Yesterday we left the hotel in San Francisco very early to fly to San Antonio Texas for NECC. This was the first time we were to experience a busy US airport. Let me tell you it is slightly busier than Melbourne!! So  many people, a crazy check in system (I didn’t get allocated a seat when I checked in), a very tight security system and what seemed like organised chaos. It was incredibly interesting. After a smooth flight  and a seating upgrade (those extra 5 inches make all the difference) we landed in Texas to very hot weather, about 36 and only going down to 24 at night.  Our hotel is really well located right on the River walk which is beautiful and just down the road from the convention centre where the conference is being held.  As soon as we got here we headed off to an ISTE cocktail party were we Aussies (say it in your head with an American accent!)  were the toast of the town and were known as “the 32″ (There is 32 of us on the tour). It was interesting to talk to representitives from all around the nation and they seemed to love hearing us saying G’day and no worries! I got to meet the President of ISTE and the president elect!

After the cocktail party we headed off for a walk down the River which was lively and dynamic. Lots of people and restaurants river cruises, music and atmosphere. We ended up back at our hotel with a group of Aussie educators sitting outside by the river discussing and debating the value of Second Life in education, IWB’s teacher PD and some more lightheated topics. It was very interesting to be involved in those conversations.

Went to bed really late my awesome room mate Amanda and I are really talented at staying up late and talking (no surprises there!) and then got rudely woken up at 4:50 am by an emergency alarm which we had to all walk down stairs to find out it was a false alarm. Yay! Not!

Anyway today I am bleary eyed and off to a couple of huge outlet malls, (apparently the third best place to shop in the world!) then doing the Alamo and some other touristy things and a cruise down the river this evening as the conference starts tomorrow!