I've flown down to Melbourne and then driven up to Regional Victoria (Echuca) and crossed the bridge over the Murray River back to NSW (Moama) to speak at a customer conference for the AHSPO - Association of Hospital Something Purchasing Organisation (aka our customers at hospitals). Arrival in Moama.
The first day's dinner is via a paddle boat on the Murray River.
Historic Echuca Port
And David - the guy from work that invited me (these are his customers)
Emmylou is a famous paddleboat
So then we arrive at this place with pioneers and a teambuilding exercise where we make damper on the fire. I helped out my team and messed it up for us (you know i shouldn't be anywhere near food). We had flour and just needed to pour in some VB beer (as the yeast) and put it on the fire, but i dumped in the bar of butter which means ours caught on fire and was nice and burnt. The pioneer lady was so ashamed of me, she gave us a "do over" - so we put it on the coals for 30 minutes and served it warm with butter (ah-ha) and treacle (maple syrup) then went to our BBQ.
Riding home on the paddleboat.
With my teammates - Michael (left - a supplier of stainless steel scissors) and Tim (right - a hospital purchasing officer)
And as if last night wasn't weird enough, the conference theme was sustainability so I did a session to hospital purchasers on sustainable supply chain while the suppliers were in an indoor session (on surgical tools or something...) I had members of the lawn bowling teams drop in and listen as well. My strangest venue yet!
Now, the gala dinner was sustainability-themed fancy dress. David & I went "green" kinda like the cast of Wicked and St Patty's Day themed, but others played on the Sustainability: Cradle to Grave bit - and we had vampires, bishops, nuns, babies and even a witch doctor on our table! Have I mentioned this is a weird conference???
Me with Richard the Witch Doctor
Tim the priest? Its a hospital joke i'm sure of it...
Some green peeps
Dear god... really?!!
Nigel is dressed normal... oh wait - there's a skeleton on his shirt.
With Michael who is in an electronica band in Melbourne as well.
And Richard, a Liverpudlian.
On Friday, stopping along my 3+ hour drive back to Melbourne airport to fly home.
