So, I’m in Ballarat for LCA2012, courtesy of my employer. I’ll be presenting on Tuesday along with David on some of the work I’ve done on a few tools for systems automation.
The flight was uneventful – although the landing was a bit rough…
The drive from the car rental place to Ballarat was fortunately uneventful, but plagued with a combination of idiots who insist on doing things the hard way (for crying out loud, don’t try to shoot past me on the left if I’m indicating a left merge already >_< ) and the fact the car’s speedo reads about 5-7kph under actual resulting in us doing about 92kph down the western highway when I thought we were doing 98kph (I have a 100kph limit still. damned P-Plates). The car is a newish Camry and is by far the newest thing I’ve actually driven any distance now – quite impressed in some ways, but disturbed by the lack of vision due to the body shape (pillars are huge >_< ) and the very light steering.
Fortunately we reached Ballarat and found the motel without troubles.
Registered at the University and picked up the schwag pack. This year’s bag is a crumpler sack style thing, contianing: A catalyst branded screen cleaning cloth + case, Bulletproof Networks branded mousemat (looks like it might be faux leather or even real leather), an LCA branded keep cup, intel branded universal USB -> smartphone charger, DSD branded stubbieholder and careers spiel pamphlet, LCA t-shirt, LCA conference guide and a Freetronics LeoStick.
Met up with some people and went to Murphy’s – an Irish pub on the main drag – for dinner. Had the Irish Pizza which was quite pleasant, and generally emptied my wallet on food. (Ouch).
All in all a good start to the week – tomorrow is miniconfs.