Hello again everyone
I feel bad for not sending regular updates but I've had technology problems throughout the UK so even emails to family and friends weren't getting through.
Sitting here at Heathrow now getting ready to go home, it's with a tinge of sadness that we are leaving. A part of me would like to hop on the tour bus and continue the journey through the lovely countryside. The stint at Birmingham, in particularly the quaint countryside of Warwick and Rugby just made me want to stay here.
However the plan is to come back at 2013 and do a leisurely tour of the UK and Ireland.
The convention (at least the first couple of days was good). Admittedly I did enjoy the presentation from Mia Farrow and from Dr Alex Buchanan who talked about his protein biscuits he developed at CSIRO. Unfortunately, I had food poisoning on the last day and missed out on Dr Jane Goodall's presentation which I was also looking forward to. I found the presentations compared to last year's a bit 'light on' and found it tiring to have standing ovations for people in the RI Boards and the like because at times it did feel as if we were giving 'pats on backs' for people simply in the positions they are in. Overall, meeting people from all over the world and sharing the connection, there was a sense of community - more so with the English who were more than welcoming. I cannot say this enough - their hospitality was welcomed. Of course, we cannot say that for some other countries however where we were gobsmacked by the rudeness.
So despite not seeing the last day and spending the day hugging the toilet, I loved the London experience and enjoyed the HOC events around Birmingham such as the Treorchy Male choir, the home hosting at Rugby (we got to do a behind the scenes tour of Rugby School - home of rugby and also where Lewis Carroll and the place where Tom Brown's School Days was about) and of course, the spectacular Warwick Castle.
I am sure that Philip and Bill would have more to share about the last day of the convention and we look forward to presenting to the club on our experience.
And no, I'm not going to Montreal next year. I think I will lay off the conventions for a while until they are closer to home. Now, if they were back in the UK again....that's a different story.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Second Day at the Convention
Well it was certainly a rush to get to the computers this morning.
Yesterday it hit me that I didn't want to be here. At the convention that is. Don't get me wrong, but looking out of the Warwick Castle window, I saw the beautiful green lush countryside and thought that there's where I need to be - not inside an auditorium!
Having said that, the Warwick Castle experience was fabulous after a day of presentations. We were piled into buses and treated to shows of jousting, falconry, archery and a trebuchet. We also had an opportunity to climb the towers and take photos of the lush countryside.
The experience was marred however by the disorganisation of the buses to take us home. Over 8000 people tried to cram into the bus car park, with no signage, no HOC marshalls and traffic marshallers who had no idea what bus was going where. After an hour of waiting, panic ensued and thousands started walking across the road in an effort to find transport back to the city. The marshallers were yelling out to people to stay back behind the barriers but with no communication, people were doing their own thing. There was lots of pushing and shoving and after three and a half hours, the final bus loads were just taking everyone back into the city. They dropped us off in a quiet part of town at 1am, we didn't know where we were, to find our own hotels. It was mayhem and I do hope they acknowledge and apologise for this today.
Andrew has had enough and has decided that he will do his own thing as with this and the mayhem at the train station yesterday morning where once again, thousands of people were pushing and shoving to get on the few trains going out at the NEC, it wasn't a good sight. Some people take it in good spirits - we did and we had a luagh with some people - but when you have thousands of people just wanting informaiton on what is going on, and needing assistance (there were many elderly and those in wheelchairs).
Today, I will spend time in the plenary sessions and workshops and we have the home hosting tonight which we are looking forward to but hope the transport issues are sorted out quickly. This convention is very much for the +60s and not many younger people around (as the LA one was) where RYLA, Interact, Rotaract have been relegated to one far corner away from everywhere else and hidden. I believe they should be in the heart with the other stalls.
I'm making this convention out negatively unfortunately as I'm comparing it to the one in LA which was lively and much younger and always something going on with entertainment. The Brummies here are superb and very helpful and always chatty so for customer service they are top notch. Luckily, our hotel is quite good and the people there are very helpful so it helps. I think though I much prefer to be touring the countryside...
Yesterday it hit me that I didn't want to be here. At the convention that is. Don't get me wrong, but looking out of the Warwick Castle window, I saw the beautiful green lush countryside and thought that there's where I need to be - not inside an auditorium!
Having said that, the Warwick Castle experience was fabulous after a day of presentations. We were piled into buses and treated to shows of jousting, falconry, archery and a trebuchet. We also had an opportunity to climb the towers and take photos of the lush countryside.
The experience was marred however by the disorganisation of the buses to take us home. Over 8000 people tried to cram into the bus car park, with no signage, no HOC marshalls and traffic marshallers who had no idea what bus was going where. After an hour of waiting, panic ensued and thousands started walking across the road in an effort to find transport back to the city. The marshallers were yelling out to people to stay back behind the barriers but with no communication, people were doing their own thing. There was lots of pushing and shoving and after three and a half hours, the final bus loads were just taking everyone back into the city. They dropped us off in a quiet part of town at 1am, we didn't know where we were, to find our own hotels. It was mayhem and I do hope they acknowledge and apologise for this today.
