Our European Quest
Day 4: Things are getting squalid
By CNN's Richard Quest
 | |  The team and the luggage. |
|  Woj editing at the bar.  Rachel and Woj editing on the plane.  Richard's unmade bed.  Rachel sleeps at the airport. |
|
(CNN) -- I envy those business travelers I see on the road with nothing more than a carry on bag and a laptop.
Oh, how it would be nice to travel with such ease.
But bringing these stories to you both on television and the Web involves a different sort of traveling.
A need to anticipate every possible thing that could go wrong bring enough equipment that will see us through every eventuality.
It all means nothing is easy.
We are not traveling light!
There are 16 flight cases in all, some of which weigh up to 30 kilos each.
Our total baggage weight is around 280 kilos!
So, we can't arrive at any airport late and hope to check in and get on the plane.
Just haggling over the excess baggage charges can take half an hour (and in case you didn't know -- they have gone up ... some airlines charging as much as $7 per kilo!!)
New technology has dramatically changed the way we bring these stories to you.
Video editing on laptops while we are waiting for planes.
Downloading pictures (including the ones in this dispatch), writing scripts and editing them as soon as the fasten seat belt sign is switched off, to make the most use of the journey.
And of course using wi-fi technology in hotels to send you these reports.
Some things never change though -- after two weeks on the road, changing hotels every other night, things still get squalid!
My suitcase is a disgrace.
I no longer really know which clothes are clean or dirty.
Everything is everywhere and has to be re-packed again.
And of course, the old journalists' adage still applies.
Remember, eat and sleep and pee when you can, not when you want to -- you never know when you'll be able to do it again.
And lastly:
Please keep your e-mail questions and comments coming.
A selection appear on the Web site (click here) along with my answers. The e-mail address is europeanquest@cnn.com
