ABC Travelling Fellows 2008 Diary

Final stop: 3 June to 6 June

Tuesday 3 June

The Fellows were warned to allow plenty of time for security and the like at the airport, and took the advice, leaving three hours before the flight was due. In the event, security queues were a breeze, even with most of the group getting extra double check security attention (do we look funny or something? Don’t answer that one). So a lengthy wait led to Base Camp establishment close to coffee, and the established new tradition of sharing photos (currently 4500, nearly 10GB of file space). Thereafter it was a long day of travel, via Detroit, to Quebec, with the slightly odd experience of arriving after dark for the first time on the trip. A definite end of term feeling. On arrival at the hotel, we met Mr Steve Cannon, BOA president, and undertook the other new tradition of taking beers to excess.

Wednesday 4th June

A quiet morning saw the Fellows exploring the beautiful city of Quebec, getting the last set of postcards and enjoying the sunshine. At 1730, the group were gathered to be presented to the Opening Ceremony of the Combined Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Association/Canadian Orthopaedic Association. Many of our hosts from the trip were present, and it was tremendous to meet them all again. After a quiet dinner, a quiet group retired to cheer on the Pittsburgh Penguins failing to stay in the Stanley Cup, and an early night.

Richard Williams, Alasdair Sutherland and Kevin Mulhall, the tourists

Quebec city

Quebec cafe culture

Thursday 5th June

One more sleep to go.

0700 meeting with Dr Saleh, Chair of the AOA ABC Committee, to debrief about the trip. With so much positive experience, it was an easy meeting. There is only one thing better than being an ABC Fellow, and that is being an ex-ABC Fellow. So the group was free to set off to the meeting, hooking up with many of the people that had shown such superb hospitality along the way. The rest of the day was spent at large at the meeting, visiting stands, listening to talks and catching up with new friends (another newly established tradition of the Fellows).

Fellows last hurrah with Dr Salah and Dr Weber

In the evening, the follows enjoyed a farewell dinner, which had been beautifully organised by Richard Williams and his black card. A superb meal was interspersed with short presentations from each fellow about the rest. Given the vague remit, it was remarkable how each fellow came up with a different positive take on the experience and on his fellow travellers. Much hilarity flowed over into the return to the hotel bar. They’ll be glad to see the back of the ABC fellows.

Awards dinner

Friday 6th June

Everyone was a bit slow, but the thought of home got things going. Richard Williams saw the rest of the group off and (likely) went back to bed (later flight). At Quebec City Airport, Peter Poon was left to catch his later flight, and at Montreal Andrew Barrow headed for his flight to Washington en route to South Africa. The remaining four spent the day mooching around Montreal, waiting for the evening flight to London and the final break-up. And so home to family, practice, labs and huge mounds of paperwork. Quite a trip, which will take a long time to recover from and much longer to forget.

Nobody fell out, nobody lost any luggage, and the average weight loss was 2 kg.