April days

So I have been super busy.

This past week I was at a conference in Vienna, Austria. It has over 8000 participants from around the world and deals with all manner of Geosciences. Last year was my first year there and I spent a good amount of time worrying about missing something useful and getting lost in the conference centre. This year, despite co-covening a session, I was more chilled out.

More people from my institution were at the conference this year than last, I ended (as I thought I might) drinking a lot more than normal. Not having to drive home makes a difference. I also was braver about networking this year and ended up going for dinner a couple of times with people who submitted stuff for our session who work in my general subject area. However, I think I am recovering from stodge overload due to Viennese cooking.

I shared an apartment in a central location with an old office mate. She was a post-doc and now has a lectureship outside of London. We hadn't caught up properly for ages and it was so nice to be able to do so and have an easy going relaxing room mate experience.

So on Saturday we went to Bratislava, Slovakia. It cost 14 euros return took less than an hour and was a good day trip. Bratislava is developing (tell tale signs of investment banks, property management companies, property rental companies) and is a mish mash of architectural eras. Beautiful in a slightly shabby chic way, nice to see a city not sterile and reminded me of Prague 10 years ago.

Apart from that I had a PhD progress meeting (a college 6 monthly requirement). They depress me preparing for them but the meetings make me feel more optimistic. My supervisors tell me I'm too much of a perfectionist and I'm not far off.

Which is a good thing as I've got a ticket to the USA booked. I LOVE planning trips abroad. I'm going to the boy's sister's wedding in Philly, staying with him and his housemates in LA, then flying back via Atlanta to stay with my friends whose wedding I went to in November. We are either taking the plane from Philly to LA or the train. Travelling together is on our to do lists (long story about our whole involvement deserves its own, probably multiple, post). I jokingly suggested doing some this trip by train. This would involve taking a train overnight from Philly to New Orleans, stay overnight in NO then take another train to LA spending two nights on the train. We would get sleeper accommodation incl food and drinks and it would be a good way to catch up properly. But the boy has started a new job so is about to start negotiating time off so we'll see.