New year 2009

Well blogs from now on will relate to 2009 - 2008 was a greatyear an dif you followed my travels, I hope you enjoyed them.

Peter and I are looking forward to more adventures this year - we have just bought a mobile beachhouse which I will put up pictures of shortly.

December - back in Australia

AAEE Conference at Yeppoon QLD –

Hot and humid most of the days but they said it was relatively cool -
Magnificent thunderstorm on Sunday night – sheet lightning and torrential rain
Capricorn Resort owned by a Japanese family- huge – they actually own 20,000 acres so when you go horseriding or playing golf you are still on their land.
Long ocean front beach behind sandhills – first day warned not to walk on the beach – sandstorms and then told is a couple of days later not to swim – jellyfish stingers – but the pools were lovely albeit warmer water than I am used to! I did get to dip a couple of times although very busy at the conference and associated meetings.
Conference went well – wonderful meeting up with old friends – I was inducted as president – so that was a thrill, but also my sessions went well ( except for the first one when I think I had a potential tummy bug and felt so awful I could barely concentrate). My invited speaker session was well received and that was an especial thrill.
ACED meeting – I felt a load of responsibility to represent AAEE well – but Roger was there and there was a lot of support from those present – even found one chap was an ex Uni colleague from my PhD days- although I wouldn’t have recognised him except for his name.
Lots of Palm trees – many types, cane toads, very tame kangaroos and a peacock called Andrew – nice place!
Glanmire - Flew down to Brisbane and then Sydney and then on the train – weather change – couldn’t see out the windows for rain – Catherine’s place was very green with much longer grass than I have ever seen there. Rain continued heavily during the night and the creek came up so much that she had to drive Brett to work in the Ute and then couldn’t get back across the stream – after an hour or so creek was down enough to cross – although only in the ute – we couldn’t get out until the Monday morning - - still water over the ford but only a few inches by then.
Peter taught the kids to play Kuan Kan card game – and they became addicted – a great way to spend a wet weekend. Samantha was very lively – she is quick and almost non stop movement. Growing up fast – has quite a vocabulary now – including Hot and ouch!
I stayed home on Monday although Peter went in to the RSL. I watched Sam while Brett did farm things – he was building a training ring for Catherine using some huge gum tree logs he had cut and shaped from their own property. Very heavy! but the effect is good.
Tripping
Tuesday morning – we set off for Canberra – through Oberon and Goulburn. Country not quite as dry as it had been three years ago. Also a bit cooler thank goodness. I am wishing I had brought a jacket or cardigan.
Easy run through to Qeanbeyan and we found a motel – adequate – went straight up to the War memoria lmuseum for an hour and a half – saw the sound and light shows in the Anzac Hall – very effective melding of old footage and new. Really brings home the lack of desire I would have for going to war – although I know that if it was essential there is a time and place for it.
Wednesday – got back to the Museum – getting a bit lost on all the roundabouts on the way! Went to the Second world war exhibits and found a special room and display for the Sandakan memorial – photos of all those who had been identified as dying on the Sandakan death march. Uncle Lionels photo was there although he didn’t really die on the death march but was executed after a mock trial and his photo was outside on a special display of the Kuching prison camp stone with the citation given when he was given a post humous George Cross.

