August 19, 2006

De Rosa Daily
FEI World Equestrian Games 2006 - Aachen Germany
Exclusive coverage for HorsesDaily text and photos by Diana DeRosa

Here We Go!

I’d planned for months, almost a year, for this trip to Aachen, Germany for the World Equestrian Games and the departure date had finally arrived. I was going a few days earlier and only staying for the first week of this two week event because the Hampton Classic takes place the same week as the second week and that’s an event I’ve done forever. But the Hampton Classic seemed like a long ways off as I loaded up the car and headed to JFK Airport.

With the terrorist threat at Heathrow Airport just a week earlier looming in my memory was anyone’s guess what this journey was going to be like. As a journalist (both writer and photographer), the last thing you want to do is to check your luggage. And it was appearing more and more like that’s what I was going to have to do. So, I researched Pelican bags (they say they are the best, toughest and they float). I’m not sure why I need a bag that floats but I guess if the show grounds went under water it might help.

As it turned out we were told that things were back to normal by the time I left. However, a closer review revealed that restrictions were still intense and they were only giving permission to carry one briefcase size bag. I had two camera bodies and four lenses as well as two flashes, a battery charger and back up mini hard drive that I was carrying in one bag that was definitely larger than a briefcase.