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This page hosted by and last updated April 10th., 2000.

WELCOME TO MY DAY..

IT IS NICE TO HAVE YOU SHARE IT WITH ME...

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, US OF A !!,

Monday morning..around 8.30 am...writing this in the sunshine, looking out over the Mississippi River, from 9th floor Hilton Riverside building. The outloook is actually quite like that I had from the Imperial Palace at Biloxi..except no pretty casino stretching out on a point into the river..Here the Harrah casino is directly below left; to the right is the beginning of the Riverwalk Complex..141 shops and eating places all under cover...
And the river..dominates everything...so much river traffic..so much river trade..

The convention, complete with New Orleans style brass band, and fireworks, and exploding streamers, has aspects of a Presidential Election convention , very American!

I'm enrolled as a guest delegate, which means I can go to the social functions as well as lectures and get to wear a little hanging pouch kind of things (ours is red; Computer Associates is black), and some tinselly silverdollar coin necklaces , in flourescent metallic colors. Tonight we have to follow the band, literally, in a New Orleans Mardis Gras type procession for about a mile through the streets...Hmm...me as a street-dancer?( I KNEW I should have brought my umbrella to twirl!!)...

The opening session, on the Sunday. was something The Professor thought I should be seen at, and might even enjoy, and I found it more interesting then he did, although, being part of an annual meeting, , the citations for service, and other awards, all read out in long-speech, were of interest really only to those concerned. But the opening address , given by a member who is now director of the Paul Getty Museum in LA., was about the changes in education method in response to technology..and how colleges must adapt to that change. As I said to The Professor, substitute "internet" for "resouce centre" and it was the same lecture I used to have to give for "406: Libraries in Education". So I was right into it, of course.

After that, The Professor had to go to a reception for Honoraries and I went on to the Exhibitors' Happy Hour, where he was to collect me, and we were, he declared, DEFINITELY going out to dinner! Unfortunately, the party was on two different floors,with two different sponsors, which they had neglected to tell us, so The Professor went to Floor 1 and waited, and I went to floor 2 and waited till the bitter end, though I made a very good friend of a nice Englishman, and when I let myself into the room at 9.30 pm, there was a very disgruntled and disappointed Professor stretched out on his bed, feeling he was missing out on all the fun..which he was, of course..

But I had bought some Gordons and tonic on my morning trip into town and lugged it all the way home with a few other groceries. So he got up and fetched ice and I made two G&Ts and he cheered up a bit and we went out for a late dinner, since he has decided he doesn't like the hotel food...with me leading the way and finding a place I knew. My earlier forages and getting- lost- type explorations, from this year and the last, and all the walks with JOhn last yearare paying off, now.....funny..an American needing an Australian guide, hey?

The Professor is NOT as I expected, but very easy to know and to be with, though our meeting was NOT the wellorganized , relaxed event I had planned! And not altogether my FAULT!!
Now, I've been doing this pack&move thing for some time , and know exactly how long it takes me...know that with an 11am or noon checkout I have time to ICQ with the husband at home, and the host at the next stop to make last minute arrangements..
And in this case I had plenty of time to talk online to the Professor before he left for the airport in his home city, and to do a leisurely, controlled, organized packing!....
Except I had reckoned without John, never known for his patience if HE is not he center of attention, and who had an AirForce base he needed to visit, or breakfast to go out for, and things he needed to watch on TV if he couldn't go out.., and ..or anything...
And when I suggested he go along and do all these important things without me, and leave me to do my online arranging, it turned out he hadn't brought enough money to get the car out of the hotel carpark, so couldn't leave until I did, so it could go on my bill....HMMM!..

So it should NOT have been a surprise to me to find myself, having left my suitcases in the Parc St Charles' luggage room, being driven toward Metarie and the Indian Restaurant John had decided would be our lunching place, even though I had told him I could NOT eat Indian food, did not WANT to eat Indian food, and would have to spend the rest of the day in the restroom were I to TRY to eat Indian food!
But I guess it was a very GOOD Indian restaurant if the number of sari-clad diners can be used as an indication!
And I DID try to find things I could eat..honestly!...
I mean, the desserts were just GREAT!
But we were now so close to the airport, and so late, since John is NOT a confident city driver, that it seemed silly, after all, not to meet the Professor's plane, even though his welcome gift and his flight details were back at the hotel, where he expected to find ME, also..
To which John agreed, but was ungentlemanly enough to make snide remarks, with some satisfaction, I felt, about how LONG I had spent in the RESTROOM!
And my stomach was very uncomfortable indeed as John tried to find his way, leaning across me from time to time to shout requests for directions at startled fellow-travellers..
And we were getting later and later, and I was thinking what a miserable start it would be if we missed the professor's plane and he started out for the hotel, as planned...and I was NOT very happy with John..not happy AT ALL!

But John, ex Air-Force through and through , knew what to ask and who to ask , and had soon worked out which was the Professor's flight, and that he would be 20 minutes late, which gave us LOTS ot time...
Time to walk to the very end terminal in this peaceful airport, where noone shouts; time for me to replace the Clearskin dressing on my heel,(and leave my precious packet behind, needing a trip into town next day to replace them)' while we watched the immaculately clean Airforce1 carry the President away); time for John to chat up a local lady until the Professor's plane was taxiing in, at which time John tactfully made himself scarce..

And then John and the Professor walked back down the terminal,deep in conversation, and there was no luggage to collect since the Professor had brought three suits, five shirts, two ties, sleep boxers and socks and underwear, all packed into his carry-on luggage......
And we still couldn't talk much as John took us to collect my luggage, since he gets a bit flustered in the traffic and we all had to concentrate, but we only got lost a little bit, and at the hotel I gave the professor his little Graduate Koala and then John drove us to the Hilton, and helped us unload the luggage..
And then I kissed John goodbye and he headed back to Hattiesburg, and the Professor booked us in, and I confirmed my extension, and we checked out the room and then went downstairs to register.. ..

That night, we walked a bit , despite the cold wind, and despite my blisters, and bought some junk food for the room, and some wine, and worked hard at getting to know each other..
But when we tried to eat, late, at the hotel bistro, there was so little on the menu that the Professor felt he could enjoy, I could see that dining out together was not going to be the highlight of this shared time!
Which, in a town like New Orleans, seemed a real pity!

But I'll keep you posted!

Love to everyone over 50,and everyone on our side! -from
..Robin

NEXT BULLETIN STILL ABOUT NEW ORLEANS !!!

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WANT TO SHARE MY TRIPS WITH ME? 2000 April 9th: April 7th: 1999 March 22nd: July 18th: July 24th: July 25th: July 31st: August 7th: August 9th: August 25th: 1998 June 4th: June 5th: June 11th: June 13th: June 16th: June 19th: June23rd: June27th: July 4th: July 7th: July 9th: July 13th: July 18th: July 28th: August 2nd: August 9th: August 15th: August 22nd: August 27th: August 28th: September 8th:

WANT TO LOOK BACK.. AT SOME EARLIER PAGES ABOUT LIFE IN AUSTRALIA? April 1st, 2000: March 24th, 2000: March 14th, 2000: February 16th, 2000: January 24th, 2000: January 13th, 2000: January 4th, 2000:

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