Andrew has had enough and has decided that he will do his own thing as with this and the mayhem at the train station yesterday morning where once again, thousands of people were pushing and shoving to get on the few trains going out at the NEC, it wasn't a good sight. Some people take it in good spirits - we did and we had a luagh with some people - but when you have thousands of people just wanting informaiton on what is going on, and needing assistance (there were many elderly and those in wheelchairs).
Today, I will spend time in the plenary sessions and workshops and we have the home hosting tonight which we are looking forward to but hope the transport issues are sorted out quickly. This convention is very much for the +60s and not many younger people around (as the LA one was) where RYLA, Interact, Rotaract have been relegated to one far corner away from everywhere else and hidden. I believe they should be in the heart with the other stalls.
I'm making this convention out negatively unfortunately as I'm comparing it to the one in LA which was lively and much younger and always something going on with entertainment. The Brummies here are superb and very helpful and always chatty so for customer service they are top notch. Luckily, our hotel is quite good and the people there are very helpful so it helps. I think though I much prefer to be touring the countryside...
First Day at the Convention
Hello everyone
After some 8 days in London, we are now in Brimingham (along with half of America). We arrived yesterday afternoon, settled into our hotel in the city and registered. Last night, we decided to walk around town and observed some **interesting ** Birmingham characters out in the streets.
Birmingham is an industrial city (or was - it was known as part of the Black County during the Industrial Revolution which had many cities around it enveloped in black smog). Today it is filled with retail stores, and a massive convention centre. But I wouldn't want to live here if you're getting that impression...
So far, with the opening ceremony and the theme East Meets West was enjoyable. I don't know how many people there are but compared to last year's one in LA, this one is a little sedate and laid back. Maybe RI Presidents really do set the theme at each convention.
We've met many Americans who are always up for a chat. Mainly from North Carolina, Washington State and California. Although the ones from Texas stand a mile away with thier big hats.
I saw Barbara and Bill Chapman from our Rotary Club at the Yachting Fellowship stand yesterday and haven't met any other Australians yet although there was a loud cheer at the opening flag ceremony when the Aussie flag was displayed.
We had a major hiccup with the public transport this morning which meant that thousands of Rotarians were stranded at the city train station trying to get out to the convention centre. Luckily, the train system being the way it is (ie better than ours), a wait of ten minutes was more than acceptable for us. Soon we were all along our way and the throng of the crowds hit the arena in one swoop and we settled in quickly to listen to the presentations and to watch the entertainment. They had world reknown opera singers, dance troupes, midland highland dancers, tae kwondo displays.
If I don't write as often into this blog is that there are long queues for the internet cafe here.
Tonight the buses will take us to Warwick Castle for a medieval hog roast banquet, jousting and trebuchet display and all round revelry. Now, off to look around the exhibitors and see what we can do about some food....
After some 8 days in London, we are now in Brimingham (along with half of America). We arrived yesterday afternoon, settled into our hotel in the city and registered. Last night, we decided to walk around town and observed some **interesting ** Birmingham characters out in the streets.
Birmingham is an industrial city (or was - it was known as part of the Black County during the Industrial Revolution which had many cities around it enveloped in black smog). Today it is filled with retail stores, and a massive convention centre. But I wouldn't want to live here if you're getting that impression...
So far, with the opening ceremony and the theme East Meets West was enjoyable. I don't know how many people there are but compared to last year's one in LA, this one is a little sedate and laid back. Maybe RI Presidents really do set the theme at each convention.
We've met many Americans who are always up for a chat. Mainly from North Carolina, Washington State and California. Although the ones from Texas stand a mile away with thier big hats.
I saw Barbara and Bill Chapman from our Rotary Club at the Yachting Fellowship stand yesterday and haven't met any other Australians yet although there was a loud cheer at the opening flag ceremony when the Aussie flag was displayed.
We had a major hiccup with the public transport this morning which meant that thousands of Rotarians were stranded at the city train station trying to get out to the convention centre. Luckily, the train system being the way it is (ie better than ours), a wait of ten minutes was more than acceptable for us. Soon we were all along our way and the throng of the crowds hit the arena in one swoop and we settled in quickly to listen to the presentations and to watch the entertainment. They had world reknown opera singers, dance troupes, midland highland dancers, tae kwondo displays.
If I don't write as often into this blog is that there are long queues for the internet cafe here.
Tonight the buses will take us to Warwick Castle for a medieval hog roast banquet, jousting and trebuchet display and all round revelry. Now, off to look around the exhibitors and see what we can do about some food....
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