District Governor Blog: March 13, 2011

I started the morning out with a walk down from Peter and Cheryl's house to Lake Macquarie (larger than Sydney Harbour for reference). Got in a good walk, lots of steep hills over 15% grade so my back side is sore as I write this.

Interesting to NOTES: With the exchange rate between the US and AUS very close......Gas ranges from 1.35 to 1.49 per litre here or $5.1 to 5.63 per gallon.... nice reality check (they are also a net importer of petroleum). 2 litre of milk is 2.23. Although AUS drive on the other side of the road, I also noticed they walk like they drive (when I was out for my walk that morning I kept walking into people). They generally hold their utensils in the opposite hands as well.

This day was winery tour day which was pretty impressive with 150 plus wineries all within an hour of each other. Lots of boutique. Lots of fun.

Then in the evening I made the 'Toast to Rotary' at the incoming GSE team reception. It was good to see our folks in top form as they made their first presentation.

150 + wineries all within an hours drive of each other.... Hunter Valley Region

My aide, driver, friend, and Rotarian PDG spouse Peter B-H.

Reg Drayton was a Rotarian and proprietor of one of the most well known Hunter Valley wine growing families. He died in a plane crash 16 years ago. His daughter, also a Rotarian runs the show now.

Case of Rotary and other memorabilia

Drayton Winery

Rotarian Robyn Drayton and DG TP

One of Robyn's labels (named after her son). Read the quote about 'people.......'

HUGE lesson for some folks reading this.... The importance of labeling. Once firestick (Pooles Rock wines, lower sister to Cockfighter's Ghost, which is just below Poole's Rock line of wines) changed labels mid year this year (going from what was on the right..... to what is on the left in silver)..... their sales DOUBLED...... labeling, presentation, what catches the eye for the market you are targeting..... Real world real time example.

Anything 'mega' commercial such as this winery group...... we didn't go near the drive way.

TP with Rebecca Rotary exchange student (who lives with Peter and PDG Cheryl B-H)

Rotarian Ginny Sharples, formerly of Preston Center Rotary where I used to be a member). She now lives in Arizona in a district that may dissolve. She has been with me on a trip I led in 2000-01.

Reception dinner for D5520 GSE

Majorie Stephens, DG 2010-11 Don Stephens D9670, and DG D5520 TP

Our GSE team gave their first presentation... GREAT job guys....

The Thursday before I got on the plane was one of those 'full on' days. Started off by walking the dog then off to 'court' to be the lead off witness in a restrictive covenants case. Then US Airways put me on standby due to being oversold, so was strategizing about how am I going to make my flight in LA, US Air was trying to find me a seat on another plane (which all were sold out), so fortunately someone decided they could fly on a later flight and I got on my appointed jet.

In LA did a lot of walking as part of my pre 14 hour flight jet lag removal system (which I try a different one every time as to find one that will work). So I walked down this long underground concourse between the terminal and baggage claim that was about 1/8 mile long, got my 4 laps in, stretched, and was ready to go. It was like a total zoo in the terminal. Spring break and lots of folks excited to go to AUS. Also interesting of note, V Australia (Virgin Australia) had the neatest check in and kiosk system of any airline I have seen to date. Very nicely done with music. That helped to get the trip finally started off right.

Got on the plane in an exit row (airlines are starting to now charge to sit in an exit row btw). Sitting next to me was an exec with Wyndham Estate winery chain, so we had a good talk along with a tall brunette air hostess whos jump seat was right across from us.

Boeing 777, one of the most advanced commercial airlines out, flies by wire, and very big inside. Seems to handle way better than 747's and I have to say the service and experience was way better than any other airline I have been on except Singapore Airlines and Southwest.

Life lesson from a big plane........
As part of my jetlag cure trial number 9 my goal was to not get a lot of sleep on Thursday, stay up as late as I can on the flight, then try to sleep the last 6-8 hours. Well 6-8 hours came along and then the turbulence began. So knowing that dehydration is a big part of long flights, and realizing I couldn't sleep, and sitting right across from a fresh water kiosk and the bathrooms, and needing something to do, I started to drink water, and lots of it. I went to the bathroom probably 6 times over the next 2.5 hours, BUT ...... I do have to say it probably played a positive part in my not as jetlaggy process to follow.....

Life lesson from a big plane........ This plane has some pretty advanced avionics and I was impressed with how well it handled some of the 'bumps' we experienced. The plane had some choices when these big bumps starting hitting (and they did hit). It could have slowed down and gone to a lower elevation, but in FACT it went incrementally HIGHER each time the turbulence came yet generally stayed at the same speed or incrementally faster for that rough period of time. Can you pull some life lessons out of this when you face the bumps in your life?