We put a poppy by Uncle Fred and by Uncle Lionel on the Roll of Honour.
Dinner at the RSL Memorial Bowling club – heaps of people there – they all come for a reasonably cheap meal and the raffles – they were raffling about 20 hams – although most people spent at least $10 on tickets. We didn’t win one! Expensive dinner.
Thursday morning – deaded off towards Cooma – the beginning of the Snowy mountains – saw flock of kangaroos in the paddock and lots of open paddocks with gum trees. After a morning tea at Cooma – the centre of the region – lots of shops and with a major history if one had stopped to investigate – all the immigrants shipped in to work on the Snowy River Scheme formed a colourful population for this region.
Then off south from Cooma and down towards Bombala over the Great Dividing range – great open paddocks for awhile – real sheep country and then as got closer to the Cann River lots of gum trees , in national parks ( and potentially wildlife although we saw only birds) and started to get into cattle country. Took a little “brown” road out to the coast to a place marked as Tamboon inlet – it was a long ride through thick gum trees but eventually got to the shore and found fishermen there. It is basically like a lake although it appears to have an opening to the sea. Lots of pelicans and apparently good fishing. It is all one of the national parks – saw an almost tame kookaburra.
Cloudy and wet – but drove on down through Marlo past the outlet of the Snowy River – which has built up some pretty sand hills with a very narrow entrance to the sea. Road followed real wetlands to Orbost and on to Lake Tyers entrance and then to Lakes Entrance. Same pattern with many of the river outlets – big sandbars and a very narrow entrance.
Friday
We had a quick look at the Lakes Entrance, and another town on the lakes, Paynesville, and then up to Omeo which was once an old gold mining town – now largely deserted after a major fire in 1939. The road up through the Great Dividing Range was beautiful – at first it was all stony with gum trees blackened by bush fires clinging in between the rocks. The road was very windy and climbed up and then dropped down to the rivers to nice little camping areas – the road then went through an area of major bush fires – probably about 3 years ago – the tall straight silver grey ghost gums had no foliage – must have all died after the fires – they looked quite sad and then the new regrowth had started and it was lush and bright with the tips of the new gum trees golden and red in the sunlight – quite spectacular - I couldnt capture it on film. Ended up through beef grazing country at Tallangatta and then came on past Lake Hume – the artificial lake with its dreadful dead trees all sticking up – when they flooded the land for the lake the trees just stood there – goodness knows how long they have been standing there – but they look awful.
Stopped the night at Albury – this is turning into the longest blog of all time!

Last day in USA

Well I am sitting on the floor in Los Angeles airport writing this - with a 5 hour stopover!

Hard to believe my nine and a half weeks is almost over. Been a wonderful experience.

Spent four days at Purdue University – chatting with lots of people both staff and grad students, gave a seminar – mostly to the graduate students, attended a couple of classes, worked in the office they lent me. Superbly looked after, Loretta was incredibly helpful to make my stay easy. David R showed me around campus, a campus full of tradition… and I got the opportunity to go to an Advisory Boad dinner and see the status of their alumni! Real powerhouses of industry! Amazing campus and so well supported by their alumni.
Took an airport coach across the plains to Chicago – all cornfields – mostly stubble at this time, with lots of people with homes decorated for Halloween – they take this festival very seriously round here – people even came in to the uni dressed up!

Flight to Detroit on time! I cant believe my luck – I am not experiencing any problems with UA. Karen and husband Tom met me and off to a Turkish restaurant – lovely fresh food – Detroit an interesting city – I didn’t realise the depth of their economic despair – lots of unoccupied buildings with graffiti and empty lots where buildings torn down even in the center of the city.
Spent about 5 hours talking about my work and Karen’s – really valuable – then we went for a brief drive – didn’t realise Canada was the width of the river away- just over a bridge! to Windsor, CA. T and K live in a “Bauhaus” style townhouse in an enclave that is really pretty and close to the city. Went to the Hubbard Street Dance grou pin the old Detroit Opera Theater on Sat night – really neat! Had a brief stop at the Detroit art museum to see the Rivera murals – reflecting Detroit history in the motor industry. Apparently Henry Ford was not a good employer – if people were striking he just brought in labour from some part of the world where they needed jobs – accounts for the very wide range of ethnicities in Detroit.
Then off to Seattle. – again uneventful flights. Stayed at Silver Cloud Inn, nice hotel next to University Village shopping center which has gone very upmarket compared to 16 years ago. Beautiful campus with magnificent old buildings, lots of trees still with autumn colours- and dominated by views of Mt Rainier ( on a clear day) and the Huskies stadium by the lake.

