An adventure or a trial?

Post date: Nov 30, 2012 3:12:55 PM

I have enjoyed the day. Know it is an incredible privilege to get to share experiences with a global community. This is much more a multi disciplinary conference than my London one which gives it an edge for me.

I was sitting opposite woman from Estonia and I hope you can tell this was not an adventure to her. V severe and doesn't like fish, chilli, curry, rice. When asked what she did like she said "Meat and potatoes like normal people".

Poor woman has had challenging trip so far - mostly of her own making. She landed last night and the conference organisers had arranged to collect her from the airport. Because of the time they took her straight to where we were to have dinner but she was first to arrive. Unfortunately her driver did not speak English, let alone Estonian, so he indicated she should get out and wait. Woman described herself as being irrationally angry and so laid into the first person who approached her speaking English. That happened to be the Prof who has facilitated everyone's entry.

But having been here now for just over 24 hours there has yet to be "normal food", tonight while other people at spicy fish salad, prawn curry, fried rice in lotus leaves and a fish pho she had bread rolls.

At this moment it is still Stacey's birthday where she is and it is Tony's birthday where he is ( though hopefully he is oblivious to this). Happy Birthday to you both.

Today has been first full day of conference and it was full day - started at 8, just finished now at 10pm but last couple of hours have been dinner and cruise on Saigon River. Neither Maria's camera or the I-Pad take good night time pictures - possibly this says more about photographer than the equipment . .