So here I am sitting in a hotel room in BroadBeach on the Gold Coast.  Both sliding doors of my apartement (on the fifth floor of the Mantra Phonecian) are open and I can hear someone do a terrible rendition of Bing Crosby or Fred Astair or Dean Martin.  A member of the Rat Pack anyway.  There’s also this constant hub bub of activity, which isn’t surprising considering there’s about eighteen resteraunts, bistros and cafes within spitting distance of each other.

I’m here for the ATA (Australian Trucking Association) yearly coference.  Tomorrow I’ll go to the Convention Centre (also within spitting distance of where I’m staying) and listen to a whole heap of panels related to trucks, productivity and last mile acess on local roads.  Stuff that only a truckie or someone who daily spends 8 to 9 hours of their life dealing with truck policy would find remotely interesting.  Tonight there were cocktails for the ‘delegates’ and those attending like me.  I knew maybe three people – and only knew them in that vague sort of I’ve passed you in the corridor or been in the same meeting with you sort of way – and it was all a bit intimidating.  For everyone else this is their equivalent of Convergence or Swancon or Continuum.  Everyone knows everyone and there’s lots of talk and gossip flying around.  If I had any appreciation of who 95% of these people wereI’d probably find it fascinating.  That said, it was cool to walk into the Exhibition Room were the cocktails were being held to find at least three prime movers, two trailers and a huge tow truck set up on the floor.  While I do love the Dealers rooms at most cons, nothing really compares to a room that has huge trucks in it.

Anywho, this is probably one of the more boring posts I’ve ever written.  Jules – who I miss terribly – is likely reading this, her eyes glazing over.  HI WIFEY!!!!  I miss her, of course.  BroadBeach, with it’s cafe’s and resteraunts and bars, is exactly the sort of place you want to take your wife / girlfriend / partner and walk the bouleverade, licking a gelati and checking out all the menu displays.

So, tomorrow it’s trucks, trucks, trucks.  And then back home.