Kaya and I spent election day morning at Pike Place Market and went out for dinner that evening to Ivar’s Salmon house – which is built and decorated by Native American influences. Election raised amazement everywhere – no one could believe it had been accomplished seemingly without incident and with a clear majority. I like Obama – his style, sincerity, eloquence and focus on unity. I do hope he can stand up to the expectations being placed upon him. Emotions running very high around the university.
Got my second paper in to JEE and it is under review. After hearing that many of the people I admire did not get their papers accepted I am not going to hold my breath!
After meeting with some really competent insightful researchers I alternate between inspiration and frustration that I don’t have a mandate to develop stuff back home – but I will hopefully return back to my optimism and plan what I can do, and do a report with recommendations that will reflect all I have learned on this trip.

Somewhat sad and definitely a feeling of physical exhaustion on this my last day in USA. My visa expires today so I need to go!

But what a wonderful experience and the year is not yet over!

Conference and on to Purdue

Well Saratoga Springs conference went well although I got a very stuffy head and sore throat - too much air conditioning and changes of temperature methinks. Nice town, lots of trees and statues of horses everywhere. The Conference reception was held at the Saratoga Racing museum - very famous racetrack and lots of historical info - but I dont know much about racehorses.

Met some really neat people, networked like crazy and heard some interesting talks - particularly a group trying to define a Philosophy of Engineering education!

Left there on Sunday and took a shuttle bus to Albany airport, a flight to Chicago ( it left early!!) then a flight to Indianopolis, then another shuttle bus to West Lafayette, got picked up by the hotel shuttle and then picked up from hotel by a lovely couple from Purdue Uni who took me home for a Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding dinner! Dont know but I felt great!

Temperature is just above freezing - very windy. This is a real university town - big prestigious uni with a long tradition - very proud of the fact that they have had about 12 astronauts through the engineering school including Neil Armstrong, Roger Chaffey, Gus Grissom and ..... Their football team is called the Boilermakers - something to do with the beginnings of the town and making boilers for steam locomotives I think!

Everybody making me most welcome - photos in next episode.

I have quite mixed feelings as my time in the USA is running out - be nice to be home, and I am so glad all is well with Peter and Louie, but wish I could have more time to assimilate all that I am learning - spend most of my spare time on the computer trying to summarise or prepare for the next event.

More later

Canada

After leaving Washington I stayed with Ann and Carla in Ann’s very centrally located wee house in Toronto for a couple of days– always feel so welcome there. Lovely old house filled with artworks and memories of Ann’s travels – three storeys and a cellar.
Had lunch with Marta who is a Civil engineer I met last time I was in Toronto – she is heavily involved with Ontario professional engineers, especially the Women in Engineering Community.
Travelled down to Cornwall on Sunday afternoon – after a leisurely morning – before we left went for a walk to a lovely park up the road, beautiful trees, did a little bit of gardening and just generally chatted and caught up on lots of news. Beautiful drive down – all the trees looking a picture – lovely day, past the “Thousand Islands” – beautiful area with cottages close to the water, and arrived at Carlas house – another lovely house – three storey ( + basement). Lots of houses with Hallowe’en scarecrows and pumpkins.
Monday – just took it easy doing some reading, and long talks with Ann about her work for women inengineering and an International Task force on Women in ICT, then had lunch in town with Carla and Stacey. Ann and I did a test run over the US border to make sure they would let us through tomorrow ( Ann had forgotten her passport) – all OK, so home and I made apple crumble!
Another pleasant evening… getting colder – temperature down to 10 deg C – quite a change from Washington.
Tuesday
Left Cornwall about 9 am and went over the high bridge to the USA on a drizzly morning- – through Mohawk territory and then into northern NY state. Drizzly and wet but still a beautiful drive through Chateaugay and Mooers ( yes that is its name), to Rouses Point where I was to get the train – unbelievably decrepit looking station – but all organised even with a US Customs and Border protection site.
Train ran alongside the lake Champlain - beautiful train trip into the Adirondacks– all the trees were glowing yellow through to red – if it had been a sunny day would have looked as if the trees were on fire, but even in the drizzle bright and inviting…cottages perched alongside the lake – ground paved with leaves – I like riding on the Amtrak – have a fold down table, even a power plug although mine is not working. Not a very speedy train but time to see the lakeside scenery -
Arrived at Saratoga Springs – and nice hotel – conference tomorrow!

