It’s Friday morning. Up too late in the Hyatt bar drinking. Yesterday started with breakfast with David Hartwell and Alisa Krasnostein, where much was discussed over omelettes and such. That segued nicely into a stroll around nearby Columbus with Cecelia, Gary, and Alisa, before returning for registration and the dealer’s room. I bought a book. Much of the day was spent meeting people, doing the dealer’s room, though lunch was grabbed in a downstairs food hall with Amelia B and family.

The afternoon wandered into early evening and I headed to the bar. It was buzzing, and I spent some time with Gary, Peter, the newly arrived Farah, Holly, Delia and many other lovely people. Alisa and I then grabbed dinner at a nearby brew pub before heading back to the bar and more chatting, chatting, chatting (Sophie would not have liked it). I was meaning to be in bed at a reasonable hour, but I wasn’t. Jeff Ford waylaid me as I headed to bed, then it was 1.15am. Today there’s a board meeting, lunch and so on. Should be fun/interesting.

Tuesday was a gentle day, dear reader. I awoke early, and was greeted one by one by arriving Locusfolk. Kirsten, then Rachel, then Liza, then Carolyn. I had bagels – they only feed you bagels at Locus now – and coffee and chatted. There was a quick trip out to recover an ailing child, then back to the office to work on recommended reading. A worthwhile afternoon. Then over to Bob and Karen’s for pre-dinner drinks, and over to a wonderful Indian restaurant on Solano Avenue in Berkely. We talked all things science fiction and such before I headed back to the house and bed.

Wednesday started early. I was up at about 4.45am so I could be ready to leave at 5.30 for the airport. Kirsten was kind enough to drive us, so Liza and I got there on time. I’d purchased an extra seat on the flight which necessitated some messing around on check-in, but the flights were comfortable and as easy as any I’ve had. Liza and I talked work and other stuff, even doing some work, as we flew from Oakland to Chicago. Tailwinds were sufficient to get us in a half hour early but they were also sufficient to keep our connecting aircraft in Minneapolis. Three hours drifted by in an airport bar, where more chatting and work went on.

We did, eventually, get into Columbus though, where we quickly met up with Alisa then Cecelia, Gary, Ellen and a bunch of the World Fantasy crowd. Some pink drinks were had, then dinner too. I left the bar at midnight so I’d be sure I’d be up for my 8.30 breakfast with David today. After that, who knows? Dealer’s room, podcasting and such. I’ll try to report back as the day goes on, but a good start to Columbus already!

I can’t tell you I was happy when I left you, dear reader. I was tired, in need to rest and recuperation, but faced with delays. In the end my flight from Los Angeles was delayed and I didn’t end up meetiing with the wonderful Ellen Klages till about 5.45pm (I was due at 1.15pm).

Still, once she picked me up at the airport everything looked up. We headed over to a brew pub for dinner with Eileen Gunn and John Berry, who were heading home to Seattle immediately after dinner. It as lovely seeing them, and I’m looking forward to spending more time with Eileen in Ohio. We then headed back to Ellen’s house where we sat and talked for another couple hours, and then I crashed.

Monday started slowly. I pottered around downstairs at Casa del Klages before we headed out to a lovely seafood restaurant for lunch. I need to get the name of it from E. The views were stunning, looking out over the Bay and Alcatraz, and the food superb (I had Steelhead Salmon cook in lemon butter -yum). We then pottered around Fisherman’s Wharf, before doing a little shopping then heading back to Ellen’s to meet up with Amelia.

Readers of this blog should have no problems remembering Amelia, who has been a dear friend for a long time (Jessica once, I recall, wanted to marry her). We chatted and caught up, walked over to very nice Peruvian restaurant for a relaxed dinner, then Amelia and I drove up to Charles’s house where I’m staying till we leave for Ohio.

We stayed up a bit longer, chatted and reminisced, and then she headed home and me to bed. I’ve been up for an hour and am going to go sit out on the back deck and think about Charles for a bit. Later today, the Locus people (!) and Bob & Karen (!). Tomorrow, Ohio.

Well, sitting at Gate 40 waiting for the flight to SFO, which I’ve just heard has been delayed 1-3hrs. Yay. Flight from Perth to Sydney was fine. Had a lovely time in Sydney with Nick, Adrian, Terry, Cat, and Rob including a fantastic Mexican dinner. Was on the A380 to LAX on time, after some paperwork kerfuffle (I swear nothing has gone right with the paperwork), but was disappointed by it. Not only were there entertainment units in the aisle footwells, but the arms between seats were bulky and didn’t go back all the way, meaning one was digging into my shoulder. Will likely avoid the aircraft when I can. Got into LAX 30mins late, and just found out the flight to SFO is delayed by one to three hours. Am ready just to be there.

Well, I’ve left. The plane hasn’t taken off yet – that should happen in about 90 minutes – but I’m sitting in the departure lounge of the Perth domestic airport, drinking coffee and blogging. I’ve gone through the morning rituals, done what I can to make sure that things go as well as they can for this first leg of the trip, and am basically unwinding. The plan, if I have one, is to read and nap on the plane, maybe watch a bit of a movie if that proves interesting, but basically zone out for four hours as I head to Sydney.

This is always an interesting time. You’re poised, like a diver on a precipice, waiting to start things. You know roughly what to expect, how it will likely play out, but have no idea what will actually happen. It seems like that the thirteen days between my sitting here drinking coffee and my coming through the arrival gate over my right shoulder at noon on Thursday will be a long time. It will go by in a flash. There will be dinners, bars, talking, some uncomfortable flights, good bits, bad bits, but when I get off that final plane on the way home it will have seemed to have taken no time at all. Hopefully it will have been fun, though.

What do I think will be highlights? Hmm. Dinner tonight with Nick, Adrian, Rob, Cat and Terry. Staying with EllenK. Seeing Amelia. The Locus folk. Bob and Karen(!). Gary. Alisa. The people. The World Fantasy Award banquet. I’m a freaking nominee!! How cool is that? I shall sit in the room, having eaten plastic banquet chicken, surrounded by friends, and enjoy the moment of being a nominee. No idea how it will turn out, and happy about that. I think others will win, but it’ll be great to just be there and enjoy it. I also hope to do some podcasting. It might be kept on file rather than posted immediately, but there should be WFC podcasts. And lots more.

I’m sure there will be other stuff, and I’ll blog bits of it. Miss lots of it, and see you on the other side.

What else?