Travel part I: UCLA

I recently returned from spending three weeks in the US. I have lots of Thoughts every time I travel. Maybe I will put some Thoughts here. 

I started in California, at UCLA, where the weather was pretty symmetric to Melbourne weather, except off by a season. Their cool weather was the start of spring, where ours was slipping into autumn. 

The vegetation was nearly identical. Lawns and native Australian trees. 

From the photos, it could be Melbourne. The way to tell it apart is by the big banners every 10 feet proclaiming that you are on the UCLA campus. 

 

And by listening. 

...

No squawking parrots. None. 

There were squirrels, but they were pretty silent, comparatively. 

 

The first week of the trip was less structured from a work point of view. I arrived early to do some quiet work and to try to adjust to the time zone, so that I wouldn't sleep through the workshop. 

That plan would have worked better, I think, if I had picked a different hotel.

I received a notice just before my arrival that the hotel would be hosting high-security visitors. I should expect extra security and protesters. 

I didn't anticipate the fact that they would put me, the Nobody staying at the hotel, overlooking the portion of parking lot where the protesters were cordoned off. That was a bit obnoxious. 

I didn't anticipate that on Wednesday evening around 9pm, they would shout into a direct speaker in my room the fact that the hotel was closed to protesters, and anyone in the lobby would be subject to arrest. Direct speaker into my room!

And I didn't anticipate the fact that the security guards would make me wait outside in the dark on Thursday, after my long long evening walk, to search for my name on a list of guests. That I would need to repeat my name and my room number over and over, and over and over again, before finally someone new arrived to let me through. That didn't feel secure at all. Anyone listening now knew exactly who I was and where I was staying (overlooking the protester car park, FYI), and now someone listening could safely use my name and room number, for example at the hotel restaurant (just charge the meal to "my" room -- here's the name and number!). It was unnerving. 

And finally, I received a notice under my door:

In summary, it reads:

"Dear Guest, Do not be disturbed when thousands of students run screaming past your window at midnight in their underwear. It is a tradition."

My text to Tim: "Blargh! Next time don't let me pick the hotel on campus!!!!"