One more day in Washington DC

Well one more day in Washington DC and then I am off.

Worked quietly away last week - got a bit depressed with my progress, but kept plugging away - the paper has grown to 15,000 words which takes a bit of sorting.

Then had a lovely day on Saturday with Kitty who works part time in our Center. I took the train to the stop nearest to her home in Virginia and then we had a day driving down into the Horse country of Virginia - autumn ( fall ) colours, big open green paddocks - they mow them, not a sheep in sight, and houses that look like they came out of Gone with the Wind. Civil war sites like the one on the left which was the site of a famous battle. Lots of places selling big orange pumpkins for Hallowe'en which is taken very seriously here.

The building with the pillars is a butchers shop in the "village" of Middleburg, VA!

Lovely hot day - in pleasant company - and on Sunday I tried to do a bit of sightseeing but really I am Washington'd out. So happy to come back to my little apartment and carry on writing and preparing stuff.

Monday was a workshop looking at Promising teaching and Learning Practices in Science and Engineering Education ( at universities). Quite interesting and got into a good conversation with a woman who is interested in the work Jonny and I have been doing. We took ourselves out to dinner on my birthday, so I wasn't alone.

Been plugging away at the writing this week. N. said second paper was almost there so I was quite cheered up - hard to work entirely alone ( for me ). Took some photos of the beautiful trees on the Mall outside our building, then some of the National Academies building, and the chap who is the Director of the Center here - he does a really good job, faciliating an enormous amount of research, conferences, and "empowering" of people like me.

So on Friday I am off to Canada for three days to stay with a couple of friends I have visited before and then to a conference in upper New York state.

Over half way now - home in three and a half weeks.

Another week hard at work (or trying!)

Was a pretty quiet week last week – worked every day and evening – got a bit bogged down but I’m working on it!
Still a very warm and sunny, and the trees on the Mall are just beginning to change colour. There are some pretty streets right near where I am staying in Foggy Bottom which are classified as heritage areas.

The TV is non stop politics here – or American football ( and I can’t work out the rules – very stop start sort of game), or else you find a channel which plays non stop episodes of Law and Order, Charmed or Closer! So don’t watch TV much – good incentive to keep writing.

I decided to work at least some of the weekend, as my time is running out, but I did find a post office, got my photo taken with (cardboard cutouts of) Barack Obama and John Mc Cain – and enjoyed the subshine.

Although I think Barack Obama is ahead, anything could happen. The “hockey mom” Sarah Palin who is John McCain’s running mate is getting a lot of attention – whilst I admire her spunk, I am wary of letting someone like that “a heartbeat away” from running the most powerful country in the world. She is convinced she has a God given mandate ...

Not sure how the election campaign back home is going, I hope it isn’t as dirty as this campaign.

Went to a free Duke Ellington Jazz festival outdoors on the mall on Saturday – very hot so I only watched for a couple of hours, great music especially a grouof about 40 7-12 year olds from Kentucky who played percussion jazz on xylophones, drums and other percussion instruments. They were great – the Louisville Leopards – and awfully cute as well. Walked around a bit, it seemed that the Mall was full of tourists, and locals enjoying the sunshine. The locals were playing Ultimate Frisbee, some sort of Handball game, baseball and soccer – in social teams on all the available grass on the Mall. Quite fun for people-watching. Sunday I went to a free film festival at the National Geographic Society which was quietly relaxing.

Back at work this week, my time is running out here in Washington, and once I leave here I will be meeting and talking with lots of people so working hard now is good. Ooh, writing is sometimes like drawing out teeth - painful!