2009 World Tour & International Training Seminar

Dateline April 2009: The Mission – 2009 World Tour/ITS USA.

Wednesday 8th and its a quick wakeup, Dojang stop and drive to the airport. Yes it’s that time of the year for the World Tour and our this year our 3rd ITS being held in the USA.I am going to Log not only my Flying Time (FT) but my Total Travel Time (TT). This will give you an idea of how much time I enjoy the comforts of flying/driving/buses/trains and the commute or time spent waiting.

TT – Sydney Airport (2 Hours)

Bags checked in, boarding passes done and it is time to clear customs on the way to Flight #1 NZ704 (Airbus A320-100) is in the air and the 3 hour flight across to New Zealand is as normal smooth. Landing in NZ goes well and I head up to the lounge to do a quick e-mail check and grab a coffee. The Air NZ lounge in Auckland is a decent one. I would rate it in the top 5-10 of the ones I have visited, mainly due to the net access, snacks, drinks and space.

FT – 3 Hours

TT – 8 Hours (e.g. Sydney 2, Flying 3, Auckland 3)

Flight #2 NZ8 (Boeing 777-200) heads from Auckland for the long trip across the pacific. I manage to get a little sleep and with a couple of meals and in-flight movies pass the time. Arrival into San Francisco is smooth and onto customs for the inevitable wait. I get through customs grab my bags and head out looking for the Hotel shuttle; it is a night in San Francisco as I was unable to get a good connecting flight through.

FT – 15 Hours

TT – 24 Hours

The next morning its back on the road for a couple more flights towards Minneapolis. Flight #3 UA 136 (Boeing 757-200) takes me across the US from San Francisco to Chicago.

FT – 19 Hours

TT – 30 Hours (It adds up pretty quickly!)

*Side Note* I have mentioned in previous years how the American Airlines seem to be treated more like a bus in the way people board and travel, however this time it is pretty clear that the planes are showing their age and general age. I keep everything crossed that the money not spent on the cosmetics is being spent on the mechanicals.

An hour spent in Chicago puts me onto another plane. Flight #4 UA789 (Boeing 737-300) heads towards Minneapolis and my first Seminar stop for the Tour.

FT – 22 Hours

TT – 33 Hours

Corey & Chris (Mrs Corey) meet me at the airport where we wait for my luggage to arrive. Both suitcases make the trip, even if one is partially open and looking slightly smashed. From the airport we head towards the Mall of America to meet up with Peter (Provisional Black Belt) for Dinner and a catch up.After a steak and chat its back on the road for the drive from Minneapolis to Hutchinson, just over an hour at this time with little traffic on the road.We take a quick swing through Hutchinson and a look at the Dojang before I check in and look for the bed.

TT – 34 Hours

The night goes way too quickly and I am on the mats for the first of 4 seminars today with Corey’s students in Hutchinson. The focus is on covering the junior belt level techniques with an occasional mini special seminar. The 2 adult seminars go well, and as a special topic I cover Knockouts, Mark, Corey and Tony all decide to have a nap. Mark especially enjoyed it as he started to dream and talk in his sleep before we brought him around, he was then a little sad as he was enjoying the dream! After the revision I hold a grading for Corey, congratulations to those students who passed to their next belt.The third seminar for the day was with the kids and they work hard, of course I wrap it up by punting them all, oops I mean by throwing them onto the crash mat...

The final seminar of day is an open self defence seminar where the parents get the chance to see how easy it is to use self defence. Everyone has fun as they show the big bad muggers (Corey’s students) how to get away.

The dawn of day 2 in Hutch brings another 3 Adults seminars and 1 with the kids. We continue working with the syllabus as well as covering Ki power as a special topic. During the day we get stuck into the shields and some of the local colour belts volunteer to hold the targets as Corey, Tony and myself practice 360 turning back kicks, let’s just say that one of the students decides to take a quick sit down after one of them, he almost made it to the door too!

The Hutch seminars are a great success and I look forward to seeing the growth of the Dojang under Corey’s expert guidance.Another early morn and its back on the road from Hutch to Minneapolis to grab 2 more flights towards the ITS!

I have decided that Blogger is not the best tool for the update and will reformat this and put it on the forum.

Regards

M G