Got to Sydney and found out my big bag didn't make it, FIRST TIME EVER, and it wasn't V Australia's fault, but US AIR.... Major bummer, but they said they would deliver it where ever I would be at in AUS, so good to go.

Lois Eagle Asher and her husband Alan picked me up (6am mind you, left Friday 8pm, now it was Sunday 6 am). Lois and her family I knew from when I lived in Dubbo and her children were in the youth group I led. Great to see her after many years and she recently remarried Alan who is the Commonwealth Ombudsman (the highest National position for oversight of governmental departments and quality assurance). Interesting cat and very down to earth for such an influential position.

We went down to a cafe with a couple of their friends from Canberra. Lois and Alan live in a house right on the bay underneath the Anzac bridge, very picturesque and great smells from the flowers. It is late summer here heading into fall, temps are the same day and night with humidity like San Antonio (the only bad part).

I was managing my energy well but was clearly off. The three girls came in, Rachel the oldest, Katie, the middle, and Sarah the youngest, Luke the brother was up on the coast someplace. Great to see all of them who have been some of my biggest supporters over the years. We had a nice picnic in a part around from Blackwattle Bay Park.

After picnic, went back to Asher house and got the revelation, being I am not going to be able to move back for at least another 16 years,,,,, this would be a good place to retire (even though I have retired from several careers already), that idea stuck though and is on the radar. If any of you reading this have never been to Australia, you need to come and check it out and you will see why. I lived here in 98-99 and this is my fourth trip over. It's been way to long for sure.

I finally passed out 7.15 pm that night and accomplished what I set out to do on the hangover cure part, it partially worked, drinking lots of water and mini cat naps between turbulence.

Saturday I was 18 hours ahead then with US day light savings time the next day for US, I became 17 hours ahead of MST.

Monday early am I got up to go for my walk and .... forgot, no shoes. In the bag that didn't arrive.

I got dressed, said my goodbyes, then off the Sydney Central Station to catch a train to Newcastle where I was to meet Peter Halyburton, friend from Dubbo, former Deacon of the church I served in Dubbo, former VISA holder when my first visa holder didn't work out in 98-99. Peter is past President of one of the large Australian power companies, an engineer by trade, and I did consulting work for him as part of my day job. Besides Dr. Fedler my graduate school professor, Peter is one of the more intelligent chaps I know and has a great perspective on things of business and faith.

Peter now lives in Newcastle, and I met with him his staff regarding energy deregulation in Texas and nationwide in US and did a compare and contrast. Great information gained as I broker electricity in Texas (www.tpenergybrokers.com), and some strong parallels in methodology but for different reasons. These guys here are some of the world leaders in this field, so very nice to catch up as well as learn.

Had lunch with Peter, then heard another Peter (there will be three 'Peters' before the day is done). After lunch I was talking with Peter H about Peter McQ who in fact works just a few miles from our lunch site, so we went to visit him. Peter McQuillan worked with the youth group prior to my arrival and Judson, Miled and I stayed with him and his family when they lived in Townsville. Cool cat and great to catch up and take a tour of his offices (Administrator for past 10 years of a rapidly growing church).

Then it was off to drop me at Peter and Cheryl Bentley-Howard. Peter was a member of RC Dubbo when they invited me into membership in 1998 (where the DCon is I am speaking at, the primary reason I am here). When we pulled up, they have a grid tie solar panel system with a smart meter. Australia in the near future will be able to 'shut off' individual residences A/C units and other large home energy sucking devices remotely to help with peak demand loads. Not sure I like that 'capability', but it is interesting (photo below). Texas is also implementing statewide smart meters in deregulated markets so it was interesting to see one over here, what they are trying to do with it, then also hear what a former chief exec of the Australian power company has to say about it all. Very educational being I am in the business as well.

I had a little downtime, but talked and caught up with Peter, then Cheryl, then showered and shaved for the first time in several days in that..... My bag finally arrived! Got the slick shave on, then off to speak at RC Belmont (suburb of Newcastle). President Bruce King (name sound familiar for New Mexicans) runs the only nuclear reactor in Australia which is used only for medical and scientific research. We had a great talk in that I had worked/researched as part of my graduate school at Pantex the nuclear weapons plant outside of Amarillo.

Fun group and made the 'Australian' debut of my DCon talk. Feedback was positive, so now that I know the talk will work over here, I am good to go for the two DCon's I will be speaking at Saturday and Sunday.

As I write this, I Skyped with my kids at 5.15 am my time (12.15 there time in Artesia) and am getting ready to hit the pavement. Hunter Valley winery tours today, the reception for the GSE team where I am to give the toast.

TP