A very early start. Angie‘s sister Brigitte picked us up in the early hours of the still dark morning and drove us to Munich airport for our Air France flight to Paris. On the car radio, some news was coming through about a bad car accident in Paris in which Princess Diana was involved but it all seemed somewhat confused.
 
Probably just another of the almost non-stop “sensation” news about the antics of the UK royal family that were almost daily events back then. And anyway, we were more excited about our forthcoming California holiday.
 
It was actually a business trip for me for a half day budget meeting in San Francisco with the International Director and Finance Manager of the company I had started working with in June 1996. Xomed Surgical Products, a smallish medical device manufacturer from Jacksonville, Florida. Small in global terms but large in the medical otolaryngology-head and neck surgery or ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) world. And a business on a mission to become a world leader.
 
I had a great boss, Tino S and he had no problem combining the business meeting with a private holiday but of course, I had to pick up the tab for Angie’s flight. Hence the more complicated flight via Paris and using Air France. Was the cheapest route available and even saved the company a bit.
 
Caught our flight and arrived at Charles de Gaulle with a few hours to kill before the connecting flight. We were pretty tired and with all our hand luggage, didn’t feel like wandering around, so checked in and prepared ourselves for a rest in the departure lounge.
 
Then became apparent that events nearby had taken the life of Diana. Getting any more information in understandable English was impossible. The flight was delayed for hours, again no information as to why but eventually we took off several hours late and eventually arrived in San Francisco in the dark. Just for the record, this must have been one of the last flights where smoking was allowed on the plane. Small curtained off cubicles to fit two or three standing people. You didn’t need to light a cigarette to get the full nicotine kick!
 
Eventually got through the somewhat daunting USA immigration procedures and got used to the dogs jumping all over the cases and around our ankles. Then find the Budget car hire a courtesy bus and a trip to the off-site office. All the paperwork and eventually find our pre-booked hotel not far away. We didn’t bother with food, caught up on the news from Paris and the UK on TV and collapsed into bed exhausted.
 
So when I am asked “Where were you on the day Princess Diana died?”, I know exactly.