OK, so it doesn’t quite have the same ring as “Back in the USSR,” but I digress. After 17,000 miles in the air last week, some 200 customers to visit (in big groups, not individually, though 15 or so were individual visits,) and 3 distinct cultures (Israel, Sweden, and Ukraine,) I find myself back home.

It never fails to amaze me how quickly we can transit cultures and countries. Imagine it was a mere century ago – the trip I completed would have taken a minimum of 2 years. Now it’s able to be completed in a week.

Just 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to keep touch like I was able to on this trip. Mobile phone, VOIP from the laptop, email, websites, blogs – it’s really mind boggling when we think about how different the experience of traveling is now.

For instance, in Amsterdam’s airport, I was able to get the latest traffic information at home which saved me an hour due to the closure of my route home. That’s pretty amazing stuff. The participation age is just beginning, it’s fun to imagine what we might be able to do 10 years from now……

Thursday I arrived in Kiev as a continuation of the 100 city roadshow tour. It’s a city with much potential. I’ve met with a couple of customers, one of which as added 3M subscribers to their business in a single year. The event went well, though my Russian (and Ukrainian) language skills are weak. Thank you Valery and Katya for the fantastic hospitality and handholding!

This evening, I’ve just returned from dinner with one of Sun’s larger partners in Ukraine, Kvazar Micro. This is a dynamic and high growth company that is clearly making headway in the emerging economies of the region.

Packing now to head home in a few hours, I’ve learned alot on this trip and will share more soon.

Today I find myself in the friendliest city in Sweden, Gothenberg (or Goteborg.) I’m here representing Sun in our Powering the Participation Age Tour and had the chance to present our message about the Participation Age and how Sun is contributing to community, innovation, and solving the tough business issues of today and tomorrow. A total of 53 customers, potential customers, and partners were present and actively engaged.

It’s a little chilly at 1 degree centigrade water temperature, but apparently, people do surf around Goteborg, Sweden.

Participation isn’t about surfing literally, but figuratively. Even more important than the passive consumption of information from the net is the active participation, the social transformation that is occurring as people far and wide *contribute* to the overall content and value of the network.

The community here received the message loud and clear, they get it, they think it’s the way the world is going, and they were pleasantly surprised at how Sun can help them succeed in the participation age with our 4Ss (software, storage, services, and servers.)

Sweden is a great country, I hope to be invited back to visit sometime (hopefully in the summer!) Sven, Peter, & Ewa, thank you very much for your hospitality!

Yesterday I had the pleasure to spend the day at Sun’s Israel Development Center. The team there is smart, passionate, and capable. I was delighted to be able to meet with many of the team members there and to provide some corporate information and messaging to the overall team.

The best part was in welcoming our newest Sun staff, the former Aduva team, into the fold. Here’s a picture of the team (there are a few other hangers on there too like me….)

Here’s something about Israel that you probably don’t know: $4B USD was invested there in the most recent reporting year, an increase of 150%! All the giants of tech seem to be investing in the area and there is a vital start-up scene. If you haven’t checked it out, you’re missing something…..Thank you Michal, Sigal, Tiki, Alan, and team for looking after me whilst I was there (especially the great homemade bread!)

As I sit in my hotel in Tel Aviv, I marvel at the fact I can see what’s happening in the Pacific Ocean because of the National Data Buoy Center system.

The buoy in question, 46012, gives me water and air temperature, wave height, wave period, air pressure, air pressure trend, wind speed (direction and gusts), and a 24 hour reporting sample.

Just before I left on this trip, I got an e-mail from OnStar indicating that my engine oil had an estimated 42% life remaining, that my brakes, transmission, air bag system, and engine were fine. I love that.

We’re in a world chock full of sensors, and it’s only going to become more prevalent. I’m off to Goteborg, Sweden from Isreal this afternoon. We’ll see what sensors we can discover there.

The point to this entry? Well, I wonder how our customers will respond as they are able to “see” that an air filter needs to be cleaned because of a gradual upward trend in CPU temperature? That’s where we’re headed……