Upcoming Trips

CAD vendors sometimes ask me (and other CAD journalists) to attend their user conferences, and so I'll be at two in the next two months:

Autodesk University 2005 is Nov 28-Dec 1 in Orlando FL USA. I'll be there all day on Nov 29-30, plus the morning of Dec 1.

My flight arrives at 40 minutes past midnight, so that should be interesting as I wobble my way in a daze to the Swan&Dolphin Hotel, where the conference takes place. Hopefully Disney security doesn't unleash its killer swans and mercenary dolphins after midnight. My daughters, btw, are totally jealous of me staying at the S&D -- me, I would prefer a place with more manly name.

SolidWorks World 2006 is Jan 22-25 in Las Vegas NV USA. I'll be there Jan 23-25.

My son is jealous of the Tuesday-night event -- which I cannot reveal yet, but you have to be over 21 to attend -- in his suffering way, he's offered to shade his hair grey and paint on facial hair to substitute for me. He's practicing, going around the house, saying, "CAD, ah yes, very imporant...".

As I noted in an earlier post, these two rivals have swapped locations this year. Las Vegas is more convenient for me -- just a two-hour flight on Alaska Air -- but it's a soul-less place. Orlando involves eight hours of meal-less flying -- "meals at cost," notes the e-ticket -- and that's just a hour less than flying to Europe.

Will the World of Disney Automatons have more soul than the City of Zombie Gamblers?

Comments

Hey Ralph - I'll take Vegas anytime for a conference. Soulless it may be but there's entertainment and things to do right on your hotel doorstep (provided you're on the strip). McCarran is just a $15 taxi fare away, no need to rent cars, attendees stay in the conference 'cos they can have fun outside in short time windows. Unlike Orlando or anywhere else in the US, except NYC, where everything is dead come nightfall. I've done Orlando 3 times - what a drag. I've lost attendees for full days due to the damn park, entertaining is a nightmare cos you have to organize transport etc. Vegas and NYC is no sweat - conference, hotel, fun, dining all within walking distance. That's the difference!