Hello from Sarajevo !!

(I would have liked to add few photos to go with this - but as you will read, the Wi-Fi isn't really up for such demanding jobs!)

It is now little over a week into my Summer Travels with various photography assignments, covering events, games and tournaments around continental Europe. So far I have managed to visit four countries  - and still have another 10 days here in Bosnia.

When you travel around, you notice things that are different in each country - whether it’s about the culture, transport, food, cost of things.. And when you spend your time 90% on your own, there is plenty of time to muse over the ‘little things’. Which I of course will bore my wife with once the travels are done and dusted :-)

So here is my first list of the good, the bad and the annoying things I’ve seen (please remember that these are only my own individual opinions and not based on any research..)

- Munich Airport has great 24 hour Free Wi-Fi, brilliant for us who travel on business and need to stay connected!

- Using your own mobile abroad, without additional costs is brilliants, that is thanks to the network I am with (no advertising!)

- Flying with one airline a lot means you get to know their in-flight free food choice before the plane even takes off - yes, I’ll have the chicken wrap (again) please!

- Finland has lots and lots of trees.

- Ring road/Motorway away from Finnish capital Helsinki (population about one million??) has four lanes!!

- Ring road/Motorway around Birmingham in England (population about four million, plus converge of major UK roads) has three lanes!!

- People driving from the M42 to M5 should take better care of their cars - during the last four trips from Birmingham Airport to home, it has been 20 minutes faster to drive via Bromsgrove than using the motorway, due to a broken down vehicle on that section of M5.

- Having Frequent Flyer card gives you access through the Fast Lane at Airport Security - during summer holiday season that lets you get past the 30 minute queue of holiday makers (me like!).

- Flights from Birmingham ALWAYS end up on the furthest spot at Munich airport - so please be prepared for the bus journey to the terminal.

- If you are doing photos or videos for a client from a game/tournament, I would advice you to stay somewhere else than the hotel where all the teams are staying. Somehow hotel Wi-Fi’s are programmed to give priority to the players updating their Facebook status - than you sending your large video/image files.

- I do NOT like people smoking indoors !! And people in certain countries do enjoy smoking everywhere… breakfast table, reception, the game venues … sorry guys, it just gives me a headache.

- When the venue you cover games in does not have A/C - it is OK that the temperatures outside are not the usual 35 to 40 degrees. It still gets warm enough…

- Finding somewhere to eat at 11.30pm, after 13 hours of working without a break… it can at times be challenging (good for losing weight?).

- If your Wi-Fi signal is either not working or weak in your hotel room - but when you open the door to your room, the Wi-Fi is flying fast. It makes you wonder what your door has been made out of??

- Why does it always take the photographer to go and ask a venue whether more lights could be turned on, for all the lights to be on at a venue??

- British football teams get their own buffet and walled of section for breakfast at hotels.

- You might not get a burger at all places in Bosnia - but you sure as heck get a Burek (and they are nice!)

But as always, I am enjoying my time on the road - meeting coaches and players or new friends at events and having chats with them in the the hotel, at the games - whether it is about how their team is doing, time spent at the hotel or certain players... it has been a fun and let's hope it continues like that for the coming few months!!

Now - time to edit few more images and before I know it... it's another three game day at Skenderija Arena at centre of Sarajevo