrived yesterday and said they are enjoying the visit. The food
was good but the waitresses spoke very little English.
I’m going to go running with Rick tomorrow. He went today and has found a
“route” that we can run without getting killed by one of the kamikaze drivers on
the little country roads!
Jude
MONDAY, AUGUST 14TH:
Strange night. Bed was so hard. Got up and went running – okay,
jogging – with Rick. Had no idea there was so much difference in the altitude
here. Plus we ran straight up a hill. I had to stop and walk part of it
because I couldn’t breathe! We ran through the center of the village and there
was a “market” taking place. Was so crowded we could barely get through it.
But the other option was running on the main streets and it’s too dangerous.
Seems everyone drives like my van driver yesterday.
Glad I came to see this festival because I now know what artists would and would
not work here. Hardly anyone at the hotel speaks English and it is a challenge
to get any information. Meals are a REAL challenge. They have a “set” menu
but we can’t tell what it is.
My bathroom is tiny. There is a shower stall – of sorts. The doors slide open
and I have turn sideways to get in it because the opening is so small. The
shower is one of those wands and I broke the holder off when I tried to turn the
wand so that it wouldn’t spray me in the face as I was getting in. Oh well, at
least now it can’t fly off the holder and chase me around the shower.
We went over to the venue for sound check. Everyone is so nice here and try to
accommodate all our requests. This festival is run entirely by volunteers. It
is a project to promote the city of St. Agreve and country music. Most of the
other performers are singer/songwriters from Nashville and Texas. One group
flying in from Austin via Heathrow got stranded yesterday. They finally had to
take the train in from Paris. They had no luggage and no instruments…just the
clothes they have on, which happened to be shorts and t-shirts and it is very
cold here. They arrived at 6 pm today and depart at 4 am tomorrow!!!
The event also has a rodeo taking place. The concert is in a tent. I wondered
why it is held on a Monday but they said tomorrow is a bank holiday, so people
will come out and party tonight.
We had a press conference – of sorts –this afternoon. I think more fans may
have attended than media. Not sure exactly who was represented there.
Had dinner with the guys and not at all sure what I had but it was very
“rich”. At least I had a great salad. Rick performs at 11 pm so it will be a
late night and we have to depart early for the airport. I am SO glad I don’t
fly back through Heathrow. Just hope Rick and his group don’t get stuck.
Rick Trevino had a great show. Not only does he have an amazing voice, but he
is classically trained on the piano as well as plays guitar. All his backing
musicians sing harmony. The promoter said it is the BEST entertainer they have
ever had at their festival. He signed autographs for about an hour while we
stood around and froze. I can’t believe how cold it is here.
Got back to the hotel and it is locked up tight. No one here except the
guests. Had to climb up stairs on the side of the hotel to get in. And they
turned off the telephones! Unbelievable. I was going to answer emails on my
horrible dial-up connection but no luck. I don’t know what would have happened
had there been an emergency phone call to or from the States. The lights in the
hallways go out after about 5 seconds and you are left in pitch darkness. Not
going to be sad to leave this hotel!
TUESDAY, AUGUST 15TH:
Everyone was in the lobby by 8:15 am but no bus. He didn’t
arrive until 8:30 am, so it’s going to be pushing it to get to the airport on
time for our flights. Rick’s group is really worried since they have to fly
through Heathrow. This was a full-size bus, not the mini-bus like I came up
in. But, he drove just as fast and crazy on the narrow little roads. At least
he wasn’t falling asleep on the drive. It took us almost 2 hours to arrive at
the airport and then he had to drop us off a long way from the check-in
terminal. I was running to the ticket counter – well at first, I wasn’t. The
luggage cart that I had to PAY for, had a big flat place on the front wheel. It
bounced and made this loud thumping sound. I finally had to abandon it and
search for another one. On the ride to the airport, I had checked out the NWA
website on my Blackberry to make sure the only restrictions for the flight were
no liquids and no gels. Then, when I checked in, the lady at the counter tried
to tell me that I should go ahead and check my computer case and backpack
because when I arrived in Amsterdam, they were going to make me check it. I
told her I’d take my chances! Amazing how every country gets different
information even though it is the same airline.
Flight departed on time and I arrived in Amsterdam in plenty of time to make my
connection. The gate agent did not even question my carry-on bags. I feel
“lost” because both of them are so light.
I had an empty seat beside me on the flight back to the U.S. which was nice.
Managed to get some work done. We landed in Detroit and I got my cart to wait
at baggage claim for my bags. This one guy kept edging closer and closer to my
cart and he would pick up every other bag that came out. There is no way he
could have been mistaking that many different size and color of bags for his
own. I wanted to ask him if he was looking for one the “liked”! It always
amazes me how people will push and shove their way around you to jockey for a
position as close as possible to the conveyor belt. One lady tripped over my
cart, not once – but 3 times. I was determined not to give up my “slot”. All
my bags came in and I had time to go to the World Club and answer some emails
before taking the flight to Nashville. It was SO good to be back in my
home….except for the piles and piles of mail that was waiting for me in my
office.
I actually get to stay home for 4 days before flying to DC for meetings. All in
all, it was a GREAT trip and I’m sure when I get caught up on “home business”, I
will feel like it was worth being away from home for the entire Summer!
Got in bed by 2 am but have to be downtown for a CMA international meeting by 9
am. (SIDE NOTE: My alarm went off the next morning but it was a radio instead
of the little beep, beep, beep of the travel alarm that has been waking me up
for the past 3 months. I was so disoriented! I got up and stood in the middle
of my bedroom wondering where in the world I was! My first thought was, “I
can’t find my suitcase”! Took me a while to figure out I was in my own home!)
J
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